Singing with backing tracks

Todays's rehearsal was the first time we properly sung through the score using the official backing accompainment we have purchased. This very useful as so far w have just used the Original Cast Recording with the cast singing as well so we hadn't really had a strong feel for timing for vocals or how it actually sounds, minus someone else singing. I can confidently say that everything we sung (up to the end of act 1) went brilliantly and surprising really well. Everyone seemed to know timings, tunes and harmonies perfectly and it honestly sounded great. There were some bits inpaticular that I found challenging in terms of timing and tuning but I eventually was able to correct myself.
A target for myself would just be to make sure that i know all my parts inside out and really revise over any harmonies and timing issues i may be having, in order to get it perfect. I think singing with backing tracks rather than a live band is going to be a bonus, as it allows us to practise and rehearse with the accompainment we are sure to have on the night. It also saves time issues and any worries that may be come about if we were to have a live band - for example, speed changes etc.

working on 'What You Own'

'What You Own' is a duet between the characters of Mark and Roger after a massive falling. The song is done from different locations where the characters are almost assessing the recent events that have happened throughout the year. In order to show this effectively, the idea was to have myself and Ashley (playing Mark) on different levels to show a separation between the two characters, but to also have the other characters in the show presented to the audience. The reason for this is to try and resemble the others being in Mark and Roger's minds as they explore and assess the current situations going in the story. We also made it so that certain people would join on specific parts of the song depending on whose life they are more involved in, Roger's or Mark's e.g. Mimi would sing in the chorus, when Roger joins in. Doing this with the song, I feel really enforces the struggles that these two characters are undergoing because of everything that has happened as it allows the audience to not only listen to the lyrics but also have a visual display of the characters' state of mind - strengthening the meaning and purpose of the song.
Learning the song was surprisingly very challenging in terms the two part harmony that carries throughout. It was hard to maintain and myself and Ashley often had to ask others for help on getting it right.
It fit very well having the characters present during the song (as visions), particularly on the sections where Mark refers to seeing and hearing Angel, and where Roger refers to seeing and hearing Mimi. As he actor, this was a great visual effect for even myself as it aloud me to physically put my self in Roger's mind set and see what he sees - physically. Also, having particular characters sing at particular choruses during the song was a great effect in favour of the purpose of the song. It allows Roger and Mark to assess the events leading up til now - e.g. Angel dying; Roger and Mimi's growing, struggling relationship; and the group argument after the funeral, leading to Roger and Mark's falling out - the characters that have played vital parts to each of their lives accompanying them, supporting and highlighting the unforgettable lyric at the end of the song "You're/I'm not alone".

Working on 'Goodbye Love'

This number takes place straight after Angel's funeral and consists of a heavy argument amongst the group. It consists of Roger and Mimi having their last and final row leading to their goodbyes; along with another argument between Johanne and Maureen, leaving Mark somewhat in the middle of all of it, trying to calm it down. We workshopped this number and explored quite a lot in the rehearsal process in terms of staging and subtext of characters. We wanted to give quite a strength to the character of Mimi showing how much she really does love Roger - perhaps to try to get through to him - so when she goes mad at him for always running away and avoid the relationship, Meg (Mimi) would actually physically push me until she is pulled away - suggesting she would of carried on and its getting worse. Doing this would not only anger Roger even more, but would put a real sense of battle for love into their relationship and convey a real sense of passion from Mimi. I workshopped with my character during this scene in terms of his reactions, especially to Mimi, and his actions when loses control and gets mad back at Mimi. I had a lot of difficulty with what Roger would do when letting off a rage at Mimi because he certainly wouldn't hit her but his anger need to be clearly shown - so we workshooped different ways in which how Roger would act such as; shout singing more than just singing that particular section; showing a real aggression for which walls would be punched; going for Mimi but then being pulled aggressively back; and lots more. I found that the most effective one was actually physically going to hurt Mimi but then refrain from a realisation of that sort of brutality, producing more anger and struggle within his eyes. I thought letting violence out on other walls would destroy the point of his rage being direct purely at Mimi, and the whole holding me back from potentially hurting Mimi would give off the wrong impression of the character. For me, I think the strggule Roger feels toward Mimi comes from the hopelessness and vulnerability he feels when with her - at the fault of his true admiration for her.
This all then leads to a big argument between bestfriends Roger and Mark - which to an audience member, and us the actors in character, would be very shocking and tragic. Myslef and Ashley (playing Mark) decided that there would be a real sincerity to this hartbreaking moment of their falling out if it were predominantly spoken. For me, mostly speaking this section as dialogue instead of singing induces a real, true emotion to the two characters and more importantly a natural feel of reality rather than fantasy (refering the world created by musical theatre and singing through). If it wer spoken, there is an element of straight drama and true acting core - strengthening this aggressive and fierce atmosphere.

