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• “Ride” the volume. It’s not enough to hit play, pause, stop and forward. You have to keep your hand on
the volume knob through the entire show. It’s axiomatic:
(a) If you can’t hear the cast, turn down the volume.
(b) If the cast can’t hear the music, turn up the volume.
(c) If the music is dramatic underscoring and no one is singing or speaking, turn up the volume.
(And then turn it down in time for the next line.)
• Always pay attention to the dynamics onstage. When the whole company is singing “I’ll Make a Man
out of You” and stomping and grunting and practicing Tai Chi, the volume will need to come up – both
for the audience and the cast. When Mulan is singing “Reflection”… well, you get the idea.
• Use volume for affect. In “No. 38 – Saving China,” for example, the track should be bombastic to
indicate the danger of the situation. And if Mulan, Shang, Shan-Yu and the rest have to shout to be
heard, it will boost the energy of the scene.
• And definitely: rehearse with the same CD player you will use in performance. CD players differ in the
behavior of their controls. And you do not want to get surprised on opening night.

Get the most out of the Accompaniment and Guide Vocal CDs. There is a lot of information in the musical
accompaniments: clues for staging and action, cues for when to sing (and when not to), hints for character and
mood. Study the Accompaniment and Guide Vocal CDs and listen for this information. What happens in the
music right before I’m supposed to sing again? Is the music fast or slow, loud or soft, gentle, aggressive,
suspicious, happy, proud, cool? And how does that affect or reflect what is going on in the play? Often, a
musical underscore will start in one mood and drift into another – what does that tell you about the location or
intention of the scene? Encourage your company to listen for these clues, cues and hints. In what ways does
the music tell the story? For example:
• What does the accompaniment for each group (Fathers, Mothers, Sons and Daughters) in “No. 3 –
Written in Stone (Pt. 2)” tell you about the traditional attitudes of their society?
• In m. 6-32 of “No. 7 – Honor to Us All (Pt. 1),” what is going on musically to underscore the mood of
the scene?
• When Mulan is left alone for “No. 29 – Dishonor to Us All,” what does the music tell you about her
state of mind? Is there anything at the end of the cue to indicate a change of mood?
• What are the musical signposts in “No. 38 – Saving China” that indicate when a character does this or
that, or says a certain line?
The vocal performances on the Guide Vocal CD are a teaching tool, but they are only a guide. Of course, the
recorded vocals are essential to learning the songs, clarifying how dialogue fits over underscoring, and
suggesting lines that might be spoken or sung/spoken. But your cast doesn’t have to imitate these
performances, and you should work with them to help them discover their own interpretations.

Adapt the music to best serve the needs and abilities of your cast. The songs in Mulan JR. are arranged to fit the
tessitura of a fairly wide age range. But one size does not fit all, and there are difficulties – changing and changed
voices, for one. So, pick the octave that works. Try it up; try it down. Try talking the lyric, or if appropriate,
shouting it. Or whispering it. Experiment. If a note at the top or bottom of a melody isn’t strong for Mushu,
change it! If the last chord of “A Girl Worth Fighting For” isn’t bringing down the house, revoice it, or eliminate the
harmony entirely. But change it! Divide big chunks into smaller ones to give more cast members the opportunity to
participate. Add ensemble to group vocals at every opportunity (“Honor to Us All,” “I’ll Make a Man out of You,”
“Keep ‘Em Guessin’,” etc.) to beef up the sound. Girls can sing like Soldiers. Boys can sing in “Honor to Us All.”
The page is not sacrosanct – it is a guide; it is a roadmap to a successful production. And sometimes, you have to
take a detour. Along the way, your cast might be challenged, but by show-time, they shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It
is your job to instill them with confidence, to ensure that they are having fun. And that is not a small job.

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