End of year show evaluation

On Friday the 27^th of April it was our end of year show. When school finished we didn’t go home we stayed at school. The reason was because we needed to set up the hall for the audience.

We set up the hall with tables. On the tables were purple table cloths with sparkly confetti on it. Also on each table we had flowers and candles and a helium balloon. The colour theme was silver and purple.

After we set up we ordered pizza for dinner then went up to the drama studio to sort out our stuff. We all had our own little tables so we didn’t get crowded. I set up my outfits in piles and put my shoes lined up under the table in order. I also set up my makeup.

We then went down stairs to eat our pizza. After we had eaten we went up to the drama studio to get ready for our first two acts, maybe and hard knock life.

I had to wear a little floral dress. My hair was in back combed bunches. For the whole show I just had stage make up.

When it was time to go on stage we were all very nervous and then Miss Dolan handed us a rose saying ‘good luck Laura-Anne’ it was from Chloe Greens mum. It was very kind of her.

Once I was on stage and sitting in my position I didn’t feel too nervous. The first to acts went really well. I remembered everything and I really enjoyed myself. The next acts I was in were don’t stop me know and somebody to love.

For this we had to wear costumes we made our self’s. I had made a denim corset with tartan decoration and a tartan skirt with denim decoration. We had our air in a back combed pony tail.

At the begging of don’t stop me now we were going to walk through the audience whilst Alice and Katie sung the first section however the music was played too early which meant Alice and Katie missed some of their singing and we had to rush trough the audience and when we got on stage the curtains were still closed. Apart from that both the dances and singing went really well. It was then the interval.

The first act back was Chicago. For this we wore fish net tights, a leotard, hot pants and jazz shoe’s. This dance went really well apart from where the music started to skip. However as a group we recovered well and all came in at the same part. After this song I had a really fast change for my solo as there was only on act in between that dance and me.

I managed to do it with a minute to spare. I think my solo went very well apart from a little bit of the piano part I messed up but I didn’t show it and saved it really well.

The final act I was in   was the finally. For this we wore dresses and high heels. We all sung with each other and Jack Dent played the guitar. This went really well.

Finally we did the thank-you’s.  We bought Miss Dolan and Miss Hearn some chocolate and they came up with some flowers for us.

The evening went really quickly but we all really enjoyed it! Two years of work have gone it to the show and all of the hard work was worth it.

End of year show rehearsal evaluation

On Tuesday the 24th of April we held our rehearsal for our variety show which will be taking place on the 27th of April. After having a few incidents of acts cancelling on us last minute we managed to find replacement acts in time and informed them all of the rehearsal and said if there were any problems then to let us know! All acts said they were able to come and the rehearsal ran smoothly.

To begin with we were unsure of what to do because we arent used to being in charge but eventually we got the hang of things and it ran pretty well. We made sure we did all the guest dance acts first so that we could get the miks set up. Then we did our group acts and made sure with spacing and positions.
By this point the mics were set up and we ran through every guest singer or soloist and then ran through pur solo.

I did a duet with Shannon and this was the first time i'd got up on stage and sung a solo infront of people so i was very nervous! Once i'd done it i was okay but it was very scary!

We took notes on spacings of guest acts, mics used and movement to make sure the lighting and sound was correct for the act.

We also took note of whether the act needed to have curtains open or shut, however we had organised the running order so that it would wor with one act infront one behind one infront one behind. This managed to work well.

At the end of the rehearsal we told the actsq what time to be at school on friday for the performance and throughout the rehearsal we made sure someone went round and made sure all the costumes that acts were wearing were appropriate.

The rehearsal seemed to go pretty quick and it was over within a flash. We felt that we had done enough, however to improve i think we could have been slightly more organised and more confident with the performers at the begining and with bossing people about.

Overall the rehearsal went well and think we all felt that we were prepared for friday.

Evaluation of cabaret performance

On the 15^th of March we performed our all that jazz dance in cabaret. We had rehearsals in the hall on Thursday period 3, 4 and 5. The rehearsal went well.  When we rehearsed I danced it all correctly which made me feel more confident for the evening to come.

