COMPLETE [PLAY] The White Christmas by Walter Ben Hare - rap

[Rapunzelina]

Looks good
The only thing you missed the reader name for Baltazar.

[BrianFullen]

Looks good
The only thing you missed the reader name for Baltazar.

My thanks to you. My apologies to Big Ed (Texasbookworm42)! Fixed the cast list.

[BrianFullen]

Looks good
The only thing you missed the reader name for Baltazar.

Yikes! So, first I begged Amy to sing - and she did - and then I didn't include her in the credits! I'm so ashamed of myself. Please don't tell her!

[Rapunzelina]

You're in trouble! (That's when you have to double and triple check something until you get it right)

[Salvationist]

Here's Scene 1 for Joseph:

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/whitechristmas_joseph_1.mp3

My apologies for taking so long to get this recorded! I hope I'm getting it to you in time for you to meet your goal of completing this project before Christmas.

[BrianFullen]

Here's Scene 1 for Joseph:

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/whitechristmas_joseph_1.mp3

My apologies for taking so long to get this recorded! I hope I'm getting it to you in time for you to meet your goal of completing this project before Christmas.

Thank you David! I think Christmas came early!

[BrianFullen]

Here's Scene 1 for Joseph:

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/whitechristmas_joseph_1.mp3

My apologies for taking so long to get this recorded! I hope I'm getting it to you in time for you to meet your goal of completing this project before Christmas.

That's fantastic, David, thank you!

[BrianFullen]

I plan to PL the stage directions with the complete recordings, where you'll have finalised which ones you are skipping. Just make a note of those at that time, if there are more than the ones you've already listed.

If it turns out short enough to make one file, my preference would be to include it into a collection, rather than catalogue a short project. It could go to the "one act plays collection" or the Christmas collection, if it's ready in time for that!

I have downloaded 'Lead Kindly Light' for my enjoyment later today. Thank you!

PS. I'm a mediterranean peach

It looks like we might have a shot at folding this into Christmas Short Works Collection 2023, if that would be OK with Devorah, of course. According to her post of a short while ago, it seems that the collection won't wrap until Thursday or Friday. But perhaps she's not planning to include more submissions beyond those that she plans to record. Also, there are those of us on this project who have already contributed our limit (of 2) to that project. But I'm sure she likes you - everyone does, obviously - so, maybe if you asked her ...

I'll have a version Ready for PL tomorrow. I hope you're not too busy tomorrow. I'll try to limit my mistakes ... I'll check it 3 or a dozen times at least ... before I call it ready for you!

[Rapunzelina]

For you, I'll be available!

[BrianFullen]

For you, I'll be available!

https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/whitechristmas_1_hare_128kb.mp3
46:26 is ready for PL.

I'm using an Audacity project [aup3] file that has both a foreground and a background music track. These are synced at the moment. If you call for foreground edits that impact timestamps I should be to re-sync the background fairly quickly.

I do narrate role headings the first time a character speaks within a sequence (like a dialog) but I don’t always narrate them within that sequence if I think the character’s voice identity is established or reestablished for the listener. This play uses a lot of couplets with the first line spoken by one character and its rhyming line by another. As narrator / editor I did not want to disrupt the flow of the dialog any more than necessary.

I do narrate all role headings that imply movement – also stage directions that are interspersed with stanzas delivered by an actor - really anything that a theater goer would see. I think these are playwright cues meant for the actors and director but obviously the audio book listener can’t see the action so I don’t leave these cues out, or at least intentionally.

I interpret some stage directions as instructions to “me” as the editor. For example, if there is a cue that says that one actor interrupt another I tighten the gap in the editing, but I don’t narrate the cue because then it would be “me” the editor who interrupted which doesn’t seem the right thing to do.

