Stage Notes – December 14

PART ONE

• ARTHUR and WALLACE Can we take a moment today to look at how you’re setting the banners at the top of Act One?
• CHORUS After Nova Nova, we want a sprightly, energetic feeling– remember, it’s a party! You are excited to be singing and celebrating together.
• CHORUS The stage picture during Verbum Patris looked great! Remember this is a party song.
• CHORUS You can talk and gesture even more in response to the children’s set.
• CHORUS In general, we want to hear more talking to fill in transitions between moments. We shouldn’t hear silence as we move into a new song during the party scenes.
• GREG M and VICTORIA During the medieval ensemble feature (Dou way, Robin / Sancta mater gratiae) could we have you standing instead of sitting to balance the stage picture?
• TEENS When you bring out goblets for King Arthur’s Court, you don’t need to be surreptitious about it– you can come out and present your trays with a flourish. We will take a look at this today.
• CHORUS We’d like to hear even more vocal responses to Arthur’s exchange with the Green Knight. You can back Arthur up more, especially the men. Remember you are the Knights of the Round Table!

PART TWO

• SASHA, LILA, ARTHUR, WALLACE We want to take a look at how you hand the sword off to Gawain when you’re arming him in L’homme arme– come find Roberta when you get a moment.
• ARI, ARTHUR, MAX Can you please stand closer together when you’re holding the castle banners– it’s one castle, not three! Let us know if you want to go over this today.
• BOWMEN Thank you for setting the torches, they looked great. We’re going to have props set these in 3 for you. Please make sure the doors on the torches are latched when you carry them onstage.
• CHORUS If the doors don’t come out on time, don’t wait for them, you can go ahead and start setting up for the party.
• CHORUS You can have even more urgency and excitement when entering the Act Two dance. Throw yourself in there!
• CHORUS If you are watching the Act Two dance from SL, you can clump up more.
• JENNIE W, HAROLD, WALLACE, JEFF, GREG L Please spread out farther SL on Dona Nobis Pacem.
• MEN We want to see the men’s hunting entrances and exits happen faster and with more urgency. You can start moving earlier to get yourselves through the doors.
• MEN On the entrance into Hunt Is Up (Part 1) Jeff, Greg L, Chris L, and Kieran can enter over the hill behind the Berzerkers, Greg M, Jim L, Greg S, and Harold can enter through the doors SL.
• MEN Following The Hunt Is Up (Part One), don’t stop talking to each other until the doors have closed behind you.
• WOMEN At the end of “Plus bele que flor / Quant revient / L’autrier joer / Flos Filius”, we want to hear the ladies titter and talk to each other. You can be gossiping about Lady Bercilak and Gawain.
• WOMEN Can we hear even more giggling as the men exit and you enter in for Day Two (before “J’atendray tant qu’il vous playra”).
• WOMEN Can one of the women dancing during Day Two please pull the curtains on the bed closed after the scene with Lady B and Gawain?
• BARRY and DAVID Can you please move Gawain’s sword and shield into the DR corner to the right of the stairs, instead of to the left of them. This happens at the top of the first Bercilak scene.
• CHORUS Please send your children offstage following Boar’s Head.
• MEN The Hunt Is Up (Part 3) should be even more raucous and energetic than the previous two days. The first day is happy energy, the second day is a party, and the third day is more dangerous.
• CHORUS There is a lot to strike as we go into the woods after Day 3. If you are able to take a sittable offstage, please do so to make this transition as quick as possible. Don’t leave the stage without striking something!
• CHORUS When you reenter with your court in the final scene, you can enter with more urgency to see what has happened. You can be excited and proud to be there.
• CHORUS You can cry out when Gawain falls after the Green Knight strikes him.
• LIZ Gawain is going to try to hand the hankie back to you after he shows it to the people around.