Music Rehersal

Despite the fact that everyone has a lot to do during exam week, we still had a very productive music rehearsal today with the cast and Dr. Wu and Dr. Davis. We went over all the ensemble numbers in the first act, and although some spots need some practice, it went really great in general. Music rehearsal was a big stress-reliever that really took my mind off of school work and everything going on in my head. 

It is usually front-loaded in the initial stages of the production, so when we block or choreograph the numbers, we will already know our parts. My favorite number rehearsed today has to be Blackout, which is the final number in the first act. It is not only pleasant to the ears, but also contains so many variations of rhythms and melodies that make it extremely interesting to learn. Check it out on YouTube if you want a sneak peek! As of now, winter break is approaching for us that means time to memorize the melodies and lyrics of the songs, and all of our lines. The show is looking great with high hopes and ardent anticipation for everyone’s performance.

Yours one and only,
Maggie

Introducing your Bloggers for In The Heights

12/11/2015

    Introducing the Bloggers!

    Maggie: Hi All, my name is Maggie Zhu, and I am an ensemble member in our winter Musical, In the Heights! I am most excited about the dancing in the show because all of it is so new and so interesting. The music is exulting as well, since I have never done a musical where hip-pop, rap, and latin music make up the majority of the numbers. As Mr. Howard said, “let the music be your energy.” The music and dancing pieced together makes rehearsals truly a stress-reliever from all the school work and the highlight of my day. 

    Izzy: My name is Izzy Maher and I’m taking part in my first theater production at Berkshire! I play the character Camila Rosario, the mother of Nina and wife of Kevin. I am most excited for music because each song is so diverse rhythmically and makes the dancing super fun. At first this concept was a little off-putting but now that I see what were doing I’m excited to dive in and get into it. I look forward to rehearsals each day because of our focus warm-up and contagious positivity. 

Noah: Hi, my name is Noah Faison and I’m a four-year senior at Berkshire.  I’ve been a part of the Berkshire Theater community since my freshman year, and I am so excited to be working on In The Heights!  I am always looking for new ways to challenge myself and improve my acting skills, and I expect both to happen in this challenging musical.  I will be playing the role of Kevin, a father figure and semi-successful car service owner. 

Auditions: Over 30 or students auditioned for In the Heights following the end of the fall season, and the cast narrowed down to 22 actors along with 3 stage managers. Everyone prepared a monologue, a song, and some brave souls presented a short rap for auditions. Nicole Rizzo, our beloved choreographer also taught a segment of highly complicated choreography for dance auditions. The most important part was that everyone had a lot of fun, whether or not they were cast. The “supportive vibe” was the number one thing that everyone loved, and it is, in my opinion, the best thing about Berkshire Theater. 

Accents: One of the most challenging and fun parts of this musical is sure to be the dialect work. When the show first came out on Broadway it won the Tony Award for Best Musical in part because it represented an authentic and often underrepresented view of New York’s diverse Hispanic community.  In order to authentically recreate “el barrio” much of the cast is being trained to speak in accents authentic to their respective character’s country of origin. We've already spent a couple dialect rehearsals learning and for me, trying to develop that mix of the New York and Puerto Rican accent, and then we have to see just how much would influence my character. I’m so excited because properly mastering the accents will allow us add an additional layer of authenticity to the performance.

In The Heights!!!!!!!

Presenting...

In The Heights!

A hip-hop & Rap Musical 

From Lin-Manuel Miranda (also the writer and star of the current Broadway sold-out hit, Hamilton. )

"Winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, In the Heights is the story of three days in the life of Washington Heights, a tightknit community at the top of Manhattan. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this hip musical will win you over with its sweet story and hot tunes

This high-energy show features lovable characters, a contemporary Latin-flavored score and Tony-winning hip-hop dance moves. But it’s also very sweet and sentimental, wearing its heart on its sleeve. You may even get a little misty-eyed by the end."

-Excerpt from the In The Heights website