Rehearsing the Scene

There are different types of rehearsals.  Sometimes just the main characters (principals) rehearse their lines and interactions. Sometimes the entire chorus works on learning where they are supposed to be,  how they are supposed to react to the principals,  when to move, etc. The real fun starts when these two elements are combined, and the principals and chorus TOGETHER try to run the scene.  The first few times can be ..... interesting. 

Stage left, people, stage left!

Here's a sample, which might have been based on the rehearsal last week but of course is COMPLETELY FICTIONAL, and any resemblance to any actual person or event is simply a coincidence.   

Let's say that the following is written in the script:

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. [chorus waves hello]
All:  Hello Mrs. Smith, hello, hello.
Mother:  Here are some cookies. Please have some cookies.  [passes around plate of cookies]
Jane:  Thank you mother.
All:  Thank you Mrs. Smith.  Yum yum, what good cookies.

Director:  OK, ok.  Dick and Jane are here, Mother is here, chorus - you come in from that way.  Let's try it, ok.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
[chorus waves hello]

No, no, not yet.  Wait.  We try again.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello
[chorus waves hello]

No,  not yet.  Wait for the Mother to say hello.  Go back out and come in again.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello

Where is the chorus?  Chorus, you supposed to come in right away. We try again.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane.
[chorus waves hello]
Mother:  Yes, I see you too, but could you wait til I say hello first?

Chorus goes out. Chorus comes back.  

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. 
[chorus waves hello]

Good!  And when you wave, remember, you all say 'hello Mrs Smith, hello hello".

Chorus member:  How many times do we say hello?
Three, you say hello three times.  OK, we try again.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello ---- 
[chorus shouts "HELLO HELLO HELLO, waves hello]

That's good, that's ok, but you wait for mother to say hello to you.

Prompter:  Hello Mrs Smith hello hello
Mother:  Hello Prompter  (company laughs)

Ok, we try again. Go.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. [chorus waves hello]
All:  Hello Mrs. Smith, hello, hello.  Yum yum, what good cookies.

Nobody gives you cookies yet!  Props, do we have cookies now?
(The intrepid Props Lady brings on a big plate of "cookies".  Everyone is impressed)
Chorus member:  Do we actually, like, eat a cookie?
Props Lady:  You do not!

Ok, from the beginning. Go.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. [chorus waves hello]
All:  Hello hello hello Mrs. Smith, hello, hello.

Prompter:  Hello Mrs Smith hello hello

Mother:  Here are some cookies. Where are the cookies?  How do I get the cookies? Who gives them to me?

You bring them on with you.  Let's try again.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. [chorus waves hello] 

Not yet, you wave when Mrs Smith says hello to you and you say hello back.

Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. 
All:  Hello hello hello  Mrs. Smith, hello, hello hello. [chorus waves hello] 

Prompter:  Hello Mrs Smith hello hello

All:  Hello hello hello  Mrs. Smith, hello, hello hello hello hello.

And wave!  

[chorus waves hello]

Mother:  Here are some cookies. Please have some cookies.  [passes around plate of cookies]
Jane:  Thank you mother.
All:  Thank you Mrs. Smith.  [chorus waves hello]

Prompter: Yum yum what good cookies.

Chorus member:  But we haven't tasted the cookies yet!

After you taste the cookies, then you say 'yum yum'.  Ok, good, we take it from the beginning. Go.

Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. Dick:  Hello Jane, hello, hello.
Jane:  Hello Dick, hello.  [chorus waves hello]
Mother: I see Dick and Jane. They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. 
All:  Hello Mrs. Smith, hello, hello. Yum yum, what good cookies. 
Mother:  Here are some cookies. Please have some cookies.  [passes around plate of cookies]
Jane:  Thank you mother.
All:  Thank you Mrs. Smith. Hello hello hello.  [chorus waves hello again] Yum yum, what good cookies.They have many friends. Hello Dick, hello Jane, hello friends. [chorus waves hello]
All:  Hello Mrs. Smith, hello, hello.
Mother:  Here are - where are the cookies?  Give me the plate.  Here are some cookies. Please have some cookies.  [passes around plate of cookies] [Chorus drops plate of cookies. Props lady turns pale, sits down]
Jane:  Thank you mother.
All:  Thank you Mrs. Smith.  Yum yum, what good cookies. [chorus waves hello]
Dick:  Do I have a cookie, too?  Do I say thank you?   What is my motivation for taking a cookie?
[chorus waves hello]

I think we take a break now.  We do it again after the break.  Ok, break now!

By now we all need a cup of coffee. Break, yay! 

After the break, we will start all over again, because somehow drinking coffee seems to erase all short-term memories.