IMPORTANT INFORMATION for all KEYS Drama Students

TO ALL MY FABRIC/COSTUME HUNTERS -
We have acquired almost ALL the fabric we need for the costumes for The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood. THANK YOU SO MUCH! We are now specifically looking for the following things:

* Dark sheets or fabric - dark brown, black, tan (darker shades), and green
* XXL or larger plain shirts (black, brown, dark green, off-white)
* XXL or larger white/off-white dress shirts
* Black or brown belts

NEW OFF-BOOK DEADLINES (all lines memorized)
To make rehearsals move more seamlessly, I have decided that we need to be off book much sooner. This means no scripts on stage after these dates.

* ACT 1 - OFF BOOK BY JANUARY 5, 2016
* ACT 2 - OFF BOOK BY FEBRUARY 2, 2016

READ-THROUGH, CONTINUED
We didn't quite get through the entire reading of the play before break, so I would like to finish the read-through on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 at 3:30 p.m. It should not take the full 90 minutes, so advanced drama students should be able to leave no later than 4:30 p.m. Please let me know if you are unable to attend.

Naming Your Character for TSTTORH

Here is a website I found that has some additional names you can use to name your character. I don't know how historically accurate they are, but some of the names are pretty cool.

Interesting Medieval Names

Sunshine Day :)

It's gettin' real...

Student Journals - 10/1/2015

Each week, I give my drama students a short journaling assignment. It is usually a question that causes them to either use their imagination or just share an honest opinion. I have had so much fun reading the responses. I've enjoyed them so much, in fact, I've decided to start sharing some of what I read. Get ready for a good chuckle and some fun trips through a teenager's imagination. It will be well worth your time!

Our journaling question for October 1, 2015, in Advanced Drama was, "Can anyone act?" Here is one student's analogy:

"I believe that anyone can act, and anyone can learn to act, but some people just suck at it. Others are born with that God-given gift to act, but even if someone isn't, they can definitely learn to act. Acting is like bowling. Sometimes you get the perfect roll, and the ball is going down the isle, and you knock all the pins down, and you walk back, and your friends pat you on the back and say, "good job." The bowler is, of course, the actor, and the pins are the audience, and hopefully you will knock them all down with your fabulous acting whether you learned it or were born with it."

2015-2016 Intro Video for KEYS Drama

Here is the intro video that was shown in drama class.

Auditioning for Advanced Drama? Here are some tips!

Choose a monologue that fits you. You may think the monologue from Gypsy is great, but does it fit your character? Do you love performing it? If not, consider choosing another.

Be confident. Hold your head up high, make eye contact, and don’t apologize if you miss a line or trip on a word – just keep going! Not feeling well? Tired? Leave it all at the door and do your best – no excuses necessary.  If you don’t feel confident, FAKE IT! This is an audition for acting, you know. 

Be prepared. Go beyond just memorizing your monologue. Get to know the character and the play from which the monologue was taken. Use the character development worksheet on the KEYS Drama Blog to help you get to know your character better.

Practice in front of a mirror. I know it may sound silly, but you want to make sure you know what you look like when you’re trying to convey a specific emotion. If your portrayal of sadness looks like an evil smirk, it could really throw things off. Better yet, take a video of yourself and review it to see how you could improve.

Practice out loud. You may think you can memorize a monologue in your head and then accurately act it out when you get to your audition, but there is nothing farther from the truth. Don't be afraid of what other people are going to think of you if they see you talking to yourself, waving your arms, and pacing... you'll be doing a lot of that in drama class, and most people in the class are crazy, anyway. :)

Act! Act means TO DO, not to talk. Reading or reciting does not equal acting. Don't be afraid to use your body and SHOW what you're feeling and thinking.  (Click here for a great example of acting without words.)

Use the Stage. You're really not confined to a three square foot area. Move around the stage as necessary.

Slow down. If you think you’re speaking slowly and clearly enough, you probably aren’t. Trust me. While there are some people who can speak quickly and still be understood, it usually takes a lot of practice.

