TheatreFace.com Colin Mochrie and Brad

Transcription

• Expanded Summer
Study Directory
TheatreFace.com
• StageNorth’s A.D. Talks About
Community Involvement
www.stage-directions.com
Colin Mochrie and
Brad Sherwood talk
about the risks
and rewards of not
thinking things
through
JANUARY 2010
Table Of Contents
J A N U A R Y
2 0 1 0
17
8
Features
Departments
8 Lights, Rigging, Action
5 In the Greenroom
The annual stage tech lovefest, LDI, brought new gear, new connections to Orlando. By Jacob Coakley
10 Summer Study Directory
Our annual directory for everyone who wants to keep their theatre skills honed during the sultry summer months.
15 M a c G y v e r s of Improv
Brad Sherwood & Colin Mochrie take their mad improv skills to
new heights every night. By Bryan Reesman
Special Section: Projection
17 Projecting to The Balcony
A media server supports a black box production of The Balcony
at University of Texas, El Paso. By Hideaki Tsutsui
20 Digital DIY
Finding a digital projection set-up that meets your venue’s
needs. By Lisa Mulcahy
CalShakes’ A.D. Moscone wins inaugural Zelda Fichandler
award, Portland Actors Conservatory distributes first federal
financial aid, shakeup at the top of Actors’ Equity and more.
28 Answer Box
StageNorth Theater aims to get its audience to do more than
just watch the plays. By Jacob Coakley
Columns
4 Editor’s Note
Newsflash: It’s still really hard to make a living in theatre. By
Jacob Coakley
24 TD Talk
A neo-Luddite confesses his fall from grace and his seduction at
the hands of sweet, sweet convenience. By Dave McGinnis
25 The Play’s the Thing
Guides for success on and off stage. By Stephen Peithman
23 Projection Directory
• Expanded Summer
Study Directory
Community Involvement
A directory of projector and projection materials manufacturers
and distributors.
ON OUR COVER: Improv team Brad Sherwood & Colin Mochrie
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: Mills Entertainment
02-03.300.0110.indd 2
TheatreFace.com
• StageNorth’s A.D. Talks About
www.stage-directions.com
JANUARY 2010
Colin Mochrie and
Brad Sherwood talk
about the risks
and rewards of not
thinking things
through
12/23/09 10:59 AM
Publisher Terry Lowe
tlowe@stage-directions.com
Editor Jacob Coakley
jcoakley@stage-directions.com
Audio Editor Jason Pritchard
jpritchard@stage-directions.com
Lighting & Staging Editor Richard Cadena
rcadena@plsn.com
New York Editor Bryan Reesman
bryan@stage-directions.com
Editorial Assistant Victoria Laabs
vl@plsn.com
Contributing Writers Dave McGinnis, Lisa Mulcahy, Stephen Peithman, Bryan Reesman, Hideaki Tsutsui
Consulting Editor Stephen Peithman ART
Art Director Garret Petrov
Production
Production Manager Linda Evans
levans@stage-directions.com
WEB
Web Designer Josh Harris
ADVERTISING
Advertising Director Greg Gallardo
gregg@stage-directions.com
National Sales Manager James Leasing
jleasing@stage-directions.com
Audio Advertising Manager Jeff Donnenwerth
jd@stage-directions.com
Sales Manager Matt Huber
mh@stage-directions.com
OPERATIONS
General Manager William Vanyo
wvanyo@stage-directions.com
CIRCULATION
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Stage Directions (ISSN: 1047-1901) Volume 23, Number 1 Published monthly by Timeless Communications Corp., 6000 South Eastern Ave., Suite 14J, Las Vegas, NV 89119. It is distributed free
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02-03.300.0110.indd 3
12/23/09 11:25 AM
Editor’s Note
When Life Hands you Mellons. . .
Newsflash: It’s still really hard to make a living in theatre
Dan Hernandez
I
recently had the pleasure of chatting
with Janet Neipris on TheatreFace.com.
Janet is Chair of Graduate Playwriting
and Screenwriting in the Department of
Dramatic Writing, at NYU’s Tisch School of
the Arts, in addition to being a successful
playwright herself. In our talk about writing
(and re-writing) Janet told me about a note she keeps posted
above her computer monitor. It reads: “No one asked you to be
a playwright.”
I thought about that this week as I read more about why the
Mellon foundation has been changing their grant-giving support the past couple years.
Frankly, some of the quotes have been a little depressing.
Here’s one from the Mellon Foundation’s paper “New Plays
Initiative”, which details why they’re changing their support
of new works, quoting an Artistic Director they spoke to: “The
underlying assumption is that artists will not make their living
in the nonprofit theatre, [or] for the most part in the commercial
theatre either, that you’ll make your living in television or teaching, and that you’ll slum with us.”
From another Mellon paper, here’s one of the ways Gigi Bolt,
former director of the theatre program at the N.E.A., summed up
artistic responses to an early draft of the Theatre Development
Fund’s upcoming book Outrageous Fortune: The Life & Times of
the New American Play and David Dower’s study of new play
development titled The Gates of Opporunity: “The conversation
frequently touched on the nearly impossible economic viability
of a career in the theater for playwrights and other artists.”
I have neither the space nor resources to propose and analyze possible solutions for this problem here, as they hinge on
issues of race, class, wealth and more. For more conversation
about this where people have the space to pull in numbers, and
make long reasoned arguments, search #newplay on search.
twitter.com, which will point to a bunch of papers (including
those above), blog posts and Web conversations about this.
Add to this the fact that I don’t think it’s particularly news to
anyone that it’s nearly impossible to make a living in the theatre.
Which is why for me it all comes back to Janet’s quote. Because
no one asked me to be a playwright. And if I remember that—if
I remember that this is a choice I’m making—I’m no longer a
victim. Yes, the system may be flawed. But that doesn’t mean it
can’t be improved. (And thank goodness for the Mellon foundation and other for trying to improve it.) It’s my choice to stay. Or
not. If I choose to stay though, then I’d better come up with ways
to make the best possible solution for myself—because as smart
as everyone is, no one’s built Utopia yet. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, there
are problems. But no one asked me to be a playwright.
Jacob Coakley
jcoakley@stage-directions.com
4 January 2010 • www.stage-directions.com
04.300.0110.indd 4
12/22/09 4:28 PM
In the Greenroom
Emerging playwright Marisa Wegrzyn received the 2009
Wasserstein Prize for her play Hickorydickory on Dec. 1.
Funded by the Educational Foundation of America (EFA)
and administered by Theatre Development Fund, the
Wasserstein Prize was established in memory of the Pulitzer
and Tony Award-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein,
who died in 2006. The $25,000 prize is awarded for an
outstanding script by a young woman who has not yet
received national attention. It is hoped that the prize, which
was first awarded in 2007, will ease financial pressures on
the recipient and provide her with national exposure and
encouragement.
Upon winning the prize, Marisa Wegrzyn, a Chicagobased playwright, remarked, “I’m thrilled to win the
Wasserstein Prize for Hickorydickory. I can take a break from
worrying about the rent and get back to writing. If it helps
get the script into the right hands, that would be tremendous. Either way, it’s incredibly generous and encouraging.”
CalShakes A.D. Moscone Wins Inaugural Zelda Fichandler Award
California Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jonathan
Moscone was named the inaugural recipient of the Zelda
Fichandler Award by the Stage Directors and Choreographers
Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors
and Choreographers Society (SDC). The award, which carries with
it a $5,000 cash prize, was presented on Sunday, December 6 at
SDC’s 50th anniversary west coast celebration by Gordon Davidson,
founding artistic director of Los Angeles’s Center Theatre Group.
“I am a little stunned and very honored to get this award. I
am grateful to SDC for recognizing the work of those of us in the
regional theatre, and I hope to do well by this award, and to live
up to ideals of Zelda Fichandler as I continue my work at California
Shakespeare Theater,” said Moscone.
Named after Zelda Fichandler, one of the founders of the
American regional theatre movement, the Award recognizes an
outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the
regional arts landscape through their singular creativity and artistry
in theatre.
theatre buzz
Marisa Wegrzyn Named 2009 Wasserstein Prize Winner
theatre buzz
Portland Actors Conservatory Receives First Federal Financial Aid
Portland Actors Conservatory is now authorized to disburse
up to a projected $107,000 in Federal funding for students
admitted to its Two Year Conservatory program upon completion of that FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
One year after the Board of Directors voted to begin the application process, the Conservatory has received its first disbursement of Title IV funds from Federal Financial Aid.
“Providing federal financial aid increases the accessibility of our Conservatory program immeasurably,” said Nurella
Doumitt, executive director. “A fulltime study of acting is now
possible for a great number of people for whom it would have
been previously unthinkable.”
The projected funds allow for a financial aid award of up to
$14,850 per student. This sum covers the $8,500 annual tuition,
as well as living, travel, books, and other
expenses. The school’s ability to disburse
Title IV Federal funds was contingent
upon the Conservatory’s approved
accreditation though the National
Association of Schools of Theatre, which
it obtained in 2008.
This academic year also marked
the migration of Portland Actors
Conservatory’s Two Year Conservatory
program from an evening basis to a fulltime day program. The Portland Actors
Conservatory celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Production
Resource
Group Acquires
Procon
Production Resource Group,
L.L.C. (PRG), a leading supplier
of entertainment technology
solutions (they got their first big
break by installing the chandelier for the Broadway production The Phantom of the Opera
and now are one of the largest
stage technology companies
in the world) acquired Procon
MultiMedia Aktiengesellschaft
AG (Procon), a major Europebased entertainment technology company. PRG’s worldwide
presence will extend into territories now served by Procon,
including Germany, France,
Belgium, Switzerland, China
and South Africa.
“PRG has become a truly
global brand,” said PRG
Chairman & CEO Jeremiah
“Jere” Harris. “By acquiring Procon we will be able
to offer our customers access
to resources anywhere in the
world, customized to their
needs with local support.”