When the evening came I had another act before our dance, so after band I had to get changed and do my make up really quickly. I did it in good time and go to practice before in the drama studio before. When we were getting ready on stage I started to feel really nervous. The reason is it’s such a precise dance if I did anything wrong it would be really noticeable.

We all got in position and the curtains opened. The music which started to play was the wrong music. We all got the giggles but kept out position. Then they turned off the music, the next music they played was also the wrong music. We tried to keep our position but are arms were aching so they just the curtains. Eventually they played the right music bit the curtains didn’t open in time but we carried on.

At the very start I made a little mistake instead of having my hand down by my side it was on my hip but after that I did everything else correctly. I didn’t notice any one else make a mistake when we were on stage. Afterwards Myraim said she had slipped on her chair but she made a very good recovery!

I think the strongest part of the dance is the chair section. It looked really effective on stage. If I had to improve anything I would make sure all our toes were pointed when they needed to be.

We were originally singing but with the dance we did we couldn’t have sung. It would have been very hard to sing during the dance sections and the train section. We would have been very out of breath and it wouldn’t sound too good.

I really enjoyed the dance it was good fun. It was an interesting style to learn.  

recording my cd

This week i have started to record my CD. On my CD I'm hoping to put about 6-8 songs that I have written.For my birthday I got a four track recording box so I can record my CD in my own time. So far I have only recorded one song. Its taken some time because I won't i to sound professional as I am thinking of sending it of to the radio so maybe I will get noticed as a singer songwriter. All my songs mean something to me and reflect how I feel and my personality. Once I have finished my CD I will be selling them for £1 each so I can afford more disks and equipment for the future.

I would love to be noticed and for my songs to go on the radio and do tours, but I know its a hard industry and I am going to have a lot of competition. It seams such a big goal but I'm willing to keep going till I hopefully get there one day. I'm not doing it for fame or money I just really enjoy performing songs and I hope people will listen to my songs and understand the meaning of them.

I will keep blogging on the progress of my CD.

Rock Challenge

On the 22nd of February we went to Stevenage to showcase our rock challenge , Swift as a shadow short as any dream.

This was my first time performing in rock challenge so I was very excited. we had to be at school by 7.45 so we could get registered and get an early start.
when we got to the venue I was looking forward to seeing other school's rehearse. as we are a premier ship school we weren't competing so we had slightly less pressure then the other schools.

it was going to be a fun day unfortunately I started to fill really ill but I kept going. our first meeting was really good! we did some dancing and had a chat about the day. after that we just watched other performances till the next meeting.

at the next meeting the teachers had a dance and it was a great laugh. it was then if to hair and make up to get ready for the show. by this point I was feeling very ill. I had to sit outside for a while. Miss Donavon ca to see me and said if I didn't get any better i couldn't go on stage. I was really up set because I have been wanting to perform in rock challenge for so long.

even tough I still felt ill later on I decided to go and get changed and get my hair and make up done. I had my hair in a middle parting and it was dead straight. then my face was painted white with black eye brows and black lips.

this is me with my hair and makeup with musterdseed.



just before we went on stage I felt very sick so I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. but i did. when we were waiting to go on I was so nervous.

When I was on stage it went really fast. I felt really happy once I had finished because I had done it all right.

I can't wait to Portsmouth and hopefully I wont be ill. it's going to be great fun.

costume design evaluation

I have made a costume for Rock Challenge which has the theme of a Mid Summer Night’s Dream.

I have used netting and elastic to form the basic skirt. I have added roses and leaves. Also I have attached strips of fabric all around the skirt to give it a woodland effect.

I have made these pieces by ripping strips of fabric. The colours are yellow and pinks. I sewed these on to the waist band of the skirt and cut the ends of the strips of fabric. The roses are made by using a strip of fabric. You wrap the fabric and sew it as you go along. The leaves are made by cutting two leave shapes the same out of material and sewing them together. You then turn them inside out.

The costume will be worn with a green leotard and green tights. They will also be wearing ballet shows.

I have ensured that the costume is made well, and that it fits correctly. It will have lights underneath to add effect.

I will also help to make the main character costumes such as Titania, musterdseed, Peasblossom and Cobweb.

