Welcome to THE LION KING JR.!

Welcome! We are Lariza Panagiotou and Emily Mitchell, parent co-coordinators of the JGMS musical. On behalf of Mrs. Budka and her directing staff, we're delighted to have you and your students on board for this year's show, THE LION KING, JR. 

A few things of note:

• Rehearsals begin Thursday, January 5, after school. Rehearsals will be held every Tuesday and Thursday until performance week. Until February vacation, rehearsals will end at 3:40pm, in time for the late bus; after February vacation, rehearsals will run till 4:30pm. 
• The first CREW rehearsal is Thursday, March 2. Crew does NOT need to report to rehearsals before that day, unless Mrs. Budka says otherwise. 
• Lead characters should have received their scripts. If your student didn't bring one home this week, please check with Mrs. Budka after break. 
• Please subscribe to our website! We use this website to update you on rehearsals, costume needs, schedule changes, sign-up lists, and more. Use the widget on the right-hand side to enter your email address, and you'll receive notifications whenever we add a post or other content to the site. We will communicate by email for some matters, but for basic info, the website is your best option. [NOTE: If you are an ANNIE 2016 parent and don't have a student in this year's show, you can unsubscribe from notifications when you receive the email about this post.]
• Our parent meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday evening, January 17. Please mark your calendars for your chance to talk with Mrs. Budka, meet us, and ask any questions you might have about the show. This is also when those of us working on sets and props will start planning who's doing what. 
• If you did not fill out a parent volunteer form, you can find one on the Parent Central page, or download it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B660IsEULU2PSWxOTUpiY1B2ZGs/view?usp=sharing The musical succeeds thanks to parent involvement, and the more hands, the better! There are lots of opportunities to get involved, as much or as little as your schedule allows. 

We hope your students are excited about the show, and we wish you all a safe and peaceful holiday break. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at jgmsmusical@gmail.com.

Happy holidays,

Emily & Lariza

THE LION KING is coming!

We are delighted to announce that this year's JGMS musical is THE LION KING, JR., produced under license by Music Theatre International. Rehearsals begin January 5 after school, and the production runs April 6, 7, and 8.

Auditions will be held December 12 and 13, with callbacks on December 15. If you are interested in auditioning for a lead role, please pick up a packet from Mrs. Budka's room. Visit the Audition Central page for more information, including character descriptions, audition scenes, and links to audio files.

Parents and guardians of cast and crew, we look forward to working with you! Your students will bring home a parent volunteer form in their audition packet, or you can download it here. Please consider how you can help bring the production to life.

Please use the widget to the right to subscribe to updates from this site. We use this site to provide information about rehearsal schedules, costume and makeup needs, ticket and DVD orders, and more. Subscribers get a notification every day that new content is added to the site.

Pictures from MET Musical Awards!

One more thing! METG had professional photographers at the awards ceremony on Monday. Pictures (and soon, videos) are available for your viewing and ordering here:

tp://www.asaphotostore.com/store/gallery.php?mode=gallery&id=783&page=1

Enjoy!

MET Musical Awards wrap-up!

Here are the cast and crew nominees from ANNIE at last night's MET Musical Awards! We did not come home with a medal, but we had a wonderful evening enjoying camaraderie and great performances from middle school and high school productions across the Commonwealth. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

In other news: if you requested a DVD and have not received it, please pick it up from Mrs. Budka's room this week. Only three more full days of school!

Thanks again for a wonderful musical experience this past spring. We'll see you all in December at auditions for next year's show!

DVDs and other loose ends

Hello, ANNIE parents!

Can you believe it's been almost a month since the closing performance? We hope your students have great memories of the show and their cast- and crew-mates. 

We have news about DVDs, one last cleanup request, a call for receipts, and adjudicator comments, plus information about performance opportunities over the summer. 