Working on 'Without You'

This is a video of the number "Without You" that is sung as a duet between Roger and Mimi. The song is about the struggle between the two characters where being with each other is obviously not working out but at the same time they realise that they simply cannot be without each other. When thinking of ways to set this number, we found that various partner work of contemporary dance - fitting with the genre of music - would perfectly fit this overall them of love, struggle and devotion. Meg and I choreographed a piece that strongly represents Roger and Mimi's desire for eachother but their struggle of being together through movements and motifs.

The one thing I found difficult with this task was being able to still sing the song while performing this dance duet as some of the sections of the number are quite vocally demanding.     

Working on 'Santa Fe'

This is us working on the number 'Santa Fe', a number that explores a sudden dream of Tom Collins to open a restaurant in Santa Fe - being sick a tired of grading papers. Meg choreographed a short, easy routine to teach us all to add a little bit of dance, which well all contributed to. We felt that with the seriousness and hard hitting of the show that we needed perhaps some choreography to lighten the mood - along with the joy of the song. The choreography style is lyrical and very light and flowing, as it gently journeys across the story of the song rather than the choreography stealing attention.
Some changes were made to the choreography as we went along in order to fit the criteria of what wanted fully.

Working on 'Another Day'

'Another Day' is number between my character of Roger and the character Mimi (played by Meg) after an attempt seduction towards him and also to get him out the house. Within the number it is clear that Roger is definite about staying in and not ever starting anything with Mimi in his attempt to push her away out of fear and loneliness. He desperate to tell her that he is HIV positive to justify his depression but simply cannot bring himself to.
In order to portray all of this effectively, meg and i worked very closely together on creating this scene/number. It was apparent to us that we needed to show more of an effort being made by Mimi, so in order to capture this we made a decision ofr Meg to sort of take charge in setting this number - walon with my contribution. Doing this really worked effectively, as there were definitely points where she would suggest something and i not be all for it - strongley mirroring this relatiohship between Roger and Mimi.

Exploring into the script and looking at the lyrics of the song, Roger is desperate to push her away and get her out of his sight - to a point where he is actually angry with her. Mimi's words, however, are exactly the opposite where she devotes a clear love and attraction to him that she can't let go of. Within a section of the song, I manually move myself around the table to get away from sitting next to Meg and trying to prevent any connection with her, but she will simply not let Roger go - and we end up playing a sort of cat and mouse stylistic game around the table.

We workshoped the idea of most of the movement throughout the song should come from my character - him being the one trying to get away from her. Whereas Mimi would often stay planted, in order to get across her constancy toward Roger, and the fact that she is not leaving.

Working on 'Tune Up #1' and 'Tune Up #2' and the opening number of 'Rent'