6
January 2010 • www.stage-directions.com
changing roles
Big Changes in Actors’ Equity Top Leadership
Within weeks of each other John P. Connolly left
his position as executive director of Actors’ Equity
Association and Mark S. Zimmerman resigned as
president of the org. Both cited a desire to spend
more time on stage. Connolly leaves his position four
months before his term was set to expire. Equity has
appointed Carol Waaser to serve as acting executive
director.
“My experience here at Equity
has been an extraordinary and
exciting opportunity that has
meant a great deal to me as
a union leader and member,”
Connolly said in a statement on
the Equity Web site. “But these
three years have also taught me
how much I truly long to return
to the stage and screen as an
artist… But the most compelling reason for this decision has
been the too frequent and long
separations from my lovely wife
Bronni, since our primary home
is in California and the bulk of
my work has been at Equity
headquarters in New York.”
Connolly, who assumed
the role of executive director
in 2007, came to Equity after
the sudden death of Equity
President and Executive Director
Designee Patrick Quinn.
Shortly after commenting on Connolly’s departure,
Zimmerman announced his
own.
“I didn’t go into this business
to be a president of a union.
I did it to be an actor. I miss
that, and I want to devote my
time to doing what I love,”
Zimmerman wrote in his statement. Zimmerman is currently
in the Broadway company of
West Side Story.
A member of Equity since
1976, Zimmerman stepped into
the role of president in 2006
when then-president Patrick
Quinn resigned from the position to become the executive director of actors’ Equity
Association. Zimmerman then
led the union through the difficult time following Quinn’s
sudden passing and the extended search for a
new executive director. Under his leadership, Equity
achieved a 401K plan for its members through collective bargaining and, together with his fellow officers
and executive staff, conducted expanded regional
board meetings from which the Union’s strategic
long term plan was set.
www.stage-directions.com • January 2010
7
Light on the Subject
|
By Jacob Coakley
Lights, Rigging, Action
The LDI 2009 show floor.
The annual stage tech lovefest, LDI, brought new gear, new connections to Orlando.
T
his year’s LDI took place Nov. 20-22 in Orlando, Fla. In
recent years, when the trade show has taken place in
Orlando (as opposed to Las Vegas—LDI alternates locations each year) it has been a smaller affair, with less companies exhibiting. That trend held true this year, but whether
it was because the show was in Orlando or these trying economic times is anybody’s guess. At last year’s tech breakfasts
people were boasting about how the entertainment technology industry was coming through the recession unscathed.
That was not the case this year. But, while attendance may
have been down the company reps I spoke to didn’t seem too
concerned about it—“separating the wheat from the chaff”
was how many put it. The people who did attend were the
true pros, the dedicated designers, techs and technical directors looking to actually buy gear and supplies and use them,
not just “lookie-loos.”
And if the show floor occupied a smaller footprint, it certainly didn’t affect the output of new gear. I criss-crossed this
show floor more than I have in recent years as I tried to take
in all the new stuff—and there was a lot of it. So, without further ado, here’s
www.stage-directions.com/LDI2009
a rundown of
everything new
and notable at
this year’s LDI.
ONLINE BONUS!
For an expanded version of this article,
along with pics for each product mentioned, visit www.stage-directions.com/
LDI2009
8
Lighting
Some of the
biggest buzz of
the show was
over—surprise, surprise—LED products. Whether it was
Chauvet’s 17—17!—new products, Prism Projection’s Reveal
CW color wash LED fixture or Robert Juliat’s prototype of an
LED Profile fixture, LED units are increasingly moving from
concert/DJ/architecture applications into the realm of theatrical production.
Chauvet expanded their Colorado line of wash fixtures,
including the Colorado 1-Tri Tour and the Colorado 2VWZ
Tour. The Colorado 1-Tri tour model features tri-color LEDs to
eliminate multi-colored shadows, so you can use the unit on
stage and not have to worry about your colors fracturing. The
Colorado 2VWZ unit features white and amber mixing to get
a better color rendering index (CRI measures how well a given
light source renders colors compared to an incandescent
source at 3200K or a daylight source at 5600K). Chauvet also
played with the dimming curve to better match conventional
lighting.
Prism Projection was a new company at LDI this year and
they were showing off their new Reveal CW, an LED wash
fixture with a flat beam and hard edges—they compare it
most closely to a Plano-Convex Spotlight. It has RGBCA LEDs
in the unit and uses proprietary closed-loop optical sensing
and feedback control projection optics that mix the colors, so
there are no multi-colored shadows and no hot spots.
Robert Juliat’s prototype impressed a lot of people, but
that’s just about all I’m allowed to say about that, except to
say that they project a launch in early 2010.
LEDs weren’t the only green game in town, though. A
couple different manufacturers were also showing off their
units powered by “LiFi” technology. The new Nemo line from
8-9.300.0110.indd 8
12/22/09 3:01 PM
All Photography by Richard Cadena
For example, ETC, known for their
lighting, made a big leap into rigging.
Their first new products under the ETC
Rigging umbrella are the fixed-speed
Prodigy hoist systems and QuickTouch
controls. Standard technical features
include: slack-line detection, status
feedback, load cells, and absolute
position encoders. Their target market
covers grade school through college
theatres as well as community theatres—all systems with a large percentage of volunteer or trainee participation—and they wanted to include
as many safeguards as possible. The
ETC entered the rigging market with the debut of their Prodigy Hoist
engineers also came up with a smallSystem (shown here) and their QuickTouch controls.
er power head and a unique cable
management system that allows the
SeaChanger utilizes a LiFi plasma source (the “tic-tac” lamp) Prodigy hoist system to retract into 30 inches of plenum
to deliver 10,000 lumens out of the fixture while using only space. And, thanks to their compression tube backbone, no
285 watts of power. The Nemo dichroic color engine can additional lateral-loads are placed on buildings.
create lots of saturated and reproducible colors with whiteJ.R. Clancy wasn’t resting on their laurels, either. They
to-full saturation color transitions in less than one second. debuted their Altus controller, which can control up to 36
The dichroic filters provide higher transmission efficiency hoists, each with individual ramp speeds and features a touch
than gels and their resistance to high temperature eliminates screen allowing students to create up to 200 cues. They also
the need for noisy fans. It’s available in a profile and wash were exhibiting their new SureBrake II for the Powerlift Hoist
configuration.
systems. It’s a spring-applied, electric release brake that
allows operators greater opportunity to ramp up the speed
of the hoist without any compromise to safety. Additionally,
the brake’s electronic processor is separate from the control
system, so it can still function if something happens with the
control unit. And of course its default position is locked, so,
should power get cut, it automatically closes, stopping any
moving battens.
In other high-flying news, ZFX Flying Effects showed off
There was also plenty at the show in lighting beyond the fruits of their partnership with Stage Technologies: a
new sources. GAM Products continues to help out designers control system that lets them do multi-axis, automated flying
everywhere with their Prismo. With its three- or five-faceted effects.
prism the Prismo is a quick way to add motion and color to
At the intersection of rigging and lights was the RSC
your gobos. It slots into the gel frame of an ellipsoidal and Lightlock from Total Structures. Developed by the Royal
has variable speed settings. It sounds simple, because it is, Shakespeare Company to stop flown moving lights from
but the reaction from LD’s visiting the booth was immediate swaying when the lights swung around, the Lightlock dampand enthusiastic.
ens all the recoil from a moving fixture so that the fixtures can
Osram/Sylvania showed a PAR 64 lamp that’ll help both still hit their mark.
stagehands and the environment. The aluPAR 64 Wide Flood
lamp changes the design of their PAR lamp. Instead of spray- Production
ing an aluminum coating on glass, the back of the lamp is
On the safety side of things, Rosco expanded their Flamex
completely aluminum. This modification results in a lower- line of flame retardant paint so that you can now use it on
weight, no light-leakage from the back of the par as the alu- delicate fabrics, paper and cardboard. It meets flame retarminum coating flakes off and less heat directed forwards, so dant registration requirements in California and New York.
gels last longer. Additionally, since the back is aluminum, the
Rose Fabrics won the award for Best Debuting Product
units can easily be recycled by separating the glass from the this year for their Precision Cut Fabric. They’ll take your CAD
aluminum back and recycling each component.
or vector drawing and produce cut fabric from it within tight
Lightronics introduced two new ellipsoidals at the show. tolerances and high repeatability. They also stepped up their
One has a 15°-30° zoom, the other a 25°-50°. Both use a tradi- green feelings this year with Verde Velour, made from 75%
tional halogen light source up to 750 watts.
bamboo—which grows rapidly with no pesticides or need
for replanting. The velour is 100% biodegradable. They’ve
Rigging
also started a line of Furoshiki Wrap cloth. The idea is to reBut LDI wasn’t only about lighting. There were some other purpose specialty fabric remnants from their factory floor and
fairly significant announcements made at the show, and a lot offer them as specialized wrapping paper to keep them out of
of them focused around rigging.
the trash. Now that’s out of the box thinking.
Some of the biggest buzz of the
show was over—surprise, surprise—LED products.
8-9.300.0110.indd 9
9
12/22/09 3:01 PM
SUMMER PROGRAM DIRECTORY
ACTeen -- Acting
For Teens: Summer
Academies
35 W. 45th St.
New York, NY 10036
P: 212-391-5915
F: 212-768-8918
W: www.acteen.com
Programs: June
Academy, June 21-July
1; July Academy, July
5 to July 29; August
Academy, August 2 to
August 18, Summer
Saturday Program, July
10 to August 14.
American Academy Of
Dramatic Arts: Summer Program
120 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
P: 800-463-8990
W: www.aada.org
Programs: Six week
course offered June
28 - August 6. Multiple
two-week intensives
also offered during that
time period.