• DVDs: We are in the process of making keepsake DVDs for the cast and crew. We are allowed to provide one (1) DVD per student, and we have recordings of both Friday and Saturday night's performances. If you'd like a DVD, please complete this Doodle poll to indicate which performance you prefer: http://doodle.com/poll/7kk3i4darh6t5ehm
• More set striking! Mrs. Budka needs a few strong folks to help with one last trip to the basement storage area (which, if you've never been down there, is truly a wonder to behold). If you can stop by after school or in the early evening in the next couple weeks to bring items downstairs, we'd appreciate it. Please let us or Mrs. B know if you can help.
• Did you purchase snacks, costume or prop items, or anything else for the show that should be reimbursed? Please send your receipts to Mrs. Budka ASAP, so she can file an expense reimbursement request for you.
• As a member of the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild, JGMS was privileged to have local adjudicators watch the show and offer critiques to the cast and crew. They had great things to say about the show and the performers, with particular commendations for Bella P., Grace C., and the orphan chorus. Their comments (one from Friday night, one from Saturday) can be found here:
  Friday: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B660IsEULU2PUTQ4Y3JrNzByWUE
  Saturday: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B660IsEULU2Pa0VldGNEVWt2RFk
  Kudos to all!
• There are still openings for cast members to join Mrs. Budka's summer musical play, sponsored by Bedford Summer Adventures. WE ESPECIALLY NEED MORE BOYS!!! Junior Summerstock is a four-week musical theater camp for students entering grades 4 through 9. Rehearsals are daily, July 18th through August 12th, from 10 am til 1 pm in the JGMS auditorium. Our shows will be on Thursday, August 11th. For more information, contact Mrs. Budka. You can sign up using this link: https://apm.activecommunities.com/bedfordma/Activity_Search/9361

• Libbey Beinert has a colleague on the staff at Camp Revolution in Andover. They will be
  producing two shows - James and the Giant Peach for ages 8 - 13, and American Idiot for ages 13 to 18. This camp runs from July 18th through
  August 7th, 9 am to 3 pm daily. They rehearse at the J. Everrett Collins Center at Andover High School. Info at http://www.revolutiontheatrecompany.com/
  

BRAVO!

Congratulations to the whole cast and crew for a marvelous performance weekend. You all should be very proud!

And many thanks to all the adult and high school volunteers who stepped up in both large and small ways to make the show run so smoothly. We are grateful for your generosity of time, materials, donations, and good humor.

See you next year!

Striking the set: Monday, 4/11, after school

All stage crew, tech crew, and 8th-grade cast members are asked to come after school Monday (4/11) to help Mrs. Budka break down sets and clean up from the play. If you are available, please help out. You will be dismissed at 3:45, in time to take the late bus. 

One down, two to go!

Great job on opening night! Call times are the same Friday as they were on Thursday: 5:00 for leads, 7th graders, and 8th graders; 5:30 for 6th graders and crew. If you need extra time for hair, you may come earlier than that. Eat some dinner before you arrive!

Please remember that the music room is a no-food, no-makeup zone. Both makeup and food must stay in the LGI.

Here's to two more great shows!

T-shirts on Thursday!

Please remind cast and crew to wear their ANNIE t-shirts on Thursday! We'd love to see a sea of red in the halls at JGMS.

Important note about cell phones and other valuables

URGENT: Due to some reported misbehavior with student cell phones at rehearsal yesterday, we will be collecting all cast and crew cell phones upon arrival, locking them up, and returning them at the end of perfomances. We are happy to do this with any other valuable personal belongings for cast, crew and volunteers. Please make transportation arrangements in advance, and a student is welcome to use the school phones or ask a backstage volunteer adult to make a call. We have a book with all parent contact numbers if needed.
 
The excitement and stress of production week can be difficult to handle, for students as well as staff and volunteers, who have been working so hard these past few weeks. Please discuss this with your child, and report any incidents to Mrs. Budka or another parent volunteer. All school rules apply during play rehearsals and performances.

Thank you so much,
Mrs. Budka

Dress rehearsal #1 is in the books!

Neither rain nor snow nor a couple burned-out spotlights kept our students from doing a great job at dress rehearsal today!

