One month to go!

We are now more or less exactly a month away from the show. Time is well and truly running away from us.

Things are overall going well, I'm just primarily concerned about the amount of time we have left and the amount still to do. We still have a couple of scenes were certain bits haven't yet been set, and two of the most pivotal numbers in the show are half finished. Remaining, we have four more full more rehearsals at St Mary's and five short ones in Wallington. I wanted to begin doing a full run-through of the show this week, but we've fallen behind on the schedule due to absences which have meant certain scenes couldn't be set when they were supposed to be. We've also got the problem that things that were done ages ago haven't been run through and refreshed very much, so doing our first run through is going to more painful the longer we leave it.

Performances are generally good. Everybody's voices are up to scratch in terms of the music, with the only cause for concern at the moment being "Easy Street", which Dean is getting more concerned about. Jasmine (Annie) is doing well vocally, she just needs to try and act more while she's singing. Sophie and Bex (Hannigan and Grace) continue well with their vocals and performances, and Callum (Warbucks) is getting progressively better too, we just need now to get him to have more of an air of authority about his character. Orphans are doing well with their choreography - Nat has set some great dances to "Hard Knock Life" and "Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile", and Dean has got them singing on top form. The only concern I have now is that they're struggling to do the great dancing and great singing at the same time. Hopefully though with more rehearsal that will improve.

The chorus are trying hard and are progressing well. I think generally the respect and enthusisasm is higher than for Guys And Dolls, and theyre alot better behaved too. Yesterday I had to get a bit shouty on a couple of occasions, which felt mean lol, but it had to be done because time is ticking and we really need full concentration. We can't afford to lose it, we need them to be self-disciplined and know when it's time to shut up and concentrate. Generally however they are progressing well and seem to grasping what they've been set.

Our venue is confirmed as the Hardwicke Hall in Royston. From the audience's point of view it's great. It's quite big and grand, and the stage has a curtain (a luxury which we haven't had thus far at St Mary's). From the backstage perspective though it could be better. It's so dusty and cramped in the dressing rooms, and the stage itself is littered with loose bits and pieces which are going to be major hinderances if they aren't moved. I'm worried about our set and props too; the list is very ambitious and we need to sort as much of it as we can...

Other than that (!!) it's going swimmingly. I've no doubt that everything will be ok, but because of the time situation we're treading an unstable tightrope and can't afford to put a foot wrong in the next four weeks!

General Blocking/Music Rehearsal

I am officially concerned. Guys And Dolls was a rollercoaster from the first rehearsal to the day of the show – a good rehearsal was always balanced out in due course by a disastrous rehearsal. But Annie is different. We have yet to hold a rehearsal that leaves us feeling hopeless. I know that sounds stupid, but I am slightly suspicious about the rehearsals going alarmingly well!

Our cast are engaged and upbeat and ready to take to the stage, which is a relief for us, as we don’t have to worry about their enthusiasm and commitment. The discipline this year is so much better! It’s not a dream, but in comparison to the early rehearsals for Guys And Dolls we’re dealing with some pretty well behaved kids. They’re focussed more on the show – I think after Guys And Dolls they now are just eager to put on another good show, and if they keep up this attitude then a good show is exactly what we’ll deliver.

They seem to respect us more as producers this year… as in, they’re listening to us and taking on board what we say a lot more. I think that’s maybe because now we’ve done a couple of shows, they know that we can actually deliver in putting them on stage and giving them a good performing experience. As a team, we’re working together quite well… for example Dean seems to be slotting himself really easily into the Musical Director role, something which he did to a cautious extent last year. What’s nice as well is that people aren’t necessarily sticking strictly to their titles – officially Nicci is a vocal coach, but she’s comfortable now in giving some input to acting direction as well. Sophie, our newcomer, feels most at home giving Nat some assistance with choreography, but as the weeks go by she too is becoming more confident with aiding the other aspects of the production.

Our principle cast seem to be enjoying themselves, and I’m still confident that our casting was accurate. Our Orphans are blending together and bouncing off each other really well, and Bex and Sophie are being typically reliable with pulling off fantastic performances with their characters.