Annie Audition

Last weekend I auditioned for Annie at the Watford palace theatre. Annie is a musical about a Young orphan who wants to meet her parents. this Saturday at the watford palace theatre they were holding open auditions for  Annie. they were getting a whole new cast so there was a good possibility you could get in.

me and my friend went.my friend didn't audition she was just there for some support. by accident me and my friend arrived one hour and a half earlie! we thought it started at two so we arrived at 1.30. turned out it started about 3!! so we decided to walk around the theatre and be nosey. after about ten minuets we realised that all interesting rooms were locked!

we came back and I got changed into my dance shoes and sat down. after a very long wait people started to arrive. then the people running the audition arrived. we had to go up get our number and fill in a form. I was number three!

after about a ten minuet wait the first twelve people to audition went up stairs into a rehearsal room. this man introduced his self and told us how the audition was going to work. he was really friendly so I didn't feel nervous. we started of with singing.

this is my strongest area so I'm glad I got to start with it! the twelve of us had to stand around the piano. he played us the first two verses of 'the sun will come out tommorrow' we sung the verses over again a few times as a whole group. then we split into two groups and sung it through ones and then as a solo!! we only had to sing it once. I thought it went well.

then it was time for dancing. this is my weakest area because I get nerves when I dance but the lady teaching us was really nice. first we learnt it all together. it wasn't a complex routine but it was a routine to show of your strenghts and weaknesses so they could mark you. we only danced it through twice before having to show it and we got marked on it. we danced it in groups of for to the examiner.

finally drama. we went down stairs in to a smaller room. we got given a piece of paper with three characters on and what they said. there was Annie, Miss Hannigan and Mollie. we had two minuets to choose a character learn the lines and act it. we had to do it i a American accent and put emotion into it. I choose Annie and this went really well  for me. after reading and acting it they took a picture of us and told us that we would get a letter even if we didn't get it. I left confident the I had done well.

there were over two hundred people who attended the audition and only a limited amount of people got it. the audition was nothing like I expected it to be. I had a song and drama piece prepared that I didn't use! the competition was really tough it was filled with people with tones of experience and I had none.

this Saturday the letter arrived. I was really nervous! I opened it and.... i got in!!! i was soo happy. its said on the letter ' you will be in at least 5 choruses and in many other scenes also I got in for dance, drama and singing! I have rehearsals Tuesday nights for one hour and a half starting in march. there are only two shows which are in July.

this is going to be a great experience! it cost £120 to take part but i get professional dancers, singers and actors to teach me! it also includes props and costumes. all i need to get are jazz shoes and a Annie top for rehearsal's. I am defiantly going to take up the part!!

i am looking forward to everything ahead of me!

costume design

in costume design we are making the costumes for titania's faries, Titania, Peasblossom, Musterdseed and Cobweb. we were all given a tutu, leotard and tights with a colour scheme. my tutu is pink so am using pinks and yellow on the skirt. this mathches my tutu and tights as they are green.

on are tutu we had to add strips of fabric. we did this by ripping a strip of fabric out of a bigger sheet of fabric. we the sewed them on to the waist band of the skirt.after there were strips all round the skirt I added decoration. I added some roses and leaves which I had previousley made.  

the skirt is compltley secure. I am now going to add decoration on the leotard. I am going to add roses, leaves and strips of shimmery fabric along the top.

my skirt and leotard

my skirt

i am proud of what I have done so far and looking foward to fitting it on a dancer and seeing it on stage all completed.

musical theatre exam

before Christmas I sat my first musical theatre exam. I went straight in to grade three because my voice was strong enough. I spent many months papering myself for it. I had to learn three songs 2 of my choice an one before a certain date. they are different dates for each exam. I had to choose songs which I could act and sing. the three song I choose were 'the wizard and I' from 'Wicked', ' I'm gonna wash that man right of my hair' from 'south pacific'  and 'there are worse things I could do' from 'grease'. We had to learn the background  and the story lines of the song also who wrote the music and lyrics.

my exam was in essendon which is near Barnett. my exam was earlie I had to be at the exam hall at 9.30am. when I arrived I was aloud half a hour to practise and I had ten minuets with the pianist to practise. then I got called in.

