Intro to Musical Theatre

1. Intro to Musical Theatre All about the Stage

2. The Stage • The stage is a very large platform with some areas that can be seen from the audience and other areas that can’t be seen by the audience • ONSTAGE-standing where the audience cans see you • OFFSTAGE-outside the view of the audience but still on the actual stage • An actor might be asked to wait offstage and run on when they hear a gunshot or a cue word • The area on the sides of the stage but out of the audiences view is called the WING

3. The Stage • BACKSTAGE • Out of the view of the audience • The area where preparation takes place, such as actors waiting to come on stage or the crew getting props ready • The word backstage is a general term used for anywhere the audience doesn’t go • Wardrobe rooms • Carpentry shops • Wig rooms • Offstage on the wings

4. The Stage • Stage Directions are used when rehearsing to help the actors know where to go during the musical • CENTER STAGE- the center of the stage • DOWNSTAGE- the front of the stage • UPSTAGE- the back of the stage • STAGE RIGHT- when facing the audience, this is the area to your right • STAGE LEFT- when facing the audience, this is the area to your left

5. The Stage • A TRAP- a hole in the floor that you can enter the stage from, exit through, or bring scenery and props through • Used to create simple illusions • Used to bring up scenery • Some traps have lifts to magically make actors or props appear or disappear

6. What goes on the Stage • Curtains- many different types, but some theatres don’t use them at all • Lights- many different types and colors • Props- any object held, used or carried by a performer during a performance • Special Effects- visual elements such as fog, smoke, lightening, breaking furniture or snow • Pyrotechnics- the illusion of fire or explosions

7. Annie Opened in 1977 and ran on Broadway for 7 years Based on a comic striped called Little Orphan Annie Takes place in 1922

8. Annie • Annie lives in an orphanage for girls where they are treated horrible by Mrs. Hannigan • Annie is always very hopeful that her parents will be back someday to get her and decides to escape to find her parents but is caught and brought back to the orphanage • Grace, the assistant to the Billionaire Oliver Warbucks, come to the orphanage to ask an orphan to live with them for the Christmas Holiday • She selects Annie and the go to the mansion where Warbucks is never in a good mood or too fond of children

9. Annie • Annie wears a locket that her parents left with her and tells Warbucks she believes they will be back to get her someday • Warbucks decides he wants to help Annie find her parents and puts out a reward for her parents to come forward • Mrs. Hannigan and her cousin, Rooster, decide it would be a good way to get rich and want to try to fool Warbucks because Hannigan has the missing piece of the locket Annie thinks her parents have

10. Annie • Hundreds of couples show up claiming to be her parents but none no about the lockets so they know they are fake • Warbucks decides to adopt Annie and then Rooster shows up claiming he is her father and they are shocked he knows about the locket • Warbucks still thinks he is lying so asks to keep Annie one more night for the Christmas party • FDR comes to the party and reveals who Annie’s parents are and that they died in a fire right after Annie was born • Warbucks adopts Annie

11. Annie- Tomorrow • The sun'll come out TomorrowBet your bottom dollar That tomorrow There'll be sun! Just thinkin' aboutTomorrow Clears away the cobwebs, And the sorrow 'Til there's none! • When I'm stuck with a dayThat's gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin And Grin, And Say, Oh! The sun'll come outTomorrow So yagotta hang on 'Til tomorrow Come what may Tomorrow! Tomorrow!I love ya Tomorrow! You're alwaysA dayA way!