The Rules of the Game....etc

Don't try to digest all this at once..your eyes will cross.

But I have been asked by the DB Alums to lay it all out at once so its in print and can be referenced as needed. They wanted you to be spared the flood of emails that would certainly have come from me later on. Read it through, do now what needs to be done now and just keep it bookmarked for later.

The Choreographing Part

Each choreographer will present two numbers...the total combined running length of the two is, max, 8 minutes. You can divide that up anyway you want....most people go with 4 and 4, but that's your call. Is running overtime 2 seconds a deal turner? No....but 10 seconds is and I will cut it.

One number MUST be a traditional musical theater piece, from a book musical...not  a review....and it must be set in the context of the original show. It must be danced and sung to live music. We need to know what this piece is before you settle on it as we have some "wisdom" in these matters. And, in this case, veto power. And its first come, first served for picking your number.

We supply a drum kit with all the bells and whistles and a piano. You will want a musical director to help you. 

The other piece can be anything you want. ANYTHING. I say every year that if you want to stand on your head on the stage in silence for four minutes that is your prerogative. We do not recommend that and will try to advise, cajole, suggest and ultimately talk you out of it ...but it is your call. It can be live or pre recorded music and it does not have to have singing.

BUT... I will remind you that this is a musical theater program and that is what these folks are looking to see and what you, presumably, want to do....a B'way show. You individual voice is also very important, but I find that comes through no matter what you do.

You may have 10 performers. Total. That includes anyone ...other than your pianist and drummer....who is on that stage...whether they sing or dance or just stand there. 

 You will have 12 hours of rehearsal time...paid for by us. Its probably best to get this as close to Feb 24 as you can. We will tell you what studios we are using and you will book your own hours. If you have a really good deal at a space to rehearse in and can get it at a better rate...please do so. Its a pool of money set aside for all our rehearsals and if it does not get spent there, it will go elsewhere. 12 hours may not sound like alot of time, but if you can get your dancers all together in the room, it is very do-able. Over 50 choreographers before you have done it. Pre production is key.  And you will want a dance assistant. Pre production work does not count in the 12 hours, but that means you and an assistant working things out.  Your full cast for a few hours is not Pre pro.

Can you pay for your own rehearsal space beyond that? Or use a studio even if its free? No.  I am not a policemen and I can't be bothered to follow you around and I am not going to call studios to check. But they call me and I always find out anyway. I will be VERY clear on this......you may NOT use extra rehearsal hours. 

There are minimal costumes and props and we have veto power here too.  I try not to be too sticky about this, I know you all want it to look polished, but it can't be over the top. There is no budget for these things...so the simpler the better...for you. And alot of costumes on a bare stage looks far more amateurish and it pulls focus. Be aware that you will probably be dancing on a black floor (marley)  with a black backdrop...and the sight lines have the audience looking down on you and so I would advise against costuming everyone in black.

And the lights on stage will be on......and they will stay on. For all 12 numbers. A general wash...nothing special and nothing fancy. The emphasis is on the work, not the production values.

Each choreographer will come out before each of his/her numbers... and make a short..like 30 seconds...speech about what they are doing, why they chose what they did and any other little set up that they feel might help. It is painful to do, I understand, I have to do it too and I hate it! But it gives the audience a chance to "meet" you and they love it. We will talk more about this later, as it is important, and you will rehearse it and do it for me on 'tech day.' 

Each choreographer will get a $1000 stipend to help pay for ...usually...the musicians...and  other small things. We will try to have enough money in our fundraising efforts to pay the dancers something, but there are 60 of them and we often don't know the final financials until after the performance. Sharing a drummer is a good way to cut costs and has worked well in the past.

There will be two performances on Feb 28..I think they are at like 1 and 6...still under discussion, and a reception after each. We will talk about all that later, too.

We will be at the Ailey Studios....55th and 9th?

Tech/dress days are Feb 24 and 25. 10 AM-2PM. We have two days because we could not get one 8 hour day.Each choreographer will get an hour on the stage to space out your pieces. And we will run the whole show on FRiday to see whats up there. Maybe make it an invited dress. We try to accommodate everyones schedules....when setting this up, but understand that there are over 75 people involved....backstage/onstage..in DB and there needs to be alot of tolerance.

If you are having trouble getting dancers or musical directors or drummers.... let me know.

Non Choreographic Details

 All this 'paperwork' needs to be in by the last week and everyone...including me... freaks out if it is not done. So the sooner you get it to me...the happier we will all be in Feb. Again...I strongly suggest that you get someone who can handle this kind of thing...email.... sending files etc....  and who can do it for you later if you do not get it done now. You will be in the studio and will need someone elsewhere on a computer.

We will want a hundred word....no more....bio for you for the Playbill. And your headshot. That headshot will end up the size of postage stamp so don't fret too much over it. We will also want...for the Playbill, the names of your 2 numbers, who wrote the music, and lyrics, what show it is from, if applicable, the names of your performers and your musicians, and  any 'special thanks'. We will want head shots and names and contact info (sent as files) ....a phone number or agents phone number (tell me if its one or the other) of all your "dancers." We do a separate headshot sheet for them. (This task is a traditional/annual hair-tearer. They don't get them to you until the last minute and the presses are rolling and everyone gets cranky. Sooner is better.) Obviously the 'special thanks' will be a last minute thing, but if the majority of the program is done, the Playbill wizard will not be overly stressed to get this last bit done.

We will also ask you for files to upload to the DB website. A bigger headshot, your resumé, and anything you would like to add...a page or two...about you or your work.  Reviews...photos...that kind of thing. We will also put in a link to your website and you can have your reel(s) there. This also has to be completed by the day of the performance. We don't hand out press kits anymore as it was a huge waste of paper and so we want the DB website fully loaded by the time the curtain goes up so anyone can run home and find out all about you. AGAIN....get it to me as soon as you can. Files...not hard copy. (Look at the 'Past Performances' tab on the top of the main page and click on 2010.)

Any questions....call me.

 And again, congratulations!! You are joining a very illustrious club and we are looking forward to seeing what you do.