American Academy of
Dramatic Arts: Summer Program
1336 N. LaBrea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
P: 800-222-2867
W: www.aada.org
Programs: Six week
course offered June
28-August 6. Multiple
two-week intensives
also offered during that
time period.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.):
Summer Training
Congress
30 Grant Ave.
San Francisco, CA
94108
P: 415-439-2426
W: www.actactortrain
ing.org
Programs: 5-week
session or 2-week
Intensive. June 14- July
30. Check Web site for
exact dates and details.
American Musical &
Dramatic Academy
211 W. 61st St.
New York, NY 10023
P: 800-367-7908
W: www.amda.edu
Programs: Summer
Session available for
full-time currently
enrolled students.
See their ad on the
inside cover.
American Musical &
Dramatic Academy
6305 Yucca St.
P: 866-374-5300
W: www.amda.edu
Programs: Summer
Session available for
full-time currently
enrolled students.
See their ad on the
inside cover.
Angel Fire Mountain
Theatre: Children's
Theatre Workshops
P.O. Box 42061
Lubbock, TX 79409
P: 806-742-3601
F: 806-742-1338
W: www.angelfirethe
atre.org
Programs: The
Workshops will run
July 13-17, starting at
9am sharp on the 13th.
Check Web site for
more details.
Asolo Repertory Theatre: Camp Asolo
5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34243
P: 941-351-9010 x3306
W: www.asolo.org
Programs: Asolo
Rep offers a varity of
elementry and middle
school programs,
including programs for
those with developmental disabilities.
Boston University,
College Of Fine Arts:
Summer Theatre
Institute Office
855 Commonwealth
Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
P: 617-353-3390
F: 617-353-4363
W: www.bu.edu/cfa/
theatre/sti
Programs: Five-week
intensive actor training
course. June 28 - August 1. See Web site for
details.
British American
Drama Academy
(BADA): Midsummer Conservatory
Program
900 West End Ave.
New York, NY 10025
P: 212-203-6956
F: 212-749-0120
W: www.badaonline.
com/programs_oxford.
html
Programs: July 9th August 8th
Broadway Artists Alliance Musical Theater:
College / Professional Musical Theatre
Workshop
209 W. 40th St.
New York, NY 10018
P: 646709-9918
F: 212-214-0953
W: www.broadwayartistsalliance.org
Programs: Broadway
Artists Alliance Announces our new 2010
College/ Professional
Workshop : August
13th to 15th, 2010
Broadway Artists Alliance Musical Theater:
Summer Intensives
For Youth, Teens &
College Students.
209 W. 40th St.
New York, NY 10018
P: 646709-9918
F: 212-214-0953
W: www.broadwayartistsalliance.org
Programs: See site for
session dates and application deadlines.
California State
Summer School For
The Arts (Innerspark):
Theatre Program
1010 Hurley Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
P: 916-274-5815
F: 916-274-5814
W: www.innerspark.us
Programs: July 10 August 6
Camp Broadway:
Musical Theatre Camp
For Children & Teens
336 W. 37th St.
New York, NY 10018
P: 212-575-2929
F: 212-575-3125
W: www.campbroadway.com
Programs: July 12-16,
August 2-6.
Camp Of Montclair &
Cedar Grove:
143 Highland Cross
Rutherford, NJ 07070
P: 973-746-8686
W: www.amidsummersdreaming.com
Programs: Takes place
in July. Three & fourweek full-day camps
and a half-day camp.
Camp Shakespeare
At The Shakespeare
Theatre Company
Harman Center For
The Arts
Washington, D.C. 20003
P: 202-547-5688
W: www.shakespearetheatre.org
Programs: June 21 August 14
Carnegie Mellon University: Pre-college
Programs
5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
P: 412-268-2082
F: 412-268-7838
W: www.cmu.edu/enrollment/pre-college/
Programs: June 26 August 6
Circle In The Square
Theatre School:
Acting And Musical
Summer Workshops
1633 Broadway @
50th St.
New York, NY 10019
P: 212-307-0388
F: 212-307-0257
W: www.circlesquare.
org
Programs: Seven-week
program: July and
August
See their ad on page
13.
Cobalt Studios:
Summer Scene
Painting
134 Royce Rd
White Lake, NY
12786
P: 845-583-7025
F: 845-583-7025
W: www.cobaltstudios.net
Programs:
Summer Scene
Painting. 3 weeks
of intensive study
of scene painting
June 7 - 25 and
July 27- August 14
Collaborative
Arts Project 21
(CAP 21)
18 W. 18th St.
New York, NY
10011
P: 212-807-0202
F: 212-807-0166
W: www.cap21.
org/summer_program.html
Programs: June
28-Aug. 6, 18 years
10
and older only.
14.
Dell’ Arte International Youth Theatre
131 H St. (P.O. Box 816)
Blue Lake, CA 95525
P: 707-668-5663
W: www.dellarte.com
Programs: Mutliple
sessions offered JuneJuly
Dell’ Arte School Of
Physical Theatre:
Summer Workshops
131 H St. (P.O. Box 816)
Blue Lake, CA 95525
P: 707-668-5663
W: www.dellarte.com
Programs: Multiple
sessions June through
August.
DePaul University
Theatre School
14 E. Jackson Blvd., Ste.
1010
Chicago, IL 60604
P: 312-362-6292
F: 312-362-8764
W: www.cpe.depaul.
edu/whc
Programs: Wigs & Hair
Dressing & Maintenance: June 14-18.
Wigs & Hair Production
I: June 21-25. Wigs &
Hair Production II, June
28-July 2
See their ad on this
page.
DeSales University
Summer Theatre
Institute
Center Valley, PA 18034
P: 610-282-1100 x1320
W: www.desales.edu
Programs: The Summer Theatre Institute
at DeSales University
offers individualized
training from Broadway
professionals and theatre artists at the top
of their fields. The Intensive and Advanced
Intensive programs for
high school and college
students (and up) offers
three components:
Acting/Musical Theatre,
including individualized training in acting,
musical theatre, dance,
voice/speech & movement; Shakespeare/
Acting for the Camera,
specialized training
in stage combat,
Shakespeare, & camera
acting; Tech/Design, an
introduction into the
art and craft of theatre
technology and design.
The Junior program
is for grades 4 - 8 and
includes the creative
exploration of musical
theatre performance,
acting, movement and
voice/speech.
10-14.300.0110.indd 10
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Fairbanks Summer
Arts Festival
P.O. Box 82510
Fairbanks, AK 99708
P: 907-474-8869
F: 907-479-4329
W: www.fsaf.org
Programs: Sunday, July
18 - Sunday, August
1, 2010
Five Towns College
305 N. Service Rd.
Dix Hills, NY 11746
P: 631-656-2110
W: www.ftc.edu
page.
Hangar Theatre: Lab
Company Summer
Program
P.O. Box 205
Ithaca, NY 14851
P: 607-273-8588
F: 607-273-4516
W: www.hangartheatre.
org
Programs: JuneAugust
Harvard Summer
School
51 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
P: 617-495-3192
F: 617-496-4525
W: www.ssp.harvard.
edu
Programs: June 19-August 6
Hofstra University,
Dept. Of Drama And
Dance
102 Emily Lowe Hall
Hempstead, NY 11549
P: 516-463-5444
W: www.hofstra.edu
14.
Idyllwild Summer
Program: Children’s
Programs
52500 Temecula Dr.
Idyllwild, CA 92549
P: 9516592171 x
2365/2366
F: 951-659-4552
W: www.idyllwildarts.
org
Programs: July 12-August 21 Single-week
sessions
Idyllwild Summer Program: Junior Artist’s
52500 Temecula Dr.
Idyllwild, CA 92549
P: 9516592171 x
2365/2366
F: 951-659-4552
W: www.idyllwildarts.
org
Programs: Theatre
Adventures, July
26-August 8; Mini
Musical Theatre July
26-August 8; Musical
Theatre August 9-22;
Shakespeare’s World,
August 9-22
Interlochen Arts
Camp - Summer
Theatre Program
P.O. Box 199
Interlochen, MI 49643
P: 800-681-5912
F: 231-276-7464
W: www.interlochen.
org/camp/
Programs: Please
check the Web site for
the dates of courses.
page.
KD Studio Actors
Conservatory: Musical
Theatre Camp For
Teens & Children
2600 Stemmons Frwy
Dallas, TX 75207
P: 877-278-2283
W: www.kdstudio.com/
camps.html
Programs: 3-week
Program. Please check
the Web site for the
dates.
Kennedy Center:
American College Theater Festival
2700 F St. Nw
Washington, DC 20566
P: 800-444-1324
W: www.kennedycenter.org/education/
actf/
Programs: Please
Kent State Univerity,
Porthouse Theatre:
Summer Session
Music & Speech Center
B 141
Kent, OH 44242
P: 330-672-3884
F: 330-672-2889
W: www.theatre.kent.
edu
Programs: Check Web
site for details
Lee Strasberg Theatre
& Film Institute: Summer Acting
115 Lee Strasberg Way
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-533-5000
F: 212-473-1727
W: www.strasberg.com
Programs: June 28September 17
Long Lake Camp For
The Arts
199 Washington Ave.
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
P: 800-767-7111
F: 914-693-7684
W: www.longlakecamp.
com
Programs: Three-week
and six-week sessions
offered. Please check
dates of courses.
Lovewell Institute For
The Creative Arts: Ft.
Lauderdale Junior &
Teen Programs
10-14.300.0110.indd 11
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12/22/09 2:49 PM
1600 NE 8th Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33305
P: 954-565-5113
W: www.lovewell.org
Programs: Multiple
sessions offered.
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
Mpulse Ann Arbor
University Of
Michigan School
Of Music, Theatre &
Dance
1281 Moore Bldg.
Ann Arbor, MI 481092085
P: 866-936-2660
W: www.music.
umich.edu/special_
programs/youth/
mpulse/
Programs: Various
sessions between
July 4-31. See Web
site for details.
page.
