Saturday afternoon we "glued" all the 1st half scenes of our Easter drama together. While we block all of our scenes individually, at these Saturday blockings we piece these scenes together to double check everything. Last week we blocked the 1st half scenes individually, then Saturday we pieced all those scenes together. This week we'll block all of the second half scenes individually, and this coming Saturday we'll piece them all together.
These Saturday first and second half blockings generally last 2 - 3 hours, and our folks have the patience of saints as we sometimes have to rehearse things several times, or we have to huddle together to figure things out. We constantly have to remind ourselves that these are simply blocking rehearsals. It's easy to expect too much out of these rehearsals, and then be discouraged afterwards. These really aren't "rehearsals" as such...no lines are memorized, there are no lights or microphones...but rather simply times to figure out who stands where and how much time do they have to get there.
In these first and second half blockings we check ourselves on several things: flow of scenes, entrance and exit flow, how to get characters from one scene to another, how to get the choir on and off the stage. Our lighting team also sits through these rehearsals to get a feel for where lighting is going to be needed.
During these blockings I get to try out underscore music, which is the instrumental music that is played underneath dialouge or action. I never really know how this music is going to work until these rehearsals. Sometimes it's horrible, sometimes it fits perfectly, sometimes I just have to tweak it, sometimes I have to trash it and start from scratch.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Publicity, Sold Out, Blocking Continued
Last couple of days haven't been so productive for me. Holed up fighting off sinus infections and bronchitus. Yay steroid shots and antibiotics!
Yesterday and today I almost wrapped up our radio and television publicity. Signed contracts for commerical time on cable television and sent our video to them. Two Christian radio stations will air spots for us. Got their information to them also.
Our two weekend matinees have completely "sold out". One other weekend performance is close to being sold out.
Blocking rehearsals have gone well for all scenes. The new scenes work well individually...now the big question will be how well do they work combined with the other scenes!
Costume Team has continued fitting and adjusting costumes. Programs Team is having a hard time getting corporate sponsors. Seems the economy is biting us there. That could cause us to go in the red when all is said and done. Set Decorations team continues to work each evening, and Set Construction team steps in here and there to fix things or sturdy things up. Reservations Team is at the church non-stop on weekdays from 9 - 4. Extras Team is pulling their hair out trying to get people to attend rehearsals...Everyone has such busy lives! Drama Choir has done a bang up job on the music. I'm actually giving them next week off..except for Saturday. Technical Teams are continuing to work on microphone assignments and lighting. Our hired sound/light guy has been getting lights and mics set up this week. Our T-Shirt Team received the t-shirts and started giving them out tonight. Everyone was excited!
These are just the teams I've seen at work. The others are all working hard to be prepared for the performances.
Yesterday and today I almost wrapped up our radio and television publicity. Signed contracts for commerical time on cable television and sent our video to them. Two Christian radio stations will air spots for us. Got their information to them also.
Our two weekend matinees have completely "sold out". One other weekend performance is close to being sold out.
Blocking rehearsals have gone well for all scenes. The new scenes work well individually...now the big question will be how well do they work combined with the other scenes!
Costume Team has continued fitting and adjusting costumes. Programs Team is having a hard time getting corporate sponsors. Seems the economy is biting us there. That could cause us to go in the red when all is said and done. Set Decorations team continues to work each evening, and Set Construction team steps in here and there to fix things or sturdy things up. Reservations Team is at the church non-stop on weekdays from 9 - 4. Extras Team is pulling their hair out trying to get people to attend rehearsals...Everyone has such busy lives! Drama Choir has done a bang up job on the music. I'm actually giving them next week off..except for Saturday. Technical Teams are continuing to work on microphone assignments and lighting. Our hired sound/light guy has been getting lights and mics set up this week. Our T-Shirt Team received the t-shirts and started giving them out tonight. Everyone was excited!
These are just the teams I've seen at work. The others are all working hard to be prepared for the performances.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Blocking Madness Begins
Blocking Easter drama scenes, particularly brand new ones, can seem like chaos. Some scenes have over 100 people in them, and each person needs to know their entrances, their exits, their action, etc. Fortunately, most of our folks understand that there are many details to figure out during blocking, so they adopt a wonderfully patient attitude and use their time standing around to develop new friendships and enjoy the fellowship with one another.