At such an early stage in the process, the show is naturally far from perfect. Some of the scenes at the moment have got the stop-start feel to them that won’t disappear until the lines are learnt and they won’t have to act with a book in their hands. Some principles are developing themselves well – Jasmine (as Annie) for example has nailed the singing, and is developing every week with bringing the acting up to scratch.

It’s a shame that Annie isn’t more of a chorus show. The non-principle company will have plenty to do with the various bits and pieces we’ve assigned to them, but because there are very few scenes which feature everyone all at once, some of the rehearsals are going to include a bit of waiting around. As long as they’re patient and keep their enthusiasm up, everything will be fine.

Annie already is looking very promising. Everybody is focussed and working well towards a great show. I’m just paranoid that a big disaster is waiting for us just around the corner!!

First Read-Through: Monday 4th February

Wallington Village Hall is a million miles from St Mary’s Church Hall. Of course in literal distance it’s only a few minutes’ drive, but as halls go it’s completely different. It looks like a strange house from outside and feels like the living room from a Hardy novel from inside. It's quite scary actually when you first arrive; the doors creak open when you unlock them and it's pitch black inside... But it’s cosy, and the cast sometimes find themselves more focussed in this smaller environment. Smaller in every sense of the word - the front door is one Nicci can only just fit through!

For those successful in the principle casting auditions last week, last night was the first read-through for our production of “Annie”. We went back to Wallington, where we’d previously had two last-minute Guys And Dolls rehearsals in the run-up to the performances, because St Mary’s Church Hall unavailable on alternative weekdays. Finding the Hall is a mission in the dark, as the village itself is one devoid of any form of exterior lighting, and the long windy road from Baldock’s A505 is also something of a potential death trip – last night for example we had to do some pretty major swerving when an oncoming car approached us at pace down a road that really is only comfortably big enough for one-way traffic. Mark was harping on about how I had nearly taken them to their deaths, but I think I actually handled it quite well, there was a tiny gap between the hedge and the other car and I slotted into it perfectly! Ha. Despite that, for some reason just the nature of going up to Wallington and finding the hall is a laugh, because it just feels like some sort of weird – for lack of a non-geeky word – quest.

We only had an hour in which to read the whole show, and we did overrun slightly but we made it to the end. All twelve of the principles were in attendance, bar one, and Mark, Nicci and I read in the extra little parts. When we got to songs we just played the vocal versions of them on the CD, and when they left the kids had all read and heard the entire show from start to finish. We had quite a laugh last night actually, a feat only acceptable for that one first rehearsal... from now on it's straight faces all round! Well, you know, we'll try anyway...

Some of the songs I really can’t wait for Dean to get his teeth into. “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here” promises to be a fun number for everyone who’s in it, be it one of the soloists or the prim and proper chorus of servants. Some of the principles’ numbers such as “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and “Easy Street” will also sound fantastic once our trusty MD has worked his magic with the harmonies. I also can’t wait for the two orphans’ numbers to be well underway, most notably “It’s A Hard Knock Life”, which promises to blend Dean’s excellent vocal tuition with Nat’s cleaning-themed choreography and the result will hopefully be one of the standout numbers.

Without meaning to brag (much), I think our casting was spot on. Of course it’s a real shame that people we wanted to give principle roles to had to be disappointed, but those we did cast proved their worth. Jasmine Stokes had clearly done her research and put us all at ease that she will be an amazing Annie. Jasmine Farrant will play Pepper, the hard-as-nails orphan from the non-Annie sextet, and she had, within about four lines, lead me, Nicci and Mark to turn to each-other and congratulate ourselves on casting her so well! Of course Sophie Mance (Miss Hannigan) and Rebecca Owen (Grace) slipped into their roles as easily as slipping into a pair of slip-on slippy shoes. Tara Nicholson (Lily), Callum Bateman (Warbucks), and indeed Stokes herself, who were all cast in principle roles without much previous experience as a main character, showed that they were up to the challenge that had been set for them. The show-stealer of last night’s read-through though was Zoe Gray, one of the newcomers to Spotlight for this production, who was sitting there happily reading in her lines while the rest of us looked at each other miming “Awwww!” She will find the heart-warming and adorable character of Molly absolutely effortless to pull off.