I was told that the examiner was really nice, she wasn't! when I walked in she was completely silent! I gave my exam sheet and got ready for my first song. as it was a musical theatre exam I had to were a costume for my first song , the wizard and I, I had to wear a withces hat! this song went well. all the drama went really good too. the only concern I had with it was when I was running around the hall my hat fell of and she took notes which worried me but I still kept a smile on my face. then the second song, 'im gonna wash that  man right out of my hair' went well. this was my worse song I just hated singing it because if the tune but it did suit my voice. my costume for this was more of a prop and it was a towel. I had to use this a lo in this song. and finally my last song was my favourite one, 'there are worse things i could do' my costume for this was a cute skirt. this was my favourite song to sing and act. the reason being is I loved the pitch of it and the drama was good as it was emotional.

it was then time for questions. his is the first time I had heard the examiner speak trough out the whole exam! I sat down and she asked me the story lines of the songs and to tell her about the characters. all the questions went well apart from one and it was 'name some other songs from grease'! I know loads of songs from grease but my mind went blank but then I remembered one! I left the exam feeling happy with the results and went home!

this week I finally got the results. in total I got 92 out 100! this is a distinction!! I was so happy with this! nearly full marks. I now know that my voice is strong enough for musical theatre as my teacher and examiner said. Because my result was so positive I have skipped two grades again and gone up to Grade 6!

In grade 6 you have to have four songs. as I only stared two weeks ago I have only chosen two songs. they ' Somebody to love' from 'we will rock you' and 'down by the sea' from ' Sweeney Todd'! I am very excited about doing this exam. I am hoping to take this exam around April/summer time before I leave year 11!

I am proud of my result and hope to continue the high marks in my next grade!

end of year peformance

this term we started working on our end of year performance. we first sat down as a group and talked about different themes for the show. we first wanted the theme of the Oscar awards but then Alice came up with the idea of Annie the musical. we aren't doing to exactly the same we are making it our own. so far we have decided that we are going to open the show with the song 'Mayby'! this will make the audience fill sorry for us as we are playing orphans. then we are going to straight in to 'it's a hard knock life'. we have started choreographing this. this is really good fun. we have nearly finished this dance only a few more lessons on it now then it will look really good. the choreography is simple but effected. we have also sorted out what every one is singing.

all of us are singing and dancing. we want to make the show amazing. we need to put a lot of effort and time into making it really good but we are all happy to do that.

this is just me singing turning tables. i know its the same song as the last video but i really like it. the sound quality isn't very and I have sung better but its not to bad

hope you like it!

This is a video of me and my friend singing turning tables by adele we have made up harmony to it too. we both have the same ambitions to be singer song writers. Both of us write our own songs.

in april I am recording my own CD I am going to a recording studio and I am very excited!! I have wrote many songs.

this video isn't too good because we were in our pijamas at 3 in the morning but i like the harmony!!
hope you enjoy!!
(i am going to post all my songs from now!)

jazz workshops

over the past two weeks we have been working on our choreography and learning are jazz workshops. we learnt street jazz, lyrical jazz and rock 'n' roll jazz. I helped choreographer the rock 'n' roll routine. In my group there is Chloe, Shauna, Louise, Elle and me. We had to make up a dance that lasted one minute.Chloe, Louise and I do rock 'n' roll dance so we new what to do more then the others. Louise only new a little bit so me and Chloe took charge.

we started of by thinking of some rock 'n' roll moves and what music they ll go to. The music we choose was 'candy man'  by Christine Agulera. we didn't want to make the moves to hard because the people that haven't done it before wouldn't of picked it up. the dance started simple. all thought it was very hard it looked good if you did it with good technique. gradually we added more and more to our dance. we spent a lot of time practising it because we new we had to teach it to the class. our dance was exactly one minuet.

all of us new our dance well. when we were teaching we split it into five section.i tought the fourth section. i was nervouse because i have never tought a dance a group of people. i think i did ok! i thougt it the best I could. i did step b step most of the time and i was proud of my work.

if I was to teach agian I would slow it son slightly and make sure i did step by step through the whole section.