WATERTOWN – Two local non-profit performing arts organizations that have had their live performances on the sidelines due to the pandemic have been given a sweet spot in their “significant” Valentine’s Day plans.
With a mix of classical poetry and traditional singing, both groups not only allow their members to practice their craft but also raise much-needed funds after months in which events have taken place. put off living.
Little Theater of Watertown makes videos that may have a personal message or sample from “love letters of great writers” such as William Shakespeare and Lord Byron.
The Watertown-based North Blend Chorus features Valentine’s song sung by members of the tune, “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You. ”
Leave it to the ‘prose’
In the Little Theater video valentines, for $ 10, people can submit a personal romantic love poem, recited by Little Theater actors, and delivered to the recipient’s email on Valentine’s Day. Visitors can also request a non-personal poem for $ 5. For an additional fee, a personalized video reception can be added.
“With COVID-19 keeping us closed to concerts for the second year in a row, we have very little revenue but we still have bills to pay,” said Amanda Morrison, president of the Little Theater’s board of directors. .
In October, Ms Morrison called the board “thinking outside the box” because it needed fundraisers.
“Valentine (Former president) Cynthia Tyler’s ideas were to use the Valentine messages not just as a fundraiser, but as a way to keep our actors engaged,” Ms Morrison said. “It kicks off a year of fundraising events, virtual shows and unique activity as we wait for the return of traditional, personal theaters. We hope that the community recognizes and remembers the joy of the performing arts for the north and that they continue to support us in the small way so that we can return to the big one again soon. ”
There are 14 non-personal poems to choose from that Little Theater actors can recite and send, such as, “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love,” by Christopher Marlowe; “Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds,” by William Shakespeare and “She Walks in Beauty,” by Lord Byron.
‘How sweet it is’
The original song “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You” by the Northern Blend female cappella group is $ 20 and will also be delivered by email.
Northern Blend director Katie Taylor said the Valentines are in four-part harmony as a way for her singers to use their voices. It has been a year since the group has come together to repeat and their competitions have gone all over the state and country they usually attend because of the pandemic.
“This gives us a goal, and it allows us to be able to help people send a little message to their loved ones, and we can be a little personal with a personalized screen – a message from anyone which directs to the individual directly, ”Ms Taylor said. “We can’t go door to door, and that’s the best way we can do it.”
Ms Taylor began putting together such “significant demonstrations” from last summer. For example, her singers sent the song “A Million Dreams” to local hospital staff and healthcare providers to thank them for their dedicated work.
“And we did one in the summer,“ Count On Me, ”with Bruno Mars, just to thank our friends,” Ms Taylor said.
Ms Taylor makes the videos as her singers voice her singing the songs after she has sent them “learning pathways”.
“They listen in on their headphones and then they sing,” Ms Taylor said, explaining the process of how she makes one video of the same song with voices between -differently recorded in different locations at different times.
“The only thing that was recorded was their voices and they send me these audio recordings and I put them together using my home audio software on my computer,” he said. i. “And then I do one track with all the voices brought together. They then put videos of them singing over them, and I remove the sound from their voices, insert it with the songs’ audio recorder and put it up their mouths, which match. ”
She said, “Putting it together is a lot of work, but my way of doing something like their leader is to inspire them and show them a little bit. “