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Our final major project at the Jellico Theatre is the Broadway Musical, Be More Chill, written by Joe Tracz with songs and lyrics by Joe Iconis. It is based on the 2004 novel Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini. In this musical Jeremy Heere, an unpopular high schooler, who takes a pill-sized supercomputer named ‘Squip’ to become more popular and impress his crush, Christine. However, Jeremy’s actions lead to near disaster.

Audition week:

Auditions started on the 12th of January, the first audition was our dance auditions this is were we spent a 3 hour dance workshop learning a small section to the songs ‘Smartphone Hour’ (3:07-4:06minutes) and ‘Pitiful Children’ (0:45-1:05minutes). We then were split into separate smaller groups of 4 or 5 to and performed the dances in front of our directors. Our next audition was our was our acting and singing auditions were an audition list was placed and we each went in for our set time to perform a monologue and song in front of our directors.

Cast reveal:

On January 17th, the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived: the cast list was posted.

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We was given a research task at the start of the term, we had to find the contextualised themes for Be More Chill scenes. This is beneficial as it helped us understand the story line of the musical, four of the main themes are:

Technology - In Be More Chill, the Squip is a supercomputer made from nanotechnology inside a pill. Smartphone hour is a song about spreading rumours on social media. Jeremy and Micheal hangout and play and talk about video games during some scenes.

Insecurity's - Brooke and Chloe are portrayed as jealous of each other. Jeremy wants to be popular since he is insecure about not fitting in and Micheal becomes insecure about not being good enough once Jeremy takes the Squip and is no longer talking or hanging out with him.

Relationships - In Be More Chill, Chloe and Jeremy portray a sexual relationship at the end of Halloween. Jeremy and Micheal portray a platonic relationship throughout the play. Jeremy and the Squip portray a toxic and controlling relationship throughout the play.

Human Social Behaviour - Drugs are portrayed in Be More Chill because Jeremy takes a pill, which makes him hallucinate a character called the Squip. Bullying is portrayed in Be More Chill as they bullied Jeremy because he was a geek. This resulted in him to feel insecure which makes him want to change himself and why he took the drugs to feel more cool and gain popularity. Gossiping is portrayed in Be More Chill because they would gossip through social media, for example, when Chloe, Brooke and Jenna spread rumours about Rich setting a fire and burnt down the house.

Character analysis:

As an ensemble member I don’t have a set character for any of the scene except for one, I play a party monster during this scene I have to act out being drunk still from the night before. Even then I only have one scene I do have to express different emotions through out the show. Whether that ranges from being excited, confused, hangover, impressed, happy, insecure.

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LW Theatre.com

StageAgent.com

Bemorechill.Fandom.com

Genius.com

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During rehearsals, our director made it a point to give us regular, detailed feedback at the end of every rehearsal day. This was extremely helpful, as it kept us engaged and focused throughout the process. Having that clear, constructive input constantly reminded us to dig deeper into our characters and to think carefully about the choices we were making on stage. It wasn’t just about hitting marks or remembering steps it was about really living in the story and making every moment count.

For example, some of the notes our director gave to the ensemble were very specific and practical. In one of the sections, we were encouraged to use more facial expressions to bring life and energy to the movement. We were told express those unspoken feelings and thoughts behind our characters’ actions needed to come through stronger. We were also reminded not to just stand and wait passively for our cues, but to actively look around and react in a way that felt natural and dynamic. When it came to the choreography, things like the 4x kicks needed to be higher and executed with stronger dynamics, so the energy on stage matched the intensity of the music.

During the chorus line set repetition, timing was key, and we practised making our exits smoothly in the transitions, making sure we balanced leaving stage left and stage right evenly. One of the more challenging notes was about Christine’s scenes, when we’re involved in her moments, we have to remember that we’re stepping into her world, her fantasy. These scenes are big, bold, musical theatre, so we need to fully commit to the heightened reality of those moments.

Taking all this feedback on board, I’ve been working hard to improve my performance wherever I can. It’s important to me that the ensemble looks tight and polished so the whole production feels clean and professional. But it’s not just about individual improvement. As an ensemble, we often take time to discuss how we’ll react in different scenes or what emotions certain moments bring up for us. This collective approach means we can tweak and shape our performances together, making sure we move and feel as one on stage, not just a group of individuals. By having regular feedback during rehearsals it made me think about how and what I need to change or work on to help keep the show looking professional and clean. By doing this it also helps the story to be more interesting and easier to follow for the audience.

Aside from focusing on acting, singing and dancing, we’ve also faced some practical challenges during rehearsals and run throughs. One of these has been handling the props, making sure they’re brought on and offstage smoothly and without disruption. It might seem like a small detail, but it actually makes a huge difference to the flow of the show. When props are managed well, it takes some of the pressure off the main characters, who already have complicated parts to juggle. This kind of teamwork behind the scenes is just as important as what happens on stage, and it’s something we’ve learned to be really mindful of as an ensemble.

For me personally, I have found this musical quite challenging as I have never had to act or sing as I specialise in dance but sadly this year there was not enough of us on the dance course to carry it on so me and another girl had joined the performing arts group. So this year at college has been a challenge in it's self but I have tried to take it as it comes and overcome any situations and challenges that have been thrown my way and tried to take this as an experience I can carry with me throughout whatever I decide to do next.