The first full dress is always an exercise in organized chaos, and the kids did a good job of staying focused. We had a few stops and starts for technical issues and cast/crew photos, but overall, the show went well, and currently clocks in at a tight 1:45 or so (not including intermission).

Getting everyone's makeup done well and on time takes a lot of hands -- thanks so much to Nathalie and her team, including those who pitched in today to make sure all the kids looked good on stage. There are still open spots to help with makeup during all three performances. Please sign up if you can assist: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b48aaa92da64-make/24451818

We also still need more help backstage, tomorrow and during the performances, to make sure the cast is ready for every cue and that backstage noise and commotion are kept to a minimum. That signup is here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4daeac29aa8-annie

Tomorrow is another dress rehearsal, but without makeup. Crew members should remember to wear ALL BLACK tomorrow and for all performances.

T-shirts are coming!

ANNIE t-shirts for cast and crew will be available for pickup at the end of tomorrow's rehearsal. We ask that all performers and crew wear their shirts on Friday, April 1, AND Thursday, April 7, to help build buzz and excitement for the show. Many thanks for your participation!

It's crunch time! Are YOU signed up to help?

Only four more rehearsals (five for crew!) until opening night of ANNIE is upon us!

We are grateful for all the parent help we've received so far, with costumes, sets and props, snacks during rehearsals, and more. But there's still more to do, and more help needed, during dress rehearsals and performances next week. Many of you have already signed up to help with pre-show makeup, hair, and costumes, as well as the cast and crew party after Saturday's performance. Thank you!

What we need most right now are adults to supervise the performers and crew backstage, both during dress rehearsals and during the performances. We need people to watch the kids when they're not on stage, and make sure they're in the wings ready for their cues when it's time to be on stage. The signup is structured in two shifts: one shift helps get the kids ready before the performance starts (so those folks can watch the show that night); the second helps during the performance (so those folks will watch another night).

There are a LOT of performers and crew in this show, which means a lot of kids to wrangle. If you can help, please sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4daeac29aa8-annie

Thanks again!

Costume questions answered!

Yesterday your child brought home a list of costume items he or she should supply. We ran out of time, unfortunately, before we could give fuller explanations of each item and answer all the performers' questions. We hope this post will make things clearer (and if not, feel free to email us at jgmsmusical@gmail.com with your questions).

FEMALE PERFORMER BASICS
We ask that all the women in the cast have basic foundation garments: a neutral-colored cami or leotard, and black tap pants (also called booty shorts) or bike shorts. This allows the girls to make quick changes in semi-public areas (backstage, hallways) without fear of overexposure. If you don't already own these, Forever 21, H&M, and Marshall's/TJMaxx typically have super-cheap options.

Orphans should also have black footless leggings to wear under their dresses. Not everyone will end up needing them (some have longer dresses than others), but they're a nice bit of security and flexibility while climbing on bunk beds and doing cartwheels or splits. (Click on any picture to view larger.)

FOOTWEAR
Character shoes and jazz shoes are recommended for most female performers. If your child does not already have these kinds of shoes from prior dance/theatre experience, you do NOT need to go buy them (decent dance shoes in adult sizes can run upwards of $75). Shoes with a similar style and heel will work just as well.

Other shoe style options for female performers that would work just fine.

Orphans and Hoovers should ideally have some kind of combat-style, lace-up boot, like this (I can't remember if we got these at Target or Marshall's. Apparently Doc Martens and Doc-style boots are back in fashion now, thank goodness).

Male performers should have simple black shoes. Black sneakers typically do NOT work, because the soles are often in a contrasting color and look too modern.

The most important thing for all performers is to have shoes that are comfortable and secure for walking and dancing. If your child is wearing heels at any point and isn't used to walking in them, she should practice on stage in them as soon as possible.

If you have costume items that your child doesn't need, but another performer might, please let us know, and we can figure out a cast costume exchange system. All lent items should be clearly labeled, and borrowed items should be cleaned before being returned.


