Thus Spoke Ann Arbor
2023 Spring Production
Our rehearsal time frame is divided into two parts. The first half was from mid-January to mid-February, during which the actors mainly rehearse in small groups. The primary goal of the actors in this stage is to get familiar with their characters and the scripts. In the meantime, costumes, light & sound, and sets & props teams worked separately to design, browse, and make necessary materials for the show. As both casts and crews got ready individually, we moved into the second stage after the Preview event on February 17th. Rehearsals on weekdays consist of small groups; on the weekends, we would then have dressed rehearsals and have the other sub-teams practice with the actors. The most critical period was our production week (03/06 - 03/10), during which we went into the theatre and conducted the final rehearsals. Due to our tight timeframe, everyone worked from 5 PM - 1 AM every day in order to get things done.
Before starting the rehearsal process, it is important for the actors to warm up their voices and bodies so that they can maximize their performances. There are many warm-up exercises; in this part, we will demonstrate the ones TSAA used the most. Follow our director Yaohan Ye and try it yourself!
Let's Warm Up!
Exercise 1: 6+1
Exercise 2: Lips Vibration
Exercise 3: Fried Eggs with Tomato
Shout out 6 times and do 1 deep breath. This exercise trains the actors to make sounds with strength from their bellies instead of their throats.
Vibrate your lips following the demo in the video. This exercise relaxes the actors‘ lips and facial muscles.
The term "įŠčįč" Yaohan speaks in the video means fried eggs with tomato in Chinese. This exercise helps the actors to practice their articulation.
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