Subs

Most of us are aware of understudies, actors who fill in for another actor who is sick or injured or otherwise can’t perform.  But with up to 10 jobs backstage for every person who is on stage – a similar system is necessary for crew people – lighting, sound, prop crew, costumes – and front of house (box office, house management, etc).  This is an ARTICLE about a guy whose  career is as a fill-in for company managers and house managers who need a replacement.

Ballet Costume in a Day?

Here is a fascinating Chicago Tribune article about the building of a new Sugar Plum Fairy costume for the Joffrey Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker… in 8 hours.  Apparently, they needed a second costume built to fit a replacement dancer for the show, and had a short time frame to complete it.  The article includes a time table on the completion of the outfit.

Art Factory

I just wanted to do a quick post and shout out to a place of healing and art.
…. and has a cool Belhaven connection as some of the founders of this place are the parents one of our theatre students here at Belhaven…. 🙂

The Art Factory Revealed from Rick & Mary Beth Holladay on Vimeo.

Opportunities for visual artists and those supporting the visual arts in Europe. The Art Factory is a faith-based initiative to rediscover the possibility of a creative and restorative relationship with God and encourage and enjoy the making of art.

Stage vs. Screen – theme?

Article

This is a New York Times article by Jason Zinoman that reviews a stage adaptation of “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” the novel which inspired the classic sci-fi film, Bladerunner.  There is a casual statement early in the article that I found intriguing…

“a downtown play is a better forum than a Hollywood blockbuster for a grim meditation on religion, consumerism and what it means to be human.”

I’ve been thinking about this comment in the past few days since I first saw the article, wondering if it’s true; that the forum of ‘a downtown play’ in and of itself is a better place for discussing issues so central to our existence.  Certainly, I believe that the immediacy and presence of live theatre has the potential to take the discussion of issues such as these and deepen them in a very personal way, that a significant impression can be made on the audience of a theatrical presentation.  And while I believe that some artists have been able to stretch the medium of film to create works with lasting effect, the category of movies with the label ‘Hollywood blockbuster’ rarely even attempt to function on that level.  ‘Hollywood blockbuster’ films might be more comparable to ‘Broadway entertainment’ – where the form and purpose of the work is often more likely attempting to amuse or excite an audience, rather than to consider or examine the significant issues of their lives and a new way.  And if that’s true, then those of us who are called to work in the theatre (particularly the kind which might deserve the label ‘downtown’) might consider that the scope of our work should perhaps include “religion, consumerism and what it means to be human.”

Actor/ Audience relationship

A New York Times article about shows that were successful in their Off-Broadway productions, but struggle in their Broadway incarnation with the changed venues.  Off Broadway theatres are typically smaller houses (often 500 seats or less), whereas Broadway theatres can be much largers (up to 1500 seats).  The change in the relationship of the performance and the audience can greatly alter the perception of the show itself – some plays are intimate, others are on a grand scale – and attempting to translate an intimate production into a house built for grand presentations can be a challenge for designers, actors and directors.

This is why we are pleased to have a flexible, Blackbox theatre at Belhaven, where we have the ability to make adjustments to the space to fit the scale of the production itself – moving the seating in or out or even away to suit the show – and have our Theatre 151 space for productions that are “ultra-intimate” (about 35 seats…).

The Haps: Space

The Haps: Space.

This is an article posted on the site of the Theatre Communications Group about site-specific theatre, and the importance the ‘space’ has on the perception of the performance.

At Belhaven, we are proud of the flexibility of our Blackbox Theatre, the intimacy of our Theatre 151, and the other spaces on campus that we’ve been able to use for theatrical performances, from Barber Auditorium to the Concert Hall to the outdoor spaces around the fountain by Fitzhugh and Preston.  We are blessed with a variety of options to tailor the theatregoing experience for our audience to suit the performance!

Max McLean: “The Screwtape Letters”

WKYC.com | Cleveland, OH | Max McLean: “The Screwtape Letters”.

This is a link to a video interview with Max McLean, producer and star of The Screwtape Letters, a play based on C.S. Lewis’ book.  Coming off of a successful Off-Broadway run in New York, McLean is now touring the play around the country.

Hollywood’s attempts to court Christian audience

Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” proved to many Hollywood executives that there was an untapped market of people looking for specifically Christian material. In the years since, a handful of films out of Hollywood have attempted to reach that market with varying degrees of success – which has still left room for the independently produced Christian films, such as the ones produced by Sherwood Baptist Church (Facing the Giants, Fireproof, etc). But with dollar signs in their eyes, the dream machine of the mainstream film industry has yet to fully tap into that audience. Here is an article from the New York Times that addresses this issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/movies/22christian.html

Article on actor Neil McDonough

http://www.deadline.com/2010/08/actor-sacked-by-abc-for-his-religious-reasons-finds-new-home-on-starz-as-vigilante-priest/

This is an article about actor Neil McDonough (recognizable from Desperate Housewives and Band of Brothers), who has faced challenges as an actor because of the stand he’s taken on filming love scenes because of his religious beliefs.