COSTUME STORAGE
All performers must bring a storage box with lid, labeled with his or her full name, on Tuesday, March 29. Students were instructed to bring the bins directly to the auditorium in the morning, before heading to their lockers or first period. Bins should be big enough to store all costume pieces, including shoes (so a standard shoebox will NOT be big enough). Grocery bags and other bags are not sturdy enough or stackable enough to work either. If you have trouble locating a suitable bin, please let us know.

If you have any other questions, we're only an email away.

-- Lariza and Emily

Posters are ready!

Thanks to those of you who offered to publicize ANNIE around town. The posters are ready for pickup and should be posted no earlier than Thursday, 3/24 (when tickets go on sale).

If you signed up for a location, your posters will come home with your child after rehearsal tomorrow. We still need people to solicit businesses at Stop & Shop Plaza, and 200 Great Road (Asiana, Prince Street Cafe, etc.). If you can help -- or if you have other locations in mind -- please sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a48aeaf2da57-annie

New signups added!

Signups are now available for backstage supervision and makeup assistance, for both dress rehearsals and performances.

To help with makeup for dress rehearsal (4/4 only) and performances:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b48aaa92da64-make/24451818

To sign up for backstage supervision:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090c4daeac29aa8-annie

Help spread the word on Facebook!

Please feel free to upload the image below as your profile pic on Facebook (or copy it from Emily's profile, if you're connected with her). Help us spread the word about the show!

Three weeks to go!

You should all have received an email from Emily and Lariza on Saturday morning, with information about the next three weeks. Reminders:

• Rehearsals from this point forward are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for all cast and crew. For performance week, dress rehearsals are Monday and Tuesday, with tech-only rehearsal on Wednesday. Please watch the blog for any updates. 
• Signups are now available for makeup and hair assistance, poster distribution, ticket sales and ushering, and photography. Signups are coming soon for backstage supervision and cast/crew party help. Please visit the links page to see all the signups; http://jgmsmusical.blogspot.com/p/links-to-signup-genius.html

We hope your child is enjoying the rehearsal process. The show is looking great!

Tickets, posters, and more

First: yes, there IS rehearsal on Thursday 3/17 for full cast and crew till 4:30.

Second: tickets that were pre-ordered by cast and crew will be distributed at rehearsal next Tuesday, 3/22 (not 3/17, as previously stated). If you did not get your tickets during the pre-sale, tickets for the general public will go on sale on Thursday, March 24, at the JGMS, Davis, and Lane offices, and at Great Road Gallery and Framing.

Third: We need help distributing posters around town, to local businesses and other organizations. The signup for various plazas and other locations is here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a48aeaf2da57-annie Please help us spread the word, to ensure we have full houses for each performance!

NO REHEARSAL on TUESDAY, MARCH 15th. Go Bucs!

Annie Cast and Crew are excused from rehearsal tomorrow. Instead we will have a full cast and crew rehearsal next WEDNESDAY, March 23rd, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Hopefully everyone will stay healthy and be ready for some hard work as we slide into the homestretch. I know you join me in wishing the best to the BHS Varsity basketball team and cheerleaders tomorrow. 


Thanks everyone.

Mrs. Budka

Ticket orders due THIS THURSDAY, 3/10!

Don't forget that cast and crew ticket pre-sales are due THIS THURSDAY, 3/10, NO EXCEPTIONS. Order forms should be returned to Mrs. Budka or mailed to Mrs. Bernstein at the address on the form.

The order form can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B660IsEULU2PSTFJTVF0bDZyd0FxcmJEM2hOd0ZjcEpDSThz/view

NO rehearsal next Tuesday, 3/1

There will be NO after-school rehearsal next Tuesday, March 1, due to the presidential primary election taking place at JGMS.

Ticket pre-sales available now!

The order form for cast and crew pre-sales is now available here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B660IsEULU2PSTFJTVF0bDZyd0FxcmJEM2hOd0ZjcEpDSThz/view?usp=sharing

Forms are due back on MARCH 10, NO EXCEPTIONS. Tickets will be distributed at rehearsal on March 24. Also on that date, tickets will be available to the general public, at the JGMS, Davis, and Lane offices, and at Great Road Gallery and Framing. If you do not return your order form by March 10, you must purchase your tickets through one of these outlets.