National High
School Institute
At Northwestern
University: Theatre
Arts Program
617 Noyes St.
Evanston, IL 60208
P: 847-491-3026
F: 847-467-1057
W: www.northwestern.edu/nhsi
Programs: A
summer program
established by Northwestern University.
Check Web site for
application dealines
and dates.
New Actors
Workshop: Summer
Intensive Workshop
259 W. 30th St.
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-947-1318
F: 212-947-9729
W: www.newactorsworkshop.com
Programs: July 1923, 2010
New York Film
Academy: School Of
Film And Acting
100 E. 17th St.
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-674-4300
F: 212-477-1414
W: www.nyfa.com/
film_school
Programs: For
teens (Ages 14-17) &
Tweens (Ages 10-13
only! Please check
dates.
New York State
Theatre Institution:
Summer Theatre
Institute
37 First St.
Troy, NY 12180
12
P: 518-274-3754
W: www.nysti.org/
education.htm
Programs: Fourweek program in
August 2010. Please
check the Web site
for dates.
New York State
Theatre Institution: Summerstage
Performing Arts
Camp
37 First St.
Troy, NY 12180
P: 518-274-3295
F: 518-274-3815
W: www.nysti.org/
education.htm
Programs: Threeweek program in July
2010. Please check
Web site for specific
dates.
NYU: Summer In
Greenwich Village
7 E. 12th St.
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-998-2292
W: www.nyu.edu/
summer/
Programs: Multple
sessions offered.
courses.
NYU Tisch School
Of Arts: Summer
Programs For H.S.
Students
721 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-998-1500
F: 212-995-4578
W: specialprograms.
tisch.nyu.edu/page/
hsstudents
Programs: July 11 August 7, 2010
Oregon Shakespeare Festival:
Summer Seminar
For H.S. Students
15 S. Pioneer St.
Ashland, OR 97520
P: 541-482-2111
F: 541-482-0446
W: www.osfashland.
org/education/students.aspx
Programs: August
2 - 14 two week
intensive program.
Perry Mansfield
Performing Arts
School & Camp:
Professional Workshops
40755 Routt County
Road 36
Steamboat Springs,
CO 80487
P: 800-430-2787
F: 970-879-5823
W: www.perry-mansfield.org
Programs: Please
check Web site for
10-14.300.0110.indd 12
12/22/09 2:49 PM
Rocky Mountain Theatre For Kids: Summer
Camps In Denver, Co &
Boulder, Co
5311 Western Ave.
Boulder, CO 80301
P: 303-245-8150
W: www.theaterforkids.
net
Programs: Two-, threeand four-week sessions
available ages 3-16.
courses.
Seattle Children’s Theatre: Summer Drama
School
201 Thomas St.
Seattle, WA 98109
P: 206-443-0807
F: 206-443-0442
W: www.sct.org
Programs: Offering Full
day summer season
workshops for students
grades 5-12, summer
internships for high
school and college
students and beginning
professionals.
Second City: Summer
Programs
1616 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60614
P: 312-664-3959
F: 312-664-9098
W: www.secondcity.
com
Programs: Multiple
session locations &
dates. Please check the
Web site. (Locations are
Chicago, Los Angeles &
Toronto.)
Shakespeare &
Company: National
Institute On Teaching
Shakespeare
70 Kemble St.
Lenox, MA 01240
P: 4136371199 x 123
F: 413-637-4274
W: www.shakespeare.
org
Programs: Month long
intensive, check Web
site for dates.
Shakespeare & Company: Youth Program
70 Kemble St.
Lenox, MA 01240
P: 413-637-1199
F: 413-637-4274
W: www.shakespeare.
org
Programs: See Web
site for dates.
Shakespeare Theatre
Of New Jersey
36 Madison Ave.
Madison, NJ 07940
P: 973408-3806
W: www.shakespearetraining.org
Programs: May 30-Aug.
16, for Stage Managers,
Admins, Designers,
Technicians, Directors
and Actors.
See their ad on opposite page.
SITI Company (Saratoga International
Theatre Institute)
520 8th Ave.
New York, NY 10018
P: 212-868-0860
F: 212-868-0837
W: www.siti.org
Programs: Skidmore
College Summer Intensive May/ June, four
weeksAdvanced Summer Intensive August,
two weeks. Check Web
site for dates.
Stagedoor Manor
116 Karmel Rd.,
Loch Sheldrake, NY
12759
P: 888-STA-GE88
W: www.stagedoormanor.com
Programs: Session
1: June 21 - July 11,
2010Session 2: July 12
- August 1, 2010Session
3: August 2 - August
22, 2010
10-14.300.0110.indd 13
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12/22/09 2:49 PM
SUMMER PROGRAM DIRECTORY
Stella Adler Studio
Of Acting: Summer
Conservatory
31 W. 27th St.
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-112-1111
W: www.stallaadler.
com
Programs: June 1st August 6th, 2010
Stella Adler Studio
Of Acting: Summer
Intensives
31 W. 27th St.
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-270-6775
F: 212-689-6110
W: www.stellaadler.
com
Programs: Multiple
intensives offered, from
5-10 weeks. Please
Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory:
Summer Sessions For
Young Actors & Adults
1501 14th St., Nw
Washington, D.C. 20005
P: 202-232-7267
F: 202-588-5262
W: www.studiotheatre.
org
Tennessee Arts Academy/Arts Academy
14
America
Belmont University
Nashville, TN 37212
P: 615-460-5451
W: www.tennesseeart
sacademy.org
Programs: 2010 Calendar to be announced.
The Society Of
American Fight Directors: National Stage
Combat Workshop
1350 E. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
W: www.safd.org
Programs: Three-week
intensive program: July
5 - 24, 2010
University Of
Michigan, Ann Arbor
School Of Music,
Theatre & Dance
E.v. Moore Building
Ann Arbor, MI 481092085
P: 734-764-0583
W: www.music.umich.
edu
Programs: Check
Web site for dates and
programs
12.
University Of North
Carolina School Of
The Arts
533 S. Main St.
Winston-salem, NC
27127-2188
P: 336-770-3399
W: www.uncsa.edu/
summersession/
Programs: Check Web
site for programs and
durations. Courses offered in Visual Arts and
Drama, Stage Combat,
Vocal Workshop and
others.
13.
Utah Shakespearean
Festival: Camp For
All Ages
351 W. Center St.
Cedar City, UT 84720
P: 435-586-7880
W: www.bard.org
Programs: Please
the dates of courses for
all ages.
Yale Summer Session
P.O. Box 208355
New Haven, CT 06520
P: 203-432-2430
F: 203-432-2434
W: www.yale.edu/
summer/
Programs: Class dates
will be available in early
January.
10-14.300.0110.indd 14
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By Bryan Reesman
| Feature
M a c G y v e r s of Improv
Colin Mochrie (left) and Brad Sherwood
Brad Sherwood & Colin Mochrie take their mad improv
skills to new heights every night.
B
rad Sherwood and Colin Mochrie are best known as part
of the fun-loving comedy group on ABC’s Whose Line Is
It Anyway?, the hilarious improv show that was spun off
from the decade-long running British series of the same name
(of which they were both regulars). But they certainly have even
more experience with spontaneous humor conjuration. For
the past six years, in addition to their TV work, the duo has performed live together around the country, touring theatres and
playing corporate events.
The dynamic comedy duo has honed its improv chops considerably more than most actors or comedians. The highlight
of their recent tour was watching them traverse a stage full of
mousetraps while blindfolded, barefoot and singing an opera
with lines starting with sequential letters of the alphabet—the
theme of which is picked by the audience. Unlike their televised
gags, in live performance their pieces
www.stage-directions.com/MacGyvers
extend for a longer time period.
Naturally the show
offers a lot more, and
To read the complete interview with audience participaBrad and Colin, including their take on tion is essential.
improv’ing for commercials and VH1 docDuring the NYC
umentaries, go to www.stage-directions. stop of their current
com/MacGyvers
U.S. tour—they will
continue performing
between mid-Janu-
ONLINE BONUS!
ary and mid-February, with more dates to follow—Sherwood
and Mochrie chatted with Stage Directions about the art of
improv and comedy.
Stage Directions: Musicians that play together frequently
learn about each other’s styles, riffs and favorite ideas.
Performing live on Whose Line or in concert you must
become aware of what other people do. Has it become
easier to work together or do you try to find new ways to
throw each other off?
Brad: We’re constantly trying to throw each other off and
pull the rug out. I make the analogy that when you’re doing an
improv show with someone you’re building a sand castle and
having a snowball fight at the same time. So you’re working
towards a common goal to create something, but at the same
time there’s this fencing repartee back and forth between you.
Colin: We find we work best when we’re off balance. When
you get comfortable in improv, that’s when you tend to repeat
yourself and that’s when you’re going by rote, so we’re always
trying to keep each other off balance.
You like to go out into the audience during your shows. Are
you ever afraid of crossing a line with certain audiences or
audience members?
Colin: Our job is to make the audience feel relaxed enough
and trust us enough that they know when we call them up on
stage we’re not going to make fun of them. Presumably. [laughs]
Brad: We’re hosts of the party, and we want all of our guests
15-16.300.0110.indd 15
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12/22/09 3:01 PM
Feature
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood on stage during one of their live shows
to feel comfortable. Generally, the first people we bring up on
stage are very hesitant. People are very leery of coming up on
stage, but after the first game pretty much the entire audience is
volunteering and wanting to be part of the show.
Colin: We need the audience in our show. We have them
on stage for about 80% of the games, so we can’t have them
scared to come up. It’s an unnatural thing to be in front of an
audience when you’re not used to it, so we’re trying to make
them as comfortable as possible so they can have fun and we
can have fun and the audience can have fun.
