Warm-ups

[techwsussex]

IMHO

 

People who might be found doing a warm-up:

 

Director

Assistant Director

Resident Director

Choreographer

Assistant Choreographer

Resident Choreographer

Dance Captain

Musical Director

Assistant Musical Director

Resident Musical Director

Member of cast asked to do so by one of the above

 

Person who should not be doing a warm-up:

 

Stage Manager

 

IMHO

 

Person who should not be found being stubborn and refusing to assist direction team:

 

Stage Manager

 

As in, the SM shouldn't be asked to warm up, but may well be. I have been asked to many times, usually on smaller shows, and I do. If I can't then I can always find someone rather than be completely uncooperative.

 

SMs have a deserved reputation as the unseen base of the show, the jacks (and jackies) of all trades who have a solution to most problems, and can assist the production along. We don't want to be destroying this rep. by refusing to do what may be asked because its unusual or 'not the norm'.

 

Directors can have little idea of the industry, and SMs can have to do many non standard jobs. It depends on the show. I think delegation is the answer here.

 

And incidentally I tend to use a rising chorus of both vowel sounds, Ss and Ps and 'london's burning'.

 

No offence to Just Some Bloke, as this is not aimed at him, but at all the 'the SM shouldn't do this' responses.

 

Owen

[GaffGirl]

Thanks techwsussex.

I wouldn't walk into a rehearsal and just refuse to lead or partake in warm-ups. I feel that if I sit there with a "too cool" attitude then people may get mad at the negative energy. Also, I like to keep a fun, happy atmosphere in the theatre. So whatever I can do to get some pep out of the cast, I like to do. I hate when SM's seperate themselves from the cast and place themselves completely on the crew side of things. I am completely a tech, but since I have acted in acouple shows and also been in a few acting classes, I know what the actors are going through and I feel that I can help them if they need it. Also since currently we have such a small cast, I feel it is important to have good cast chemistry. Because for me, during that 6 week rehearsal period, we are a family. I know I actually saw them more than I saw my real family.

 

Thanks.

[V.A.]

Hey,

 

I wouldn't normally recomend that the stage crew lead warm-ups, because we generally don't know what they really need - hence why you are having to ask here. On a few occasions where I have been the only person in theatre in a "managerial role" (ie/ no director, assistant director, producer etc...) and there seems to be a lack of warming up going on, I find the best thing to do is to just get everyone together then get one of the actors to lead it (with you sticking around to make sure things don't get out of control... although perhaps that's not nescessary in "grown up" theatre, I work primarily with schools). The other thing I've found is that warm ups aren't everyone's cup of tea - unfortunately I've yet to find a way to motivate those who just won't do it!

 

As for the pre-show talk - keep it brief, and to the point. Stick to telling them things which they actually need to know - last minute changes, reminders on little niggly problems from the rehearsals/previous shows (from an SM pov only - don't stray into director territory!), and finish off by asking for questions and a good luck type comment. Try to be nice, don't moan or be angry.

 

Looking back in my notes, here's a list of things I said at a pre-show briefing a couple of weeks ago

 

1. Silence in wings

2. Respect for Sight Lines

3. Mind the wobbly flat

4. Don't bash the curtain on e&e's

 

Obviously every show is different, but those are the things which had caused problems in the previous night of this show.

 

As a final note - I prefer to give my talk immediately following the group warmup, about 10-15 minutes before the show starts. This is a purely personal preference, I dunno how other people work. I find it works for me because it gives me time to get everything pretty much ready beforehand (and therefore spot any potential problems), the actors are all fired up and in a co-operative team spirited mood, there's no chance that an actor won't have turned up yet, and it leaves you a few minutes pre-show to deal with all the little pre-show rituals like making sure the crew are in position, liasing with FOH etc... I give a seperate talk to my crew, however, usually about 2 hours pre-show when we all arrive.

[GaffGirl]

Thanks V.A.

