{ Company M }

Fall Season, Disney Bound~

2010-08-17T13:56:00.000-06:00

Hello all Company M members and Fan Club Members!

I'm working on a few things today having to do with our Disney Tour, and that is always super exciting to me. First of all, I had a sight-singing session with the fantastic Jillian and Miriam yesterday, and we have some great numbers lined up for the fall season. Boy features (because we have at least FOUR of you talented male performers!!!), girl features, some large group numbers, lots of small solos within company numbers, and a great mix of openers and closers. Get ready for some tricky harmony work, high energy musical numbers, and some super fun dance stuff. I think it's going to be great.

Second, thanks to Stephanie (our favorite Overture tech staffer), I can share with you some fun "snapshots" of a day in the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. Take a minute or two to preview these videos, because I think you'll enjoy the perspective.

This is a particular type of tilt shift photography that makes everything look like it is in miniature, but actually it's just time lapse photography then animated. I am fascinated.

In other news, did you check out the previous post wih information about our hotel accommodations & other events planned? We will still have our evening event to watch the fireworks in EPCOT, and of course will have an amazing performance on Saturday night. I'm hoping for a Downtown Disney venue, but will hear about that as soon as it is set.

Yesterday I made our arrangements and reservations for the motor coach we'll need to take backstage at Disney, because that transportation is not provided. Things are coming together!

Early in September we'll have an evening meeting to view the new Disney DVD, answer any questions people may have, and ge o know some of the fan club attending the tour with us.

Getting organized for tour

2010-06-17T13:44:00.000-06:00

Today I called our coordinator at Disney World to get our rooms on the schedule. Lucky for us, we're planning a little further in advance this year, and I've secured us the BEST RATES YET! Our hotel rooms are under $100 a night, though we do need to book 10 rooms for the first night.

More fun than that, I've requested the All Star Movies Resort. We couldn't book in the Pop Century Resort, because that is not a youth group facility. However, the dining spaces here are designed to look like a movie theatre lobby, and there are film references and equipment exhibits all over the campus. The main pool is also pretty groovy, with a giant proscenium & Sorcerer Mickey center stage.

Other great things in the works that are a little different than previous tours are:

Special event Dessert Reception and fireworks viewing on the island in EPCOT (similar to last time)
Pizza party for performers following the Saturday night performance
Group dinner event in a casual dining venue (TBD as we get closer to the dates)

Our airline tickets are booked and reserved...but more exciting than that we've booked a few extra seats for folks who weren't positive they could go, and the discounted rates are extended to additional fan club members!

It's going to be a great trip.

2010-2011 Season updates

2010-06-15T14:53:00.000-06:00

We've got a lot to look forward to with our 2010-2011 School of the Arts season. Not only will we be Disney-bound in January, but I'm looking forward to some great new things throughout the year. I want us to experiment a little with more diversified harmonies and we'll have an intensive unit in the fall about creating harmonies according to music theory harmonic rules...and then create a few arrangements of our own. Thalia dabbled in that a little this past year with "I Say a Little Prayer" and I'm looking forward to what else we'll do.

I'd like to focus a little on musical theatre history this year, so we'll look at some of the earlier stuff by Cole Porter, George Gerswhin, and the formative years of Broadway. Along with that, we'll look at some of the parlor melodramas from the turn of the century and their relation to musical comedy.

In preparation for our performances on tour, we'll be working more closely on balance and blend with a special focus on emoting. My goal is to assure that all Ensemble members have feature solos that can weave in and out of the full ensemble sound.

Last but not least, DON'T WORRY if you didn't make a deposit for the Disney tour, but think you might later change your mind. I am booking a few extra seats on the flight which can be cancelled at no charge to us before November 1. This means that everyone who joins us in the summer or early fall can still have the option to joins us for this tour (as can anyone who initially thought it would not work with their schedules and then learned it might). Unfortunately, or fortunately, our fan club is now full.

Who is excited? Disney 2011.

2010-04-29T09:22:00.001-06:00

So, yesterday I got an e-mail from our friends at Disney Magic Music Days. In an amazingly quick turnaround, they've booked us for performance on Saturday, January 29, 2011! Another Saturday night, and hopefully in Downtown Disney. We won't know that until later.

I have checked in with the following 2010-2011 schedules:

MMSD Our tour falls in the first few weeks of second semester, just after first semester finals and before you get into large projects in the second semester. It also does not conflict with any published school events.
Middleton I didn't see anything on the school district or Middleton High School calendar that would conflict with these dates.
Edgewood High School I didn't see a thing on the calendar, and it's after your first semester finals.
Wisconsin School Music Association I called the WSMA office (they do the Solo & Ensemble festivals) to make sure that nothing was scheduled for any of our area school districts over this weekend. I wouldn't want to keep you from participating in that!
Individual programs Over the past few days I've e-mailed the various teachers and organizations that you are involved in to check on next year's schedule. Unfortunately, non of them have answered me...but I made the effort. Hopefully, we can successfully avoid any scheduling catastrophes with this advanced planning.

HOWEVER, since I didn't hear back from the individual programs (West Drama, East Drama, Encore! @ East), I'd like you to follow up with these teachers and let them know that I did attempt to contact them to work around conflicts, and that this is when we are going. If there is trouble, please let me know ASAP so that I can start working on a solution.

Thanks! ~kj

Disney Magic Music Days 2010-2011!

2010-03-05T11:27:00.000-06:00

The time is upon us...we must start planning and preparing our application materials for our Disney Magic Music Days tour in 2011.

SO....to that end, we had some discussion at the end of last night's rehearsal and came to the following conclusions:

1. We loved the IllumiNations dessert buffet and would like to do that again, but this time WITHOUT any of the additional stuff (like a dinner before). We want to spend the time with our group before the fireworks enjoying desserts and not be rushed.