Brad: Our show is never about humiliating them or putting them in a space where they’ll be so uncomfortable that
they wish they weren’t on stage. It’s the friendliest, goofiest kind of play you can have interacting with an audience,
whereas standup comedians make fun of the audience and
grill them and insult them, and it’s very adversarial. We never
have that adversarial relationship with the audience.
In your comedy team, who is the straight man and who is
the funny guy?
Brad: It changes game to game, night to night.
Colin: Usually whoever gets their idea out first, the other
person then becomes the straight man. So it’s a constant
fight to get that idea out there. But then you have to accept it
because that’s what improv is all about.
Brad: Sometimes it doesn’t develop until the middle of
the scene, whatever the idea is we’re both going with it.
Then once someone has a stumble or establishes himself
as the inept person, then you’ve established the status and
figured out who is Abbott and who is Costello. Whoever is
the bumbling guy is obviously the funny guy, and whoever is
lambasting them is the straight guy, and that really changes
game to game.
Colin: I think we also have a Laurel and Hardy thing where,
depending upon the circumstances, both can be funny.
The status can change in a scene and the straight man will
become the funny guy.
How did your training at school prepare you for your
careers?
Brad: We both did Second City. We both did Theatresports,
which is an improv-based group. It’s all in the doing. It’s kind
of like becoming a good blues guitarist—you just get up and
play every night in the club and learn your instincts and your
rhythms and what works. It’s kind of like a martial art—you go
train and learn all the moves, but then in actual practice when
16
Brad Sherwood (left) says working with a partner in improv is like “building a
sand castle and having a snowball fight at the same time.”
you’re defending yourself you just have to work on instinct.
You’re not doing the exact movement that you did in class.
You’re adapting it to the direction that the fist is coming from.
Colin: You’ve got to get your ass kicked quite a few times.
What are Brad and Colin’s golden rules of improv?
Brad: First and foremost is listening. You have to listen to
your partner on stage. Don’t be in your head. Take what they
say and then work with it.
Colin: Then be accepting of their idea. There are times
where I’ve come out with a great idea for something, but if
Brad gets his out, I have to support his.
Brad: He might have a great idea where he’s an astronaut
and we’re going to go chase Martians, but if I say, “Let’s go
bake a cake,” that’s what we’re doing.
Colin: That’s the idea I’ve got to go with. It’s not like I’m
not going to try to get my idea in there somehow or in some
organic way in the scene. It actually goes against everything
you do in real life. You have to listen to people, accept what
they say and build on it.
Brad: It’s almost like you’re trying to find your way
through the woods together. I’ll say, “Let’s go left,” and he
won’t say, “Let’s go right.” He will say, “Okay, let’s go left.”
Then the next direction he’ll say, “Now let’s fork off to the
right,” then we do that. Then I’ll say, “How about we climb
this tree?” Then we’ll do that. It’s the ebb and flow. You have
to accept what they’re doing because you’re both changing
the direction of the journey the entire time. And then you’ve
just got to do it over and over and over and over and over
again at coffee shops, theatres and comedy clubs until you
get good at it.
Colin: The rules are really simple. It’s just listening and
accepting. That’s basically it. And it’s actually the hardest
thing for people to do.
Brad: I think the pitfall for beginning improvisers is that
they so want to be funny that they don’t trust the natural
process of discovering, exploring and then going on the
journey. They want to come in with their suitcase full of
funny ideas or bits or characters and just start spewing
those out, which may not be organic to what’s happening
on the stage. Then they look like they’re planning everything or doing a bit they’ve done before because they don’t
trust themselves yet to hear what that person said, process
it and then turn that into a joke. They’re so afraid to leave
themselves open to failure or not having something that
they want to come in with all their ideas.
15-16.300.0110.indd 16
12/22/09 2:50 PM
Projecting to The Balcony
A media server supports a black box production of
The Balcony at the University of Texas, El Paso
By Hideaki Tsutsui
I
ll images courtesy of Hideaki Tsutsui
n the May 2009 issue of Stage Directions I wrote an
article about what to look for when designing lights
while projections are being used. In discussing what
kind of problems might arise I used examples of media
servers and how they can aid with troubleshooting these
areas. I emphasized the importance of student designers
familiarizing themselves with this technology. In keeping
with this topic I’d like to share the production process we
went through using projections with Hippotizer Stage
media server in a student-designed production of The
Balcony in a black box theatre at the University of Texas
at El Paso.
This incredible opportunity began last March at USITT.
I met with Colin Waters of TMB and discussed the possibility of hosting a session of The Hippotizer School at
UTEP. We also discussed using a Hippotizer in one of our
productions as part of the educational process for our
students. The faculty decided that our upcoming student
production of The Balcony would be best suited to use
this technology. Chuck Gorden directed the show but was
the only faculty member on the creative team, students
did the rest. The student designers were: Renee Rocha,
scenic design; Juan Ontiveros, lighting design; Orlando
A projection surface is typically
white or gray in color, which can be
problematic for a lighting designer
since both of those colors bounce
large volumes of light.
A moment from UTEP’s The Balcony.
Rodriguez, costume design; Don Cieslik, sound design;
and Marq Gonzalez, projection design.
From the start Gorden felt it was imperative for the
projections to be subtle and to cohesively blend with
the other design elements. Since our students were new
to this technology I worked closely with each of them
to help them visualize the potential of the projections
within the spectrum of the other design elements.
Setting the Scene
One of the first issues was deciding where images
could be projected scenically. Rocha came up with the
idea of a large window that would also be used as a rear
projection screen. To take things a step further and create
a deeper sense of illusion, which was a key element in the
From left to right: Jorge Munoz, master electrician; Loren Barton, Hippotizer Specialist at TMB;
Juan Ontiveros, the LD for UTEP’s The Balcony; James Hicks, props designer; Joel Zapata, carpenter;
and Marq Gonzalez, projection designer.
17-19.300.0110.indd 17
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12/22/09 3:56 PM
director’s vision, we decided to
carefully select the colors and
treat the stage floor as another
textures that would be painted
projection surface.
on the floor. After the scenic
Designing projections in a
designer settled on a palette
black box can provide its own
that fit the vision of the show,
set of challenges. There is usuthe projection designer used
ally an issue of optimal prothis palette when designing the
jector placement in a smaller
projections. This served two purand more restricted playing
poses: it brought out the color
space. Our black box theatre at
on the floor, and saturated the
UTEP is no exception. Due to
colors in the projections. By stayour space limitations it would
ing away from a white or gray
have been impossible to place
surface we eliminated a lot of the
the projectors at a standard 90°
light bounce and intensified the
angle to the RP. However, with
colors we did want to use.
Hippotizer’s technology we were
While we projected static
no longer limited to the normal
images on the RP window (and
restrictions between the projecnothing on the floor) during a
tor and projection surface. We
scene, the Hippotizer software
had the freedom to place the
allowed the projection designprojectors at whatever angle we
er to add video effects on the
needed in order to keep them
floor and RP screen during scene
secure, out of sight and unobchanges to support the flow of
structed. The Hippotizer Stage
the show. Video effects were also
media server allowed us to easily
projected on the floor at the top
manipulate and correct the keyof Act I and Act II in order to crestone and geometrics of the proate a carnival-like “fun house”
jections with a few simple mouse The “window” in the design for University of Texas, El Paso’s production of The Balcony
effect, which set the tone for
clicks. The technology allowed was a rear-projection screen.
each act.
for a creative vision that otherwise would have been unattainable.
Deciding to use the floor as a projection surface added Hunting for Images
a different challenge. A projection surface is typically white
Finding the right images for the production was obviously a
or gray in color, which can be problematic for a lighting vital component. Based on the director’s concept we found imagdesigner since both of those
es that suggested the locations
colors bounce large volumes of
of each scene. When Gonzalez
light. Also, since we didn’t want
presented his first set of potential
to use projections on the floor
images the director was immediduring scenes, it was imperative
ately drawn to an image of a paintthat the floor be able to stand
ing. He suggested using it for the
on its own and provide the
scenes in Irma’s office. Working
aesthetics necessary to tie the
off of this suggestion and seekother scenic elements together.
ing to create a sense of continuity
As a possible solution to this
throughout the show, all of the
problem we considered using
projected images acquired were
one of the projectors as a lightphotoshopped to look like painting fixture. Since the introduction of Icon M in 1999, to ings. The selection of the final images was a team effort by the
today’s DL.3 from High End Systems or the Barco DML- projection designer, the scenic designer and the director.
1200, this solution seemed to fit with a growing trend in
The projection designer also collaborated closely with the
theatrical lighting. This solution was nixed because, while lighting designer to meticulously create a color palette for each
those fixtures/projectors would fit the bill technically, using scene. For example, in order to contrast the fire-like effect of
projection during the scenes would have caused the actors Gonzalez’s projections on the floor and RP screen at the top of Act
to be in the projected images, distracting the audience. II Ontiveros, our LD, used cool colors on the set, such as Rosco R61
In addition, the director wanted the projection to be a and L201, and combined Rosco R60 and R51 in the same fixture
supportive element, unlike the projection he used during with low intensity for a similarly contrasting effect. Ontiveros also
our production of Threepenny Opera, where it was almost designed his plot to make sure that the lights were focused off of
another character.
the window/RP screen and calculated the distribution and intenThe answer to our projection surface dilemma was to sity of his lights in order to enhance the projections on the win-
We had the freedom to place
the projectors at whatever
angle we needed in order to
keep them secure, out of sight
and unobstructed.
18
17-19.300.0110.indd 18
12/22/09 2:51 PM
dow and the floor. For his part, Gonzalez
deliberately picked images with colors that
added to Ontiveros’ atmosphere.
Going to Projection
The Hippotizer Stage media server
loaned to us from TMB ran projections and gave us full control of all
images, layers, outputs and effects.
