Our congrats to Boston native David Lindsay-Abaire
Playbill again had the breaking news. Variety has a few more details. David reacts at Broadway.com
Showing posts with label Rabbit Hole. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rabbit Hole. Show all posts
April 16, 2007
April 11, 2007
Pulitzer Picks? Norton Nods?
Playbill news this morning names our first three plays of the season as Pulitzer contenders; August Wilson's Radio Golf, Teresa Rebeck's Mauritius, and David Lindsay Abaire's Rabbit Hole.
Read the Playbill.com article here.
In local news - The Elliot Norton Award nominations are also out. Nods were given in a variety of categories to Love's Labour's Lost, Radio Golf, and Mauritius. Exhibitionist has the details.
Read the Playbill.com article here.
In local news - The Elliot Norton Award nominations are also out. Nods were given in a variety of categories to Love's Labour's Lost, Radio Golf, and Mauritius. Exhibitionist has the details.
February 2, 2007
New Toys
My previously planned Friday post has been delayed, so I thought I would try out a new blog toy... a live poll widget. I like toys. Widgets are good. It's from polldaddy.com - how could one possibly resist? And polls can be fun. Really. Give it a try...
January 11, 2007
Tell us Your Story
We sent the following message to our subscibers last week:
TELL US YOUR STORIES We're collecting from our subscribers their stories and remembrances about 25 years of the Huntington. Have a special memory of a production or a performance? Tell us about it. Just email your story to thehuntington@huntingtontheatre.org and we'll send you a coupon good for one concessions treat the next time you're in the theatre. Thank you!
The stories have started to roll in. I wanted to share this one with you from subscriber Lynn Thornton:
My friend June and I have to be among the longest longtime-subscribers. I believe that the very first season of the Huntington (Sept. 1982 or was it 1981?) it was not called the Huntington. Wasn't it The Hartman Theater first, then they changed the name for the second season? At any rate, my friend June and I began attending when we were living in Boston and I was about to be married. We have attended every season from the beginning. We are agreed that Arcadia is our hands down favorite production but Sonia Flew and the Rabbit Hole are in strong contention. 
I have seldom been so moved by a production as I was by Rabbit Hole--I cried every time I discussed it with anyone. Another memorable performance was Terra Nova which we remember because its theme of futility and bleakness, enhanced by the real chill produced by the higher-than-usual air conditioning, mirrored June's feelings on being recently divorced. Since that unhappy play, we have thrilled to many wonderful productions and our lives have continued apace as we created our families and moved through different stages in our lives (get it?). The Huntington has woven a rich tapestry of theater experiences into our minds and souls over this quarter century. In this age of technology-enhanced entertainment and blockbuster-sappy Broadway, what a joy it is to see live and intimate theater so beautifully produced. Keep up the good work.--Sincerely, Lynn Thornton
Thanks Lynn! Terra Nova was back in 1985 (missed that one, I was still in college), Arcadia was in 1996 (and one of my favorite Tom Stoppard plays... who knew chaos theory could be so much fun), Sonia Flew was our inaugural production on our brand new second stage, the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, a few years ago in 2004. Rabbit Hole was just a few months back.
Please tell us your story. Again, the email address is thehuntington@huntingtontheatre.org
Photos:
Zabryna Guevara as Pilar and Will LeBow as Orfeo in the Huntington Theatre Company's world premiere production of Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA(2004). Photo: T. Charles Erickson.
Izzy (Geneva Carr, l.), Becca (Donna Bullock, c.) and Nat (Maureen Anderman) cut Izzy's birthday cake in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, at the Boston University Theatre (2006). Photo: Eric Antoniou.
TELL US YOUR STORIES We're collecting from our subscribers their stories and remembrances about 25 years of the Huntington. Have a special memory of a production or a performance? Tell us about it. Just email your story to thehuntington@huntingtontheatre.org and we'll send you a coupon good for one concessions treat the next time you're in the theatre. Thank you!
The stories have started to roll in. I wanted to share this one with you from subscriber Lynn Thornton:
My friend June and I have to be among the longest longtime-subscribers. I believe that the very first season of the Huntington (Sept. 1982 or was it 1981?) it was not called the Huntington. Wasn't it The Hartman Theater first, then they changed the name for the second season? At any rate, my friend June and I began attending when we were living in Boston and I was about to be married. We have attended every season from the beginning. We are agreed that Arcadia is our hands down favorite production but Sonia Flew and the Rabbit Hole are in strong contention. 
