Hit the Ground Running

"Fefu and Her Friends" had its first production meeting yesterday. The designers have presented overall ideas to the cast so they can understand what sound, lights, furniture, etc. they'll be dealing with during the run. During the rehearsal process, the performers are given 'rehearsal props', which includes any furniture and other things they interact with through the play. Once we go into tech rehearsals, these rehearsal props are exchanged for the props and furniture that will be used during the show. The reason for this delay is to help prevent as much damage to the show props as possible.

It looks like there will be a wallpaper design used for this show as well. Sound fun, not too complicated, fast and easy, right? Wrong. Because our sets are usually so large and would have much surface area to cover, just for the sets to be pulled down a week later, it's not cost- efficient to buy the wallpaper. Instead, we use stencils and paint the pattern on the wall. It takes a long time, which is why it's discouraged for large surface-area sets, but with this one being in the round, there is an archway which i'm doing to attempt to do a wallpaper. We'll see how it turns out.

Also, for those of you who answered the poll after I had posted how long it took for the first show- that's called cheating. Tisk, tisk... :P

A Small Break

'Talk Radio' has gone up and come down. The show had only a few minor technical difficulties, but overall (for it being the first time we've done something like this at Drake), it was really cool. The show itself was about a talk show host, and the play followed the course of the show. People who 'called into' the show would appear on a projection screen that the audience could see. All had some sort of background (via green screen) whether that be a kitchen, office, bedroom, etc. The talk show host also had a camera on him that played live on the 'website' (the other projection screen).

Next up- 'Fefu and Her Friends'. This is a play that will be done in the round. An approved ground plan has been sent to those who need/ want it. We start regular design meetings the Thursday we get back from spring break. In the meantime, there's still much to be discovered, figured out, discussed, etc.