One Down, Two to Go

"A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" is official done and closed. Next up- "Talk Radio"!

We have started setting up walls in the PAH (Performing Arts Hall), along with the main character's desk. On Friday, the scene painting class is going to help the set designer add the details to the walls now that each wall has a base coat. As we go into tech rehearsals on Saturday, the goal is to have all the walls up and everything painted, including the finishing layer of glaze (a clear coat that adds a reflective and protective finish, used especially on wood floors). Realistically, though, is that by the time we start on Saturday, the walls are up and painted, and the floor has a base coat.

Looking ahead, "Fefu and Her Friends" had another design meeting yesterday (Tuesday). Plans and ideas are coming along, and it's now a matter of finalizing everything so the serious work can begin.

Calm Before the Storm

"Joe Egg" starts it's tech rehearsals tomorrow (Sat- 2/13). This means that, for the first time, we combine lights, sound, props, and performers. Later, we'll start 'dress rehearsals', which add costumes and make-up into the mix. Opening night is Thursday (2/18). Note that there are only five days between that; that's how much time we have to make sure people hit their cues. It's fun! So for those of you that took the poll, we started our design meetings on 1/22, and our final performance will be on 2/21. If you guessed one month (for this show), you are CORRECT! Congrats!

"Talk Radio" set construction has already begun, and lights have started to be hung. On Sun (2/21), a work call will increase this speed, and we hope much more will get done in the two shifts. Depending on the size of the cast and amount of students in the Stagecraft class, we have held multiple work calls.

After spring break, rehearsals and design meetings for "Fefu and Her Friends" will start/ resume. So if you think we have a break after a show is done, you're right- for about five minutes. Then the next show gets pulled out, and we start from scratch once more to turn a play on paper into something that- hopefully- will be remembered.

Getting the Ball Rolling

"Joe Egg" and "Talk Radio" have started weekly production meetings. The two doors are in place for "Joe Egg", and some of the walls are ready to be put in place (to be "stood up"). Once all the walls are in place, the set is ready to be painted. This can take a variety of forms between the walls and flooring, such as a textured wall (stucco, brick, stone, etc), or wood, tile, linoleum, etc. Once the set is painted, a clear coating of glaze is put on the floor to give it a more reflective surface.

"Joe Egg" runs from February 19-22, with one performance each day. Because it's a chamber show (meaning less-elaborate), there is no work call before tech rehearsals get underway, nor strike after the final performance.

Instead, there is a work call for "Talk Radio" (the cast, crew, and Stagecraft I students come in on a weekend and help out one of two shifts, either 9-noon, or 1-4). Designers need to be at both shifts to attempt to get as much done as possible.

That weekend is also the dates of the Midwest Theater Auditions held in St. Louis, MO. This is a convention which many theaters put up booths, and auditions/interviews are conducted. Actors and designers/technicians present their portfolios or prepared monologues. If the theater wants another look, they ask you to attend the 'call backs' held later that night or the next day.

We also had a design meeting for "Fefu and Her Friends", during which the director, Adam Heffernan, explained what he was thinking and gave some handouts of helpful information about what was going on in the time period. He had some visions about the set and interior design styles, which was helpful without being concrete or "this is exactly what I want it to look like".