The numbers 'Tune Up #1' and 'Tune Up #2' are the opening sections and set the settings and context of the show. The accompaniment is the tune of my character of Roger tuning up his Fender guitar that he hasn't played in a year, and the numbers are presented as a sort of narration by the character of Mark where he puts the characters, setting and lifestyle in context. From the number, we find out a close friendship between apartment room mates Roger, Mark and Collins, who used to live with Benny and Maureen; until Benny got married and became the landlord, and Maureen turned a lesbian. They struggle to pay the rent every year which Benny would normally let slide but it has got to a point where Mark and Roger need to pay up. All their electrical appliances are plugged into one thick extension cord, meaning the power often blows, leaving them freezing with no heat, and no electricity to do anything at all - so they are forced to live like survivors, burning posters - advertising Roger's rock gigs - and screenplays to create fire for a source of heating.
As these introduction numbers are the audience's way into the context of the story it was important that its told clearly but still has that opening-a-show factor to them. The numbers involve the art of speak singing, where some lines are sung and some vocally spoken in time with the rhythm. This technique was very favoured throughout the cast in the sense that singing isn't a common strength within the cast - some being singers and some not - and for a show that is a libretto (sung the whole way through), this was very much liked.
The way we have set these two intro numbers to have a table near enough centre stage to represent Roger and Mark's apartment and around this table, industrial looking objects (e.g. step ladders, lights, bins etc.) to contribute to this impoverished setting. We discussed the idea for the character of Collins to be on a platform on his own, perhaps amongst the audience, at the purpose of drawing them in and making them feel more involved. Having decided to us the stage and an steel decking, there is that slight separation between the action and characters on stage, and our audience, so we are constantly workshopping different ways to bind the audience, and the story and characters, together - forming emotional attachment, and full engagement and involvement.

The big opening number of 'Rent' follows after these two introduction numbers. Within this number, the whole cast is involved creating and presenting the lifestyle these bohemian-type characters live and it really gets catches and sustains the audiences attention and enjoyment. I had the idea of inducing a somewhat chaotic flair to this number where, all though movements and actions were set or choreographed, it needed to look rather messy, untidy and a bit mad. My reasons for this were that considering the sort of rock-style and daring edge to the show, the choreography and blocking needed to match that live up to our, as a cast, understanding of Rent. We want to go for that sort of gritty feel about it. Within the number, there is a slight section of what some might call 'dance' but I would refer to it as more movement that adds to our aim and content, which I personally put together with the inspiration of a clip from the Broadway musical of Green Day's American Idiot - which actually has a very similar feel and theme as Rent.
We also had the wacky idea of taking advantage of the camera that Mark has on his person throughout the show in the hope to make a film about the life and friends around him - hopefully putting him back on top - and live streaming on stage the footage that he films (e.g. Roger's guitar solo in the instrumental of the song etc.).

Working on 'La Vi Boheme'

At the commencing for Rent rehearsals, the first song we've started working is 'La Vie Boheme' which takes place just coming up to end of act 1 where the whole gang are together at somewhat café - obviously a regular place. The number really gives the actors a chance to be free with no boundaries, really portraying the strong bohemian to this group of characters. In context, Benny critisises Maureen's protest and the group's bohemian lifestyle, therefore edges Mark and the rest of the group to rise up and oppose to this by celebrating it. To really get the right feel to this song when working on it, we all though that once learned the song, the blocking of it should be improvised and free to do what the actors feel so we can really catch this care free and unrestricted element to the setting of the song. I must say, doing this was great fun because it gave chance for to put in there own individual ideas and visions that all combined together and it strongly helped with bohemian nature of the song. Obviously we couldn't leave the song at that because there were bits where set choreography would work really well.
Being at a long table opened and sparked many ideas for choreography where we could all use the fact we were behind a big long table - rather than it look like a dead weight in the scene. We came up with set movements that we would all recite perform as one - with the purpose of creating a community and unit amongst this unusual group of characters that carry the show. There is also a drumming section that cannons from one end of the table to the other, and heavily requires on timing in order to work effectively. I struggled with this mostly due to the fact that a weakness of mine, as a performer, is timing and rhythm of a song - especially when singing. To overcome this struggle it is just a matter of listening to that section of the song over and over to make sure I get my drum pattern correct.
However, the majority of the song is improvised and not choreographed which in my opinion works absolutely brilliantly in the sense that it really conveys the freedom and spontaneity of these characters together.
I think a strong target for all the cast in regards to this number is to just be confident and free, and have no hesitations and no care of how you may look. Go for it with all your heart!