willy wonka JR NEWS:
WEEK 2
Diving In, Digging Deep
On Sunday, we hit the ground running. It was evident that all our actors came to rehearsal ready to work – we love that! We got so much accomplished! But before it all began, both casts took a JPAS mindful meditation moment with this affirmation as our theme, “My imagination is powerful. I can dream big and create magic.” We took a few grounding breaths, and our actors were invited to close their eyes and stretch their imaginations to build a world without limitations.
Being an actor takes practice and self-care. Help us set them up for success by making sure each week your actor reviews their lines, songs, choreography, and blocking. Once your actor learns the blocking for a scene, it is important for them to start memorizing that scene so that the blocking and the dialogue solidifies in their head.
Please show your actor our link to the Electronic Resource Library. It has choreography and MP3s of songs learned, organized per week, per cast. We would love actors to be off-book as soon as possible and how awesome, several of our actors are well on their way to achieving that. Off-book means not needing their scripts anymore to recite their lines. Directors will be providing an off-book date this week. Also, kindly encourage your actor to listen to the music as often as possible so that they become more comfortable with the songs.
Equally as important is that our actors take the time to restore their well-being and fill their creative well – lessons we could all likely benefit from and incorporate more of into our daily routine. I encourage you too to take time for YOU.
Electronic Resource Library
This week we began working with a few of our Golden Ticket winner families in a special accent workshop. Please encourage your actor to continue practicing at home and use our ERL (Electronic Resource Library). It contains this week’s new songs and choreography videos!
The ERL link has all the sing-a-long and performance tracks as well. Please encourage your actors to listen to the music and read through their scripts. The more they absorb at home, the more productive our rehearsals can be.
Conversation Starters
- Ask your actor…. Do you know what blocking means?
- Ask your actor to show you some choreography from The Golden Age of Chocolate
- Ask your budding actor what their character is like.
- Discuss the story of Willy Wonka JR. at home. Maybe watch the movie together (original and remake) and, if you haven’t already check out some YouTube performances – either the Broadway version and/or other youth productions.
- Ask your actor to show you their character worksheet and/or blocking worksheet from their rehearsal folder, and ask them about their character backstory!
Golden Ticket Cast Highlights
- After our mindful moment, we encouraged our actors to start using their imagination throughout rehearsal as we began to build the world of our show.
- Our award of the day went to Ben, for starting to make character choices last week even during the read through! We also introduced the Hatter (this year’s special award where actors can recognize each other’s kindness and generosity) which began with Blair for her kind spirit.
- Our actors had the opportunity to work together creating backstories in their groups like the Golden Ticket families or Oompa Loompas as we blocked through most of Act 1.
- We choreographed one of our large ensemble numbers The Golden Age of Chocolate and started our Act 1 Finale I’ve Got a Golden Ticket
Pure Imagination Cast Highlights
- We started off rehearsal and announced that our Award of the Day winner was Georgia!
- Our Golden Ticket family groups were able to bond throughout rehearsal as they began working together on accents – and sounded fantastic!
- Our actors started to learn more about how to notate blocking within their scripts and began to learn their upstage from their downstage.
- Our kids started to develop their confidence as they learned the dance to The Golden Age of Chocolate
- Our actors’ characters are already showing and developing as we blocked most of Act 1
Rehearsal – Sunday, January 25th
- Everyone should arrive promptly for drop off at 1:30 pm
- The Golden Ticket Cast will meet in the Zale
- Pure Imagination Cast will meet upstairs in the Mankoff room.
- Pick-up will be at 5:30 pm in the lobby.
- Please remind our performers to bring their scripts, rehearsal folder, pencil, and a highlighter to every rehearsal.
- Please pack a healthy snack and a water bottle.
- Wear clothes you can easily move in with sneakers or bring your jazz/dance shoes.
Important Dates & Reminders
- HEAD-SHOTS: This Sunday, January 25th is when we will be taking headshots for both casts. Please make sure your actor is camera-ready!