2. Kira loves Survey Monkey surveys and would like us tot take lots of them for decision making purposes.

3. We would like to travel in early to mid-March. (Please, all of you, check your schedules with various activities...school plays/school musicals/show choir/etc)

4. The Poolside Pizza party following the performance was a huge success and we want to do that again. It is also a relatively inexpensive and fun thing to do.

5. There is a workshop available to us now on Musical Theatre--we would like to learn more about it before committing to the full (high) price of this workshop.

6. We will tape "Keep Holding On" for our formal performance piece and plan to do that March 18 or 25 in full costume. The other piece we'll send will be a cutting of "Accusations" from "Intervention"

7. We would like to stay five days this time (instead of four) and will plan ahead with school accordingly.

8. The Disney Google Group is in the early stages of being ready for you to join. Click here to subscribe.

9. No final estimates will be available until September 2010 at the earliest...because the companies we use don't have rates set this far out.

10. A rockin' fundraising idea for you to organize: MadCAMP days for younger kiddos! A day where parents can drop off their kids at MadCAP to be supervised and entertained (by you, not me). You guys are planning to set the dates for that and organize the staffing, etc. I'll just be here to hold down the fort.

I cannot wait! It is going to be a great adventure.

Join us February 12 and 13 for a great show!

2010-01-29T12:15:00.001-06:00

From MATT, part 3

2009-07-28T14:37:00.003-06:00

Hey all!

I hope rehearsals continue to go well and that you're enjoying the tunes! Articulation, rhythm, precision. I hear you've got a few more questions, so here we go...

Inspiration for Sheldon? Nothing in particular, and I can say with confidence that Officer Krupke (a great tune) wasn't on my mind. Interesting you should mention that, though, because a great composer made the same comparison!

I'm not aware of video online - Jill would definitely know that :) I was very fond of our original production - we had some great characters. I hope you all will make a video so I can see your version!

Waylon the metrosexual jock was born out of circumstance. Between needing some kind of conflict between Waylon and Katie in "Locker Room" (tempo di George Michael, ie, "Faith") and the concept of "Macho to Metro" it just worked out to have Waylon be the way he is. Plus, it's so much more fun than a standard "jock" character. And real.

Waylon gets his name from the great country star, Waylon Jennings, who is not one of my all-time favorites, but who I happened to be listening to around that time. Needed a good, distinctive, two-syllable name.

Alas, I was a good boy, and didn't lie to my folks. I might omit certain details of my day, but everyone's allowed some privacy. I did and do often tell tall tales, exaggerations, and pure fictions, but that's a bit different. Jill and I were thinking of ways the characters could all come together as a group, and I was just drawn to the idea of coming together through lying and covering up for each other. How great to discover friendship (and with it, truth) through lying. I've long been delighted by the idea that great authors of fiction tell the truth by lying. The "Lying" tune is just a little allusion to that fact, plus a good time and a chance to bring Lotta into the second act.

Before writing Intervention, I had written a show called Middle School Madness - a revue of scenes (by a wonderful woman named Bette Glenn) and songs (by me) about middle school life, for middle school kids. Jill found out about it and decided to produce it, which is how I met her. Anyway, in Middle School Madness (MSM, as I call it), there are three songs which I call "The Michael Songs" - each a solo number for a girl about the same boy (who we never meet) named Michael.

The first is called "The Way I Am." Here's a girl in love with Michael, but she insists he only sees half of her - the loud and obnoxious half - and not the more true soft and loving part. ("For every time I've hollered or roared like a lion there were a million unnoticed times that I merely meowed...") Near the end: "When you finally see all of me I hope you love the way I am." etc.

The next is "Michael and I," which starts out:

"Michael and I used to play catch when we were small.

Our moms sat and talked on the bench while we threw the ball.

And sometimes he and I

Would pretend that a dragon was swoopin' down from the sky!

I was the girl; he was the prince.

Michael & I been best friends ever since."

It continues, "I've never kept a secret from Michael before..." and yada yada yada you guessed it, she loves him. Here it's a case of 'I like-like my best friend and want to tell him but I'm afraid of ruining our friendship.'

The third, a fan favorite, is the "Track Song" - a girl alternates singing about why she hates running track and why she loves running track:

"Track! Stupid track!

Why did I ever sign up for track!

Why do spring sports start in the winter?

Out in the cold running laps until I'm told

That I can go in and change!

Change gears and do my homework

Till the next day's rising

The routine's so tiring

I wonder why I'm doing it but...

[beautiful music]

When I lift my feet....

One foot in front of the other

I am practically in flight." etc.

Midway through, Michael calls - he wants to do homework together - and the song becomes about whether or not she should go out with Michael, who clearly likes her. Meanwhile, back at the lyric, the language of track and the language of love get all mixed up.

ANYWAY... when it came to Intervention, I thought - wouldn't it be great to finally meet Michael? So here we have three girls, all in love with him - and, just because - one LAST unrequited Michael song (just called "Michael")... and then finally, after a show and a half of waiting... "Oh my God! Here he comes!" Of course it turns out, he's gay! How perfect! How many girls did I know in high school who were in love with the gay guys, but they didn't know, because it was high school? And how many gay guys knew perfectly well they were loved, but didn't say anything (cause it was high school)? It just led to a mess. In this case, it instead leads to a fabulous musical number - one of my favorites.

As to what Michael himself would be like, I believe in putting on the stage what I would want to see, which is how Michael got the way he is, and Waylon got the way he is, and Lotta with her increasingly risqué double entendres, and Sheldon, the secret hero of the play - basically, you try to write something you'd like to watch.

Why high school? I did love high school, really, but that wasn't why it happened. After doing Middle School Madness, Jill pretty much refused to take no for an answer. She wanted me to write a show for high school kids - some of her high school kids had seen MSM and wanted a show for themselves. At first I didn't want to do it, but Jill, to her credit, kept at me until I agreed. So we said we would write a show for high school kids and put it up in the spring. Which we did.