Your son or daughter should have received a hard copy of the order form at rehearsal this week.

If you have any questions about tickets, please contact Diane Bernstein.

Rehearsal schedule update, week of 2-22-16

Rehearsals this week (2/23 and 2/25):

- FULL CAST till 3:40
- Sixth graders released in time for late bus
- Everyone else stays till 4:40

If you have questions, please feel free to ask Mrs. Budka.

P.S. Don't forget the basement/backstage cleanout on 2/23 at 6:30pm!

Basement cleanout 2/23 and set design meeting 2/25

This coming Tuesday, 2/23, at 6:30pm, Mrs. Budka will be bringing up items from the basement storage and cleaning out the backstage areas, in preparation for set construction to begin. All parents, as well as all 8th graders, leads, and crew members, are invited to help out. Many hands make light work! Pizza will be served. Please RSVP to Mrs. Budka if you plan to attend.

Also, the set planning meeting originally scheduled for 2/11 has been rescheduled for Thursday, 2/25, at 7:00pm in the music room. All parents interested in set design and construction are encouraged to attend.

Set design meeting POSTPONED

Tonight's planned meeting for those interested in set design and construction has been postponed till after vacation. Those of you who signed up to help with building should have received an email with proposed dates to reschedule.

New rehearsal tracks added!

Just in time to practice over February break, we've posted the vocal tracks and karaoke/orchestra tracks for all the songs.

Click on Rehearsal Tracks in the top navbar to see the files.

If you have any trouble accessing the tracks, please let Emily know (jgmsmusical@gmail.com).

Check your email for updates!

An email from jgmsmusical@gmail.com was just sent to everyone on our lists of cast parents and crew parents. Check your inbox for important information on ticket pre-sales, extended rehearsal times, and more.

Don't forget to subscribe for update on the right sidebar!

Set planning meeting 2/11 at 7:30pm

The planning meeting for those interested in set design and construction will be next Thursday, February 11, at 7:30pm in the JGMS music room.

This meeting is specifically for those interested in building; the painting group will get started after the set pieces are built.

If you'd like to be part of the set construction group and haven't already indicated your interest, please let Emily and Lariza know, at jgmsmusical@gmail.com.

See you there!

Set crew planning meeting for parents

Parents who have volunteered to help with set design and construction should have received an email this evening including a link to a Doodle poll, asking for your availability between now and school vacation for a planning meeting with Mrs. Budka.

If you didn't receive the email, or if you'd like to volunteer for parent crew but haven't yet let us know, the poll can be found here: http://doodle.com/poll/ux5v4e5fu2m8xkdr

Rehearsal tracks now available

Rehearsal tracks (with vocals, and karaoke accompaniment) for the "Hooverville" number are now available for practicing.

You can find the tracks here: http://jgmsmusical.blogspot.com/p/rehearsal-tracks.html

Please let Emily know (jgmsmusical@gmail.com) if you have any trouble accessing the files.

Sign up to receive notifications of site updates

You can sign up to receive an email every time a new post is added to this website!

Just add your email address to the box under "Subscribe to follow by email" on the right-hand nav bar. A pop-up window will open, and you'll be asked to enter a captcha code. Once you've done that, you'll receive a verification email from FeedBurner Email Subscriptions, confirming your desire to subscribe to the site.

As a subscriber, you'll receive an email notification every day that the site has new content. We'll post important updates and notices of new signup links as they come.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Lariza or Emily at jgmsmusical@gmail.com.

ANNIE JR. Parent Meeting 1-13-16

Calling all parents and guardians of ANNIE JR. cast and crew!

Our introductory parent volunteer meeting will be Wednesday, January 13, at 7:00pm in the JGMS Music Room. Please plan to attend to learn how you can help make the musical a success. There are plenty of opportunities for you to contribute to your child's experience, no matter how much (or how little) time you have.

Contact Emily Mitchell and Lariza Panagiotou with any questions: jgmsmusical@gmail.com