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Rehearsals started off pretty slow for me since I’m part of the ensemble rather than a lead character. At first, it sometimes felt like we were just waiting in the background or filling space, and it was easy to wonder how much impact the ensemble really had on the show. But as the rehearsals progressed and the leads really started to play their parts fully without the scripts, things changed a lot. That’s when we, the ensemble, began to step up and add those extra layers that bring the whole production to life. Our presence started to create depth, atmosphere, and energy, making the scenes feel more real and immersive. The ensemble can transform a moment from ordinary to electric by simply being there with intention and character.

Even though my roles are small, they’re definitely fun and varied. For example, I play a passed-out drunk person who ends up screaming at Jeremy and Christine. I also get to be a tree during some of the show rehearsals which is pretty straightforward but still a layer within the scene. Another interesting part I have throughout the show is playing one of the 'Squips'. One moment in particular is when Jeremy first takes the pill, this role really lets me explore some robotic movements and use a robotic voice. I even get to be a zombie during the final scene of the play. Each of these roles might seem minor, but they’re important in adding humour, texture, and excitement to the scenes and I enjoy getting to switch between them.

Besides performing, I’m also part of the dance team, which means I get to help out a lot during rehearsals. One of my main tasks is helping to create formations, figuring out where everyone should stand or move to on stage to make the choreography look its best. If anyone’s struggling with a particular dance step, I’m there to run through it with them during rehearsal breaks or extra practice times. It’s fun getting to support others and watch everyone improve together during rehearsals and watching the show transform into a performance.

On top of that, I sometimes help the lead actors by running lines with them or offering feedback on characterisation. It’s a fun way to stay involved in the bigger picture and contribute to the overall quality of the show, even if I’m not always in the spotlight. Being part of the ensemble and dance team has taught me a lot about teamwork, patience, and how every role big or small is essential in making a production successful.

With having these roles during rehearsals it could sometimes be very boring and repetitive which would make the days seem long and making everybody cranky. I know for a fact that not every rehearsal will be fun and exciting as the next but to create a high quality performance its critical to push through these rehearsals so in the long run the shows will be fun and relaxing for everybody as there should be no major problems on show day and show flow smoothly.

As much as I tired to help out during rehearsals I also did slack off a bit especially during those long boring days where I struggled to keep motivation, for next time I will try to keep in mind that not all days are going to be exciting and even though it may get boring I still need to pay full attention and try keep motivated. Hopefully by doing that it will keep a more positive atmosphere in the studio and help others to keep motivation as well.

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As I look back and review my work over this project, I have had to step out of my comfort zone as a performer as I have never been apart of a musical before and I have never really had to act or sing on stage or during rehearsals before as I am a dancer. This has challenged me in ways which have been difficult as I have had to learn what vocal group I am in and how to sing correctly as well as learning the songs for the show learning the harmony's was the hardest part about singing as they are different of each song and I had to learn to control my voice and not just sing the words but harmonise with the rest of the cast, with the acting I haven't had to do too much luckily but I've still had to use lots of characterisation and use action-reaction techniques during scenes to give scenes more human like reactions and for the scenes to look more natural to the audience. I also have a scene with Christine and Jeremy after the Halloween party, were I am a party 'monster' who is still intoxicated from the night before and I jump up and scream at Jeremy and Christine which leads to ruining there cute but weird dorky moment together. Learning the choreography was easy as that's were I am most confident and the dances aren't to complicated as most of the time we have to sing at the same time or in some cases there are small scenes during songs and dances.

My goals for future rehearsals and runs is to keep reflecting and focusing on feedback given to me as an individual as well as an ensemble. Its to also use my time wisely during the last couple of weeks to make sure I keep up with rehearsals and pay extra attention encase of any last minute changes especially during show week as we will be moving from the studios into the theatre so changes will be made.

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During show week I shown professionalism by showing up on time in the correct outfits, so the rehearsal run a lot smoother and don’t waste any time. As we’re preparing for the show I’m making sure my performance skills are ready to be put on stage, by practicing facial expressions that are relevant to the role. Whilst I’m performing I’m focusing on my technique during my dances and scene doesn’t drop so I can look strong and confident on stage and keep the scenes clean so the audience can understand the show clearly.

During tech rehearsal and dress run I made sure to keep clear notes of any changes and criticisms so that I was able to work on them and perfect my performance, I also made sure to help out backstage whether that was quick changes or props needed. Keep costumes on the right hangers so that no one loses anything half way through the show this ensured that there atmosphere stayed as relaxed as it can during runs and shows as no one needs the extra stress during theses times.

Show week can be a very stressful time for everyone as this is when all the layers are brought together, everyone is relying on each other to know when certain cues are needed, for example, the performers need a cue in the music by the musicians and the lighting and tech people need a cue from the performers to know when they need to use certain lighting for certain scenes. If any of these situations are off by the slightest it can cause a rifle effect on the rest of the show, this will make the show look messy and unprofessional. During this time everybody can get very easily irritated and petty arguments are easily started this can be avoided by listening to the directions the director has given, eating and drinking plenty so u don't lose energy, going outside during breaks to get fresh air and helping each other out as much as possible.

Next time for show week I could be more organised with my costumes as I always seem to leave costume till last minute and most of the time I forget something so this is something for me to work on as an individual.