Once again, I'm sure I've tried your patience with my longwinded ramblings! I only hope they're at least a little enjoyable, and don't take away too much of your valuable rehearsal time.

Go Company M!

MATT

from MATT, part 2

2009-07-23T09:32:00.004-06:00

Team Intervention!

As promised, here is the second half of what I intended to say yesterday but ran out of time to say. I guess I'm a little wordy, but you already know that. (More on the distinction between lots of words and extra words some other time).

You asked if one group is most popular... "Popular" in most contexts seems to mean the people you'd like to be friends with, look like, act like - circles you'd like to integrate; folks you'd like to emulate. That's not the case here - no group wishes they were more like or closer to another. In Intervention, I think any eyes looking jealously across the invisible lines that separate social groups are driven by romantic feelings, as opposed to aspirations for social status.

Which group was I in at high school? Actually, kind of all of them. Most clearly the academics, the thespians, the musicians... but all the kids who turned into big time jocks were good friends of mine - we'd grown up together and we were all close. I could tell that for many folks in school those 'invisible lines' were pretty visible - but I didn't experience that myself. People are people - the rest is just clothing, literally or metaphorically. Even the "spiky collar kids wearing gothic black" were great to hang out with because under the Hot Topic merchandise they were just nice kids who secretly performed in punk bands on the weekends, singing with faux British accents for no good reason. By the way, attending their concerts is why I'm a little hard of hearing. Cover your ears!

How long did it take to write Intervention? Jill and I came up with a rough roadmap of how the show would go in November 2006, and I started writing Jan 2, 2007. I finished the first act by mid March (two and a half months later) before going on spring break to Bermuda with the Hasty Pudding Theatricals (a group I was music directing at the time). Now, I had announced to everyone I knew that I would perform a preview of Intervention (just me singing through it all) at Harvard on April 14. We returned from Bermuda on April 2 and so Act 2 got written in just under two weeks, in time for the April 14 sing-thru - except for Sheldon's Confession, which I ran out of time for and wrote the following week. So, all in all, about three months.

It was a real magical and intense routine working on this show. I would wake up everyday at 10, wander over to the keyboard before even opening my eyes, and start working right away. I usually spent about three days on a number: the first day to get some musical and lyrical ideas together, the second to do the hard work of cranking out the bulk of it, and the third day to edit, tidy up, and make a demo recording. Those were long days, and I was on a diet of matzoh and Lipton soup, because I didn't want to stop to cook. It would suddenly be 11 at night (time for Jon Stewart) and I would call it a day.

I remember the first tune I finished was "Michael," but I didn't want to show Jill right away because she would get the wrong impression of what the show would sound like. I came up with the chorus for "Sheldon" in early January 2007, but didn't write the patter until early March. Sheldon, by the way, was originally called Lancers (I know...) to rhyme with answers (Three Cheers for Lancers, he gives us the answers...) - once I abandoned the possibility of rhyming the name with anything (thank goodness), Sheldon was in some ways a natural choice :) "Sheldon" is a crowd pleaser (I just performed it on Saturday) but it wasn't actually too hard to write because the math all works out, and it's all high school calculus. (By the way, I wonder if you can infer the actual question to the extra credit problem). "Why Throw Your Life Away" was really hard to get just right - that was the last tune I finished (other than the Confession), and the last part of that tune to get written was the bridge. Those two lines "I don't want to worry... spirit soar" took six hours to come up with! Well, better to spend the time and get it right than settle.

And finally - is this a personal story? Well, some other time we can discuss this, and I know Jill will have something to say about that, too. I've gone on long enough.

Thanks for asking, and for reading!

Break a leg in rehearsals!

MATT

PS: Please articulate :) It's all about the words.

Go, Company M, Go! (from MATT, part 1)

2009-07-21T11:44:00.005-06:00

Hey Team Intervention!

Thanks for the chance to jump in on your conversations and cheer you on during your rehearsal process (go Company M!). I hear from Kjerstie that a few things have already come up - so here 'goes.

Why not show the consequence of Sheldon's Confession? I always approach a work with the idea that if the writer hasn't given any clues as to the answer to a question, then the answer can't be that important (in context). To me, it doesn't really matter whether or not Amy reciprocates Sheldon's love - it's not important. It's human interest, I guess, but that's different. What is important is that Sheldon confesses it.

The characters aren't based so much on people we know as they are on archetypes we've come across. I do try to slip my friends' names into the lyric as much as possible, though... John & Jen, Josh Brener is the name of a guy who sang my "Track Song" (from Middle School Madness) - and it just happens to rhyme with tenor..., Lotta (spelled wrong) was the name of a character in a show I was music directing at the time, Michael - that's a whole other thing. Remind me to tell you about the Michael songs - but there was going to be a Michael. etc.

Favorite character? The actors decide who my favorite character will be.

What is Tempo di Les Mis!? Shame, Company M, shame! Tempo di Les Mis is Tempo di I Dreamed a Dream, of course :) Check out the arrangement there - it's pulled straight from Les Mis. Man, when I was in 7th and 8th grade, all you had to play was I Dreamed a Dream and the Piano Man and you were a pianist extraordinaire. In high school you had to add Seasons of Love (which was new) and the other kids figured you were basically pro. Anyway, we all know IDAD is sung too much by too many (even before Susan Boyle), but it still has a warm place in my heart. Plus, in every show I do, I always sneak at least a couple direct quotes subtly into the arrangement, usually just for the musicians' amusement. In different shows I've quoted Andrew Lloyd Weber, Al Jolsen, Kander & Ebb, Sondheim, so on. 1 part homage, 2 parts joke.

Gotta go, but more soon. Work hard, be good, and stay in touch!

