Applications now being accepted for Willy Wonka Jr.

IDEA Entertainment is now accepting early applications for our Spring 2008 musical: Willy Wonka Jr.

Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this stage adaptation of “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory,” which features the songs from the classic family film “Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory.”

All of your favorite characters and songs (including “The Candy Man” and “Pure Imagination”) are featured in this show that overflows with music, comedy and heart. The memorable score by Leslie Bricusse (Jekyll & Hyde, Doctor Dolittle) and Anthony Newley, augmented by several new songs, has been neatly fitted into a new script adapted under the auspices of the Roald Dahl Estate.

Rehearsals will be Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Hart Academy of Dance in La Habra beginning in February.

Performances will be in May at the Curtis Theatre in Brea.

Provide your child's name, age, performance experience and contact information to us at IDEAshows@aol.com and click on the "Buy Now" link below to pay by credit card, or send your $200 tuition check to IDEA Entertainment, 1351 Titan Way, Brea, CA 92821

Human Heart Choreography

Thanks Sophia, for helping Ms. Sabrina make this video.

Ti Moune's Dance Breakdown

Here is the Ti Moune's Dance choreography broken down into 3 parts for you to use when practicing at home.

Our next post will have the full dance at real speed with the music.

"We Dance"

Here's video of last week's (Sept 22nd) choreography.

Remember to practice singing WHILE you practice the dancing!

Why We Tell the Story

Sorry this is so late....

Mama Will Provide Rehearsal Video

Great first rehearsal everybody! Please practice this choreography this week and don't forget to practice the two songs we worked on: We Tell The Story, & We Dance. Parents, call us if you have any questions, or e-mail: IDEAshows@aol.com We'll see you all next Saturday!

IDEA Rocks Disney Pictures

Please share your photos with us so we can include them in this slide show!

IDEA Rocks Disney a Summer Splash!

Our first Summer Workshop was huge fun and a huge success.

Highlighting the songs from High School Musical and some other favorite Disney movies, our cast of 32 kids really worked hard to learn all of their great dances in only 8 weeks.

But with only one rehearsal on the main stage at the Curtis, the show went off without a hitch and the audiences really loved it!

Thanks to all the parents and of course our great cast.

DVDs are available for pick-up for all of you who pre-ordered. Also, we have a few extra copies if anyone forgot to order.

"Getcha Head in the Game"

You guys seemed to really enjoy this choreography. Have fun practicing at home and don't forget to practice ALL of the dances posted here.

5 WEEKS UNTIL PERFORMANCE!

"We're all in this Together" Choreography Video

Hey guys! Please practice with this video every day if you can and go over the parts that you are getting hung up on. If we can really practice this dance and perfect it... it will BLOW THE AUDIENCE AWAY! You guys are doing great! See you next Saturday.

"Bop to the Top" Choreography Video

You guys had a GREAT rehearsal today! "Bop to the Top" already looks pretty good and the choreography is not too tough so you should be able to practice this and make it look perfect!

"Start of Something New" Choreography

Under the Sea choreography

"Status Quo" Rehearsal Video

Hi Kids! Great rehearsal on Saturday... we really got a lot done. Here is the first video for you to practice with. Remeber: You are looking into the mirror in this video so use your arms and legs in the same way you would if you were looking into a mirror at the rehearsal room.

More to come....

IDEA Entertainment announce Summer production!

Join us for a Summer workshop program featuring songs from favorite Disney movies including Mulan, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Pocahontas as well as popular selections from High School Musical!

Rehearsals begin June 30th
Performances August 25th & 26th

EVERY KID PLAYS A PART!

E-mail IDEAshows@aol.com for further information and to submit an application.

Seussical Jr. Pictures

Please send us your pictures so we can include them in this slideshow!

Gertrude and Maizie...

Sorry for the delay everybody! Here is the video of last week's dance. We have only one or two more to learn and then we can start running the show from the beginning!!!

Don't forget that this is a shot of the rehearsal from straight on... NO MIRROR... so you have to do the opposite hands and feet.

Three new videos...

Here are three new rehersal videos from Saturday, March 17th...

1. Here on Who
2. Monkey Around
3. Jungle of Nool (This is a cleaner image of Ms. Sabrina doing the chreography, so use this one to practice instead of the video posted last week.)

Thank you for all of your hard work and please rehearse while we are on break this week!!!

