Putting it together: producing a school musical

Musicals come with a great deal of build-up. The announcement comes out, auditions take place and a cast list is published. Then there is the wait for the first rehearsal. The teachers now need to work out, ‘Where do we start?’

The first rehearsal

At the first rehearsal, it is important to lay out exactly how things are going to be. Here are some of the things I think about and do in that first rehearsal:

• Remind the cast that they are a team – all in it together, no hierarchy. Those who got the lead parts will have a bit more pressure, but the chorus is also essential.
• Start with a fun and physical warm-up. For me, this usually this involves recreating a 1990s fitness video with a high-energy backing track, which gets the students ready to rehearse and a little out of their comfort zone.
• Start with something fun from the show. This might be the opening number, but it might also be a chorus from later in the show. It is good to get them singing something they know and love to start things off well.
• Make it clear who is working on the show and the role that each member of staff has in the process.
• Take a register and endeavour to get email contacts for parents or guardians (check school policy on this) so that you can keep them informed of what is going on.
• Make sure every second is utilised without too much sitting around.
• Finish on time so that parents waiting in the carpark don't get frustrated – start as you mean to go on with timekeeping.
• Get the cast interacting with each other. Break down any social groupings, avoiding arbitrary divisions like all the boys on one side of the room and girls on the other.

The rehearsal process

Once that first rehearsal is done, the remaining rehearsals will come thick and fast. Getting the most out of them comes down to planning. It is always tricky to know how long a song or scene will take, but it is a good idea to try and apportion time anyway. This is most easily done by sitting down with colleagues and working through the show scene by scene.

I find that a big mistake in a rehearsal process is to get too pernickety early on. What you need at the start is a sense of momentum – you can then go back and tweak things later. You want to be in a position where you can run through the whole show without breakdowns by the time you get to show week.

Keep the energy going

The single most important thing you need for the rehearsal process – and for the show itself – is energy. As the director, you need to ensure that everyone comes to rehearsals with energy and leaves still feeling energised. Starting with those fun warm-ups and allowing time for breaks is crucial. Don't expect students to sit through hours of note-bashing in silence – give them breaks and keep the energy going.

Don't forget to talk with the students about staying healthy and hydrated. They need to know how to conserve energy and survive the process. Show week itself is always very tiring, so they need to prepare for this and not book in lots of extra activities in the week before. Healthy rehearsals start with the students, who need to leave rehearsals feeling excited and empowered. Their wellbeing is down to you, and they must enjoy the process. Ending on a positive and not panicking in front of the students will definitely help with this. Avoid too much negativity and remember that they are young people. Ultimately it is just a school show!

If you are in the process already, I hope that things are going well. Enjoy it – rehearsals should be fun for everyone.

If you have any questions relating to school musicals, James is happy to be contacted through his website www.manwaringmusic.blog.