BE LOUD! We not only want to see you, we want to hear you.  Don’t yell, but speak as if you’re trying to talk to the guy standing in the back of a big room.

Don’t be late! Being punctual is not only respectful, it’s expected.

And after you have finished practicing, practice some more! 

What are you still doing here? Go practice!!

Proud Mama Moment! :)

My daughter, Katie, was in a segment for CBN! Check it out!

What happens when you can’t control your children? What can you do when your child gets the best of you? This video is meant to be humorous but it also sheds light on some things parents may face today. Do you need prayer for your children? Post your prayer requests below. We want to stand with you in prayer for your children. Also, don't forget to watch the rest of this show tomorrow 5:30pm EDT at Daystar!

Posted by 700 Club Interactive on Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Sets, Props, and Costumes, Oh, My!

I know there are several families who aren't on Facebook, so I thought I'd share the progress we're making on sets, props, and costumes! This is only a small portion of what we're working on.

Bank Background

Gold Warehouse

Jewelry Store Background

Wombat Woman's Burough

Wonder Comics Sign

Shock Clock's Cape

Shock Clock's "Suit"

Minuto TuTu

2015-2016 KEYS Advanced Drama Class Auditions

Visit the Auditions Page to view audition information and the audition packet!

MARCH 17 REHEARSAL RULES!!

SPECIAL RULES FOR TUESDAY’S REHEARSAL

IMPORTANT!!! READ ALL OF THIS!!!!

This Tuesday we will rehearse Act 2, Scene 2 which is the Times Square scene. This scene includes Narrator, Stanley, Viola, Star Guy, Triple Time, Blossom, Wombat Woman, Girls, Rock Group, Emcee, Rotten Penny, Crowd (extras), Police.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT – All Advanced and Principles of Drama students shall spend the entire rehearsal IN CHARACTER. The minute you walk into the fellowship hall for rehearsal on Tuesday, you must be in character and stay in character!! Whatever your character is for this scene, that is who you will be until you walk out the door at the end of rehearsal. Even if you’re coming in to drop off your book bag, once you cross that threshold, you shall become your character. Need to ask a question? Do it in character. Need to get a drink? Do it in character. Taking a break? Do it in character. Blowing your nose? In character. Every line, every action, every reaction, must be done in character! No breaking character allowed. If you mess up on a line, react as your character would react. If you find something funny, respond as your character would respond.

Does this make you nervous? Are you wondering how in the world you’re going to be able to do this? GOOD!! If you’ve been working consistently on character development, this assignment shouldn’t be too difficult. If not? Well… at least you have the weekend to work on it. J

Please understand this assignment is to be taken seriously and all drama students are expected to participate.

I’m available by telephone and email all weekend long if you have any questions or need any help.

This assignment is not applicable to extras participating in the scene.

Props and Costumes and Sets, Oh My!

We are getting SO close to our performance!! We are just three weeks away. I don't know about you, but I'm super excited and super nervous!! (This is completely normal for me.)

I sent an email over the weekend with a list of times and dates that we will be building and painting sets. We will probably also use this time to finish some costumes, too, so if you have a knack with sewing, please join us!

Here are the set building/painting dates:

Saturdays - March 7, 14, and 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you can't be there the whole time (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), please come when you can. The address is in the email (I don't want to post it online).

Also, we need a few more things for our costumes, props, and sets, and I have put a list together. If you, your family, or someone you know can provide any of these items to us, please let me know as soon as possible.  I will update the list with names of those providing the items as soon as I get word.

Here is the link (it will also be on the Documents page):  SETS, COSTUMES, PROPS

Stage Makeup

Here is a great, basic stage makeup tutorial you can use for practice!

Head Shots

Head shots of all KEYS drama students will be taken on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. We will use these photos in the program for our spring production.

To prepare for you head shot, please keep the following things in mind:

• Head shots are meant to look like you. Girls - Keep your hair & makeup simple. Please no prom hair or makeup. No makeup is OK, too. 
• Wear a plain, solid-colored shirt. A darker color is preferred since our background will be light.
• Don't be afraid to practice poses in the mirror... oh, wait, you've already done that? AWESOME! :) 
• Google is full of suggestions of how to take great head shots. Feel free to do some research (check with your parents before you start roaming around Google, though).

