Practice

Everyone is familiar with the term “practice makes perfect,” right? But in the theatre, there’s really no such thing as a perfect performance, and there is especially no such thing as a perfect rehearsal. There is always something to “fix” or adjust. Students can get hung up on perfection, but so can teachers, directors, choreographers, and musical directors. It gets really easy to nitpick and point out every flaw, particularly during note sessions. Perhaps that’s why students often tune out during notes – it can be disheartening and frustrating to give all your energy and push yourself onstage, only to hear afterwards all the things that were wrong about it. And, of course, we all want to have an excellent final production… But zoom in on the word “excellent” here – “excellent” is completely different from perfect. A perfect final production, like a perfect rehearsal, does not exist. An excellent rehearsal or show is attainable. Excellence is going to be different from rehearsal to rehearsal, show to show, and student to student, but aiming for excellence is much less daunting than aiming for perfection. And students can achieve excellence by reframing their thought process towards rehearsal – focusing on practice making progress, instead of trying to achieve perfection. This doesn’t mean students can be lazy or rest on their laurels though. Go back to the first word of the phrase we’re talking about here: practice! Just showing up to rehearsals and going through the motions does not achieve excellence. Students must aim to improve and move forward at every rehearsal. Otherwise, they won’t make progress. So how do students make progress and aim for excellence? It has nothing to do with talent or skill. It does have everything to do with good rehearsal habits. Go back to the basics of rehearsal etiquette and help students put them into practice: • Look at your rehearsal schedule ahead of time to see what you’ll be working on that day, and review the material in advance. • Show up to rehearsal a few minutes early with all your materials (script, score, pencil, etc.) and already changed into appropriate rehearsal clothing and footwear. • Turn off your phones and put them away. • Keep chatter to a minimum. • Keep a pencil handy and actually write notes on your script. The physical act of writing helps to cement instructions in your mind. This includes notes on choreography and blocking – don’t depend solely on rehearsal videos! • Put your full physical and mental effort into rehearsing. The degree of effort you’re able to exert may change from rehearsal to rehearsal, but do your best to leave personal issues and worries at the door. Practice the way you want to perform. Don’t “mark” your movements or give a half effort. Show you care. • Listen carefully during note sessions, not just to notes directly given to you but to the notes for others as well. These notes are full of useful advice that you may be able to use for your performance. And at least they will give you a fuller idea of what your director wants the show to be. • Take the time to review your work and practice outside of rehearsals. Practicing only during scheduled rehearsal time will get you only part of the way. Remembering these basics and putting them into practice during daily rehearsals will guarantee that students will make progress. And that progress will inevitably lead to an excellent performance. Good luck!

Teachers and directors – have you ever watched a run of your show, noticed a particular student, and wondered, “Now where did that performance come from?!” I’m talking about the student who plods through the rehearsal process, doing just enough to get by, but when they’re onstage, all of a sudden it’s like they’re an entirely different person – bright-eyed, smiling, and performing their heart out. While it’s wonderful to see this performance, I’m sure you were wondering why this is the first time you’re seeing this student perform with this much energy and enthusiasm – especially when you were probably worried about how the show was going to come together! For some students, the theatrical process can seem long and tedious. Many students love performing but don’t like going through the process of rehearsing – learning, developing, exploring, and reviewing. They may not see the point of drilling notes, trying different approaches to lines, and practicing choreography over and over – they just want to get onstage with the costumes, lights, and cheering audiences. What really surprises these students is the concept of “practicing how you’d like to perform.” This means performing full out all the time, with maximum energy, as if every rehearsal, review, and run-through is a full performance. Through this repetition, students develop their stamina, improve their volume for speaking and singing, increase confidence (both their own and that of their teacher/director) in their abilities, and demonstrate their passion and enthusiasm for the show. By demonstrating a half-effort in rehearsal, students aren’t displaying their full abilities and potential – they are essentially holding themselves back. But by practicing everything like a performance, students will be capable of much more onstage. Here are six tips to help your students embrace the concept of “practicing how they’d like to perform".1. Discuss why rehearsal is important. Does every student come to rehearsal with all his or her lines memorized? Does everyone learn the dance steps perfectly the first time? Does everyone already know their blocking? Of course the answer is no! Have students discuss everything that goes on during rehearsals beyond the mechanics of line work, choreography, blocking, and vocal rehearsal. How do characters truly come alive? How does an actor know how to express exactly how their character is feeling? How does each moment onstage actually happen within the constraints of this particular production, in this particular theatre, with these particular students? The answer is – this is all discovered through the rehearsal process! 2. Re-frame students’ thoughts about rehearsal. Students spend far more time in rehearsal than they do actually performing the show. Have students think of rehearsal as constant performance time – they love to perform, and they have all this time to be performing in rehearsal! If they say, “It’s not the same without an audience,” remind them that the artistic staff and the rest of the cast and crew are always watching. You may also wish to bring in outsiders to watch a portion of rehearsal at times – perhaps another teacher, the principal, or some parents might be able to come in and see a run-through of a scene or musical piece. This will keep your students on their toes! 3. Urge students to get off-book as quickly as possible. The sooner they are not fumbling with their scripts in their hands, the easier it is for them to really develop their physical movements and understanding of who their character is and what they want at all times. When students are not struggling with their lines, they can focus on making their work bigger, louder, and more energetic. 4. Start with small increases in energy. Tell your students to “bring the energy level up two notches” or “increase your energy by 10%.” Smaller increments are easier for students to believe they can do well. Hearing “The whole number needs to be WAY BIGGER!” is less intimidating than “Let’s bring our energy up from 5 out of 10, to 7 out of 10.” 5. Encourage “bigger is better” in rehearsal. It’s much easier to bring an over-the-top performance down, than it is to coax and plead a bigger performance out. You can even have students do a run-through where they deliberately “go overboard” with their voices, gestures, and characterizations. Chances are, the overboard performance is closer to what they need to do. You can then pull back the performance as necessary. 6. Have your students rate their own performance in rehearsal. Ask them, “By show of hands, who would rate that run-through a 5 out of 10?” and go upwards or downwards from there. I’ve found that students are generally pretty honest about their performance, and they tend to follow it up with “Can we run it again?” or “Can you re-explain such-and-such please?” If your students’ opinion of their performance is different from yours, explain your rating and why you feel they deserved that rating. Give concrete examples of what needs to be fixed, such as: “I couldn’t hear your lines clearly,” “Your character is supposed to be happy in this scene, but your facial expression makes you look bored,” or “Your arms and fingers were saggy, when they should have been straight and extended.” Alternatively, if your students are harder on themselves than you would have been, be sure to give them positive feedback about what they did: “Your turns were much better during that run-through,” “Your voices were much clearer that time,” or “Even though you are in the back row of the dance, your energy made you stand out in a good way.”