Biggest Blame Fool... Rehearsal #4

Here's the video from this past Saturday (3/10/07). Pleas remember to follow Ms. Sabrina's image in the mirror just like you would at rehearsal.

Oh the Thinks... 3rd Rehearsal

Here's the video from this past rehearsal. "Oh the Thinks" is looking great! You guys have REALLY been practicing! Thanks for all of your hard work.

Egg, Nest and Tree Choreography Video

Here's a video of the new choreography from this past Saturday (March 3). Please note that Ms. Sabrina has made some changes to the "Egg, Nest and Tree" steps and arm movements.

This video includes:

1. The "Bird Girl" dance at the beginning of the song
2. The "Egg, Nest and Tree" dance that the "Nool Animals" and the "Whos" dance in the circle around Horton in the nest.
3. "Amazing Horton" which the "Whos" perform with Mayzie.

Oh the Thinks you can Think... Full Dance Breakdown.

Please use this video to practice the dancxe for Oh the Thinks...

2nd Rehearsal Video

Here's the video from this past Saturday (the 24th). If you take a look at last week's rehearsal, you can really see how much you've all improved thanks to all of your hard work! GREAT JOB everyone! You are doing a wonderful job and Ms. Sabrina and I are so proud of you.

Stay tuned for further details including rehearsal schedule for this Saturday and casting information!

Updates coming....

Ms. Sabrina and I are working on the casting information and we hope to have things complete soon so please stay tuned....

Also, later today I will post a copy of the dance rehearsal from Saturday so you can practice the end of "Oh the Thinks..." You guys really looked great in this dance on Saturday. I can wait for you to see it!

Hang in there and stay tuned for updates...

"Oh the Thinks... " Dance Breakdown

Hi Team!

Here is Ms. Sabrina's breakdown of the choreography from Oh The Thinks...

Please refer to this to practice at home. It will remain posted here for the remainder of the rehearsal process.

1st Rehearsal Video ("Oh The Thinks You Can Think" Part 1)

Great Rehearsal Everybody!

Here is the reference video taken from yesterday's dance session. Ms. Sabrina wanted me to let you know that later today we will be posting a video of her breaking this dance down section by section.

Also, for the parents of some of our younger cast members: Don't worry about them getting EVERY move. This is about them getting out there and having fun!

More later....

Oh... one more thing....

Don't forget to have fun at rehearsal!!!!

(There's a reason why they call it a play) :)

Oh the Thinks you can Think...

OK Everybody... this Saturday will be the first rehearsal and you all have your scripts and CDs so you should be pretty familiar with the show by now.

On Saturday we are going to spend the first part of rehearsal with some introductions and some brief explanation of how the process of putting on our show is going to go.

Then, we will be singing through the opening number: Oh the Thinks You Can Think!. Please try to listen to this song (track #2 on your CD) a lot this week so you are familiar with it.

Ms. Sabrina will also be teaching you the basic dance move for this song so remember to wear the appropriate clothing for dance rehearsals.

Also, we will be passing out CDs for everyone which contain the final tracks of the show. For some reason, these tracks did not record properly on the original CDs.

Finally, please be sure to bring a signed and completed GREEN form to rehearsal. It's important for us to have those on file for each of you.

We can't wait to see you all... this is our biggest cast yet and we can't wait to feel that great energy at rehearsal this Saturday!

Seussical Rehearsal Info.

Hi Everyone,

We're so excited for this show and hope you are all enjoying the music. We will have the last 4 tracks for everyone at the 1st rehearsal. Please read thru this email and reply so that we know we have your email addresses correct. It's the best way to keep us all up to date.

We would like to add an extra hour of rehearsal beginning March 3rd. This is discussed in detail below.* Your child would only be required for either 2-4pm or 3-5pm based on which songs they are in, but they are welcome to be there the entire time.

Our first rehearsal is next Saturday February 17th from 3-5pm at HART Dance Academy in La Habra. The address is 1100-C S. Cypress Street, La Habra 90631.

We will begin promptly at 3pm and after warming up and getting to know each other a bit we'll be working on the Opening Number "Oh The Thinks You Can Think". If any children want to sing solo lines they can audition at the 1st or 2nd rehearsal.

Here are some things we need...

1. If you haven't turned it in...bring the GREEN Emergency form from your packet so your child(ren) can participate. I've attached it again in case you need it. Fill out both sides.

2. The children need to wear clothes they can stretch and dance in and close-toed shoes that stay on. (Tennis shoes or dance shoes are great.)

