Tips for teaching the opening to Company

[fiyero8132]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 7:29pm

Hey everyone,
My theatre group starts rehearsing Company tomorrow afternoon. We are planning to learn the vocals to Overture and Company. If you have any words of advice I can pass on to the cast it would be much appreciated. I've been working on intricate dynamics for both pieces, and I really want to stress the importance of open vowels in the Overture (i.e. Baaaawwwby, Baaawwby, Baaaaw Baaaw Baaaaw, as opposed to Bobbbby, Bobbby). I'd love to hear what you have to say. Thanks.

[harris007]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 9:50pm

listen to each other and learn those opening lines, if someone drops or flubs one it goes straight to hell.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 9:53pm

Teach it in layers...
I believe Marta and Jenny begin the overture. Teach them first. Wait til you're solid...then add the next line.

Do the same for the opening number.
The score is set up in layers....teach it that way.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 10:58pm

A lot also depends on how your cast learns. Teaching in layers might work. It also might be easier than it seems if they're good musicians. If they can count it might be better that way. It really depends . I'd have a few techniques just in case one doesn't work

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 9/5/06 at 11:06pm

Definitely layers. Top line, then add in second line, and so on. That's the way we learned it in July.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 12:55am

One musical director I know approached the opening numbers from a pacing point as well, especially Company. He taught them the lines at half speed, then slowly brought them up to tempo. It helped enormously.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:02am

"Bawby?"

Is your production set in Queens or something?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:08am

Well, it's a New York show and we must make it explicitly obvious that it's in New York.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:10am

Joan Rivers as Joanne!

Wait a minute...

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:12am

That's not even Queens, that's like, Long Island Jew.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 1:21am

Good luck. The opening seems like it's hard as **** to sing.

[fiyero8132]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 9:38am

Thanks for all your responses. I'll definitely teach it in layers, and I might start at a slower tempo with them. Munkustrap, I didn't mean "Baaaawby" as in they have accents, I meant it to mean that in the Overture I want it to sound eerie and distant and dream-like so the vowels need be very open. Baaaaw = Baahhh (opening your mouth to make the aaaah vowel).