On Friday we meet with the full company, and it’ll be the first time that they’ve all been together since they were cast last week. Luckily the show is dotted with cameo roles that will allow most of them to have a speaking part of some description, and some of the songs such as “NYC” will create opportunities for a few to sing solo as well. With an able company and a principle cast that slipped naturally into their roles and got on well with each other, I’m worryingly confident that we’re off to a flying start. Too good to be true, surely?

The Casting

The casting auditions were, as expected, as difficult as they come. Some people walked into their parts, others were difficult to cast because of fierce competition. We really could have quite easily given lead roles to far more people than we did, but obviously the show only comes with so many parts, and it's all about who was right for what role. I'm actually really excited though, I think we've cast it well and I can't wait to get going on the show!

Heading up the principle cast list is Jasmine Stokes as Annie. Jasmine's audition was well rehearsed and she matched an excellent vocal performance with some strong acting. Annie was one of the more difficult roles to cast, as there were two or three others who delivered a strong audition, but ultimatley Jasmine was deemed most suited to this particular part. Jasmine has never had a principle role with Spotlight before. She was inserted into particular songs in Grease and was primarily a chorus member, and was a Hot Box Girl in Guys And Dolls.

Callum Bateman will be playing Oliver Warbucks. Callum is one of our new members this year, and we are over the moon with the amount of talent we have had come to join us for this show. Warbucks was, like Annie, quite difficult to cast because there were others who delivered strong auditions, but again Callum was chosen for proving himself to be well suited to the part.

Sophie Mance was cast as Miss Hannigan. Sophie's transition from quiet chorus member to all-singing all-dancing principle powerhouse is now sealed. Since being quiet, shy and fading herself into the background in Grease, Sophie then caught our eye with an impressive voice when we were looking for people to be in our one-off project, "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago. She then auditioned for the role of Miss Adelaide in Guys And Dolls and we were all open-mouthed with shock at how much talent she had kept hidden from us! This year, having proven that it really is always the quiet ones, Sophie's newfound confidence walked her into the role of Hannigan. Other auditionees provided outstanding acting, but Sophie was the one who most matched that with a similarly outstanding singing audition.

Grace Farrell will be played by Rebecca Owen. Rebecca, or Bex, was cast as Sandy on the same day she joined Spotlight, establishing herself immediatley as one of our most talented members. In Guys And Dolls she followed this up with a well-perfected supporting role in Guys And Dolls, bringing a sense of comedy to her part that wasn't included in the script. She now returns to a main role for Annie. Only three people auditioned for Grace, and all three were excellent. Ultimatley it was Bex who best fitted the bill.

Tara Nicholson was one of the three Grace auditionees, but we asked her to read in for the role of Lily St Regis, and she seemed to be a natural fit. Tara was a Hot Box Girl in Guys And Dolls and will this year get her very first taste of a principle role. The character's partner in crime, Rooster Hannigan, will be played by newcomer Harrison Burley, who is already regarded as one of Spotlight's most polished performers. He was the Rooster auditionee who was most able to deliever a "big" performance, in addition to the strong acting and vocals that the others bought.

Those who wanted to audition for one of the six orphans at the orphanage did so in a group, so we could see who was able to not only deliver technically, but also to play it as part of a group, as one unit as opposed to individuals. We selected Jasmine Farrant as Pepper, the attitude-ridden orphan; Rebecca Roydhouse as July, the quiet orphan with her fair chunk of singing; Amber Holt as Duffy; Antonia Hunter - a strong auditionee for Annie - as Kate; Darcy Kitchener as crybaby Tessie; and finally Zoe Gray, another strong contender for Annie, as the adorable youngster Molly.

On Monday the twelve principles will be meeting up in Wallington for a read-through... last time we went to Wallington it was fun because it was just a pure quest trying to get there in the dead of night in a small, quite spooky village! Should be cool, I'm looking forward to it.... bring it onnn.