Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Brigadoon Outreach
A little bird told me about an annual trip that some Brigadoon cast members took today:
"Today a group of us went to Stanford University to meet with two ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. We discussed how each of us prepared for our roles; demonstrated some dance steps and got them engaged in trying them; had a sing a long of "Almost Like Being In Love"; read some scenes; gave them some tips on choices to make when reading scenes, and then had them read scenes.
Everyone seemed to have a great time, and the teachers said, that without exception, each year the students say that the visit and the subsequent trip to the actual production are the highlight of this summer program. Those from the cast included, John, Scott, Kimberly, Ray, Gavin, and Bill. The classes will be in the front row on Friday night experiencing "Brigadoon", and hopefully, will join the cast in the final reprise of "Almost Like Being in Love".
I don't know about the rest of the cast, but I had a ball. Particularly getting the students from Italy to let go of their inhibitions and "projecting to the people in the back row"; these lovers of Verdi and Puccini know that they don't tolerate miking."
Wow. They didn't do that back when I was performing at Foothill. I wonder how many years they've been doing it. Sounds totally cool. You may think it's somewhat trite to say that music is a universal language, but it totally is.
"Today a group of us went to Stanford University to meet with two ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. We discussed how each of us prepared for our roles; demonstrated some dance steps and got them engaged in trying them; had a sing a long of "Almost Like Being In Love"; read some scenes; gave them some tips on choices to make when reading scenes, and then had them read scenes.
Everyone seemed to have a great time, and the teachers said, that without exception, each year the students say that the visit and the subsequent trip to the actual production are the highlight of this summer program. Those from the cast included, John, Scott, Kimberly, Ray, Gavin, and Bill. The classes will be in the front row on Friday night experiencing "Brigadoon", and hopefully, will join the cast in the final reprise of "Almost Like Being in Love".
I don't know about the rest of the cast, but I had a ball. Particularly getting the students from Italy to let go of their inhibitions and "projecting to the people in the back row"; these lovers of Verdi and Puccini know that they don't tolerate miking."
Wow. They didn't do that back when I was performing at Foothill. I wonder how many years they've been doing it. Sounds totally cool. You may think it's somewhat trite to say that music is a universal language, but it totally is.
// posted by ElisaC @ 6:42 PM 