MATT

INTERVENTION

2009-07-21T10:58:00.002-06:00

Rehearsals have begun! Though many of us were just together on Saturday morning (less than 48 hours before the start of rehearsals yesterday morning) it was still great to connect with our summertime MadCAP friends. I am SO EXCITED to welcome guest bloggers MATT CORRIEL & JILL JAYSEN, creators of "Intervention". During cast discussions and rehearsal, we constantly come up with "wonderings" and often wish it were possible to simply ask the creators. Finally, we can! As the rehearsal period goes on, look for entries from these two on our blog. Thanks!

margie & cameron

2009-05-06T07:20:00.001-06:00

fun @ cultural festival

Animal Kingdom

2009-03-02T11:22:00.000-06:00

Gathering to leave the animal kingdom!

Strongest suit

2009-03-01T07:25:00.000-06:00

Bravo

2009-03-01T07:21:00.000-06:00

Performance

2009-03-01T07:19:00.000-06:00

Performance

2009-02-28T21:37:00.000-06:00

Performance

2009-02-28T19:59:00.000-06:00

Bravo!!

Beauty

2009-02-28T12:43:00.000-06:00

Gathering for Beauty and the Beast

Fireworks

2009-02-28T07:20:00.000-06:00

Friday night at Epcot

Congo line

2009-02-27T12:24:00.000-06:00

Celebration

2009-02-27T12:22:00.000-06:00

It's a celebration in the Magic Kingdom!

Happy Birthday

2009-02-27T10:05:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Nikki!!

Arriving

2009-02-27T09:23:00.000-06:00

The Magic Kingdom Friday

2009-02-26T15:28:00.000-06:00

40 Photo Album Workshop!

2009-02-09T20:21:00.001-06:00

Join us! :)

2009-02-08T16:15:00.000-06:00

Countdown

2009-02-06T11:15:00.001-06:00

Three Caballeros Ride at Epcot World Showcase

2009-01-13T17:04:00.001-06:00

I have to tell you that I missed the pyramid in Mexico ride when we were there last...it was closed. I'm happy to see it's open again and I'm looking forward to seeing what's new! :)

Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom

2009-01-13T17:01:00.001-06:00

...for any of you who might be wondering what there is to do in Animal Kingdom after you've tried the Expedition Everest ride...check it out and see what you think!

Disney Dock Stage...and a few sneak peeks!

2009-01-13T16:53:00.002-06:00

We're scheduled to perform at the Disney Dockside Stage in the...

Save Broadway

2009-01-11T16:47:00.003-06:00

A particularly funny (because it's true!) observation of what is and isn't working in the arts. What do you think??

2008-12-29T12:22:00.002-06:00

Fireworks at Disney Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Fl

2008-12-27T08:23:00.001-06:00

Just another little sampler...this is from the show "WISHES" in the Magic Kingdom. I remember really thinking this one was beautiful. Are you getting excited? I am!

Are you ready?

2008-12-26T13:43:00.000-06:00

Epcot Illuminations Fireworks - 25th Anniversary Edition

2008-12-17T17:58:00.001-06:00

And here's a sneak peek at IllumiNations, which we'll watch together on Friday night after that dinner event. Remember when Emmy cried last time we saw this because she was so moved? May we all be that awestruck!

Fantasmic!

2008-12-17T17:56:00.001-06:00

We have a catered dinner and reserved patio to watch this show...it's our special event for Saturday night. This is a very small taste of what will be to come. :)

Happy December decorating!

2008-11-29T22:23:00.000-06:00

Beyonce Fosse - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On and Walk It Out)

2008-11-27T09:45:00.001-06:00

All right, I don't know how many of you have seen the Beyonce video...but it's taken from a Bob Fosse piece that was on the Ed Sullivan show in the 60's. Featuring non other than the extremely talented Gwen Verdon. Anyway, Steve found all of this info and wanted me to be sure I shared with all of you right away. Enjoy; I do think the Gwen Verdon version is better to watch than the Beyonce, but that's just me.

Snapfish:Photo:Owned

2008-11-13T17:29:00.000-06:00

Here's a shot of us at Fantasmic! last time we were there... Snapfish:Photo:Owned

Snapfish:Photo:Owned

2008-11-13T16:33:00.000-06:00

Snapfish:Photo:Owned

2008-11-13T16:32:00.000-06:00

Snapfish:Photo:Owned

Remember this?

2008-10-14T18:47:00.000-06:00

2008-10-07T14:12:00.001-06:00

Fall has arrived!

2008-10-06T10:05:00.003-06:00

Fall is definitely in the air. I love fall. And I love knitting. And I love knitting in the fall.

This past weekend I went to "Knitting Camp" and had a great time.

Anybody want to learn to knit? I'll teach you. :)

Ready for fall.

2008-08-28T08:50:00.002-06:00

So, it's always a little lonely around the MadCAP offices and studios when we're not in session. I'm missing you guys! Can't wait for fall to start.

Oh, and neither can Steve. He's tired of me making trouble.

Wonderland

2008-08-15T22:12:00.001-06:00

Thanks Ivy! This is amazing. xo to all!

18 years ago...

2008-08-05T14:19:00.002-06:00

...I used to do more theatre on the stage. And then I discovered rehearsal accompaniment and it was a whole new game.

I did love to be on stage, I still love musical theatre, and I will always enjoy working with other talented folks to create an ephemeral end art product. Looking through old photos I found in the house recently, I came across this gem. What fun it was to be in a cast of other people who loved to sing, and in a group of friends where I could be myself. Too bad it only lasted for about 7 weeks in my school life!

I also remembered how much I enjoy singing & performing Rogers & Hammerstein, Gershwin, Porter, Loesser, and the great composers of the midcentury. I can't wait to get in the depths of performing some of that with all of you this year! Look forward to some staging & ensemble work with older scores as well as the current stuff we are in love with right now!

Hope you are enjoying August!

Love to be on tour.

2008-07-30T11:03:00.003-06:00

Boy, do I love to be on tour. Touring is a blast, and I've been lucky enough to do it with many different performing ensembles throughout my time as a student (high school & college) and a teacher (MadCAP). It's the absolute best way to get to know the people you are travelling with and to form a lasting bond with them. Nothing creates closeness by being forced into a small space for extended periods of time. :)

In any case, I do love to travel with performing groups. I can't wait to start planning our concert stuff for our upcoming trip to Disney! Arrangements for music & travel our top on my priority list for the month of August. Is there anyone available to come in to the office and help out with any of these things?

