5/06/23 - 8/06/23 Show Week for Little Women!

 Week 33 of Milly's acting journey

On Monday 5th, we jumped straight into a dress and tech run of Little Women for cast 1. Before that, however, we spent the morning changing and moving the set into the theatre. Musical Theatre had left some set pieces from their show, so it needed to be gone ready for ours. I was able to help out with the set team by decorating the entrance to the theatre with book pages and objects that appear from the period Little Women is set in. Afterwards, the set looked tidy and just like what we had imagined, which we were all so thankful that we had decided to work as a team and get it done.  The tech run was quite stoppy and starty due to light changes and figuring out what lights would be the most effective for the show as a whole. This also meant that we didn't get to do full run through of scenes, but thankfully we had the dress run to do all of that. I was very prepared for the dress run, as the night before I had wrote down on a piece of paper all of my cues, entrances, exits and what props I need to take on and leave on stage. This was kept safe backstage once I was on stage, and I was able to check if after I had left to remind myself of what was coming next. I didn't have to worry about many props thankfully, just more about entrance and exits lines, as I have similar duologues with Jo, so it was essential I didn't mix them up. I had also wrote down my monolgues on a piece of tea stained paper, since I read it out like a letter anyway, so that allowed me to feel slightly at ease, knowing I didn't have to remember chunks of lines for no reason anyway. The dress run, in my opinion, went really well. There were no major errors, and if there was, we made sure to prioritize them and get them shifted into real great pieces of acting. I felt really good about Marmee, and took from the dress run to make my entrance in the beginning more friendly and excitable, as I felt I was just stood there waiting for them to come to me, when I could open my arms and gesture a hug. The rest of the day was spent going over last minute things like costume, props, and any problems we all had. I felt prepared and knew that I just needed to check over my lines to keep them stored in my head. 

Show Day 1 - I felt a little bit nervous diving in the dress rehearsal, I won't lie. It's my last show of the year, the last show of the second years, and I really wanted it to go amazing, which I didn't know at the time, it did! I made sure to use all of the notes and pieces of feedback into my performance and really channel the Marmee I had become and envisioned. Upon researching Marmee, my main personal aim was to highlight the importance of her in the show, and how she is the centre of all of the March girls dreams, and I really hope that's what I did. The show was perfect, and I couldn't have been surrounded by a more loving cast. I'll miss that first night feeling with some of the 2nd Years, especially having Emie by my side. We were together during my first big show of 1st Year and ending my year with her there too was a delight, and I'm so grateful for that opportunity. I knew I was prepared for the following day's show thanks to this show, and I honestly couldn't wait to do it all over again. 

Show Day 2 - Out of all of the Little Women performances, this is the one where performing as Marmee clicked. I was on stage during my first scene and I weirdly felt emotional and, in a way, complete. After all the rehearsals and line learnings Marmee, it had all come together, and I felt totally in character. I bounced off everyone and everything felt very natural.  Working with lots of talented Year 1's and 2's was a dream, and there was no mistakes a tall. It really felt like the perfect show, as everyone's emotions were high and every single person's commitment was all on show. Most of my family came to this night so I was very nervous in the wings waiting, but it only pushed me to do really well and deliever a great performance. 

Show Day 3 - It felt bittersweet the last show, as I was finally performing with Millie which we haven't done before, but at the same time, it would be the last time performing with the 2nd Years in a big scale show. However, despite the emotions, I made sure to keep my performance of Marmee going and make my last show the best. I didn't feel nervous as I had had two attempts at the show already, which I was so thankful for, and it meant I was ready and knew what I was doing. I was still looking for help with my 'help sheet' of paper, and I knew what props I was taking on by the third show. The third cast was a joy to work with, and being compiled of most1st Years, allowed me to feel excited for what the next year will bring. During the show, we had a few moments where either someone forgot a line or missed a cue and thanks to a number of great actors, improvisation came into play and rescued a flat moment. Obviously, the audience didn't know, but as the actors we did, and I was blown away by how quick they thought of the improv. Doing the bows, felt very overwhelming as the entire Little Women process has been a magical experience and I wouldn't have changed it for the world.