What: Snow Chorus for Nutcracker with Gwinnett Ballet
Who: Selected
Singers
When: Dress Rehearsal Thurs
12/7/06, 7:00pm
Call Times: One hour 15
minutes before show time
Performances: Friday
12/8/06 7:30pm
Sat. 12/9/06 2:30pm
and
7:30pm
Sun 12/10/06 2:30pm
Sat 12/16/06 2:30pm
Sun 12/17/06 2:30pm
Where: Gwinnett Performing Arts Center
Dress: Formal Uniforms, skirts for girls
We're very excited that we
have the opportunity to continue doing Nutcracker, and grateful to the
Gwinnett Ballet for continuing the tradition of live music with these
performances. The
fact that the performances are local to our home
base makes things that much nicer!
Show Schedule
A roster has been distributed, showing which singers we are expecting
at each performance, based on the sign-up list and emails that we have
received. Please check to be sure that it matches your own
schedule, and let us know of any errors or omissions. Because the
number of singers is smaller this year, it is VERY important that
everyone show up on the days indicated!!
Location
The dress rehearsals and all six shows are at the Gwinnett Performing
Arts Center (PAC), 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA. There is a
map of the area and directions at: http://www.gwinnettcenter.com/GuestServices/NavGuestServices.aspx
There is a map of the Gwinnett Center complex, showing the location of
the Performing Arts Center at:
http://www.gwinnettcenter.com/RentCenter/NavRentCenter.aspx
(Click on "Virtual Tour")
Dress
AYC formal uniform, skirts for girls. We will be singing from the
lip of the stage, and will be very visible to the audience - you must follow the uniform
requirements in every respect. If you are unsure about this,
please ask Mr. Shoultz for clarification.
Chaperones
We will need two chaperones for each of the six shows. Chaperones
will assist with uniform "malfunctions", illness, and herding singers
around the PAC. They will sit with the singers during Act I, and
help us dismiss singers at intermission.
Transportation
Because the PAC is a local facility, AYC is not arranging or providing
transportation to the venue. You may work with each other and use
the attached schedule to arrange carpools if you wish.
Parking, Entrance
The most convenient parking is in a small lot behind the Hudgens Arts
Center. The driveway to this lot is marked "Authorized" use only,
and we are authorized to use it. The lot is only about 75 parking
spaces, and may fill up before you arrive (if that happens, park
in the lot close to Satellite Blvd), At the performances, we will enter
through the cast entrance on the side of the Performing Arts
Center. Look for "AYC" signs. There is a sidewalk along the edge
of the small parking lot, next to the Hudgens Center building; follow
it to the left, toward the Performing Arts Center. Go down some
steps, and you should see an entrance door that has a sign on it that
says "Nutcracker Cast Entrance". Your singer should enter
there. We showed them the entrance at dress rehearsal, and there
are signs pointing the way to the AYC "Green Room". We will have
someone stationed near the door during the 15 minutes before call time.
Performance Day Schedule
Arrive at the PAC in time to be inside and ready to sing at the
designated call time, which is 1 hour and 15 minutes before show
time. Please take into account traffic in your area at that time
of day, and plan to arrive about 1 hour and 30 minutes before show time
so that you have time to walk to the PAC from the parking lot, find
your way to the room, use the restroom, get a drink of water, and so
on. You should be in place and ready to sing at the call
time. Coats, purses, cell phones, and all other personal
belongings will be left in our holding room. Please do not bring
valuables to the performance, as the room may be unattended at times.
Eat a good meal before you arrive.
We will warm up and rehearse for about 30 minutes, then go sing in the
PAC lobby for about 30 minutes. After the lobby singing, we will
return to the green room and wait for our call from the stage manager.
Dismissal Instructions
After Act I (during intermission) all singers will return to the Green
Room to collect their belongings. Then:
1) Singers who have signed permission slips will be dismissed to
leave
on their own.
2) Other singers will be escorted to the Performing Arts Center
main
lobby. Parents should wait in the round lobby area for their
kids. You do not need a ticket to enter the building (the box
office is inside). We will arrive in the lobby almost exactly one
hour after the show time. Note that it will be intermission time;
depnding on the size of the crowd, we may need to wait until the
audience members are returning to their seats before we bring the
singers out.
