Fri. Advanced Class "Alice" 1st Rehearsal a WILD SUCCESS!

This is Joe, from the Friday class, with an "Ace of Hearts" costume on.  We were thinking these simple-to-make costumes would be great 4 the show! (Well, maybe not the head-pieces, but Joe was a sport and put it on anyway 4 me :)  He's got a big heart, that kid--about as big as the one on his head in this picture :)

Bronwyn (Left) and Chloe (right) read a great scene together as "Alice" & the "Cheshire Cat," and Honey Chile, you couldn't have fit more Southern attitude-meets British confusion on that stage!  Great job, girls!

Amber (left) had to keep a straight face while Alex (center) & Nathan (right) literally ran circles around her during this reading of a Tea Party Scene.  Good times :)

Bri Nicole (Left) read a perfectly lost & hurried "Alice" who meets the "Mad Hatter" in this scene, read by the always animated and never predictable Joe.

Here, we have a delightful scene read by Julia (Left), and from left to right: Kolin, Alex & Nathan.  Note:  It was Alex's Birthday that day, and the combined voices of the entire cast sounded AMAZING singing "Happy Birthday" to him at the end of class :)  YAY!  Super-Happy Director Moment!

From Left to Right, Madison, Sydney, Bronwyn & Chloe did a phenomenal job reading this scene when Alice's little sister meets the Mean group of Princesses... I only wish I'd been able to get better pictures of Madison, Sydney & Deandra's later reading of the 3 Princesses--it had all the attitude in the world!  My camera-phone just wasn't cooperating. :(

And here's Joe & Julia, reading a scene together.  As you can see from Julia's face, Joe is hard to predict as an actor.  That's what makes him so much fun to work with!

You have to give him plenty of space... His spontaneity knows no boundaries!

And speaking of working with spontaneity & knowing no boundaries, here is a blurry Nathan falling onto the floor in reaction to the Queen ordering "Off with their heads!"

This is just before Nathan fell to the floor in tears, and we see Kolin on his knees, accusing the others of painting the Queen's Roses Red.  "Not me, my queen! It was the Three!"

Nathan, master of "ad-libs," Nathan told the Queen that he was actually painting the Roses Blue, so he was most definitely totally & completely innocent of any crime, what-so-ever.

Here's a great shot of the Anger that the Queen of Hearts can bellow out--Julia did a thunderous reading of her majesty.

Long-time pals Kolin & Amber work so well together as they've known each other since 3rd grade.  Amber looks as if she frightened Kolin a bit during this scene reading, doesn't she? It was wonderful to watch!

It made for a realistic twist on the King of Hearts relationship to the Queen.  Don't let that skirt fool ya, she wears the pants!

Ah, here's Joe again, falling all over the floor with a different spin on a half-sized, very clumsy Mad Hatter.

...Who had the balance and grace of Humpty Dumpty...

...And the height of, well, about half of an "Alice," read by Julia.

He could barely see out from under his (as he imagined) "over-sized" hat, the poor, shrinking Hatter.

"On behalf of Madness, I welcome you to Wonderland!"

Kolin took a more traditional, gentlemanly route with the Hatter, although he spiced it up with delightful Madness here & there, including a bell kick and some maniacal laughter that tickled us all!

And I must say, Bri Nicole read well for all the parts!  From the New-York style Cheshire Cat to the innocent Alice, her diverse and dynamic characterization skills were top-of-the-class!

Here's an appropriately nervous Bronwyn (Left) reacting to Brittany's HUGELY Scary reading of the Queen of Hearts.  She set the stage on fire with her thunder!

Brittany also made sure to add that special dash of madness to her characterization of the Queen.

It was fun to watch her turn Nathan into a shriveling mess, just by inching closer to him...

Soon, they were all begging to keep their heads, and Britttany played it super-cool... then turned straight COLD & ordered their heads cut off!  An excellent reading, and wonderful interaction by fellow cast members (from Left to Right) Kolin, Nathan, Alex & Sydney, who begged for their lives, to no avail. 

I don't think Amber (Right) saw this outburst coming from Bri Nicole's reading of the Wicked Queen, and it was wonderful to watch one powerful actress scare the daylights out of another powerful actress, and they both kept character & continued the scene like champs!  :)  Happy Director Moment!!

I liked Amber's (Left, on her knees) version of the "King of Hearts" character--it was delightfully blubbering & hard to understand, which was how I'd pictured it, but with better ad-libbing!

Good thing Adam Gavin was there!--his arm & camera viewer are shown on the Right of this shot.   He was Filming just about every minute of the fun!  Some of the videos have already been posted to theatrikids YOUTUBE channel!  Have you subscribed yet?  Well, if not--you're missing all the action!  Check out http://youtube.com/theatrikids NOW & SUBSCRIBE!

 

By the time it was Bri Nicole's turn to read for the Queen, Sydney (sneaking from the Left) & the Boys (Left to Right: Kolin, Nathan & Alex) had performed this scene so many times, it must've felt like a 6-week run on Broadway.  Bri Nicole's introverted and quiet introduction into this scene, as she, the Queen, discovers her flowers painted, was all the more ominous as they all cried and scattered around her, waiting for the worst...

CARD: "Not me, the Three!"  QUEEN: "Oh, you?"  CARD: "No! Two!"

Hmmmm.... the Queen has them stirring with antici............pation!

"He's to blame! The Ace! The Ace!"

"Not me, your grace!"

By the time Sydney (Center) speaks, it looks like the Queen almost believes them... Maybe she'll be nice and spare their lives!

Yes, perhaps she won't explode with fury and say...

"OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!"  Oh, she did... Nathan straight fainted, DSC.  Nice.

And lastly, the lovely Deandra models every costume piece I had brought with me that day, with the exception of perhaps 1 or 2 little, unnecessary items.  I mean, 2 hats is plenty, right?  Or should she try for 3 or 4?  Whatever makes her smile :)

Seriously, my camera-phone couldn't handle all the excitement, and many of the pictures didn't turn out. SO... please check out Theatrikids YOU TUBE Channel for more footage!

Do it now!  Before the Queen Discovers you painting her flowers instead of watching us on Youtube!  Hurry! :p