I have seldom been so moved by a production as I was by Rabbit Hole--I cried every time I discussed it with anyone. Another memorable performance was Terra Nova which we remember because its theme of futility and bleakness, enhanced by the real chill produced by the higher-than-usual air conditioning, mirrored June's feelings on being recently divorced. Since that unhappy play, we have thrilled to many wonderful productions and our lives have continued apace as we created our families and moved through different stages in our lives (get it?). The Huntington has woven a rich tapestry of theater experiences into our minds and souls over this quarter century. In this age of technology-enhanced entertainment and blockbuster-sappy Broadway, what a joy it is to see live and intimate theater so beautifully produced. Keep up the good work.--Sincerely, Lynn ThorntonThanks Lynn! Terra Nova was back in 1985 (missed that one, I was still in college), Arcadia was in 1996 (and one of my favorite Tom Stoppard plays... who knew chaos theory could be so much fun), Sonia Flew was our inaugural production on our brand new second stage, the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, a few years ago in 2004. Rabbit Hole was just a few months back.
Please tell us your story. Again, the email address is thehuntington@huntingtontheatre.org
Photos:
Zabryna Guevara as Pilar and Will LeBow as Orfeo in the Huntington Theatre Company's world premiere production of Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA(2004). Photo: T. Charles Erickson.
Izzy (Geneva Carr, l.), Becca (Donna Bullock, c.) and Nat (Maureen Anderman) cut Izzy's birthday cake in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, at the Boston University Theatre (2006). Photo: Eric Antoniou.
January 6, 2007
Rabbit Hole lives on... and other news
I'm catching up on a little reading today as I wait for Cherry Orchard rehearsal to end today. Here's a little of the Huntington related news I found:
Rabbit Hole has topped the list of Theatre Mania's Audience Picks
also in Rabbit Hole news... Nicole Kidman to Star in Rabbit Hole Film; Lindsay-Abaire Will Pen Screenplay
The Cherry Orchard advance sales are very good. Not a record, but probably near one, so get your tickets soon. Back Bay and South End Residents get their own special night, and a discount, see our website for details.
The New York Times reports Famed Restaurateur Vincent Sardi Dies at 91
Last week's NY Times Magazine had a very nice piece on Wendy Wasserstein (The Sisters Rosensweig). The website has a nice video too. Look for it on the theater page.
TheatreMania does some "Cherry Picking" and talks about what's coming up in the Boston Area.
Curtains, the new musical (Kander/Ebb/Holmes) directed by Scott Ellis (Streamers) has announced it's cast. There's a few familiar names there, including Deb Monk (Laughing Wild).
Two of my favorite leading ladies, Megan Mullally and Julie White (now in Little Dog Laughed also directed by Scott Ellis), might be looking for work soon.
And Butley, which is also closing soon (next weekend) on Broadway, announced that it's recouped it's initial investment.
Have you seen any news about any of your favorite Huntington plays or people? Let me know...
Rabbit Hole has topped the list of Theatre Mania's Audience Picks
also in Rabbit Hole news... Nicole Kidman to Star in Rabbit Hole Film; Lindsay-Abaire Will Pen Screenplay
The Cherry Orchard advance sales are very good. Not a record, but probably near one, so get your tickets soon. Back Bay and South End Residents get their own special night, and a discount, see our website for details.
The New York Times reports Famed Restaurateur Vincent Sardi Dies at 91
Last week's NY Times Magazine had a very nice piece on Wendy Wasserstein (The Sisters Rosensweig). The website has a nice video too. Look for it on the theater page.
TheatreMania does some "Cherry Picking" and talks about what's coming up in the Boston Area.
Curtains, the new musical (Kander/Ebb/Holmes) directed by Scott Ellis (Streamers) has announced it's cast. There's a few familiar names there, including Deb Monk (Laughing Wild).
Two of my favorite leading ladies, Megan Mullally and Julie White (now in Little Dog Laughed also directed by Scott Ellis), might be looking for work soon.
And Butley, which is also closing soon (next weekend) on Broadway, announced that it's recouped it's initial investment.
Have you seen any news about any of your favorite Huntington plays or people? Let me know...
