Final weeks Updates 4/29 - 5/ 3

Good Evening - 

Happy Sunday!

What a productive week and weekend we had. I hope the cast has spent time resting and reviewing their lines, songs, and dances in between. Their health is most important in these next two weeks. Exciting things are happening on set this weekend, and our rented backdrops have arrived. They will be a fun addition to transport us to Kansas and Oz. We're getting there. It's going to be a beautiful show, for sure. 

First, I want to clear up the confusion that was brought to my attention. Apparently, the t-shirts that kids are wearing say 2 PM for the matinee performance. That performance is actually 3 PM. Apologies. The correct time is recognized on the ticket link, which is HERE. 

Second, we are asking for a lot of help and need adult helpers for these two weeks. Michelle Scott kindly offered her services to create a signup genius for all the spots that need coverage in the coming two weeks. The signup to help is on this link SIGNUP GENIUS SIGNUPS.

This week's schedule through next Wednesday, 5/8, matinee day, is below. 

Monday 4/29, 3 - 5 PM HHS Auditorium

Tuesday 4/30, 3 - 5:30 PM HHS Auditorium

Wednesday, 5/1 & Thursday, 5/2, 3 - 6 PM HHS Auditorium - 3 - 3:30 SNACK TIME/ get in costume leads as we can, run show 3:30 - 5:00/5:15 PM, clean up, notes, shout outs, costume corrections, glaring error cleanups, release at 6 PM. Collect your students at the front of the high school, please.

Friday 5/3 ALL CAST AND CREW rehearsal 3 - 5 PM, TECH ONLY 5 - 7:30 PM dinner break (bring your own), 5:30 - 7:30 running set changes, notes, corrections, timing. 

Monday, 5/6 - UNDERSTUDY RUN THROUGH (limited costuming): Friends and family of the UNDERSTUDIES are invited to this run-through. Leads will watch the show from the house. Run time is 3:45 - 5:00 PM, and release time is 5:30 PM. 

Tuesday, 5/7: DRESS REHEARSAL, 3 - 6:00 PM: Pick up in front of the high school. We will begin the run-through as close to 4 as possible. 

Wednesday, 5/8, a Specific breakdown of timing for calls will be shared on 5/3. Call times as early as 6 AM. TBD who needs to be present. Helpers for hair and makeup, bright and early. First matinee 9:30 AM. Second matinee at 1:15 PM. NO REHEARSAL ON THIS DAY AFTER SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOULD GO HOME LIKE NORMAL END OF SCHOOL DAY, bus or ride. They should be collected from the front of the high school and/or catch their regular bus in the regular place. 

A couple important final announcements: TIME SENSITIVE

• If you haven't yet done your quote for the program, please do that before tonight. 
• If you haven't donated to Candy Grams, please consider donating to this great fundraiser for our program. It is our only fundraiser, so any help would be appreciated; donations can be dropped into the box in my room at HMMS. 
• If you haven't ordered your shoes for the show yet, please do so before Wednesday. If you need the links again, you can find them in an earlier post or email me at chapmank@Hartfordschools.net for specific directions. 
• If you need to change tickets, you can, but the options for switching are dwindling as ticket sales are picking up. Please also contact me directly at: Chapmank@hartfordschools.net 

If you have pressing questions or concerns, please let me know ASAP. I will do my best to get back to you quickly. 

Thank you for your continued support. A special thank you to Karli Swensen, our art teacher and resident artist, for the bigger pieces on our stage; she is bringing Kansas and Oz to life through the pieces we have built on-site. Thank you to Katie, Barrett, and Hadley Ouelette for their incredible staying power in handling all the special headpieces and costume parts. We are very grateful to you all for the countless hours. I couldn't do this without my team of wonderful people, Leslie, Rose, and Brycen!  Thanks, everyone!

I can't believe we are so close! There are miles to go before I sleep, but we'll definitely arrive over the rainbow wrapped in color and the magic of theater. Hang on for the ride, folks. It's about to get really fun and really busy!  

With a grateful heart, Kristen Chapman 

Week Ahead 4/22 - 4/26

 Monday 4/22 - ALL CAST Hartford High School 3 - 5 PM in the auditorium

Tuesday 4/23 - ALL CAST Hartford High School 3 - 5 PM in the auditorium

Wednesday 4/24 - ALL CAST Hartford High School 3 - 5 PM in the auditorium

Thursday 4/25 - ALL CAST Hartford High School 3 - 5 PM in the auditorium

Friday 4/26 - ALL CAST and CREW (first OFFICIAL EXPECTED PRACTICE FOR CREW)

**ALL REHEARSALS are subject to run slightly late at this point.** We will try to hold them at most 10 - 15 minutes without your child's phone call or text.  