Hope the summer is treating you all well, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the studios soon!

*Incidentally, that picture is from my 1997 tour to Europe with the Wartburg College Concert Band. Notice the tough looking jacket and very large hair I'm sporting!

Gearing up for Disney and enjoying the Summer.

2008-06-18T10:26:00.007-06:00

Greetings all!
Summer is now in full swing here at the MadCAP studios, and the month of August is looking good for a summer "After Dark" (so start picking that music!) and some advanced planning for the Disney tour next year. Additionally, the Board of Directors has asked for any volunteers willing to perform at a Fundraising Kickoff Event and then Gala Grand Opening. If you've got any ideas or suggestions, please let me know what you're thinking.
We've got lots happening this summer, and I'm still looking for some interns in July and August. if you are interested, please send me your availability and I'll e-mail you an assignment.
Also, just a quick reminder to all of you--enrollment is limited in Senior Ensemble for next year, so please get your paperwork in ASAP when we open enrollment. I'd hate to have the group fill before you sign up!
Check out this little video tour of DMMD to see what it's all about if you've never been: http://disneyyouthgroups.disney.go.com/wdyp/programs/programOverview?page=MMDProgramOverviewPage

'In the Heights' - 2008 Tony Awards - Best Original Score

2008-06-16T08:50:00.001-06:00

What an acceptance speech-happy to see the nod to Sondheim!

In The Heights circa 1988

2008-06-16T06:14:00.001-06:00

That's right. It' s my new favorite composer on Broadway today....Lin Manuel Miranda. OF course, I have several favorites and will continue to have several. BTW, when you see his acceptance speech, note the nod to Sondheim.

In the Heights the Musical

2008-06-08T20:45:00.001-06:00

This is my pick for the Tony Awards next week. It has been nominated for 13 awards, and I'm always anxious to see just what will win. Who's having a Tony party? Steve and I always play it a little low key and have a bottle of champagne and some great hors d'oeuvres followed by some delicious chocolate. I'm hoping to see "In the Heights" win best musical, I'd love to see it win for choreography, and Lin-Manuel Miranda has to win for best score and/or outstanding actor...I guess it's all a waiting game!

2008-05-12T11:29:00.002-06:00

Team Soft Goods asked me if there was a prize for best TEAM PRIDE during strike. Absolutely there is. I don't actually know what kind of prize it is, but I'm open to suggestion. I make a great batch of cookies, and can craft up all sorts of things. Team Soft Goods, e-mail me your suggestions, and I'll see what I can do. Thanks for a fabulous run of performances in "Mulan". You guys are amazing, and never cease to amaze me. You were funny, lovely, sang well, and were entirely entertaining. What will I do now that we don't have Thursday night rehearsals?

It's Official!

2008-04-24T14:38:00.004-06:00

After all of the name voting, we have a new name and a new logo for the oldest and premier Performance Ensemble at MadCAP. You can order new shirts, hoodies, etc at our Cafe Press shop here: http://www.cafepress.com/madcap_cabaret

Enjoy!

Annoucement! Announcement!

2008-04-17T13:53:00.002-06:00

Anybody else daydreaming about summer?

2008-02-24T20:44:00.001-06:00

This is my tent. I love my tent. I can't wait to USE my tent in "not the snow". Anybody with me on this? This August we have a MadCAP camp happening out at Lake Farms Park. I'm looking for a few adventurous souls who might like to join me at the campsite and intern for the week. E-mail me if you're interested! :)

2008-02-07T12:03:00.000-06:00

It is coming up soon! Who's ready? Make sure you tell your friends to come and see us...makes for a better audience, you know. Also, I think you should all be very proud of the work you've put into your pieces! kj

Thanks for such a fun weekend!

2008-02-03T18:41:00.000-06:00

You can find all of the pictures here:

oh, and by the way...

2008-01-03T12:26:00.001-06:00

...has anyone ever done a Toboggan run? It's really fun! :)

zoinks.

2008-01-03T12:00:00.000-06:00

Where did December go? It seems like just yesterday it was Thanksgiving and we were prepping for our first After Dark performance!

In the new year, look for an After Dark worksheet that will help us all be better prepared for the coming performances...Paul and I are working on cooking that up right now. Also, we'll need to make some decisions about our uniform dresses...

As we continue to prepare for the upcoming tour, keep in mind next year's season...we'll need to prepare our audition package for Disney and start reaching towards that goal, both with our fundraising efforts and with our performance goals. Each of you is coming so far with individual performances as well as our Ensemble numbers...things just keep getting better. In 2008, I would like to see us reach an even higher potential, and I have a nationally known clinicial lined up to help us workshop our performance pieces during the 2008-2009 season.

I don't know how you've been enjoying the massive snowfalls this December, but in the tiny bit of spare time I had, I was loving it! :)

Hi all...some updates

2007-11-07T15:12:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to give you the latest update on things I've been working on...

Concert Tour: As some of you know, Paul, Emma, and I have been hard at work arranging our performance tour this spring. Earlier today, Joan was struck with absolute brilliance at a staff meeting...why not perform in Baraboo as a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club of Baraboo which is in danger of closing for lack of funds? I've e-mailed the people heading up that effort, and we've been invited to perform February 2, 2008, so put that on your calendar. We'll be heading up, staying at the Wilderness, doing other fun things, and helping raise money for a great cause at the same time.

Beginning, Junior, Intermediate, and Opera Ensembles are anxious to do the things Senior Ensemble does...and they've got their own blog. Please take the time to head over to http://madcapperformanceensembles.blogspot.com/ and leave some comments for them...they are just starting out their rehearsal season, and many of them admire the close friendships, fine performances, and mutually supportive atmosphere of Senior Ensemble. Let's share the love a little.