- Wednesday January 28– actor bios are due. I will send reminders, but at the end-of-day on January 28, if we have not received your actor’s bio, they will not be included in the playbill. Note: the google form will not allow you to italicize, unfortunately, so we will take care of that on our end.
- Pure Imagination Bio: Pure Imagination Cast - Cast Bios
- Golden Ticket Bio: Golden Ticket Cast - Cast Bios
- Wednesday January 28– actor Playbill Ad/Messages are due. Think of our playbill as our annual fundraiser. Your actor will get a memory of a lifetime and the proceeds will help fund our amazing performing arts program. The playbill is also a great way for friends and family who can’t attend a performance but want to show their support and love with a special note!. Have a small business? Placing an ad in our playbill is a strategic way to reach the community. Use jccdallas.org/playbillads to purchase your playbill ad and to submit the actual ad using the google form. Instructions can be found using the link I provided above.
- I encourage you to please take care of both the bio and playbill ad now. Knock it off your to-do list and feel like a rock star.
- TICKETS: Each actor will receive one complimentary ticket. Parents who sent their actor’s bio in by end of day on January 13th will receive an additional complimentary ticket. All complimentary tickets can be used for any performance and all complimentary and purchased tickets will be waiting for you at Will Call on the day of the performance.
Mark Your Calendars – Costume Fittings
Costume fittings are coming up earlier this year! In case you missed my last email, we will be pushing our costume fittings back one week. Please be sure to update the dates in your calendar with the new revised dates.
- February 8 will be for our Golden Ticket Cast
- February 15 will be for our Pure Imagination Cast
- I will be sending an email with specific time slots for each cast member along with details. Please keep an eye out. More to come.
Let Your Inner Marketer Shine
Thank you to everyone who grabbed a yard sign and/or a marketing flyer on Sunday! We appreciate you spreading the word. If you want to begin spreading the word via social media, rock on; we would love that too! I will be sending out the digital marketing kit in a separate email soon.
Come join us for a night of pure theater magic complete with live music, scrumptious concessions, and fun for the entire family. Our first big push to the community will go out on February 2nd regarding ticket sales, but don’t let that stop you from buying yours today and sharing with your friends and family!
Possible Inclement Weather
Please keep an eye out for an email from me, by Sunday at 12pm latest, if we need to cancel rehearsal Sunday due to inclement weather. We have a full plan in place and my email will have all the details if we need to pivot in that direction! The show must go on!
Healthy Snacks
Please do your best to provide healthy snacks, low in sugar. Healthy, low-sugar snacks help to keep our performers engaged, focused, and on task. We will not be using the vending machines. Again, please pack a water bottle too!
Follow us on Social Media
Camp Opens This Week!
Every year we offer some amazing camps. Our performing arts camps, Camp StarQuest and Camp StarPower, as well as our specialty One Weekers camps tend to fill quickly, and space is limited.
Registration is currently open to members and will open January 27 for non members/camp friends. While our jcc email is down temporarily, if you have any questions regarding camp or registration, please email jccdallashelpdesk@gmail.com
We want to see you this summer, so please register today to save your spot!
- Click here to learn more about StarQuest, June 8 – July 3
- Click here to learn more about StarPower, July 6 -July 17
- Click here to learn more about our One-Weekers, one week boutique specialty camps.
- Global Gourmet, July 20 – July 24
- Whisk and Wonder July 27 – July 31
- Creative Fusion, August 3 - August 7
This is How We Do It At JPAS
My heart is so full! Seeing your kids shine, learn, bond and build friendships is our greatest joy! We have a very special JPAS community and thank you for being a part of it!
Shine Bright,
A Welcome Hub For All
dynamic learning
building bridges
beyond our walls
an evolving community
our community's evolving
needs. Your input shapes our
programs, keeping us relevant
for everyone in Dallas.