3. You should feed the children before because we can not eat in the studio. Do send them with a closeable water bottle with their name.

4. If you are dropping your child off please return by 4:55pm for announcements.

5. *Beginning March 3rd some groups will be called from 2-4pm and others from 3-5pm. Please let us know if you can not be at any rehearsal at 2pm since that is an earlier time and we will try to put your child's group in the 3-5 time frame on those days.

6. We will be taking headshot photos for the program at the first 2 rehearsals.

All of the email announcements we send will also be posted on our blog at www.showsforkids.blogspot.com so that you can reference them beginning next week in case the emails ever get lost in cyber space. It'll be good to check the blog each week because we'll also be posting what we learned at rehearsals.

Please call or email if you have any questions.

See you on the 17th,

Ms. Sabrina

Happy Groundhog Day!

I hope you like this video. Can you guess who the lead singer is? What show do you know him from?

Oops! YouTube pulled the video, but you can see it here.

Notice Me Horton...

Akayla mentioned that she likes Notice Me Horton and I have to agree with her... big time! When I first started listening to the CD I really liked Oh the Thinks You Can Think, and It's Possible... but the more I listen to Notice Me Horton, I really think it's great!

Especially the part when Gertrude and Horton sing together.

Any way, for all of you interested in playing Gertrude, start learning that song NOW!

And here's a video of a really cute rendition, though I think the actress went a little overboard with her "Bird Character" voice in the beginning of the song!

FOUR WEEKS AND COUNTING!!!

Oh my goodness! Four weeks until our first rehearsal!

I've spent much of the last few days dropping off scripts and CDs to many of you and I am so happy to see all of you again. I was especially jazzed by Rachel's excitement today when I gave her a production package. She was jumping up and down with enthusiasm at the front door! I can't wait to see that kind of energy at rehearsal!

Here is a video of a professional production of Seussical. It looks really cool:



We won't be able to do a lot of the things these guys do, in terms of set and costume, but it really has given us some great ideas.

For those of you who have not yet registered... please do it now. We have all of the scripts and music CDs and you could be learning the show now while you wait for 1st rehearsal!

Talk to you all soon!

Five weeks until first rehearsal!!!

Wow, kids! Can you believe we're already about five weeks away from our first rehearsal? I can't!

I'd love to get some e-mails from you guys or some comments on the blog here letting me know what you think of the Seussical music. Do you have a favorite song yet?

I found this video on YouTube of a high school theatre group doing a song from Seussical. It may help you imagine what the show might end up looking like:

Ms. Sabrina and E.J. are home.

Here he is at 2 days old gazing up at his siblings who were singing to him and a close-up of the same moment. Yes, Christian is naked (thank goodness for cropping). It's hopefully a short lived anti-clothing phase : )

Newest member of the IDEA Entertainment creative team!

Hi everyone! I'm pleased to announce that our little baby boy was born yesterday without any trouble!

Evan James (EJ) O'Connor
1-8-07 (Elvis' and David Bowie's birthday!)
8 lbs. 5 oz.
19.5 inches.

He and Sabrina are doing well and resting.

Hundreds of pictures to follow!


Just as little baby Christian was at all of our rehearsals two years ago, EJ will be advising us all during the Seussical rehearsal process as well! We look forward to having as much help as possible keeping Christian occupied while Mr. Larry carries EJ around all the time. Ms. Sabrina will also have a few dance helpers so you will all still learn your dances when she has to feed the baby.

Thanks to all for your prayers and sit tight for all of those pictures!!!

Seussical Jr. plans going forward...

Scripts and materials are already being handed out for our next big show: Seussical Jr.!! This is a great opportunity for all cast members to be familiar with the materials BEFORE the first rehearsal. It will certainly make learning the show that much easier if you can get a head-start.

As of December 30th, Ms. Sabrina had already received registrations for half of our anticipated cast of 40 performers!

For those of you still planning on joining our cast, but have not yet submitted your registration... DO IT NOW!!!! Remember: Unlike other theatrical programs for young performers, IDEA Entertainment will NOT over-book our cast. We believe that the most fulfilling experience for our students, and for the best opportunity to provide solos and special theatrical moments for each actor is to limit our cast size. Where other productions such as ours have over 100 performers on stage, we will be limiting Seussical Jr. to a maximum of 42 performers.

Godspell Jr. Pictures

Please send us your pictures so we can include them in this slideshow!