As we block, scenes can sometimes evolve. We'll see the written script in a different light when there are real people standing before you with the music and the stage. There's always an air of excitement each night at the beginning of blocking. This week is full of our first half blockings.
Today I finished our television ad that will be airing in the coming weeks. Nothing fancy, just enough to get the word out.
As we block, scenes can sometimes evolve. We'll see the written script in a different light when there are real people standing before you with the music and the stage. There's always an air of excitement each night at the beginning of blocking. This week is full of our first half blockings.
Today I finished our television ad that will be airing in the coming weeks. Nothing fancy, just enough to get the word out.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Hitting the Wall
My wife and I use the phrase "I've hit my wall" whenever we feel exhausted or burned out or just plan old tired. I've learn from past Easter dramas that at some point each year I will "hit my wall" and need a break sometime during the preparation process. I don't like it, but I've learned to expect it. For the leadership of these type of ministries, we live and breath it for months. It's like a second job that you can never completely get on top of until it's over. Trying to reconcile three months of normal family life with work/ministry with a big production WILL catch up with you!
Generally I hit my wall after a couple of days of frustrating ministry work or family situations combined with several days worth of non-stop Easter drama attention while falling behind in regular day-to-day ministry responsibilities. Here's what I've learned to do:
*Spend extra time in the Word. That can be biblically-based music, scriptural-based books, etc. but do something that keeps God's Word in your mind.
*Don't be afraid to pass things along to support staff. My secretary has been a wonderful help and willing to shoulder loads of extra responsibilities during this time.
*Surround yourself with a GREAT Lead Team, and don't feel silly to say "Help!" to them. I sent my team a "Help!" email this week, and they have been wonderful in their willingness to help me through my "wall hitting" period.
*Don't feel responsible for being present at every aspect of each team's work. That's why you have team leaders; trust them to lead their teams and make their own decisions and do their tasks.
*Don't be worried about taking a break or breather here or there. No one can really understand the work load you've taken home with you each day of the last few months, or the late hours...and that's OK. God knows and you know. So take breaks when you can.
*Don't wait on a superior or supervisor to come to you and offer a break or a breather. They won't really be aware of your extra work load, and if you're a dependable person they'll trust you and want you to take care of yourself.
*Spend at least one day or afternoon doing something out of the ordinary from the last few months. Today, in between my daughter's early morning basketball game, a church member's 50th anniversary celebration, and getting things set up in the sanctuary for worship, I was able to get out in our yard for a couple of hours and begin de-winterizing it. Scooping dog poop and weeding flowerbeds works wonders for my disposition!
Tomorrow afternoon we begin the schedule for blocking individual scenes. Each scene has someone that will call all the extras and remind them of their schedule, and in these rehearsals I begin to adjust scripts and underscores to match exact timing and flow. For our church members who are extras or choir members, this begins an almost nightly attendance until the Easter drama is over. Many of our people will be at the church about 75% or more of the next 30 evenings, beginning tomorrow.
Generally I hit my wall after a couple of days of frustrating ministry work or family situations combined with several days worth of non-stop Easter drama attention while falling behind in regular day-to-day ministry responsibilities. Here's what I've learned to do:
*Spend extra time in the Word. That can be biblically-based music, scriptural-based books, etc. but do something that keeps God's Word in your mind.
*Don't be afraid to pass things along to support staff. My secretary has been a wonderful help and willing to shoulder loads of extra responsibilities during this time.
*Surround yourself with a GREAT Lead Team, and don't feel silly to say "Help!" to them. I sent my team a "Help!" email this week, and they have been wonderful in their willingness to help me through my "wall hitting" period.
*Don't feel responsible for being present at every aspect of each team's work. That's why you have team leaders; trust them to lead their teams and make their own decisions and do their tasks.
*Don't be worried about taking a break or breather here or there. No one can really understand the work load you've taken home with you each day of the last few months, or the late hours...and that's OK. God knows and you know. So take breaks when you can.
*Don't wait on a superior or supervisor to come to you and offer a break or a breather. They won't really be aware of your extra work load, and if you're a dependable person they'll trust you and want you to take care of yourself.