Notes for Scene 1

• (Pg 15 / 3:38) "Exit Prologue. Soft chimes. As these chimes die away in the distance a concealed choir is heard singing." I took this as an editing cue so I did not narrate the words “Soft chimes”.
• (Pg 16 / 5:05) "While the choir is singing the last three lines of the song, Simeon and Isaac enter from rear left, leaning on their shepherd's crooks. They pause at rear center and listen to the singing. [b[When the song is finished the organ continues the same music softly."[/b] I did not narrate “When the song...”
• (Pg 16 / 5:19 - 6:53) In the dialog between Simeon and Isaac I omitted role headers for Isaac (5:51, 6:47). I retained all of Simeon's headers because they are associated with some action ("points", "comes") in each instance.
• (Pg 17 / 6:56 - 7:10) "The concealed choir repeats the first stanza of the song softly. After a slight pause Deborah enters from the inn." I took than part as an editing cue..
• (Pg 17 / 7:43) The stage direction "Sees him" in the middle of Deborah's soliloquy is narrated as "Deborah sees him". I believe this is a cue to the actor. I'm not sure why the playwright deemed this important but he did. In the midst of the soliloquy it sounded like an out-of-context command "Seize him!". I thought it more clear to include "Deborah". I do this sort of thing too when there are multiple “actors on the stage” so the listener will be sure which performed an action.
• (Pg 18 / 8:16) "Rachel and Priscilla enter the inn, followed by Deborah. The organ music continues softly. After a slight pause enter Anna from rear left. She leads Ruth and Thomas by the hand." I included the music in the background.
• (Pg 18 / 8:28 - 9:21) For the sequence that has Anna, Ruth and Thomas in the street outside the inn: I omitted role headings at 8:44, 8:47, 8:54 and 9:09. I narrated "Points off right" as "Anna points off right"[/b] (9:02) and, similarly, "Ruth runs out at left" (9:13).
• (Pg 18 / 9:18) "She leads him out at rear R. There is a pause. The music changes to a mysterious plaintive air. The old German song, Holy Night, may be effectively introduced as an organ solo." Omitted all after ‘There is a pause’ and I included the music in the background track.
• (Pg 19 / 10:04) "He wraps his cloak around her and seats her on the bench or stool in front of the manger. He goes out at rear left. The music changes to the Magnificat, to be found in all Episcopal hymnals." Omitted. I don't have a recording for the Magnificat, sometimes called the canticle or song of Mary. Jenn sings it a capella and I think it sounds great so I've left it that way.
• (Pg 20 / 12:56) "Mary Sits in front of the manger." Added Mary.
• (Pg 20 / 13:05) "[b}Joseph[/b] Comes to Deborah at right." Added Joseph.
• (Pg 20 / 13:40) "Laughter and noise at R." Omitted I don't have laughter or noise effects and just decided to omit the cue.
• (Pg 20 / 13:42) "Deborah Goes to R." Added
• (Pg 20 / 13:48) "Deborah Exits into the inn." Added
• (Pg 21 / 14:00) "Mary Bows head." Added
• (Pg 22 / 15:38) “Turns toward manger. Omitted/ I could not think of a way to narrate this cue to the actor without stepping on David’s fine rendition of the song and I could not bring myself to do that. So, I guess I broke my rule about narrating cues that imply action. Truth be told, I don’t have this cue narrated in my raw recording of narrator for scene 1. Maybe it could be relocated from midst to end of song but I’d have to record the cue to do that.

I won’t call out all of the role heading omissions individually in the notes below. I hope that’s okay ...

Notes for Scene 2

• (Pg 15 / 21:32) “Soft chimes are heard. The Shepherds, accompanied by the concealed choir, are heard singing:” Omitted Treated as editor cue.
• (Pg 25 / 23:31) “As the Shepherds begin on the second stanza of the hymn, the curtains rise disclosing the same scene as before. Simeon, Timothy and Isaac discovered seated in a group at rear center, singing. Thomas stands by his father.” I relocated this stage direction to the end of the hymn rather than within it.
• (Pg 28 / 27:10) “Thomas Points up” – Added
• (Pg 28 / 28:10) “Anna Lies down” – Added
• (Pg 29 / 29:49) Here the stage direction simply said "Soft Music" which I found odd given that the playwright seemed to me to be explicit in Scene 1. Alan did not recite “The Lord Is My Shepherd” to beeswaxcandle’s backing track which I think is perfectly fine. I decided to use the backing track here for soft background music.

So, I believe that I followed the same pattern of narration in Scene 3 that I used for the preceding scenes. Maybe the notes up until this point are too much, or maybe not enough. I have only included ones for Scene 3 – I hope that’s okay:

(Pg 36 / 42:59] “Joseph draws back the curtain and reveals the interior of the manger. Mary is seen bending over the crib. The Shepherds are kneeling in the background. Very soft music heard in the distance, with faintly chiming bells at intervals.”. So, again, the playwright was not specific as to music. For this sequence, I chose “Christ Was Born” as a lead in to the singing of this hymn.