November 22, 2006
How much is that doily in the window
Part II
$750 buys the decorative elements for one wall of a living room set. Home improvement manufacturers provide us with many of the specialty moldings, banisters, turned railing posts, niches, wood veneer, door knobs and plaster medallions that you’ve seen on sets such as The Hopper Collection or Sisters Rosenswieg. These items often come in wood, plastic, or plaster in order meet the unique demands of flexibility, durability and weight that theatre productions require, and it’s cheaper to buy them than it is to manufacture ourselves. The railings, stair parts, and door hardware on a set such as our 2006 production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses (photo: T. Charles Erickson) might run as high as $8000.
$300 will allow us to add rubber soles and heels to the shoes of 7 actors.
Most shoes come from the store with slick leather outsoles, which would be dangerous for actors onstage and off. They therefore almost all get "rubbered" by a shoemaker, except for sneakers and other shoes with adequate traction. Union requirements specify that anyone who dances in our shows must have brand new shoes for each production. The shoe bill for our 2004 production of Bad Dates was exceptional. (Photo: T. Charles Erickson)
$1300 buys an unpainted full stage muslin backdrop. A blank full size painter's scrim costs about $1900. Our scenic artists create all of the Huntington backdrops here on site, such as the reproduction Fragonaurd painting in Liaisons or the sky drop in The Hopper Collection. Right now and for the next 4 weeks Roberto and Lori and their crews are painting the drops, trees, and interior set for our January 2007 production of The Cherry Orchard as seen below (photo: Ralph Funicello). They are working in both our Huntington Avenue paint shop, and in one of WGBH's old studios. This show takes up a lot of floorspace, and we need every inch. I'm hoping to have lots of progress photos for you over the next month or so. Scenery, Props, and Costumes all have cameras and will be clicking away during their builds. Paints will have a camera at each of the shops they are working in.
And one slightly off topic note. Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire was in town on Sunday to see our production of his Rabbit Hole and speak at the Humanities Forum following the show. Literary Manager Ilana Brownstein passed on the following comments from him to the staff in an email earlier this week:
"David is thrilled with this production in its entirety - cast, design, direction, and support - and wanted me to specifically thank all of you for the wonderful experience. He particularly enjoyed being able to see his play with a cast who found different highs and lows than his NY cast did; he felt it revealed brand new things to him about the play and its inner life. He's felt very well taken care of, even though he was only involved minimally and from afar, and offers his gratitude to the entire Huntington family for the success of this show. "
It's nice to get a rave review from the playwright! Thanks to you, too, David. We've about 14 performances of Rabbit Hole left. Don't miss it. Kitchen Cupboards, from Ikea, $3600.
$750 buys the decorative elements for one wall of a living room set. Home improvement manufacturers provide us with many of the specialty moldings, banisters, turned railing posts, niches, wood veneer, door knobs and plaster medallions that you’ve seen on sets such as The Hopper Collection or Sisters Rosenswieg. These items often come in wood, plastic, or plaster in order meet the unique demands of flexibility, durability and weight that theatre productions require, and it’s cheaper to buy them than it is to manufacture ourselves. The railings, stair parts, and door hardware on a set such as our 2006 production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses (photo: T. Charles Erickson) might run as high as $8000.$300 will allow us to add rubber soles and heels to the shoes of 7 actors.
Most shoes come from the store with slick leather outsoles, which would be dangerous for actors onstage and off. They therefore almost all get "rubbered" by a shoemaker, except for sneakers and other shoes with adequate traction. Union requirements specify that anyone who dances in our shows must have brand new shoes for each production. The shoe bill for our 2004 production of Bad Dates was exceptional. (Photo: T. Charles Erickson)$1300 buys an unpainted full stage muslin backdrop. A blank full size painter's scrim costs about $1900. Our scenic artists create all of the Huntington backdrops here on site, such as the reproduction Fragonaurd painting in Liaisons or the sky drop in The Hopper Collection. Right now and for the next 4 weeks Roberto and Lori and their crews are painting the drops, trees, and interior set for our January 2007 production of The Cherry Orchard as seen below (photo: Ralph Funicello). They are working in both our Huntington Avenue paint shop, and in one of WGBH's old studios. This show takes up a lot of floorspace, and we need every inch. I'm hoping to have lots of progress photos for you over the next month or so. Scenery, Props, and Costumes all have cameras and will be clicking away during their builds. Paints will have a camera at each of the shops they are working in.
