Rehearsal 1 Minutes

Hello everyone,

Here are the 'minutes' from our first rehearsal. For those of you that attended and those of you that didn't.

V-Day Islington Mission: We worked in small groups to come up with our V-Day Islington Mission from the notes gathered at the first two auditions. Excellent ideas were created in regards to slogans, display as well as the programme. All of this will be included in the display that Erin is creating for the process of our V-Day production of The Vagina Monologues. She will also be taking photos during rehearsals to display on the evening of the show. If you don't want your picture taken, then please tell her at the next rehearsal. I am very excited about the ideas created and Heather, Eli and myself will be working on the programme with some feed back from Sue A and her wonderful idea about the traffic lights! As well as some feedback from the other group that came up with some excellent slogans. Let me know if you are interested in helping out with this and stay tuned for more information as it comes together.

Vagina Warriors: I read Eve Ensler's essay entitled: Vagina Warriors: An Emerging Paradigm. An Emerging Species. Please read it as it is attached if you did not attend the rehearsal. This will give you some background on Vagina Warriors. We discussed ideas to honour them at our show. Monica came up with the balloon idea, modified by Sharon: red balloons with black string and white cards attached. At the end of the show we will say something to the audience about Vagina Warriors and they will be invited to write the name of a Vagina Warrior in their lives on the white card and take the balloon with them to let it off outside the library. We will need a helium tank, balloons, string and cards. The balloons can be in the hallway and also serve as decoration for the show.

Warm-Up with Noel: We had a lot of fun with this and I think it really opened up our bodies and minds for the remainder of the rehearsal. I know that I took a lot away with me from this and have been really conscious of how my body shows different emotions through breathe, tension, facial, and body language. It was both fun and beneficial. If you were unable to attend the first rehearsal, you must attend all or part of the workshop on the 17th of March, 11-1pm because with it, you will have the tools needed to successfully deliver, understand and feel your monologue. (Harriet, Louise and Sue S. have told me prior to making the dates for our rehearsals/workshop that you are unable to attend this workshop; the rest of you should be there.)

Rehearsal Time: Everyone worked in partners and small groups to practice their monologues, while Noel and myself walked around listening and giving feedback to everyone. I hope that between us we were able to spend a little time with everyone, because I know that I didn't get to see each of you. But those that I did see were doing an excellent job and I especially enjoyed the side conversations that were inspired from the monologues themselves. Everyone was working very hard and I saw a lot of team work. Way to go!!! This is also something that is very important in the process of preparing for our production, that is why it is imperative that you attend the remainder of the rehearsals and workshop in order to continue being cast in the show. You need to have that time to work with someone as well as get objective feedback. I encourage you to keep in touch with your partner during the duration of the preparations for the show in case you have any questions and also just to give each other support. I will send an email with the partner lists and emails.

Final Cast Lists: I am creating the final list, pending feedback from a couple of the new women that attended the rehearsal on Thursday. Cat, can you email me Anna's email as well as forward this on to her? Thanks.

What's Coming Up:
*Rehearsal 2: 8 March, 5.30-8/9pm I need to confirm how late we can be at the library. We will be doing a run through of the entire show straight away, after some simple warm-ups in order to see how long it takes us as well as to do some blocking. Between now and then, practice your monologue. I will pass out black cards for you to paste your monologue onto for the show. Between now and then, prepare your monologue by writing or typing it onto a piece of A4 paper cut in half and you will hold it vertically. I will give you as many pieces of card as you need, so feel free to spread it out if you need a larger font size. If you don't understand, we can work through it at the next rehearsal. Bring your full script as well as a copy only of the monologue you will be performing.
*Workshop with Noel: 17 March, 11-1pm. This is required for those that missed the first rehearsal and recommended for the rest of the cast. Even if you can only come for half of it, it will be more beneficial than not attending at all.
*23 March, Dress Rehearsal, from 5.30/6pm-9/10 We will share our challenges as well as run through the entire show. Dinner and drinks will be provided. This will be a fun, but long night.
*24 March, Our Performance!!! from 5pm-10pm we have the library, we will discuss the time line as the date gets closer for how this evening will go. Doors open at 6.30 and show begins promptly at 7pm, no later. There will be a short intermission and we must leave the venue by 10pm; however, we can store items from the show overnight. I will need volunteers to come on Sunday to do the final strike of the venue.

V-Day Flyer: See attached. Remember, you each have two seats that you can reserve, but tickets for these must be purchased through Hannah by 8 March. Please have those two people put your name in the corner of their booking form so that Hannah can keep track of everyone's two tickets. Questions about this, please contact Hannah (her information is on the flyer) Please pass on/email/post flyer to anyone and everyone!

Ok, that's it for now. Keep thinking of your 'challenge' monologue; I know I am thinking about mine. Mine from last year is posted on our V-Day blog in the archives for Feb. 2006.

All the best. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any questions and I will send out the list of partners from our rehearsal and match up others that weren't here, just so you have a mentor of sorts to touch base with throughout the process.

Thanks for all of your hard work, time and commitment.

Kara