Present: Brenda (Chair), Julia, Nicole, Pam, Rob (recording), Shirley Anne, Mark, Paul, Gerry, Garney, Wallena
1) Business arising/follow-up from Nov 16th meeting
a) Paul to check email addresses with some cast members (e.g. Hayley Whelan)
b) Making use of Erica Gilligan
==> Mark will talk with her about speaking to the cast;
==> Garney will pose questions to her about, for example, writing on placards
c) ==> Paul will again browbeat 8 cast members to pay the ACT membership fee
2) Director’s observations
Mark says things are going very well ... It’s especially good to be using the Rural space.
3) Music Director’s observations
Shirley Anne is recruiting musicians; a particular barrier is the UPEI Wind Symphony’s scheduled performance on March 26. Brenda has been dealing with Carl Mathis for recording ...
==> Shirley Anne will arrange specifics with Carl.
4) Budget (Rob)
The finances are in pretty good shape. The only significant overspending (about $300 extra) so far has been for R&H materials – because of US exchange rate and needing early delivery.
5) The Set
Garney is quite pleased. They are now painting things, and have got some good advice from Paul Price. Garney is planning the giant flag.
One problem – the wall pieces are too tall for the Rural stage, and so rehearsals will have to use ‘pretend’ walls on dollies ... and the March 7/8 session with the full set will probably have to be done on the floor rather than the stage.
The plan/hope is to move the set (from Beach House and TOSH) to the Rural for the March 7/8 session, store it there during March Break, and then take it directly to the Confed Centre, so as to avoid extra transport.
==> Paul will hopefully confirm this with the Rural’s Phillip Pierlot.
6) Costumes - Pam
- The sew-a-thon will be this coming Saturday, Jan 10, with 8 sewers; place is to be determined.
- Decisions were made on tails (vs short tux) for the formal wear to be rented; pantyhose colour, embalmer headgear; and Peron’s dressing-gown.
- The costume parade will be on the weekends of Jan31/1Feb and 28Feb/1Mar –
==> Brenda & Pam will create detailed lists for that.
==> Brenda & Pam will do an email canvass of the cast to determine what each can him/herself provide of what s/he is to wear.
- We need a dresser to help Alicia with her costume changes; we should all try to identify a woman who is willing, even knowing that she will miss seeing the show.
- Certain costumes will be needed for early February’s filming the video (European tour, etc.) –
==> Garney will provide a list to Pam.
7) Props
Katherine’s broken ankle keeps her in Halifax and unable to drive for some time, but she will continue to coordinate via email. She has sent a ‘report’ with a set of questions:
==> Mark, Wallena and Garney will together provide answers to Katherine’s questions.
==> Garney will arrange with Chris and Stephen Beck for the painting of the placards.
==> Brenda will arrange a meeting on Props on January 15.
8) Publicity
Nicole is working on a master calendar of publicity plans. She can consult with Rob as may be necessary. The immediate task is to have the poster designed – by mid-January.
==> Rob will send Fred a list of ‘ingredients’ for the poster which he and Nicole have worked out
Gerry suggested trying to arrange a sort of guest appearance to present an Evita number during a PEI Symphony concert. It was felt that a song would be impractical, but ...
==> Rob is to speak with PEISO president Heather Doran about doing an announcement.
9) Shirts
The bags were a disappointment, but the shirts have been popular. If we get requests, we’d do another order in late January, asking requesters to pre-pay.
10) Rehearsal Pianist
Since our two accompanists (Tanya and Mary) will be practising with the pit orchestra, and so the stage rehearsal would be using the CD – the singing of which might make the cast over-reliant – it was suggested (by Wallena) that we get another pianist. This will be for January only, since in February the orchestra will join the main rehearsals. It was agreed to get a person for both Saturday 1:00-5:00 and Sunday 1:00-4:00 for the four weekends of January – offering a modest honorarium (having in mind that we allotted a total of $300 for rehearsal accompaniment).
==> Shirley is to try to recruit Estelle Dowling or Jacqueline Sorensen.
11) Make-up
Although we are, for the most part, content to have a fairly natural, un-made-up look, and it is presumed that the women can handle their own make-up ... it will be advantageous to have a skilled make-up person to (i) give a mini-workshop about what to buy and techniques to use; and (ii) help the men prepare for the tech, dress and performances.
==> Brenda will ask Sharon Fletcher if she would be able to handle wig/hair and this make-up service.
12) Sound
There is a need to do some pre-recording of sound effects ...
==> Mark, Wallena and Shirley Anne will meet, by mid-January, to plan this.
13) Comp tickets
All participants (both on- and off-stage) are entitled to one comp for Thursday night. We also give some comps to ‘contributors’ who may have given some major help; we also arrange for media give-aways and in some cases we may offer a ticket to advertisers. ACT members, too, are entitled to a $2 discount on a couple of tickets. We provide a list of persons entitled to comps and discounts to the Box Office.
==> Rob is to be the coordinator of ticket comps and discounts.
14) Wrangler
At Wallena’s suggestion, we’ll arrange for an adult – probably having several parents share the duties – to oversee the youngsters for the tech, dress and performances.
==> Brenda & Rob will organize the wrangler duty.
15) ASM
Since Paul is now a cast member ...
==> Wallena will recruit a fresh ASM.
16) Production Meetings
Our routine will be to hold a meeting every second week,