And one slightly off topic note. Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire was in town on Sunday to see our production of his Rabbit Hole and speak at the Humanities Forum following the show. Literary Manager Ilana Brownstein passed on the following comments from him to the staff in an email earlier this week:
"David is thrilled with this production in its entirety - cast, design, direction, and support - and wanted me to specifically thank all of you for the wonderful experience. He particularly enjoyed being able to see his play with a cast who found different highs and lows than his NY cast did; he felt it revealed brand new things to him about the play and its inner life. He's felt very well taken care of, even though he was only involved minimally and from afar, and offers his gratitude to the entire Huntington family for the success of this show. "
It's nice to get a rave review from the playwright! Thanks to you, too, David. We've about 14 performances of Rabbit Hole left. Don't miss it. Kitchen Cupboards, from Ikea, $3600.
November 14, 2006
Opening Night - Rabbit Hole
I'm late, I know, sorry.
I enjoyed the long Holiday weekend and then got a little swamped back at work on Monday. I've been pestered by perhaps 6 people thus far for the next post, so someone is reading. Glad to hear it. Hannah Cohen, was that your comment on the last post? Hannah was a Stage Management student at BU who helped us out as a Production Assistant on several productions, including What the Butler Saw, one of my favorites. She is now in NY doing what, Hannah?
Opening Night was a lot of fun. There are a lot of little opening night traditions and festivities around here, so I thought I'd share a few of them with you. I didn't have my camera, so no photos.
In our costume shop the gang stops work at around 4 PM to have their usual tea... however the opening night spread is not usual. This time around there was a birthday (Jeffery's) and a baby shower (Rachel's) to celebrate too so the room was crowded with folks, gifts, and pie.
So much pie. There are always yummy nibbles here, as well as good company, so I try to drop in before I head out to the pre-show dinner.
Company management does a wonderful job of presenting the cast and crew with a cast picture taken at photo call, as well as a framed show poster. I think I've managed to avoid the cast photo for 14 years, though I'll challenge anyone to prove me wrong. The green room is usually overflowing with flowers sent from well wishers and baskets of candy and food. So is the run room (where the crew hangs out). Enough sugar already! And where's my poster??
Huntington Board Members and special guests attend a pre-show reception and dinner. There's usually at least one staff person per table and tonight I was one of them. We were at the Colonnade, just down the street, and approximately 90 guests braved the rain. I was seated with Huntington Trustees Ken Colburn and Jim Dillon, and Overseer Katherine Kane and their guests.
Seated next to me was a friend of Jim's, author Andy Savitz, who has some interesting views on corporate responsibility. Here's a quote from his latest book"The Triple Bottom Line", of which he is (or was) currently out on book tour."The truly sustainable company," Savitz concludes, "would have no need to write checks to charity or 'give back' to the local community, because the company's daily operations would not deprive the community, but would enrich it."
He said as much in our conversation and I didn't quite comprehend where he was going from our short dinner conversation. I'm thinking I'll have to read it. We also had a fascinating chat about how the Huntington, or companies like us, measure success. It's a very interesting question. I think the answer could be very different depending on who's answering the question. Do you perceive us as successful? Why and on what basis?
I'm rambling.
After dinner came the show... it was a nice big slightly soggy crowd and all seemed to have a good time. I have to confess I didn't watch (just listened from my office). We've received a lot of nice reviews and here's a sample from The Boston Globe, The Phoenix, and Edge Boston.
Post-show the cast, crew and staff went up to the rehearsal hall for THE opening night party. Complete with DJ and food catered by Bob's Southern Bistro the place was soon thumping and shaking... first ones out on the dance floor were director Joey Tillinger and his cast. Nice! And the cast of Mauritius stopped by for some fun too. I saw a bunch of cell phone photos being taken, but my sources have yet to provide me with anything juicy... come on, kids!?!
It was a well deserved night of celebration. We've now opened three out of seven, all in the first three months of our 10 month season, so that's a definite relief. Now it's on to Nick Martin's first show of the season, The Cherry Orchard. Rehearsal start December 5th so it's just a breath away.
One more item to share for those who saw Mauritius. I think there may be a sequel here, Teresa!
And Congrats to Rachel on the birth this morning of little Ava Marie... may she follow in Mom's footsteps and lead the next generation of theatre pro's!