Also, we'll be starting to talk about next year a little in the coming months...I have some big ideas, and have a LOT of exciting things in the works (collaborations with other groups, exciting possibilities, and our upcoming Disney Tour fundraising, etc). I love to hear your ideas, so keep them coming.

Just what we were up to...

2007-11-05T13:10:00.000-06:00

bummer.

2007-10-29T14:35:00.001-06:00

Items not yet shipped: Delivery estimate: January 3, 2008 - January 5, 2008 Spring Awakening - Vocal Selections Sold by: Borders teamed with Amazon.com, Inc. Yep, I'm kind of sad about this.

2007-10-24T12:57:00.000-06:00

Hello form Paul

2007-10-19T09:12:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody! First of all, I thought we did a very nice job last night at rehearsal for the most part. Kjerstie and I have a VERY rigorous rehearsal schedule put together, and it is very important that we stay focused and working hard. I know we can be even more focused and productive, and we will be pushing for that, but good work last night. Get off book so we can really start to have fun and play. Below is a really great demo of one of the hundreds of forms of Tai Chi. Notice the smooth, connected movement and where the man is focused. http://youtube.com/watch?v=nprZhmfpH40 Also, I tend to get very excited and focused on my objectives during rehearsals, and sometimes neglect to give casts a "big picture" about what is going on. First of all, the choreography we have done thus far is heavily rooted in Tai Chi. The choreography, like the music, will be a bit eclectic, and we will be doing VERY different movement for the other numbers(a little more "dancey"). Please get written in stone off book, so we can start polishing it here or there. We are doing that number for our Winter Concert. Thanks again for your hard work.

2007-10-17T13:36:00.000-06:00

...something we don't always talk about, but I've been thinking about it all day. Nice matters. Kind words, respectful regard for those around you, and genuine enjoyment of the process (creating ephemeral art) all contribute to the wonderful community we are part of at MadCAP. I'm so glad each of you are part of Ensemble; Thursdays are a favorite day of the week for me!

~Kjerstie

Fall Retreat--who's ready?

2007-10-15T10:39:00.000-06:00

Hi all! Some of you were asking where you could get a "Mulan" shirt like Melinda's...here are some pictures of a few.

You can find them at our online CafePress shop here: http://www.cafepress.com/madcap_sr_ens and remember that we can always add things to the shop. For example, if you'd like some sort of clothing that is not listed on the website, e-mail me and I'll see what I can do about getting it up there for you to order.

In a whole 'nother realm, Paul and I have been hard at work planning the fall retreat, and I think we've got some great activities planned for everyone. You'll be getting the registration form in e-mail this week, so keep your eyes open for that.

ALSO! Things are getting underway for our Spring Mini-Tours. We'll be heading out to Franklin Elementary School to perform on Monday, January 14. They are so excited to host us, and I think they'll love the show. Paul is still working on scheduling a special event at the Wilderness Resort in the Dells. They've never done anything like this before, so we're kind of struggling through some of the details. Hopefully we'll have some solid plans made by the end of the week and can work on the budget, etc.

Working ahead, Emma and I are working on some preliminary plans for our trip to Magic Music Days at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL in the 2008-2009 season. This year while planning for next year's trip, we're really making an effort to travel over a long weekend when school is out. I know families often travel during these times, but I'm hoping that with advanced planning, everyone will be able to attend our tour.

Last time we went (March 2007) we had such a wonderful time, I CANNOT WAIT to take the next group on tour. It's a wonderful opportunity to see shows together, spend time getting to know one another on a new level, and learning to cope as a cohesive group. It's a wonderful opportunity, and Paul and I are working on some more detailed curriculum about production values and the astounding budgets used by Disney World on a daily basis to provide the quality entertainment we enjoy participating in (Magic Music Days) and viewing (everything else). It will blow your mind.

Remember, all of our ticket sales from the MadCAP After Dark series goes into our Senior Performance Ensemble trip fund. I'm hoping that with enough planning and some active recruiting of audiences (this is where you'll be helping out immensely) we do well. For example, if each of you invites four people to see the show, and all four purchase tickets, we will have one hundred people in each audience. If we fill three shows this way at $10 a ticket, we will have raised three thousand dollars for our trip fund.

Our estimated costs for the tour are around fourteen thousand dollars to bring 25 people on the tour. {Trip estimates include flights, lodging, transportation to and from the airport, two special events, and Park Hopper tickets for four days.} This brings the individual cost to around $600/person, which is where we were last time. (However, there were lots of uncovered costs last time around.)

However, if we raise $3000 through After Dark performances, the cost will drop to $440/person. If you decide as a group to host and promote two more After Dark performances over the summer and bring in anther 100 people at $10/ticket, we will bring our trip cost down to a little under $400 a person. Just something to keep in mind. :)

Kjerstie

Happy Birthday Victoria!

2007-09-30T09:09:00.000-06:00

Dear Anna in Germany...

2007-09-27T21:22:00.000-06:00

It's not the same without you here. Hugs from all of us!

smile!

2007-09-27T14:34:00.000-06:00

Hope you all are well...I'm looking forward to tonight's rehearsal and all that we will get started on.

Also, I'm getting excited to work on our spring trip, the shows we have planned this year, some community service things, and traveling with all of you in winter.

I haven't heard from you as much as I maybe have in the past...get those ideas to me! If you think of something Paul and I should consider or a great idea for our productions or somethin you want to do with MadCAP, let me know! I love to get e-mails from students. Seriously. It makes my day.

Hope you have a wonderful afternoon, and I will see you all tonight.

So much happening...so excited....breathe Paul...breathe..