*Spend at least one day or afternoon doing something out of the ordinary from the last few months. Today, in between my daughter's early morning basketball game, a church member's 50th anniversary celebration, and getting things set up in the sanctuary for worship, I was able to get out in our yard for a couple of hours and begin de-winterizing it. Scooping dog poop and weeding flowerbeds works wonders for my disposition!
Tomorrow afternoon we begin the schedule for blocking individual scenes. Each scene has someone that will call all the extras and remind them of their schedule, and in these rehearsals I begin to adjust scripts and underscores to match exact timing and flow. For our church members who are extras or choir members, this begins an almost nightly attendance until the Easter drama is over. Many of our people will be at the church about 75% or more of the next 30 evenings, beginning tomorrow.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Choir Recording and Phone Calls
The church phones have begun ringing with requests for Easter drama tickets. We don't begin reservations for the general public until Monday morning; once that day hits, our secretaries are deluged with phone calls. We set up our reservations team in our church library, and they have two different phone lines that stay busy for the next two or three weeks.
Speaking of tickets, we never charge for our Easter drama tickets. This ministry is self-sustaining only through love offerings and corporate sponsors.
Tonight was our drama choir recording. About three or four years ago we began recording our choir vocals for each years' performance. As with any dramatic production, there are times where we have to supplement our live voices. It may be because in a particular scene the choir has to sit, and that puts them further away from the microphones; it may be because the choir is walking down the aisles away from the mics; etc., etc. I always hated having studio voices from the sound tracks supplementing our voices, so we now record our own voices, and if we need vocal support during a performance, it's our own recorded voices singing. This recording is not production perfect; we would never sell a CD of this in-house recording. But it is just right for a gentle "umph" when our voices need it during performances.
This next week will be full of editing this recording into finished tracks. Very time consuming, but well worth it.
Tomorrow would normally be a hospital visitation day for me, but our deacons are graciously doing my hospital visits for the next several weeks. Once Easter drama season hits my schedule gets so full. Tomorrow I have the task of getting all of our sound and instruments back on stage and ready for Sunday worship. It will be a full day, and without the deacons help, it would be a very long and late day. I'm thankful for their ministry of serving not only our church, but the staff!
Speaking of tickets, we never charge for our Easter drama tickets. This ministry is self-sustaining only through love offerings and corporate sponsors.
Tonight was our drama choir recording. About three or four years ago we began recording our choir vocals for each years' performance. As with any dramatic production, there are times where we have to supplement our live voices. It may be because in a particular scene the choir has to sit, and that puts them further away from the microphones; it may be because the choir is walking down the aisles away from the mics; etc., etc. I always hated having studio voices from the sound tracks supplementing our voices, so we now record our own voices, and if we need vocal support during a performance, it's our own recorded voices singing. This recording is not production perfect; we would never sell a CD of this in-house recording. But it is just right for a gentle "umph" when our voices need it during performances.
This next week will be full of editing this recording into finished tracks. Very time consuming, but well worth it.
Tomorrow would normally be a hospital visitation day for me, but our deacons are graciously doing my hospital visits for the next several weeks. Once Easter drama season hits my schedule gets so full. Tomorrow I have the task of getting all of our sound and instruments back on stage and ready for Sunday worship. It will be a full day, and without the deacons help, it would be a very long and late day. I'm thankful for their ministry of serving not only our church, but the staff!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Two Days Worth
Yesterday and today have continued to be busy days for the Easter drama. Set construction was completed except for a few items, and set decoration is ongoing. We had a great lunch of jambalaya provided for us. Our manger angel girls met last night and started learning choreography. (These are all junior high girls.) Our promotional fliers and posters got printed, and our t-shirt designer sent me a mock up to proof. Our reservations team leader has been emailing and organizing tickets for church members' reservations. Our extras team has been handing out scripts. Our sound technician has been evaluating and checking out all of our microphones. Our costume team has been fitting people. Our technical team has begun working on microphone assignments. I've completed the first edit of tracks for our choir recording (which is tomorrow night). Choir rehearsal tonight went great.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Set Construction, Great Meal, Tickets, Extras, Greeters
It's been great day for the Easter drama. So many teams have worked hard. Of course, the most visible has been the Set Construction Team. Attached is a video of the set-in-progress.
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