The Hippotizer Stage comes with two
1024 x 768 resolution outputs that
can run separate feeds in dual mode
or be combined to create a single
2048 x 768 canvas. We ran the server
in dual mode to two 6500-lumen
Roadrunner LX65 Christie projectors.
The efficiency of managing and
controlling the image files from a
single source was a huge asset for
our projection designer, as the software allowed Gonzalez to think and
program his projections in much the
same fashion as a lighting designer
would, with the use of a single console.
For our production, the design
team decided it would be more
dynamic if the projection images
were cued with sound. The Hippotizer
Stage made it easy for the projection
designer to cue the entire show using
a time line built into the software.
Since the software also supported
live-editing of the timeline he was
able to edit the cues in real-time
during tech rehearsals—making the
rehearsals run much more smoothly
and efficiently.
After our experience with it I can
say that the Hippotizer Stage is an
outstanding piece of technology,
allowing projections to be a more
integral part of a production without
limiting or hindering the other design
elements, and would recommend students become more familiar with it
and other media servers, as they are
clearly becoming more important to
the modern production process.
As theatrical artists, we must
embrace and encourage the creativity
and inspirations that comes from our
inner eye. We cannot allow technology to overcome creativity. We should
not depend on technology. Instead,
we should allow technological growth
in our field to enhance our technique
and bring our creativity to the new
levels of endless possibility.
17-19.300.0110.indd 19
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12/22/09 3:56 PM
Digital DIY
Finding a digital projection set-up that meets your venue’s needs.
By Lisa Mulcahy
D
that a projection area can be any size and shape and can
include floors, ceilings, walls and more. Projectors work
best and are most easily aligned when directly opposite
the projection surface; however, current technology
allows projectors to be offset from perpendicular by 30
degrees or more, giving tremendous flexibility.”
In the recent past, choosing between a permanent
fixed location for your projector, which allowed optimum
stage focus, and a mobile system, which was much less
expensive, was necessary—but things are changing.
“The question about equipment mobility in a setting
Marc Rosenthal
igital projection is one aspect of technology that
can truly revolutionize theatre. From allowing
performers to interact with any given image
to innovating production design, digital projection is
a stunning creative tool—yet many theatre managers
still feel it’s too sophisticated to be within their reach.
Realistically though, a full projection system set-up
consists of five straightforward components—projectors, light sources, screens, power sources and signal
sources—and can be easily incorporated into virtually
any space.
Marc I. Rosenthal, designer and creative producer of Personal Creations, did the projection for the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts 2008 production of A Christmas Carol.
Projection Perfection
The first essential point to understand about any
good digital projector is that it is highly adaptable in
terms of your environment.
“A venue’s projection potential is based primarily on audience configuration and sightlines,” says
Marc I. Rosenthal, designer
and creative producer at
Personal Creations, Inc., in
Studio City, Calif.. “If you
can see a surface area from
an audience seat, it can be
considered a potential projection area. Keep in mind
may become moot, as high-performance professional
staging projectors now incorporate intelligent lens systems that can remember and recall the positions of multiple targets for image surfaces,” says George Tsintzouras,
director of product management for Christie Digital
Systems USA, Inc., in Cypress, Calif. “With new multiaxis lighting yoke systems
adapted for digital projectors, the projection equipment can be permanently
installed in one position and
project a moving image, or
rotate to project on multiple target surfaces.”
The first essential point to understand about any good digital projector is that it is highly adaptable
in terms of your environment.
20
20-22.300.0110.indd 20
12/23/09 11:04 AM
Test out any projector you’re considering before buy- as simple as a fabric flat used as a backdrop, to a painted
ing with a view toward your venue’s acoustics.
multi-faceted complex 3D surface,” says Tsintzouras.
“Projectors are typically large boxes with very bright “Once the surface you’re projecting on is known, the
light sources,” Tsintzouras explains. “Depending on the only thing that needs to be considered is the amount
brightness output required, they can vary from minor of brightness the final image needs to have for desired
noise inconveniences to very loud distractions.” If you effect. This will dictate what the brightness of your prodo have an audio problem, you may indeed need to relo- jector needs to be.”
cate your system, or adjust your image to some degree.
Imagery capability is also constantly moving forAlso, when looking for products, search out large ward. “There have been fantastic advances in warping
suites of lenses, which provide throws ranging from the
ultra short to the very long;
these options will allow your
projector to be positioned
anywhere in your house, and
will significantly cut down
on operational volume.
When choosing equipment models, it’s also crucial
to consider both durability
and your budget. “5,00010,000 lumen projectors are
the workhorses for a large
amount of theatre venues,”
says Rosenthal. “Both LCD
Whether DLP or LCD source, you’ll want to make sure you get a variety of lens packages to maximize placeand DLP projectors are comment options and utility out of your projector.
mon. LCD projectors are
generally cheaper, and are
below 12,000 lumens; they are a
good choice for theatres, as they
have a great cost/benefit ratio. Also,
there is now a range of three chip
DLP projectors in the 5,000-12,000
lumen range that are superb and
cost-effective.
When looking at
DLP projectors, it’s important to use
three chip units; single chip units
with color wheels are cheaper, but
will not provide good results.”
The Visual Vibe
The amount of light in your house
can create trouble when it comes to
meshing digital projection elements.
“Ambient light level for projection
is a big concern,” says Rosenthal.
“If the venue is a theatre, and easily darkened, there is no problem.
For warehouses, portable venues,
and other atypical performance venues, ambient light levels and how
much control you have over those
levels must be taken into account.
High ambient light situations may
dictate LED screens, or specialized
projection screens for those specific
instances.”
Most often, though, your production’s artistic POV is all you need to
determine the kind of digital projection screen to use. “A screen can be
20-22.300.0110.indd 21
21
12/22/09 2:51 PM
The amount of light in
your house can create
trouble when it comes to
meshing digital projection elements.
John Iacovelli
and blending technologies that enable the
creative manipulation of the projected content to cover non-conventional flat or 3D
surfaces,” says Tsintzouras. Look outside of
standard keystone correction for the latest
in innovation.
Another moment from the Santa Barbara Center’s production of A Christmas Carol, with projections by Personal Creations.
Up And Running
Programming and powering your system
are two areas where a professional digital projection
consultant may be extremely helpful. Before speaking
with someone about your specific situation, though,
brush up on some basics. In terms of sources, “for
traditional theatre applications, Dataton’s Watchout is
common,” says Rosenthal. “It’s timeline-based, and thus
22
best suited for shows that have been pre-programmed.
Installing a media server can be a wise choice. A fairly
typical theatre installation would include a one, two or
three-projector Watchout system that could easily be
expanded when necessary with additional rental units.”
The more power options you have in your space, the
better; it’s best to dedicate specific projector circuits,
which cuts video noise and also makes load-ins and
strikes a snap. “We always recommend that video have
its own power distribution—sometimes it can be shared
with audio power, but it’s not a good idea to share lighting power,” stresses Rosenthal. “Having a set of basic
hard-wired positions is a good place to start.”
System signal choices can vary based on factors such
as playback needs, projector models, and source specs;
DVI signal runs are most typically used in live performances. “A well-equipped venue will have multiple
installed signal lines run with patch bays, much the way
you would run audio lines all over for easy tie-ins of mics
or line level devices,” explains Rosenthal. Present the
fact that you understand this rudimentary info to your
consultant, and note how he or she expands on this
knowledge: do you feel certain that your consultant is
competent and skilled in more advanced areas, such as
new imaging techniques? “An experienced consultant
will be able to consider things like the ongoing cost
of operation, interaction between the projected image
and lighting systems (so the contrast of the image is
retained and not washed out), networking, control and
DMX operation within systems,” explains Tsintzouras.
All in all, when it comes to digital projection, you get
what you give. “Things can be done simply, quickly and
off the cuff, and yet a lot of effort will almost always
yield fantastic results,” says Rosenthal. If you don’t have
a lot of experience with the technology, don’t let it limit
your creative options; be frank, and ask your consultant
to guide you. Digital projection is packed with possibility—why leave any creative stone unturned?
20-22.300.0110.indd 22
12/23/09 11:33 AM
PROJECTION
PROJECTION
Absolute Production
Services
9827 W. Farragut St.
Rosemont, IL 60018
P: 877-228-4782
F: 773-992-9801
W: www.absolutepros.
com
Alford Media Services
296 S. Freeport Pkwy.
Coppell, TX 75019
P: 972-538-9400
F: 972-538-0800
W: www.alfordmedia.
com
All Pro Sound
806 Beverly Pkwy.
Pensacola, FL 32505
P: 850-432-5780
F: 850-432-0844
W: www.allprosound.
com
Audio Visual Xperts
37 Lukens Dr.
New Castle, DE 19720
P: 302-426-0322
F: 302-427-9099
W: www.avxperts.com
Axxis, Inc.
845 S. 9th St.
Louisville, KY 40203
P: 502-568-6030
F: 502-568-6204
W: www.axxisInc..com
Barco
3059 Premiere Pkwy.
Duluth, GA 30097
P: 678-475-8000
F: 678-512-6169
W: www.barco.com
Barco Media &
Entertainment LLC
11135 Trade Center Dr.
Rancho Cordova, CA
95670
P: 916-859-2500
F: 916-859-2515
W: www.barco.com
Barco/High End Systems Inc.. West Coast
8200 Haskell Ave.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
P: 818-947-0550
F: 818-908-8975
W: www.highend.com
Barco/High End
Systems Inc.
