DOROTHY DICKSON AND CARL HYSON
I show them how to walk in time to the music. You begin with your left foot and walk 8 steps in strict time with the music, then you take four steps in half-time, counting one-and on each side, taking a step on the flat of your left foot for the count of 1, then bringing the ball of the right foot up behind the left heel and touching the floor with the ball of that foot for the count of "and"; the same with the right foot, and so on. The complete movement being in strict time and "4-and" for half-time.
There may be eight, twelve, sixteen or sometimes twenty-four numbers, and the people are made to walk around in circular formation in time with the music, until they walk gracefully without any awkward mannerisms. Now, there will always be somebody who will start with the wrong foot. Someone will always be out of time. Some of them are born without a sense of rhythm. They don't belong in the show and they must be eliminated if you are going to make a success of the ensemble work; only people who do modern dancing well should attempt the dancing.
We go along and teach our regular routines, whatever I lay out for the show, but working on every number at the same time, doing maybe four steps for one number, four for another, and so on, until I have laid out the whole show in my mind. I never lay a show out in advance. I do my best work on the spur of the moment. I have tried the other way, but whatever is cut and dried is never any good. I must be inspired at rehearsals.
When those who are going to be the principals have learned the songs, I talk to them and try them out on a few little test steps to see what they can do. Some of them are usually able to do some little dance movements. Then I make them stand behind the ensemble and do the work I have taught them, not in front of the chorus where they would be embarrassed if they missed a step, but behind the lines where they can be picking up the work. Then I eventually get them out in front, and they usually do about the same dance as the ensemble, because if they don't the ensemble shows them up. And you don't get your precision effect. You must always get in an effective finish to every number, either a final picture or an exit. If you want the chorus to get a hand, bring them on for the encore, and let the chorus exit big on the encore, but first get your effective finish. Then you have them all back for the encore, then exit the chorus if you like, and let the soloist stay on and let her or him do a solo dance if it is going to be strong enough. There are different ways to finish a number and you have to use your own judgment.
Be patient when you handle the principals and chorus, but persistent. Shape up the dialogue right away, and take the entire show through as soon as you can—the first Sunday as I suggested, if possible. Make them run through the show no matter how it looks. They must stand up for the ensembles and go through what they have learned, no matter how rough it is, and the principals must do whatever they are supposed to do to the best of their abilities. Don't take "no" or "I'm not prepared" or anything like that for an answer. Accept no excuses; go through with it. The more you go through the sequence the better they will be at the performance.
Along about that time I am thinking about the pictorial effects. I will have worked out a costume plot for the principals and chorus by this time. By a costume plot I mean an assignment of dresses, costumes, for both the chorus and principals. I make out two separate plots, one for the members of the chorus and one for the principals, in sequence from the opening number of the show down to the end of the show. If I have thirty-six or forty-eight members in the chorus, I put their names in and the costumes that they wear for each number, in the order that they are worn. These plots are then typewritten according to the sequence of the show. This is most important. They show every change in costume that every one of the ensemble makes during the performance. The same thing with the principals. Always figure the time you have allowed each person to change costume, otherwise you will strike a snag which may ruin the performance.
The show is taking a definite form by this time. I then start to give them formations or groupings on the scene. When the curtain goes up sometimes they are discovered on the scene. Some scenes I arrange for the purpose of obtaining a good, effective picture, according to the architecture and atmosphere of the scene, or I may give them some very effective entrance movement coming down a staircase, through an arch or gateway, or over a fence. This is influenced by the set. I sometimes arrange surprise entrances, or little surprise exits which are inspired by the lyrics or music. Sometimes I may use a personality in the ensemble and give her an entrance or exit last. I resort to any sort of producer's magic, as I call it, to get an effect or to provoke applause, always keeping the costumes and the color schemes in mind. Of course, I have my own "bag of tricks" with which I can insure the success of any musical play that has any sort of entertainment appeal, and you, no doubt, will have yours in time, with experience.
During the dialogue rehearsals, I make the principals speak the dialogue in time, the same as the dances are done in time. They are not allowed to use their own conception of how the lines should be spoken unless I think their conception is better than mine. Every syllable they utter will have to dominate the entire auditorium. That is something that the coach must understand. When the house is full, the audience makes a difference in the acoustics. Your people in the show don't know anything about that, and so you must govern the volume of the dialogue and set every inflection, attitude of the body, and gesture definitely. But never let them use gestures that are obvious.