And most important: I apologize. When I asked if you'd be available for "tomorrow" that was rather me-centric as far as time zones go. I really hope not to overburden you with PL on this project. I appreciate all that you have done to this point and, hopefully, we are nearly at its end. I'll never be able to thank you enough for your guidance and support. And I'll never be able to sufficiently thank all of the contributors to this project!

[Rapunzelina]

Around 1:10, Priscilla is mentioned, but there is no reader, so it's confusing. I would suggest to either remove Priscilla from the cast of readers, or add something like "unvoiced". It is a cast of the readers for the audiobook after all so you don't really need to have Priscilla; at least that's how I see it.

(Pg 20 / 13:40) "Laughter and noise at R." Omitted :: I think especially because you don't have laughter and noise, this should be included to show the merriment, but still up to you.

Around 44:18, any reason to not include "[sing] with concealed choir"?

I would like to hear a version where the background music is a bit de-amplified - I feel it is a bit close to the point of covering Readers voices currently. Could you export an alternative mp3 file where the background music is about 2-3 decibel de-amplified just to see if that would be an improvement? Thank you!

PS. And in case you didn't know, you did a great job with the editing

[BrianFullen]

Around 1:10, Priscilla is mentioned, but there is no reader, so it's confusing. I would suggest to either remove Priscilla from the cast of readers, or add something like "unvoiced". It is a cast of the readers for the audiobook after all so you don't really need to have Priscilla; at least that's how I see it.

I like the way you see things. Bye, bye Priscilla. I'd say she'll be missed, but she lacked personality. Is that cruel of me to say? She can't really defend herself if she won't speak up!

(Pg 20 / 13:40) "Laughter and noise at R." Omitted :: I think especially because you don't have laughter and noise, this should be included to show the merriment, but still up to you.

You are right of course. Laughter and noise are appropriate for an inn! Merriment (of a sort) is at 13:37

Around 44:18, any reason to not include "[sing] with concealed choir"?

I really should be more reasonable! Alas, I am entirely too whimsical! All are now singing with the unconcealed choir at 44:19

I would like to hear a version where the background music is a bit de-amplified - I feel it is a bit close to the point of covering Readers voices currently. Could you export an alternative mp3 file where the background music is about 2-3 decibel de-amplified just to see if that would be an improvement? Thank you!

Background music lowered by at least 3 dB. Please let me know if you'd like more adjustment. I can reduce just parts of the background music if you wish. Please let me know ...

PS. And in case you didn't know, you did a great job with the editing

What I do know is that you are an angel. As far as I know.

PS, oh my, I forgot to turn off the boldness somewhere along the line in my earlier upload post. I hope you didn't think that I was YELLING at you. Perish that thought!

Revised https://librivox.org/uploads/rapunzelina/whitechristmas_1_hare_128kb.mp3 (48:29) is ready for spot PL.

Thank you.

[BrianFullen]

All, I updated section 1 "assigned to" field. If I absentmindedly left anyone out, please let me know. Thank you.

[Rapunzelina]

oh my, I forgot to turn off the boldness somewhere along the line in my earlier upload post. I hope you didn't think that I was YELLING at you. Perish that thought!

no, I just thought you were very passionate about what you were saying so intense

[Rapunzelina]

(Pg 20 / 13:40) "Laughter and noise at R." Omitted :: I think especially because you don't have laughter and noise, this should be included to show the merriment, but still up to you.

You are right of course. Laughter and noise are appropriate for an inn! Merriment (of a sort) is at 13:37

You have "Laughter and music" instead of "Laughter and noise" if that's something you'd like to change.

I would like to hear a version where the background music is a bit de-amplified - I feel it is a bit close to the point of covering Readers voices currently. Could you export an alternative mp3 file where the background music is about 2-3 decibel de-amplified just to see if that would be an improvement? Thank you!

Background music lowered by at least 3 dB. Please let me know if you'd like more adjustment. I can reduce just parts of the background music if you wish. Please let me know ...

I think I like it better like this, when the background music is mellower. What is your opinion? As this is your work of art, I wouldn't want to force a decision on you. I did want to hear the alternative, but the final decision is yours.



PS. Waiting on a reply from mightyfelix to see if we can fit in the Christmas collection~~