Notes-11/4:

Biggest thing, team, is that these are the notes a director should be giving at this point in the process.  We’ve moved forward and are cleaning stuff/clarifying stuff, instead of teaching stuff…this is a good thing!

1.1

piragua-you can shoo graffiti away

graffiti-don’t forget your radio

ens-l platform folks can interact

abuela-slow her up a bit

salon girls-can’t move on 1^st ‘in the heights’

ensemble-physical engagement, even stationary

camila-tease him more…have fun

sonny-change your 1^st entrance to # 5 just before usnavi calls you out

ensemble-physical engagement…let’s talk!

crew-what was the banging I heard SR?

salon girls-chair too far out…we’ll spike

ensemble/sonny/benny…good groove @ final company ‘in the heights’

usnavi-when you’re talking to us, talk to us!

1.2

nina-take your ‘just breathes’ out…let those be where you disengage from the well-wishers

jenna-don’t upstage yourself on ‘mira nina’

nina-gotta be forward by ‘I’m the one who made it out’

piragua/usnavi/sonny-don’t watch on her big moment atop the stairs

nina-carry ds a bit farther earlier

1.3

sonny-pull your feet in after you get deserted

benny-have fun with the dispatch…groove it (it had moments!)

benny-nice little dance when nina smiles…that’s what I want

1.4

ensemble-gotta be ready for that entrance

abuela-attitude…tell him he’s being an idiot, and sonny fixed the fridigdaire

vanessa-Con Edison, not kun Edison

daniela-sass, not anger…gone a bit too far the other way (except on Pepsi…that was fun)

ensemble-where’s my girls on the l train platform…you arrived later; come out with the boys

vanessa-good job rolling with it and going on when piano shifted

ensemble-I don’t believe the platform boys…Daniel, you hit on her later, for pete’s sake!

vanessa-when he shows off his biceps, react…he has some

**stage dances in down time**

vanessa-‘hit up some clubs’ as you’re leaving to the salon

vanessa-explain your situation so he understands, with ‘the neighborhood salon’ monologue

usnavi-keep looking at her as you back out of the scene

1.5

solid transition; justify it even more, be even more efficient

nina-take a beat before you get on the radio

benny-play the awkwardness of the situation

kevin-good dismissal of benny

all-good job rolling with technical changes

kevin-hear the insult in ‘you don’t know what college is like’

kevin-don’t get too emotional too early

kevin-let’s work the slap move…it’s not working

kevin-find his intense pride in the verse about nina

kevin-what was up with the character break during one of my favorite songs?

1.6

daniela-get command of those lines

ladies-own this banter, playfulness

vanessa-don’t close off when finding out about usnavi; find the transition to where she plays along

daniela-don’t attack her with the ‘shitty piece of news’; it’s shock

girls-clean up the exit a bit

1.7

graffiti-cut between benny and usnavi when you come in not around them

boys-tighten up the post graffiti lines

boys and gp-good playful interaction at the start of the song

graffiti-get in there and really battle at the rap!

ensemble-enter with a purpose; this is huge

carla-start the ‘check 123’ cross earlier, move just before speaking

Girls-start the return to the shop a bit earlier

Ensemble-really talk through your plans with 96k

Sonny-start the monologue as if you’re saying to usnavi ‘nah, here’s what I’d do’

Principals-no ‘what’ if you’re on mic…the mix is a nightmare

Benny-great job taking your lines to the salon girls

Emma-you have permission to rock out your solo lines!

All-tighten up the exit move a bit

1.8

ac-open up…get in the habit of having your ds foot slightly behind your us foot

ac-good job rolling with the piano hiccups

solares-out earlier…just a couple of beats

cubans-you have the moves…own ‘em

cubans-do we know our exit cues?  This was the first hiccup

solares-do we need to formally stage something when you come downstage?

ny'ers-more of a scramble post-train

ny'ers-can we all learn the stuff directed at Sofia…it’s weird with just small ensemble

cubans-all go to the L train platform…none on scaffolds

1.9

sonny-stay backstage until it’s time J; but can enter when the music starts and just get into it

benny-let’s clean up that entrance

sonny-nail the transition into ‘…probably’

nina-separate the words ‘noun’/’verb’ off for the audience benefit

benny-open up your throat on ‘there’s no 9 train now’

benny and nina-you sound amazing together…keep working!

benny-find the beat…don’t rush it

benny-pull back the actions a little…don’t mime everything

nina-really ask what’s coming next

nina/benny-let’s try playing out each scene as you describe them

nina-great peel off on don’t say that…well owned

benny-find how much strongly he believes in her…help her up

nina/benny-we’ll delay the playoff until you start out, guys

1.10

pg-don’t get in your head…you know how to do this

pg-get pissed about mr softee

pg-groove it…let your moves go

1.11

ensemble-don’t start the scene change before the music

**let’s tweak the music to add just a little time**

all-clarity and diction on the mics

all-no descending energy lines…sustain intent through the end of the line

camila-go  ahead and move forward with your lines after ‘the dictator’ and do the kiss whenever it comes up

camila-scale back your reaction to ‘uptown investments’

kevin-gotta look at emma on ‘girl in the barrio’

all-some good reactions here

scene change-whoever’s not in heels should go backward up the stairs

1.12

ensemble-find those ‘wepa, vanessa’ s

ensemble-tighten up the dancing to the center just a bit…keep the positioning, tighten the space

jose-closer to her mic

crew-what was that loud rolling noise backstage during the dance number?

benny-better intensity…find the beat

ensemble-find the transitions in the dance, so we’re not just dropping into the faster sections

ensemble-listen to the music and react to the changes…don’t just do steps

1.13

pg-faster start to the blackout

sonny-talk to pg in the corner on your lines

ensemble-better on levels, but go farther on the crouch down; got too high during GP and Sonny

ensemble-physically relaxed going into first ‘fireworks’

ensemble-almost blocked usnavi; get there…

abuela-real nervousness about the bag

benny-dial up his fear…match nina’s intensity

ensemble-no slack moments…total focus