Headquarters
2105 Gracy Farms Lane
Austin, TX 78758
P: 512-836-2242
F: 512-837-5290
W: www.highend.com
Batwin & Robin
Productions
151 W. 19th St.
New York, NY 10011
P: 212-243-0229
F: 212-229-1616
W: www.batwinan
drobin.com
Blue Pony Digital
4128 Fourier Dr.
Ft. Wayne, IN 46818
P: 260-969-1020
F: 260-969-1022
W: www.bluepony.com
BML-Blackbird
Theatrical Services
1 Aquarium Dr.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
P: 201-617-8900
F: 201-617-8908
W: www.bmlInc..com
Boynton Pro Audio
P.O. Box 130
Melody Pines Farm
Morris, NY 13808
P: 607-263-5695
F: 607-263-2373
W: www.boyntonpro
audio.com
Broken Jar
Productions, Inc.
745 N. Acacia Ave.
Clovis, CA 93611
P: 559-323-9599
F: 559-299-9575
W: www.brokenjar.com
Bulbconnection.com
555 Hwy. 965 S
Unit H
Ste. 207
North Liberty, IA 52317
P: 877-626-2852
F: 319-626-2852
W: www.bulbconnec
tion.com
Chameleon Designs
1900 Premier Row
Orlando, FL 32809
P: 407-859-9300
F: 407-859-9444
W: www.chameleonor
lando.com
Christie Digital Systems
USA, Inc..
10550 Camden Dr.
Cypress, CA 90630
P: 866-880-4462
F: 714-503-3375
W: www.christiedigital.
com
Cooke Corporation, The
6930 Metroplex Dr.
Romulus, MI 48174
P: 248-276-8820
F: 248-276-8825
W: www.cookecorp.com
CPR Multimedia
Solutions
7812 Cessna Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
P: 301-590-9400
F: 301-590-9402
W: www.cprmms.com
Creative Element
Productions
5001 Lavista Rd.
Tucker, GA 30084
P: 770-908-1075
W: www.celement.com
Creative Stage Design
P.O. Box 9425
Charlotte, NC 28299
P: 704-375-1439
W: www.creative
stagedesign.com
Cutting Edge
Communications, Inc.
4220 Two Lakes Ave.
Norman, OK 73072
P: 888-874-9357
W: www.cuttingedge
communications.net
Cutting Edge
Productions
22904 Lockness Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501
P: 310-326-4500
F: 310-326-4715
W: www.cuttingedge
productions.tv
Dazian Fabrics, West
Coast
7120 Case Ave.
North Hollywood, CA
91605
P: 877-432-9426
F: 818-287-3810
W: www.dazian.com
Digital Light
Processing (DLP)
12500 Ti Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75243
P: 888-357-2984
W: www.dlp.com
Digital Projection, Inc.
55 Chastain Rd.
Ste. 115
Kennesaw, GA 30144
P: 770-420-1350
F: 770-420-1360
W: www.digitalprojec
tion.com
Earl Girls
1648 White Horse Pike
Egg Harbor City, NJ
08215
P: 609-965-6900
F: 609-965-3330
W: www.earlgirlsInc.com
East Coast Lighting &
Production Services,
Inc.
88 Jefferson Blvd.
Warwick, RI 02888
P: 888-467-9070
F: 401-785-2299
W: eastcoastlighting.com
Freestyle Productions
7160 Madison Ave. W
Minneapolis, MN 55427
P: 763-417-9575
F: 763-417-9576
W: www.freestyle-pro
ductions.com
FX Financial
201 Lavaca St.
Ste. 408
Austin, TX 78701
P: 866-371-6741
F: 512-481-0238
W: www.fx-financial.com
Harkness Screens
10 Harkness Blvd.
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
P: 540-370-1590
W: www.harknessscreens.com
HB Group, Inc.
60 Dodge Ave.
North Haven, CT 06473
P: 800-331-1804
F: 203-239-4882
W: www.hbrentals.com
Indianapolis Stage
Sales & Rentals, Inc.
905 Massachusetts Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
P: 317-635-9430
F: 317-635-9433
W: www.indystage.com
Inlight Gobos
2348 Irving Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75207
P: 469-916-2910
F: 469-916-2911
W: www.inlightgobos.
com
K-24 Audio - Lighting
-Video
1801 Ne 23rd Ave.
Ste. D2
Gainesville, FL 32609
P: 877-378-5757
F: 352-376-9174
W: www.k-24.com
Lighting And Production Resources Llc
Orlando, FL 32856
P: 407-967-7716
F: 877-803-2183
W: www.mylpr.com
Major Theatre
Equipment Corp.
190 Dorchester Ave.
South Boston, MA 02127
P: 617-464-0444
F: 617-464-0101
W: www.majortheatre.
com
MB Productions, Inc.
4 Edison Pl
Fairfield, NJ 07004
P: 800-622-2224
F: 973-439-9844
W: www.mbvideo.com
Mcknight Visual, Inc.
8026 Sunport Dr.
Ste. 301
Orlando, FL 32809
P: 888-843-9255
F: 407-240-5557
W: www.mcknightvi
sual.com
Meteor Light And
Sound Co.
P.o. Box 578
Madison, AL 35758
P: 256-461-8000
F: 256-461-7708
W: www.meteor-global.
com
Optikinetics, Ltd.
116 Sylvia Rd.
Ste. A
Ashland, VA 23005
P: 800-575-6784
F: 800-678-4575
W: www.optikinetics.com
Pegasus Theatrical, Inc.
20570 W. 8 Mile Rd.
Southfield, MI 48075
P: 248-353-6130
F: 248-353-5013
W: www.pegasustheat
rical.com
Personal Creations, Inc.
12336 Marshall St. Studio
Ste. 1-A
Culver City, CA 90230
P: 310-391-8300
F: 310-391-8330
W: www.personalcre
ations.net
Pete’s Big TV'S
22 Lukens Dr.
New Castle, DE 19720
P: 800-999-0010
F: 410-715-6770
W: www.petesbigtvs.com
Premier Lighting &
Production Company
12023 Victory Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
91606
P: 818-762-0884
F: 818-762-0896
W: www.premierlight
ing.com
Projector Doctor
12720 Danielson Ct.
Poway, CA 92064
P: 800-789-9820
F: 858-726-0193
W: www.projectordoc
tor.com
Rosco Laboratories, Inc.
Corporate
52 Harbor View Ave.
Stamford, CT 06902
P: 800-767-2669
F: 203-708-8919
W: www.rosco.com
Rose Brand East
4 Emerson Lane
Secaucus, NJ 07094
P: 800-223-1624
W: www.rosebrand.com
Rose Brand West
10616 Lanark Street
Sun Valley, CA 91352
P: 800-360-5056
W: www.rosebrand.com
Rzi Atlanta
P.o. Box 58739
New Orleans, LA 701588739
P: 504-525-5600
F: 504-525-5602
W: www.rzilighting.com
Scharff Weisberg Inc.
36-36 33rd St.
Long Island City, NY
11106
P: 212-582-2345
F: 212-757-6367
W: www.scharffweis
berg.com
Showorks Audio Visual,
Inc.
100 Naamans Rd., #1c
Wilmington, DE 19703
P: 800-942-7469
F: 302-798-9705
Showpro
3229 Casitas Ave.
P: 323-805-8000
F: 323-805-8001
W: www.showpro.net
Stage Technology, Inc.
3110 Washington Ave. N
Ste. 100
Minneapolis, MN 55411
P: 800-889-4081
F: 612-455-0224
W: www.stagetechnol
ogy.com
Star Light And Magic,
Inc.
218 Jefferson St.
Lexington, KY 40508
P: 800-275-4800
F: 859-253-1962
W: www.starlight.com
Strong Entertainment
Lighting
4350 Mckinley St.
Omaha, NE 68112
P: 800-262-5016
F: 402-453-7238
W: www.strong-light
ing.com
Systems Wireless
555 Herndon Pkwy.
Ste. 135
Herndon, VA 20170
P: 800-225-6185
W: www.swl.com
Techni-lux Inc..
10779 Satellite Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32837
P: 407-857-8770
F: 407-857-8771
W: www.techni-lux.com
Theatrical Services &
Supplies, Inc.
145 Q Oser Ave.
Ste. 1
Hauppauge, NY 11788
P: 631-873-4790
F: 631-873-4795
W: www.gotheatrical.
com
Times Square Lighting
5 Kay Fries Dr.
Stony Point, NY 10980
P: 845-947-3034
F: 845-947-3047
W: www.tslight.com
Tipton Sound &
Lighting
1610 S. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
P: 317-631-2703
F: 317-631-2710
United Stage
Equipment, Inc.
110 Short St.
Hartselle, AL 35640
P: 800-227-5407
F: 256-773-2586
W: www.unitedstage
Inc..com
Vantage Lighting, Inc.
175 Paul Dr.
San Rafael, CA 94903
P: 800-445-2677
F: 415-507-0502
W: www.vanltg.com
World Audio & Lights
422 Chestnut St.
San Antonio, TX 78202
P: 210-472-3932
F: 210-472-3933
W: www.worldaudio
lights.com
23.300.0110.indd 23
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12/22/09 2:52 PM
TD Talk
|
By Dave McGinnis
Sirens Off the USB Port
A neo-Luddite confesses his fall from grace and his seduction
at the hands of sweet, sweet convenience.
I
make no bones about it; I am a neo-Luddite, as odd as
that sounds for anyone involved in technical…anything.
That said, however, the Internet has found a seductive
SubHead
means of enamoring me, and I believe that this could prove
useful for TDs—and theatre artists as a whole—around the
globe. I have discovered the joys of online ordering.
Those who know me personally will, of course, fall out of
their chairs as they read that statement, but ordering gear
and expendable materials online has greatly increased
both my bottom line and my overall productivity. “How?”
one may ask. Simple.
Imagine the old way of acquiring needed gear. One
essentially faced two choices: pick-up or delivery. Delivery
proved more useful on many occasions, but dependability
could—in rare instances—prove a factor. Tracking has not
always been what it is as of this writing, so the date of arrival has always been—and still is, I confess—a major source
of sweaty palms. How am I to lock the platforms down
when the coffin locks haven’t arrived, yet? To add insult to
injury, how many of us have endured the arrival of needed
gear AFTER a show closed? Productivity can grind to a halt.