Beginning Monday, 4/29, ALL CAST AND CREW are respectfully expected to attend every practice from start to finish. This may mean missing all or parts of games or meets through the weekend of production. This does not include folks who spoke to us in March when we began. We recognize those unavoidable conflicts. Missing for any reason (not excused already, either previously addressed or actual sickness) during those two weeks may mean having to forgo a scene because of adjustments we made while the person was out. Children should not excuse themselves because they aren't feeling well, to leave and be excused the nurse would need to evaluate and speak with parents. Too often we have students self-helping and going home without my or their guardians knowledge until afterward. In short, if your child is in school, they should plan to be at rehearsals. 

May 3rd is the TECH rehearsal. This rehearsal will go from after school to 7:30. There will be a half-hour dinner break for the techies (please bring dinner for yourselves) from 5:00 to 5:30 PM. Pick-up will still be in front of the high school. 

May 6th is the UNDERSTUDY production—FAMILY and FRIENDS of the Understudies are invited to join us. It is a fun way to celebrate the hard work of the Understudies and allow folks to cheer them on for a change. Everyone works so hard, and this way, families can watch their students in their more principal role. 

If you still need to order shoes or undergarments for the production, please do so ASAP. Your child MUST have these things to be on stage. Waiting until days before the show can affect whether the order arrives on time, so plan ahead, please. Answers to questions about shoes, etc., can be found in the previous post, but if you still have questions, feel free to reach out to either Renchl@hartfordschools.net or me, chapmank@hartfordschools.net, and we will do our best to answer you quickly. 

Friday's going forward are PYSCH days! Yellow shirt days, possible themes. Your child does not need to buy anything extra for a psych day. A MUNCHKIN FRIEND will be chosen randomly if your student wishes to be a part of it. There is a $15.00 limit on any psych buddy gifts they would get their Munchkin Friend the week of production. Please ask your child whether they want to participate in the psych week. It's no fun if they agree to participate, get physical gifts, and forget or leave someone else out. There is no shame if you and they choose not to be a part of this particular tradition. 

Lastly, I cannot thank you enough for prioritizing this for the kids and you. There is only a musical with willing souls to put in the work and time. Thanks a million to those who have gone the extra mile, costuming with Leslie and Rose or building and painting sets with Brycen and me. Cora Winslow, you are an incredible young lady! Thank you for the time and dedication in your first solo venture as a choreographer!  You ROCK!😉

Please look for a signup genius at the beginning of next week for our production week!  We are getting so close! 2.5 weeks to matinee day is my Christmas 🎄 for anyone who has been a part of this before!  The anticipation is so much of the fun!  Hang on, it's about to get really crazy! 

All the best, and (always) with a grateful heart, Kristen Chapman

It's GO TIME - Auditorium GO TIME I MEAN!

 WELCOME BACK FROM BREAK!

Pick-ups should be from the front of the high school starting tomorrow, April 15th, for the remaining weeks of play rehearsal. 

I hope that everyone enjoyed the break, wherever and whatever you did. I worked Saturday through Thursday on the set at the high school with a group of dedicated high school helpers, my son, and his best friend. I am very thankful to Debbi and Tom Franklin for transporting lumber and gifted trees from Plainfield earlier in the week. I couldn't have accomplished as much without the help. It is all much appreciated! 

Looking ahead, our daily schedule is 3 - 5 PM (plus or minus a couple minutes and specifications) at the high school auditorium. This week's schedule is below:

Monday, 4/15 3 - 5

Tuesday, 4/16  NO REHEARSAL (Early Release Day)

Wednesday, 4/17, 3 - 5:15 PM, 4 - 5:15 PM Munchkin costume parade (this is so the kids know, you as parents just need to know that if your child is a munchkin, they will held until 5:15 PM and the others non-munchkin rolls can be collected at 5 PM. 

Thursday, 4/18 3 - 5 PM

Friday, 4/19 3 - 5 PM

Unless we have spoken and I know of conflicts, these rehearsals are ALL CAST going forward. 

The Stage Crew does not have to be at rehearsal until April 26, after which they should plan to be present daily from 3 to 5 PM except May 3, when we will run tech and hold stage crew until 7:30 PM, with a half-hour dinner break from 5 to 5:30 PM.

