I have been doing community theater since 1998 (and high
school and church productions long before that!). This, however, is a new
adventure for me. Previously, my involvement had been on stage. There is
nothing like live theater for anyone involved in the performance arts. Our
shows at EPAC typically run for eleven performances, and no two are ever exactly the same. Even if they were, the
audience is always different, so the dynamic will be different for each
production. And of course before opening night, there is the whole rehearsal
process. It’s always been a wonder to me how the playwright’s text–which may
have been in print for anywhere from a several months to (in the case of
Shakespeare and other classics) hundreds of years–is given completely new life
with each production. As an actor, I had always been peripherally aware of the
process before casting (particularly since my wife, Joan, has stage managed
many times). But my true, first-hand knowledge of the process started only with
auditions. It then processed through the first read-through and then the six to
eight weeks of rehearsals.
This in itself was always a beautiful process to experience.
Much like a painter facing a blank canvas with only a general idea of the
finished process, the company will start with the script and a ground plan of
the set, as well as some general ideas for costumes, sound, and a lighting
plot. Then throughout the process of several weeks, the paint will begin to
color the canvas. Scenes that read one way on the printed page will receive a
whole new life when staged. The stage set and properties will begin to solidify,
only to be fully realized just before opening night. Those last few rehearsals
will also see the final manifestation of costumes, lights, sound, and make-up.
So, here I am once again beginning this astonishing journey.
And I get to experience it from a brand new perspective. As a stage manager, I work very closely with the director; and I have much more involvement with
the production staff (the aforementioned properties manager and set, light, costume,
and sound designers). And in the rehearsal process, the stage manager becomes very involved with the actors, a relationship that will continue throughout the performances.
This differs from most of the other production staff. On opening night, the director's work is finished, as is that of the lighting, set, and sound designers. The costume designer may have some involvement through the run, unless those duties have been handed off to assistants (there are often repairs necessary, as well as cleaning). Likewise, the props manager may need to replenish perishables or replace disposable props.
At any rate, a staged show is very much a collaborative process; each person involved must throw him- or herself fully into the endeavor. I know from conversation (and observation, I might add) that many find a spiritual component to the theatrical process. That is not to say that prayer or ritual is involved–although it may be for some! But there is at the root of the entire production an effort to somehow reach the souls of the audience. Whether a dramatic play like The Elephant Man or a light musical comedy like Legally Blonde, theater always makes that connection. For many it is a communion of sorts. The audience and the company come together to experience, to ponder, to feel, perhaps to see something truly for the first time. So it is with all true art.
So as I find a new brush at the canvas, the prospect of participating in a work that hopes to speak to those who view it is both humbling and exciting. See you on opening night!
http://www.ephrataperformingartscenter.com/index.php
This differs from most of the other production staff. On opening night, the director's work is finished, as is that of the lighting, set, and sound designers. The costume designer may have some involvement through the run, unless those duties have been handed off to assistants (there are often repairs necessary, as well as cleaning). Likewise, the props manager may need to replenish perishables or replace disposable props.
At any rate, a staged show is very much a collaborative process; each person involved must throw him- or herself fully into the endeavor. I know from conversation (and observation, I might add) that many find a spiritual component to the theatrical process. That is not to say that prayer or ritual is involved–although it may be for some! But there is at the root of the entire production an effort to somehow reach the souls of the audience. Whether a dramatic play like The Elephant Man or a light musical comedy like Legally Blonde, theater always makes that connection. For many it is a communion of sorts. The audience and the company come together to experience, to ponder, to feel, perhaps to see something truly for the first time. So it is with all true art.
So as I find a new brush at the canvas, the prospect of participating in a work that hopes to speak to those who view it is both humbling and exciting. See you on opening night!
http://www.ephrataperformingartscenter.com/index.php
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