2007-09-05T13:26:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! Paul is doing something today that he has never done; BLOGGING! Here's to trying new things. As most of you probably know, I am working full time this school year wtih MADCAP. I am directing the TYA season as well as at least 2 ensembles (Senior and Intermediate). It is going to be an exciting season, and I cant wait to see you all soon. Auditions for Madeline's Christmas are this Saturday, September 8 at 10am and Monday, September 10 at 7pm at 100 N Hamilton. This a a very charming show, and I am confident our turn-out for audtions will be excellent. Senior Ensemble starts a week from today! Mulan is going to be a giant challenge, and the MADCAP after dark series will be a new exciting opportunity for you. I am also hoping that Emma can squeeze me into the first MADCAP after dark show (I have some ideas). Take care! I will see you all soon. Paul Milisch Producing Director, MADCAP

Who is excited for fall?

2007-09-03T19:11:00.000-06:00

I love back to school time. This may be partly because I don't actually have to go back to school...but I think it's mostly because I look forward to seeing everyone at MadCAP again.

Remember the dog that played the part of "Crabb" in the Shakespeare this past summer? Well, here is a picture of a young me with my childhood dog (which is still at my parents' house...the one that visited MadCAP is a "new" one that I found at SWAP while buying supplies with Joan, and I love him).

I hope you all have wonderful back to school Tuesdays, and I am looking forward to seeing each of you at lessons and Ensemble rehearsals next week.

Floating Supper

2007-06-14T21:00:00.000-06:00

...on Lake Wingra! So glad we got to get together. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you over the summer, and those of you who are out of the country or out of the state, I hope to see you when you are back in Madison. Please e-mail often, and if you send me an actual real life address, I'm pretty good at sending actual real mail!

Happy Sunshiney Day!

2007-06-12T14:18:00.000-06:00

Victoria came camping with me this past weekend, and we had a great time. This is at Governor Dodge State Park on a hike to Stephen's Falls.

Looking forward to seeing all of you on Thursday evening (happy birthday to Sara!) for our picnic, and can't wait to head out camping with all of you in August!

Mulan

2007-05-22T13:58:00.001-06:00

Who's getting excited?

(logo photo and layout inspired by Zon)

What wonderful performances at "One Night Only"

2007-05-21T20:57:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud of all of you.

Special thanks...

2007-05-19T21:30:00.000-06:00

...to all of you!

Last night's performances at "One Night Only" were truly incredible. The beautiful flowers you gave me are sitting in my kitchen looking more lovely than ever, and I wanted to share them with all of you...so there you are!

Looking forward to seeing you at the floating supper!

These things make me happy...

2007-05-17T15:10:00.000-06:00

Pansies really are friendly flowers. Don't they look like the might even be smiling?

Can't wait for the summer rehearsals and days when we'll have picnic lunches on the Capitol lawn every day!

Shows I've seen lately...

2007-05-14T11:02:00.000-06:00

...Miss Anna as the incomparable Lena Marelli & Sara as a MARVELOUS Tallulah...

...and our very own Casey as the Mouse Detective in The Wiz...

Thanks for the invitations to your shows! I enjoyed seeing you on stage! :)

2007-05-06T17:05:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Portage County Cultural Festival!

2007-05-05T19:53:00.000-06:00

Special thanks to Anna, Emma, Margie, Ally, Victoria, and Grace for volunteering!

And now, a guest post from Margie!

Hey guys! We're had a great time at the Portage County Culture Fest! Very fun! Then we went to Kjerstie's parents' house for a cookout and icecream from Belt's! Yummy! I'm at the sleepover right now and we're having a lot of fun! Wish everyone was here partying with us!

Yay Anna!

2007-05-03T11:00:00.000-06:00

You looked and sounded great! :)

Yay Sara! Looking forward to seeing Anna and Casey on stage too!

2007-05-02T20:40:00.000-06:00

Today I headed out to Hamilton to see Bugsy on stage there. Sara was great, and I'm looking forward to seeing Anna in Bugsy tomorrow and Casey in The Wiz at Blessed Sacrament. I had intended to post a picture today, and I was so ready with my telephoto lens. However, I had taken the card out of my camera to print pictures and didn't put it back! Ug. Tomorrow. In the meantime, if anyone is looking for a fun little whimsy to make for your momma's for Mother's Day, try this:http://www.shimelle.co.uk/fabric/169/follow-your-wishing-heart for a quick and fun pattern. I just made one for my mom. It's red and the bird is purple. :)

joy

2007-04-29T09:51:00.000-06:00

Special thanks to Margie for bringing in such a LOVELY birthday treat! I'm just getting around to looking at the photos I have from that evening...mostly headshots for the programs this May. Anyway, here's some JOY for all of you! :)

Some concert details...

2007-04-16T08:24:00.000-06:00

f... for all of you that are wondering what the story isOur "One Night Only" concert is the last performance of the 2006-2007 Senior Performance Ensemble. Since dessert is served and it's a relatively formal & intimate concert setting, seating is limited to 60, and tickets are $15. All of you and your families will have the first opportunity to buy tickets! At the end of this week, invitations will go out to the families that participated in MadCAP this year as well as our Board members. One of our Board members will be helping with the planning and set up. It is important for us to sell out this show, because it's a fundraiser for us. Summer enrollments are coming in later than expected, and an income stream is necessary for us to continue the wonderful programming that you all enjoy (I hope--I enjoy it!) Adam handles all of the ticket sales, so if you'd like to order tickets, please e-mail adam at madcap.org to make arrangements. This Thursday you'll get invitations and order forms to send out to people if you'd like. And in other big news, starting Tuesday you can officially pick on me for being old, because I will be...

The scrapbook is finished!

2007-04-04T08:47:00.000-06:00

Here are the pages for our Disney Scrapbook that lives at MadCAP. I tried to get good pictures of the pages, but if there's one you REALLY want and you'd like me to do a high res scan and send it to you, e-mail me.

Enjoy! :)

boy, do I love my glue sticks and scissors.

2007-04-04T08:23:00.000-06:00

Thanks for such fun at Scrap Mania the other night! I think it would be a blast to do another one! :)

2007-03-31T12:36:00.000-06:00

You guys crack me up. You look so cranky. What's the story there?

