HAiR First Rehearsal

(the outline of info given the cast at first rehearsal)

WELCOME TO THE WILLAMETTE TRIBE!

1) Calendar. Some dates added since auditions. Sandee for four weeks. Church location. Move in week and techs.

2) Outline for first four weeks, adapted after Sandee is gone.
---6:30 warm-ups, exercises, games
---7:00-8:30 sing
---8:30-9:30 stage

3) Pencils are basic rehearsal equipment. The rough blocking MUST be written down.

Don't direct each other--if you have an idea for someone else, don't give it in front of group.

We will always start at 6:30. Being tardy will just be an embarrasment to you, and you'll cheat yourself of the essential bonding to be done.

Sickness is never an excuse for missing a rehearsal. Death, preferably your own, is the only reason a rehearsal may ever be legitimately missed.

Go with the flow of mounting the show. Don't be confused by experimenting at rehearsals. What we try one night may be modified drastically or thrown out the next.

Pair up as buddies, so that if someone is gone when we do work on a scene, you can be responsible for filling that person in on what they missed.

Let's feed each other. Feel free to bring munchies. Feeding the Director WILL get you bonus points.

4) Internet page. The beginning of research. Print things for each other. Invite people over who don't have a computer.

Research for the feel of the era. It will help with our instincts in rehearsal. Bottom line is your emotional connection to the situation and each other.

5) Roxy and costume plan. Budget, guidelines for style and color. ASAP so you can rehearse and live in your costume. Tie dye party.

6) Tribal experience of building show together:
---Gift exchange to make each other beads.
---God's Eyes
---Origami Doves
---Gathering junk metal for set
---Adopting projects from the prop list.
---Astrologer in group? Do chart for show?

7) Make tapes for each other if you have the OBC.

8) First cast party schedule--Friday or Saturday night. "Woodstock" for watching behavior. MORE PARTIES!!

9) Pre-show concept
---The Tribe has taken over the theatre.
---Pan-handling audience, playing frisbee, singing folk songs, handing out God's Eyes, incense and flowers, reciting poetry, painting faces, Mime Troupe with mirror.

"Helping" the ushers---sit in people's seats etc. Get to know people in audience, and relate to them throughout show.

10) Set model. No masking. All tech hanging out, including getting props. Gentle rake to thrust platform. Two side ramps. Center screen. Junk sculpture with places to stand or sit. Props and costume pieces hung all over. No fourth wall.

Four microphones on stands as part of design.

11) Image plot. Adding to it with footage of The Tribe for The Trip and possibly for curtain call.

12) The script. Jim Rado. Ad-libs eventually set. Much vocalization as group. Emphasis of ritual. Entire evening is a ritual of showing audience how you live. Naturalistic moments mixed with highly presentational songs.

If you don't have an assigned name, choose a Tribal Hippie name during the course of rehearsals.

THEME OF SHOW---With harmony and understanding betwen the people on Earth, we could live in peace.

For read-through---Absorb the entire show, not just your roles. Remember much of this will be divided up as we rehearse. Go in circle, taking next 'tribe' bit unless you are already a named character.

Strands of HAiR

"OM"