Pick-up proves more time efficient, but it comes with
drawbacks, too, of course. In short, someone has to go
pick up the gear, be it gel sheets or lumber. This translates to lost or increased man-hours somewhere, which
causes either decreased production at the same expense—
whether slight or massive—or maintained production at
increased expense.
I’ve made my share of pick-up trips, and I’ve placed my
share of phone and by-mail orders. Most worked out. Some
did not. Nowadays, though, I order virtually everything I
need—from lamps to drapery to hardware—online of all
places, and the impact on my work life, especially considering my current beast of a build, cannot be overstated.
Online ordering offers so many benefits that I find it
difficult to know where to begin. I’ll start with tracking. I
know the moment I place my order when it will arrive in
my shop—at the latest. It usually beats the projected date.
Knowing when gear will arrive keeps my crew on track. I
also get an immediate and ironclad estimate of the price
for budgetary purposes.
Besides tracking, I also have no need to send people to
pick up gear—besides lumber, which I still like to get myself
for selection reasons—and eat up time on a ride. (I’m fairly
certain some crew have been dismayed by this, but so be it.)
We all work consistently now without worrying about where
so-and-so is or when s/he’ll get back with the order.
I really love the expanded list of businesses with whom
I can do business now, too. I actually do very little business
with what one might call “major” dealers. Through the
Internet, I’m able to do long-distance business with small/
regional distributors whose business practices I know and
trust and with whose stock I’m relatively familiar. No, the
Web does not limit one to dealing ONLY with huge tech
companies, though they are available as well. As long as a
company can establish an ordering mechanism and a catalogue online, they can do long-distance business.
Lastly, the ease of searching these online catalogues far
surpasses the old flip-the-page-andfind-the-BTL-lamp method of old. I
admit that I don’t use the search
engines with great flare, consistency
or trust, but I do enjoy the plethora of equipment available to view
online (as photos, not just information and numbers), as Web pages do
not suffer the page number limits
published materials do. I may not
have El Guapo’s superior intellect,
but I know what a plethora is, and
it’s online.
The sky has indeed fallen. I’ve succumbed to the siren song of the
devil Internet at last, as so many said
I would. It’s okay, though. I always
have the lumber yard. These hands
will forever have something real to
grasp, real to pick up. In the meantime, though, I have to go place an
online order for some lamps, a hex
key, some coffin locks and some PAR
cans.
24.300.0110.indd 24
12/23/09 10:06 AM
By Stephen Peithman
| The Play's the Thing
All Over the Map
Plays in a spectrum of locales and themes
SubHead
A
kbar Ahmed has promoted interfaith relations through
his 30 books, television appearances on Oprah and
public dialogues with Judea Pearl, father of slain
Jewish reporter Daniel Pearl. Now, his plays Noor and The
Trial of Dara Shikoh are available in published editions. Noor
tells of three brothers attempting to rescue their kidnapped
sister, with each brother representing a different ideological
position in the contemporary Islamic world. The Trial of Dara
Shikoh goes back three centuries, dramatizing the life of Dara
Shikoh, a scholar with a strong belief in the unity of different
faiths—and who happens to be the eldest son of 17th-century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, for whom the Taj Mahal was
built. [$15.95, Saqui Books]
Mart Crowley’s first play, The Boys in the Band, opened
Off-Broadway (1968) to ecstatic reviews, followed by a muchtouted film version. The Collected Plays of Mart Crowley
opens with that one, a bruising night at a birthday party in
which a group of gay men work out their assorted issues in
an era when being in the closet was an art form as well as
a way of life. His second, Remote Asylum (1970), deals with
loneliness and mortality. The autobiographical A Breeze from
the Gulf is a memory play about a family on the edge of dissolution. The Men from the Boys (2002) is a sequel to The Boys in
the Band, in which the characters are older and wiser. Also in
the collection are Avec Schmaltz and For Reasons That Remain
Unclear. [$24.95, Alyson Books]
Liberation, by Steve Patterson, is set during the heat of the
Bosnian conflict of the 1990s. A young Bosnian soldier deserts
his company, fleeing with his sister to a Sarajevo newspaper
office in hopes of striking a deal. In exchange for safe passage
out of Bosnia, he promises to give eyewitness testimony of
the massacres of Muslim men and boys and systematic rapes
of Muslim women. Then, the office is surrounded by Serbian
infantry, who give the editors 24 hours to turn over the soldier or be stormed by the troops. It’s a dark play about a dark
time, but with a kind of gallows humor that adds intriguing
layers throughout. Five males, four females. [$9.95, originalworksonline.com/liberation]
Buffalo Gal, A.R. Gurney’s 2000 Chekhovian comedy, was
revised for a 2008 production in New York, for which (among
other things) it was streamlined to a long one act, instead of its
original two. Its central character, Amanda, is a once-successful
television personality whose star is now fading. Life imitates art
as she returns to her hometown of Buffalo to star in Chekhov’s
The Cherry Orchard. Just as she is connecting with her roots—
both on stage and off—she is offered a Hollywood gig that
could recharge her career. Will she stay in Buffalo, or head
west? And, will Amanda’s former lover, now unhappily married
with children, be able to rekindle in Amanda the same love
he still professes for her? Three males, three females. [$12.95,
Broadway Play Publishing]
Equal time for canines and felines from Anchorage Press
Plays, which specializes in plays for children and young adults.
Two Dumb Dogs: The Amazing Adventures of Ferdo and
Floof, by Edith Weiss, details what happens when two notvery-bright dogs decide to run away from their owner and
seek fame and fortune on their own. It’s written for a cast of
11 (or 6, with doubling), and runs about an hour. Puss in Boots
and Other Cat Tails, by Stephanie Routman, combines several
stories (with the help of MC Cat) for a cast of four actors and
a percussionist—or up to 22 performers if all roles are distributed. [$7.00 each, Anchorage Press, www.applays.com]
“Indispensible” is the only word to describe the “Best Plays”
series, which stretches back to the dawn of the 20th century.
The most recent edition, The Best Plays Theater Yearbook
2007-2008, continues that tradition in fine style, highlighting
both the diversity of that theatrical season and the 10 best
plays that debuted during that time: Adding Machine; August:
Osage County; Dividing the Estate; Eurydice; The Farnsworth
Invention; 100 Saints You Should Know; The Receptionist; Rock ’n’
Roll; The Seafarer; and Yellow Face. In addition, Jenkins includes
a detailed compendium of facts and figures about the year in
American theatre, making the Yearbook an invaluable record
of current trends (both successes and failures) in American
theatre from coast to coast. [$49.99, Limelight Editions]
25.300.0110.indd 25
25
12/22/09 2:54 PM
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Answer Box
|
By Jacob Coakley
Don't Just Sit There!
All photos courtesy of StageNorth
StageNorth Community Theater aims to get its audience to
do more than just watch the plays.
StageNorth hosts numerous free events for the community—like this outdoor party from
summer of 2009—to familiarize people with the theatre.
StageNorth’s production of The Sound of Music, shown here, had 70-plus community members involved with it, working as designers, carpenters, marketers and more.
S
tageNorth Community Theatre is a for-profit theatre in the
town of Washburn, Wisc. Located in northern Wisconsin,
this rural town has a population of 2,000, so finding ways to
build an audience is of utmost importance. As artistic director of
the theatre, Noah Siegler is determined to find ways to engage
new audiences for his theatre and make sure they know the
theatre is a place for them to work and create, not just for passive
observation of “art.” In our chat on TheatreFace.com we talked
about some of his outreach efforts and how he builds a sense
of ownership around his theatre in his community, starting with
non-traditional events like an annual facial hair competition.
Noah Siegler: All of the quirky events that we
offer are free, because the purpose of those
events is just to get people in the door and get a
good feeling about the place. Nine times out of
10, people who come for the free events and
leave feeling that SN is a cool place that offers something to
the community will come back and pay money for the “real
theatre”.
Scott Walters: How do you feel your approach to
your audience is different than, say, a regional
theatre in a metropolitan area?
Noah Siegler: Every person who comes to a play
here is a potential actor or designer or volunteer
for the future. We try to make this as interactive as
possible. We want the audience to come up on
stage afterwards and play around, we want them
to see how the tricks are done. We want them to—for those
hours in the seats—feel transported or changed, but then,
once the lights come back on, we invite them to see how
easy this is and that they can do it too.
Noah Siegler, standing, in the
StageNorth 2009 production of
Tartuffe.
Noah Siegler: Easy is a poor word choice. This isn’t
easy. But it’s accessible. And the carpenter who works
all day at someone’s home can come here and use
those tools to be creative, and we give them free reign
to do so.
Noah Siegler: But, for every facial hair competition, we
have a Waiting for Godot, and for every Packer game
projected on the big screen, we have a Talk Radio. So
we try to keep everyone happy, and I think we do.
Bert Hutt: How do you keep you volunteers engaged
with the theatre without burnout?
Noah Siegler: We keep it fun. Volunteers aren’t just
cleaning up the scene shop, they are at design meetings. And frankly, we come up with designs that make
them happy building it. If they want to make a cantilevered balcony, or a spiral staircase, they do it, and they
know they contributed to the production and that a whole lot of
people will see their work. And most people who volunteer for a
production then take the next one off, so they are only volunteering for 5-6 weeks at a time.
It’s always been a commuwww.theatreface.com/join
nity theater more or less, but
I feel like we are expanding
the base a ton right now, and
are succeeding artistically and
You can read the full transcript of the chat
financially because of that
with Noah Siegler at
openness and sense of shared
ownership over the space.
www.theatreface.com/noahsiegler
ONLINE BONUS
TheatreFace.com
28.300.0110.indd 28
12/23/09 11:06 AM

TheatreFace.com Colin Mochrie and Brad

Transcription

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