Performer Instructions

That Morning Thing includes three acts and an epilogue.

Here are instructions for Acts I & III

ACT I

WOMEN’S POSITIONS

8 women are described in the score-diagrams as either “Standing” or “Moving.” “Standing” are in place “on stage” when the audience comes in. “Moving” women are in place “off stage” and are then directed by the men who ‘count’ to move them around on stage.

“Off stage” means at the sides of the performance area, but clearly in view of the audience.

The purpose of moving the women around is to put two corresponding women in hand-to-hand contact so that the lights in their sunglasses blink — and allow the audience to look at them.

MEN COUNTING

Each man is counting, their voices are heard via a small loudspeaker located on the stage.

Each man is the “director” for one of the MOVING women. He directs her around on stage by means of a counting code.

Once again – ‘The purpose of moving the women around is to put two women in hand-to-hand contact so that the lights in their sunglasses blink — and allow the audience to look at them’.

 The counting code for the man counting and the woman being directed is:

“one”          (rest)                                     means move “ahead”

“one”   “two”  (rest)                                 means “turn left” (in place)

“one”   “two”   “three”   (rest)                  means “turn right” (in place)

“one”   “two”   “three”  “four”   (rest)       means “turn around” (in place)

“one”   “two”   “three”  “four”  “five”  (NO REST) means hand-to-hand contact with

another woman (the lights blink).

The most common direction is  “one” (rest), move ahead. The left/right/turn around directions cause the woman to stop moving forward and to turn to face in a new direction. Then, the forward direction begins again.

                                                                       

The (rest) has the same duration in the measure as is the spoken number. So, for instance, the “one” “two” (rest) direction [meaning: turn left] is three equal beats.

When the corresponding women make hand-to-hand contact, it  is maintained for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, the counting instruction — “one”       “two”          “three”  “four” (rest) — tells the woman to:

take a step back and to turn around and go away from hand contact.

The man counting determines the duration of the hand-to-hand contact.

The  “one”  “two”  “three”  “four” (rest) instruction can be used at other times, simply to direct the woman to another direction of movement.

WOMEN – STYLE OF MOVEMENT

1) two feet together

2) one foot forward for one step. The step is just the length of the foot.

3) other foot forward, to “two feet together” position

4) repeat this, alternating which foot goes forward

The woman’s speed is TOTALLY INDEPENDENT of the man’s counting speed.

Because of this move-technique the women all move more or less at the same speed.

ACT III

WOMEN “QUESTIONS, DIRECTOR “ANSWERS”

When the “Man in the White Suit” (Director) appears on stage,

the WOMEN ask him “Questions” into their microphones.

The questions are mainly geography-philosophy questions:

e.g.,   How do I get to Grand Army Plaza?                   
        Where are the Cloisters?                                  

         Why are they way up there?                            

Where is the Upper East Side?                                   

Fast Forward will compose “answers” to be spoken into his microphone.

The answers can be unusual.

Question-and-answer combinations takes 30 seconds each — maybe

Some Questions will be asked while the previous question is being answered.

end.