Below is a very basic, simple head shot I had done recently. Honestly, I despise having my picture taken (that's why I'm always behind the camera). But, I did it and managed to get a couple that I believe are a reasonably good representation of me. 

This is what we're shooting for. Simple. Honest. You.

(Photo creds to my awesome stepson, Justin Henaghan.)

Props & Costumes

Follow this link to see the props and costumes we found on our thrift store excursion!

Props & Costumes Pictures

THEATRICAL MAKEUP SUPPLIES

There is a local company that carries the Ben Nye brand of theatrical makeup.

Theatrical Makeup Supplies
by Echoes of Time
600 N. Witchduck Road
Virginia Beach
(757) 470-0903

THRIFT STORE SHOPPING!!

We are going to start building our costume inventory by visiting some of our area thrift stores! I know that many of our students have some great ideas and a much better fashion sense than I, so I've decided to make it a field trip.  Please bring money for lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

Here are the details:

Thrift Store Shopping Field Trip
Saturday, January 10, 2015
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

MEET:

• 10 a.m. - CHKD Thrift Store on South Battlefield

STOPS:

• GOOD WILL, 121 SherringtonDrive, Chesapeake
• SALVATION ARMY,901 Eden Way, N., Chesapeake
• CHKD ThriftStore, 6528 Indian River Road, Virginia Beach
• CHICK-FIL-A,5409 Indian River Road, Virginia Beach

PICK UP:

• CHKD Thrift Store, 1920Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach

Please fill out the permission slip and make sure you/your student turns it in at class or brings it with them. 

Important Dates & Information

STARTING THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY

All Thursday rehearsals will run until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday rehearsals start the week of January 19 and will consist mainly of the large group scenes. Unless otherwise noted, Tuesday rehearsals will be finished at 5 p.m.

Saturday, January 10 – Thrift Store Shopping – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We will hit several local thrift stores in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach in search of costumes and props. We will meet at the CHKD Thrift Store on Battlefield Boulevard at 10 a.m., then we will make our way to others until 2 p.m. Depending on the number of students attending, I may need additional adult drivers. Please bring money for lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

Tuesday, January 13 - Headshots - 3:30 p.m. - CCC Fellowship Hall
We will be taking head shots of all students on January 13 to include in our program for the spring production. If you happen to already have a head shot, you can email a high-resolution image directly to Mrs. Henaghan. Students will also fill out a short bio sheet. Please wear a dark, solid-color shirt.

Thursday, January 15 – Stage Makeup Class – 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – CCC Fellowship Hall

We will have a stage makeup class at KEYS during our Advanced Drama class time from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. All Advanced Drama students are required to attend, and all Principles of Drama students are strongly encouraged to attend. Other students who are interested in helping with makeup for our productions should also attend, although for the most part, students will be expected to do their own makeup.

For the class and productions, we will be purchasing several Ben Nye Personal Crème Kit makeup kits in fair/light, fair/medium, and brown.  You can see these kits by visiting this site:  http://camerareadycosmetics.com/products/ben-nye-personal-creme-kit.html

Each student should have their own makeup sponges stored in a zip lock bag. We can keep that with our supplies, or you can keep it with yours. 

If you want to do your makeup along with our instructor, please bring supplies with you to the class.

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SHARING MAKEUP OR SKIN SENSITIVITIES, please consider purchasing your own kit. The most important piece of your makeup kit is going to be the crème base and powder. Regular foundation purchased at Target, Walgreens, etc., will not suffice.

LINE MEMORIZATION

Please remember that there is an entire cast depending on you to know your lines. Your line(s) could be pivotal to others hitting their lines and queues. Memorization is not a suggestion, it is a requirement. There will be no prompters at any performances. You must hit all your lines!