...working on the MadChatter...

2007-03-28T11:58:00.000-06:00

...and I thought you might just enjoy seeing the last page of the latest edition. It's sort of a "year in review" and "looking ahead" kind of thing. Click on the image to see a bigger one, and look for the latest edition in your mailboxes after Spring Break!

I finally finished my travel journal!

2007-03-24T11:25:00.000-06:00

(you don't get to read the top secret "journalling" part, but I'll share pictures! :) )

Thanks for great a great performance on Friday!

2007-03-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Hi all!

Thanks for a great performance last Friday! the photos can be found here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=11802879805.933395068405.1174662194667&page=1 for all of those who are interested.

Unfortunately, my pictures did not come out great...(Joan took the digi photos, and I'm waiting to see what Adam did with the 35mm)...so if you've got wonderful photos of this performance, please upload them to the album at kodakgallery (link is above).

I've put the link to the Google Group that Reed set up for us (thanks!) in the link list on the right, so you can check that out. We also have the complete MadCAP calendar that is updated regularly listed on the right (under {discover}). If you have questions about things, please check that calendar, because ALL performances are listed there.

Thank you, again, for all of your input last night at the meeting/rehearsal. I know those things can be exhausting, but as I mentioned I really DO value your opinions and what you have to offer. For example, I had no idea Thursday performances were so hard on all of you (homework, etc) or that you were interested in offering school shows! These are all things I can work on when finalizing next year's calendar!

Speaking of, next year's calendar should be available by the end of June (I pushed the deadline up for those of you who are hoping to know things earlier) and I will get it to you ASAP.

Get your pre-registrations in for next year, because we are limiting the number of spaces available to 22 (there are 19 of you this year) and I want to be sure you all get your lessons when you want them and have spaces in the group. Also, there are some fun summer things planned for people who have registered this spring! :)

...a project

2007-03-14T09:40:00.000-06:00

...So I'm working on the beginning of a scrapbook about our Disney trip, and I need your help. I am bringing in some pages that are mostly blank, and I'm hoping you'll all take a moment before or after your lesson/rehearsal to write a note about a favorite thing you did/memory of the trip/silly thing that happened or was said. The scrapbook will end up living at MadCAP for all to enjoy, but I'll post high resolution images of each page on the blog so you can print them out for your own copy of the book! Here's a start...

More new photos!

2007-03-09T11:35:00.000-06:00

My 35mm photos are ready, and order ready if anyone would like copies. Here are the links:

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154986569/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154986571/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154986570/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154986545/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154986544/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718

...and yes, they are on Snapfish, and they are five albums. I'm sorry...it's unfortunately the only online server I've found that will develop 35mm film! And as you know, I am old. I use old technology. Maybe some day I'll catch up. :)

You should all be able to upload your digital photos to our online Snapfish album...I will make a KodakGallery album under our MadCAP account as well (popular demand).

Also, I wanted to say thanks again for TINKERBELL! I love it! This morning I read all of the notes inside and decided it was one of my greatest treasures EVER. Thank you all; you are amazing.

We're back!

2007-03-08T13:34:00.000-06:00

Hooray for a wonderful tour! I did have some trouble getting wired for blog updates while we were gone...I'm sorry I missed our updates, but hope parents got regular reports (I did my best to remind kiddos to call home!)

Thanks to all of our touring performers who travelled with us; you are WONDERFUL and we missed our Madison connection. I would travel with you all anywhere...and I LOVED spending so much time with all of you.

Here are some highlights from our trip...

Here's a link to my online photo album: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=154980310/a=37645718_37645718/t_=37645718 I'll be adding more as I get more...e-mail me your photos if you'd like me to add them to this album. Also, when my 35mm film gets developed, I'll link those albums as well.

We're looking at having a SCRAPBOOK PARTY at Archiver's on March 31. It's a $15 fee, but they will clean up the recycling, feed us dinner, and supply us with M&M's and soda. We also get to use all of the fun paper tools they have there, so if you've never done paper crafting before this is a great place to try it for the first time. Check it out: http://www.archiversonline.com/myarchivers/madison.asp

Are you curious?

2007-02-27T13:10:00.000-06:00

Try this video about Expedition Everest...there's actually a really interesting backstory. http://www.disneyeverest.com/

2007-02-24T13:09:00.000-06:00

I have discovered one minor benefit to staying home sick in bed. I've watched countless episodes of "The Office" but not made it through a single episode without falling asleep...but songs are just short enough to hear all of one or two besides drifting off. Today I've been spending time listening to Erin McKeown http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7216685. That and chocolate cherry ice cream. Cheers. I'm off to sleep again. (Big thanks to Karen for bringing me a delightful care package yesterday. I've had a cup or two of that tea, and it really seems to help! Thanks!)

So much to do...

2007-02-22T13:30:00.000-06:00

...why don't I feel better?

Ew. I am disgusting.

2007-02-21T18:52:00.000-06:00

Yes. I am truly a disgusting mess. I am sick and snotty, and home for a rest. I hope I'm better by tomorrow night! We have so much to do!

I am getting very excited about traveling with all of you, and should have a nice packet of things for you on Friday (final details, luggage tags, information, cards, pass cases, etc).

(weather.com says 80 and mostly sunny on the day we arrive!)

PS-we meet by the Pirates Gate at 2:30 on Saturday to go backstage for our 4:00 performance!

2007-02-18T17:35:00.000-06:00

I'm so proud of you all! You are each so amazing, and the performances this past weekend were incredible. Thank you all for working so hard, and I hope that you are proud of your work, as well.

(and yes, Sara. It's a scrapboook page. It goes in my book; let the mocking begin. I'm sure I'll hear it while I'm compulsively photographing our Florida tour to scrapbook it later, as well--LOL!)

The show opens tomorrow...

2007-02-14T18:39:00.000-06:00

are you ready? I'm so excited!