Rehearsal time is precious–there’s usually never enough of it–so when rehearsing a school production, you and your students will want to use your time together as effectively as possible. Practicing outside of your designated rehearsals is absolutely essential to help students succeed! Here are five ways that students can practice outside of rehearsal, so that they can maximize their in-rehearsal productivity: 1) Prepare in advance Students should look ahead on the rehearsal schedule and review material in advance. If the plan for next rehearsal is to block Act 2, Scene 4, students should review their lines and cues ahead of time, so they’re fresh and familiar. When students get to rehearsal, they should be ready to work. Please note – unless they are specifically told to, students should not memorize their lines prior to rehearsal. Directors will most likely have a certain vision for how the student’s character will be portrayed, which might not be the same as what the student prepared. It can be difficult to undo the work that a student has already done. 2) Use technology It’s the rare student who doesn’t have a smartphone these days. Phones can be distracting; but when used creatively, they can be useful rehearsal tools. Students can film themselves performing and then watch it back critically, looking for tics or bad habits like slouching, mumbling, or playing with their hair. Students might also wish to record dance or combat choreography to watch later while practicing at home, as a video reference. Students can also use a voice-recording app to review their lines. Have students record themselves saying their cue lines and leave spaces in between for their actual lines. Then, have students play back the recording and recite their lines aloud along with the recording. 3) Get together with a group Encourage students to get together with their friends to work on their theatrical pieces outside of rehearsal. This helps students to not only review their work but also bond with their castmates. It’s fun to get together with friends and practice – why not socialize and get some review in at the same time? Students could do line runs, plunk out notes on the piano, review choreography, watch a film adaptation, listen to the cast album… 4) Mix up learning styles There are three main learning types – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners might read and re-read their lines, or copy them out onto cue cards or post-its and put them up where they can read them all the time (like on the bathroom mirror while brushing your teeth). Auditory learners might record themselves saying their lines and listen to the recording over and over, or listen to the cast recording of the show rather than read the sheet music. Kinesthetic learners need to get up and get physical – actually walk through the blocking while reviewing lines, get up and do the choreography over and over, or practice while doing another activity, like working out or going for a walk. If students feel that they’re stuck or like they have hit a roadblock with their review, encourage them to try a different learning style on their own time. 5) Make healthy choices Performing is very physical. It’s important for students to keep themselves in good health both physically and mentally, so they are able to focus in rehearsals and performances. Encourage students to take care of themselves by eating nutritious food, drinking tons of water, getting some exercise and stretching, and getting lots of sleep. Remind them to plan their schedules ahead of time, so they can keep up with their studies and not feel stressed about balancing rehearsals, homework, and the rest of their lives! It’s also a good idea for students to be aware of what other activities they’re involved in and make smart choices – just before show week might not be a good time to take up any extreme sports or scream their guts out at a concert!