The T-shirts are in and will be handed out ASAP. 

Costuming - ALL CAST will need skin-colored undergarments (body suits, thin-strapped tank tops for bike shorts, whatever they are comfortable in, but they will be wearing these things under their costume, which is provided the undergarments are the responsibility of the individual student and their family. Boys in the cast should have clean white shirts to wear under their costumes, which helps soak up the sweat, etc. Questions about costuming should be directed to Leslie Rench (renchl@hartfordschools.net)

SHOES - The cast, except for Dorothy, Glinda The Wicked Witch, and Aunt Em, should purchase a pair of these shoes:

Jazz shoe - Unisex

or

Ballet Slipper for girls

Glinda, Wicked Witch, Aunt Em - Character Shoe

Dorothy - You need a Jazz Shoe - we will provide the RUBY SLIPPERS

Wicked Witch - Jazz Boots

Scarecrow, Lion, TinMan, Oz—You need Jazz shoes, but hopefully, there will be boots or something appropriate for the farm. 

Lastly, reiterating here, there is NO rehearsal on Tuesday this week. Please check the website daily as things can change based on need for the next two weeks. 

Thanks so much, Kristen/Ms. Chapman

UPDATE ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON

HMMS has made the decision to cancel ALL after school activities. 

I apologize for the inconvenience. 

Kristen 

It's April! WHOA!

 Good Morning - 

This weekend puts us ONE month from the show!  Crazy, the month of March simultaneously flew and dragged on. Looks like we have one more potential for snow this week. If we are delayed, we will still have rehearsal as planned. If we get canceled, we will NOT have rehearsal in the afternoon. If there is a cancellation of all after-school activities, that will include musical rehearsal. Stay tuned for changes to the schedule this week in case of inclement weather. Otherwise, the schedule this week is M - F 3 - 5 PM at HMMS your child should be picked up in front of the school. 

Reminder: We are still looking for donations of individually wrapped candy. Since Easter was this past weekend, the Easter candy is on price break today.

Tickets will be available for purchase ONLINE by this evening, 4/1. The link will be active to share with friends and family, so stay tuned.

Thank you one and all, Kristen 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES

HELLO!

It's FRIDAY, March 22nd, on the eve of what could be our largest snowstorm of the entire season, and it's officially been Spring for two full days! Go figure, welcome to New England! HA!

Your children have been working hard!  The dances and some of the blocking are coming together. 

This creative part of the process is my favorite. 

A couple important announcements:

    -TSHIRT SALES are FINAL on Sunday the 24th at midnight. YELLOW is the OFFICIAL shirt color, though we are offering white too. Please consider ordering more than one since we wear the shirts every day of the last week we are together. Families are welcomed to join in the fun. 

CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO BUY TSHIRTS

  -There are NO REHEARSALS NEXT THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, the 28th and 29th of March, because of student-led conferences. 

THE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE NEXT WEEK IS AS FOLLOWS:

MONDAY, MARCH 25TH: TIN MAN and LION with UNDERSTUDIES 3 - 4:30— Please note, this is an earlier pick-up.  

TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH: LAND OF OZ AND BOWS OZ - 3:00 - 5:00pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH: ALL CAST IN LARGE DANCE NUMBERS 3 - 4:45 - PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN EARLIER PICK UP TOO!

****NO REHEARSAL THURSDAY OR FRIDAY*****

Thank you for your attention to all of this. Thank you for your talented children. Enjoy the weekend, and stay warm!

Sincerely, Kristen Chapman

THIS WEEK'S REHEARSAL SCHEDULE 3/11-3/15

Please note there are slight changes to the schedule:

TODAY, 3/11, 3 - 5PM - DANCE REHEARSAL - JITTERBUGS/SCARECROW/CROWS/ENSEMBLE members and Lion, Dorothy, Tin Man 

TOMORROW 3/12 - NO REHEARSAL - CONCERT GRANDE 7 PM HHS GYM 7/8 Band and Chorus students!

WEDNESDAY 3/13 - CHANGE TO SCHEDULE - MUNCHKINLAND! For dance rehearsal, everyone in scene 4 should be present.

THURSDAY 3/14 - Scenes 1-4 through Munchkinland 3 -5 in the gym

FRIDAY 3/15 - Scenes 5 through 9. 3 - 5 PM in the gym; please plan accordingly.

Slight changes here. 

Thank you for your attention to these changes. As always send questions to me at chapmank@Hartfordschools.net

Be well, Kristen Chapman