As well as keeping extremely busy with uploading online tutorials this week, we have still been furiously planning for our 2020 show. This has included getting stuck into creating a video projection that will include many of the photographs and videos that members of the school have shot over the past few months. This is a long process, as not only do we have to spend many hours choosing the various images and researching endless documentaries, but then all the images need to seamlessly be tied together and synced with the chosen music for maximum theatrical effect. It is very time consuming, but will hopefully have the impact we desire in the end.
As well as this, we have started planning and mapping out the programme for 'The Wind in the Willows'. Although we have our standard template for programme design, all the artwork is original, courtesy of Miss Jess, and all information regarding song choice in correspondence to the dances and running orders need to be compiled. We always like to give you as much information as possible with regards to the music that is chosen for each scene; this is because it is always deliberately chosen for an important reason and not just because we like the music. The music planning normally takes around 6 months and is why planning for the following year's show normally starts by July. Each piece of music is chosen either because the lyrics relate to a particular scene, the piece was composed by somebody who has a link to the story, or the style/genre matches our theme for the show. For example, when we performed 'The Resistible Rise' we chose a few pieces composed by Beethoven, as he was Adolf Hitler's favourite composer; during our 2019 production of 'Cluedo' we used multiple songs that were linked to the murder theme such as 'A View to a Kill' and 'Killer'; and in 'Animal Farm' the animals worked their socks off on the farm, dancing a street routine to Ciara's 'Work'. See if you can spot the links in this year's performance...it should hopefully give the production even more meaning and make it more enjoyable for you to watch.
As you know, in amongst all of this, we have been trying our best to post as many different online videos for you and your children to follow along with at home and we shall continue to do this over the Easter break. We have also arranged a zoom meeting for all rehearsal students to join on Wednesday evening so that we can practise all of our show dances so far, together. We are trying to keep everybody positive and upbeat about our upcoming performances, although it looks likely that they will be postponed. We haven't made an official announcement on this yet, as we still don't know what is going to happen in May until the government make any more clear guidelines for schools. However, we 100% believe that we will be able to put the production on the stage: pupils, parents and teachers have invested too much to just cancel the entire event and so we will be doing all we can to ensure it goes ahead (we just can't guarantee it will be in May). We have been in talks with Stantonbury Campus Theatre and they have ensured us that we shall be able to rearrange the date if we need to postpone and also the lighting company, where we hire special effect lighting and so on, have also agreed that we will be able to reschedule. Therefore, we continue to plan as normal and urge all participants to keep rehearsing their numbers so that we can continue as normal as soon as we can. We have every confidence in our pupils that we will be able to put on another high quality show if we all work together.
We would like to take this opportunity to also thank all of you for your continuing patience and support and we hope you are all keeping well and safe.