• DEADLINE 1 – ACT 1, SCENE 4 – All lines must be memorized by Thursday, January 8
• DEADLINE 2 – ACT 1 – All lines for all of Act 1 must be memorized by Thursday, January 29
• DEADLINE 3 – ACT 2 – All lines for all of Act 1 and Act 2 must be memorized by February 19

MARCH REHEARSALS

Starting the week of March 9, all cast members will need to be at rehearsals on both Tuesdays and Thursdays until 6 p.m. These rehearsals are required for all cast members including extras.

Getting Along in Life and Drama Class

Our lives are filled with lots of different people with lots of different personalities. Our drama class, like life, is full of the same. The difference is that many people in our class have big personalities. There are many great ideas and lots of creativity flowing through the class – that’s why we love to perform and act! With this much personality, however, there is bound to be some conflict.

Most of you, if you’re honest, don't get along with or even like everyone in the class. And that’s OK. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we’re going to always get along with everybody, nor does it say that we have to like everybody or be friends with everybody. The Bible is full of stories of conflict and disagreements. But the Bible is also full of stories of love and grace and forgiveness. It’s full of godly direction and wisdom on how to handle conflict and how to treat people.

There is a commandment that Jesus gives in the New Testament that is given multiple times, and it falls only second in line to loving God. And just like loving God, it isn't a suggestion or a recommendation. It is a commandment.

Love each other.

In John 15:12, Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

In fact, it is such an important commandment, He says it again just a few verses later in verse 17:  “This is my command: Love each other.”

There are many other instances of this in the Bible including John 13:34, 1 Corinthians 13, which is a whole chapter about love being the greatest thing of all, and Mark 12 where Jesus says this to the teachers in the temple, “’The most important [commandment] is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’”

The Bible commands that we are to love each other. Always. The Bible does NOT say it’s easy, the Bible does not say it will always happen without struggle or conflict.  The Bible says DO. IT. PERIOD. I will say this again – it’s not a suggestion.

The Bible also tells us in Philippians 2:3-4, it says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

I mentioned the above verse to try to convey a very important message to all students in my drama classes - There is no one who is more important or more significant than anyone else. It doesn't matter if you've been acting for two months or ten years. Everyone is equal in our class. While some of the student's individual goals may include becoming a better actor and learning new skills, our NUMBER ONE goal in this class is to give glory to God. We can do this by acting in love toward each other, by being humble, by treating others how we would like to be treated, or, even better, treating others as being more significant than ourselves, by looking out for the interests of others, etc.

While students may not “click” with everyone else in this class and want to have one of those “hey, let’s hang out” kind of friendships, I do expect each student to treat others kindly with respect and love. I also expect you to handle conflict biblically. 

How do we handle conflict biblically?  Matthew 18 gives us a good guideline. While this is more directed to sin in the church, we have to remember that as Christians, we make up the church body. Let's take a look.

Matthew 18:15-17 says:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

In other words, if there is a problem or conflict with one of your classmates, you need to talk to them directly and with love and respect. If you can’t resolve your conflict that way, then you come to me, your parent, or another teacher or staff member at KEYS. Conflict with another student (or anyone, for that matter) should never be discussed with your friends or other students. Why? Because that causes more dissention, cliques, and even an atmosphere of bullying.  

Now, some of you may think, “Well, it’s just my personality and people don’t understand me.” By saying that, you’re underestimating the power of God and His ability to change your heart. Most negative behaviors are a heart issue, not a personality issue, and this is where you have to ask God to intervene and work on your heart.

If you say, “I just don’t care what people think of me.”  Well, you should. I don’t mean that in a, “Oh my gosh, do you think he liked my hair today?” kind of way. I mean it in a “we are ambassadors of Christ and should show Him to the world” kind of way.

This passage from Galations 5 shows us the fruits we should be striving to show as Christians:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

Here is my desire for our drama class - that we treat each other with love and respect, understanding we are all part of one body, one team, a unified group with a common goal.  Our class is not a place for selfishness, angry outbursts, gossip, mean spiritedness, envy, or anything of that sort. Let's be an example to all those who may be looking in as a group united in Christ, working for the Lord with all our hearts, putting away selfish ambition, and glorifying God in all we do. THAT is something of which we can all be proud, and something, I believe, that will allow us to better get along in class, and ultimately, in life.