Special note for Saturday 12/9/06
double show
AYC will not be providing supervision between the 2:30 and 7:30 shows
on Saturday December 9th. We expect Act I of the early show to
end around 3:30pm; the call time for the evening show is 6:15, a gap of
about 3 hours. If your child is singing at both shows, please be
aware that, unlike double shows at the Fox in previous years, there
will not be any planned activities or AYC chaperones between the two
shows. Singers will be dismissed, as described below, after Act I
of the 2:30 show.
There is a sold out concert at the Gwinnett Arena at 7:00pm on
Saturday. We strongly recommend that you avoid travel on
Sugarloaf Parkway when arriving for the evening show. Here is an
alternative travel route from Snellville:
Take Ronald Reagan Pkwy to Bethesda Church Rd and turn right. Continue
until you have crossed Highway 29 and Cruse Road. At the next
intersection after you pass Kanoheda Elementary School turn left on Old
Norcross Rd. Proceed to Boggs Rd (next light) and turn right.
Then turn right on Satellite Boulevard and cross over Highway 120. The
entrance will be about 1/2 mile on your left.
Q&A
Q: We signed up for 4 shows, but would like to do all 6.
Can we do that?
A: Maybe - it depends on how many others are scheduled for the
additional dates, voice part balance, and so on. Email or speak
to Mr. Shoultz.
Q: I signed up for 6 shows, but now I have to miss one.
What do I do?
A: Use the attached schedule to find another Nutcracker singer
who is not already signed up for the show you need to miss, and see if
you can convince them to fill in for you. Because we can
accommodate so few singers for each show, it is very important that you
keep your singing commitment. Every voice is critical.
Q: My daughter drives. Can she drive herself to and from
the shows?
A: That's up to you. In order for her to leave without an
adult, though, you must turn in a signed permission slip authorizing us
to release her.
Q: Is there going to be a sign-out procedure?
A: No. We just want to be sure that we don't leave until
everyone who is expecting a ride has gotten one.
Q: My son is expecting a ride, but it's fine with me if you just
dismiss him after Act I. He can wait by himself until his ride
arrives. Is that OK?
A: Yes. Just sign a permission slip and we will turn him
loose from the holding room after Act I. You are responsible for
him at that point.
Q: We bought tickets for the show, and would like our daughter to
join us after Act I. How do we hook up with her?
A: Either a) sign a permission slip to have her dismissed, and
work out a meeting place with her, or b) don't sign a permission slip,
and we will escort her to the lobby at intermission, where you should
pick her up. Don't forget you'll need a ticket for her too!
Q: Will AYC be providing a snack?
A: No, please be sure singers are appropriately fed before they
arrive.
Q: Will the singers get a bathroom break at any point?
A: Since we will in the green room during Act I until shortly
before we sing, there may be opportunities to use the restroom.
However, there are MANY people in the holding rooms (dancers,
chaperones, stage hands, etc.) all of whom share a small number of
bathrooms. Singers should plan on going from call time to
dismissal without a bathroom break, a span of about 2 hours and 15
minutes. Arrive at the PAC early enough to use the restroom
before the call time.
Q: I forgot to sign a permission slip authorizing AYC to release my
daughter without adult supervision. I'm out of town, and she's at
the PAC calling me to say that AYC will not let her leave because they
don't have a permission slip, even though she drove herself
there. What should I do.
A: Call someone and have them come to the PAC to meet her. For
safety reasons, we will not release her without either a permission
slip or a responsible adult.
Q: Can I get tickets to see Nutcracker performances?
A: Yes! AYC parents get a discount on all tickets. Refer to
our earlier email for instructions about how to get the discount.
Undiscounted tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Q: I'm interested in chaperoning. Do I get a free ticket if
I do? Will I be able to enjoy the show?
A: Well, you do get in free. Unfortunately, you won't be
able to see the show, except on a TV monitor. We are in a
backstage green room during the ballet, until shortly before we go on
stage.
Q: Well, OK, I still want to chaperone, but I'd like to stay after Act
I and watch the rest of the show from the regular audience seats.
Can I do that?
A: If you buy a ticket, you can occupy a seat in the audience.
The choir is backstage during Act I, and chaperone passes will not be
valid for audience seating.
Q: My singer can't be there 1:15 before show time. Is it OK
if we just show up at show time?
A: Of course not. You must be there, ready to sing, at the
call time!
Q: Why aren't we singing at the Fox with the Atlanta Ballet like
we've done for so many years?
A: The Atlanta Ballet decided to disband their orchestra and
perform without live music.
Q: I have more questions; who should I call?
A: Whit Matteson, cell:(404) 273-9755; Home (770) 972-3935 or reply to
this email with your question.