 

You know it's kind of odd that I see things the way I do right now. I now view myself as more of an actor than of a lighting person. I used to have it set in my head that I was all tech and no actor. But after SMing 2 shows I feel more of an actor. I really don't mind leading warm-ups. From the way everyone here makes it seem, it sounds like it is a huge burden to lead them. I want to help my cast the best I can. And if it is by leading warm-ups and making them food, I'm all for it. I feel it is my job as an SM to not only perform all of the normal SM duties, but to also do as much as I can for the cast. And some casts don't respond well to warm-ups or me making cookies, but every cast is different and I feel that I need to know how to keep my cast going and in good moods.

 

I don't know, maybe I'm just weird.

[the_real_dr_bob]

I think it all depends on the environment and company, I was teching with Leicestershire Youth Arts at the Edinburgh Fringe last year and the SMs always led warm-ups before the shows. I guess they were taking a more cast leader/stage manager role than just stage manager.

[GaffGirl]

Yes, that is exactly how I see myself. More of a cast leader/stage manager than just a stage manager. You are exactly right too that it differs from cast to cast and group to group.

[andyc]

Hi, just a quick one, An excelent vocal warm up is to using the song, "somewhere over the rainbow" which, nearly everyone kows, if not the words most people know the tune. Anyway I digress!!! This song contains every musical interval which helps the brain tuhe to a scale easier than repettitive scale practice.

 

Hope that helps

 

Andy

[mac.calder]

A good one is starting on a tonic note, A-E-I-O-U pronounced with a rounded mouth, then you go up a note in the scale of your choice (I usually use a major scale).

 

Then there are a set of base sounds, (some of which escape my mind) like ffff at tt etc which all occur in different positions of the mouth.

 

Massaging of the jaw, walking around the stage, and a few basic tongue twisters help.

 

my favorite ones to do:

 

"Tip of the teeth tip of the tongue, Tip of the teeth tip of the tongue" done on a single note, starting at a moderate pace, then the speed increased so that the pair of phrases takes less than 4s to complete. You can also use it for interval warmups, say take them up a minor third each time.

 

"The tutor who tutored the flute, tried to tutor two flutists the flute. Said the two to the tutor is it harder to toot or to tutor two flutists the flute." There is a tune to this one, basically you will have to work it our for yourself, I cannot remember

 

Then there is your classic

"Do

Do Re Do

Do Re Mi Re Do

Do Re Mi Fa Mi Re Do

Do Re Mi Fa So Fa Mi Re Do

Do Re Mi Fa So La So Fa Mi Re Do

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti La So Fa Mi Re Do

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do Ti La So Fa Mi Re Do

Do

Do Ti Do

Do Ti La Ti Do

Do Ti La So La Ti Do

Do Ti La So Fa So La Ti Do

Do Ti La So Fa Mi Fa So La Ti Do

Do Ti La So Fa Mi Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do

Do Ti La So Fa Mi Re Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do"

 

Aka 1, 121, 12321.... which is done first up a major scale, then descending. You may also want to do the hand signs as it is done, to warm up the fingers. The pronunciation for the above are as for the song "Doe a deer" from sound of music.

 

"Do So La Fa Mi Re Do. Do So La Ti Do Re Do" - When you know the notes too sing, you can sing most an-y thing.

[Freddie]

"The tutor who tutored the flute, tried to tutor two flutists the flute. Said the two to the tutor is it harder to toot or to tutor two flutists the flute." There is a tune to this one, basically you will have to work it our for yourself, I cannot remember

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Surely one who plays the flute is a flautist, not a flutist? (That's rhetorical, I play woodwind, I know these things).

[mac.calder]

"The tutor who tutored the flute, tried to tutor two flutists the flute. Said the two to the tutor is it harder to toot or to tutor two flutists the flute." There is a tune to this one, basically you will have to work it our for yourself, I cannot remember

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Surely one who plays the flute is a flautist, not a flutist? (That's rhetorical, I play woodwind, I know these things).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I also play woodwind, and agree, however for the sake of warming up, flutist works best, you could always use flautist, but it is not as effective.