Photo (above) Izzy (Geneva Carr, l.), Becca (Donna Bullock, c.) and Nat (Maureen Anderman) cut Izzy's birthday cake in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.
I enjoyed the long Holiday weekend and then got a little swamped back at work on Monday. I've been pestered by perhaps 6 people thus far for the next post, so someone is reading. Glad to hear it. Hannah Cohen, was that your comment on the last post? Hannah was a Stage Management student at BU who helped us out as a Production Assistant on several productions, including What the Butler Saw, one of my favorites. She is now in NY doing what, Hannah?
Opening Night was a lot of fun. There are a lot of little opening night traditions and festivities around here, so I thought I'd share a few of them with you. I didn't have my camera, so no photos.
In our costume shop the gang stops work at around 4 PM to have their usual tea... however the opening night spread is not usual. This time around there was a birthday (Jeffery's) and a baby shower (Rachel's) to celebrate too so the room was crowded with folks, gifts, and pie.
So much pie. There are always yummy nibbles here, as well as good company, so I try to drop in before I head out to the pre-show dinner.Company management does a wonderful job of presenting the cast and crew with a cast picture taken at photo call, as well as a framed show poster. I think I've managed to avoid the cast photo for 14 years, though I'll challenge anyone to prove me wrong. The green room is usually overflowing with flowers sent from well wishers and baskets of candy and food. So is the run room (where the crew hangs out). Enough sugar already! And where's my poster??
Huntington Board Members and special guests attend a pre-show reception and dinner. There's usually at least one staff person per table and tonight I was one of them. We were at the Colonnade, just down the street, and approximately 90 guests braved the rain. I was seated with Huntington Trustees Ken Colburn and Jim Dillon, and Overseer Katherine Kane and their guests.
Seated next to me was a friend of Jim's, author Andy Savitz, who has some interesting views on corporate responsibility. Here's a quote from his latest book"The Triple Bottom Line", of which he is (or was) currently out on book tour."The truly sustainable company," Savitz concludes, "would have no need to write checks to charity or 'give back' to the local community, because the company's daily operations would not deprive the community, but would enrich it."
He said as much in our conversation and I didn't quite comprehend where he was going from our short dinner conversation. I'm thinking I'll have to read it. We also had a fascinating chat about how the Huntington, or companies like us, measure success. It's a very interesting question. I think the answer could be very different depending on who's answering the question. Do you perceive us as successful? Why and on what basis?
I'm rambling.
After dinner came the show... it was a nice big slightly soggy crowd and all seemed to have a good time. I have to confess I didn't watch (just listened from my office). We've received a lot of nice reviews and here's a sample from The Boston Globe, The Phoenix, and Edge Boston.
Post-show the cast, crew and staff went up to the rehearsal hall for THE opening night party. Complete with DJ and food catered by Bob's Southern Bistro the place was soon thumping and shaking... first ones out on the dance floor were director Joey Tillinger and his cast. Nice! And the cast of Mauritius stopped by for some fun too. I saw a bunch of cell phone photos being taken, but my sources have yet to provide me with anything juicy... come on, kids!?!
It was a well deserved night of celebration. We've now opened three out of seven, all in the first three months of our 10 month season, so that's a definite relief. Now it's on to Nick Martin's first show of the season, The Cherry Orchard. Rehearsal start December 5th so it's just a breath away.
One more item to share for those who saw Mauritius. I think there may be a sequel here, Teresa!And Congrats to Rachel on the birth this morning of little Ava Marie... may she follow in Mom's footsteps and lead the next generation of theatre pro's!
Photo (above) Izzy (Geneva Carr, l.), Becca (Donna Bullock, c.) and Nat (Maureen Anderman) cut Izzy's birthday cake in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.
November 7, 2006
4... 3... 2... 1...
November 4 - 7
I don’t have much to say as I took Saturday (Day 4) and Sunday off. If I’m needed I’ll get called and I don’t. I get to spend the day concentrating on the “Domestic Arts” (thanks Meg). There is no rehearsal, just brief notes with the cast after the show. The director asks us to add the following line to the pre-show recording; “If you feel the need to enjoy a hard candy during the performance, please unwrap it… now.” It’s a cute line that usually gets a laugh, but it doesn’t seem to stop the crinkling. We stopped using it a few years ago.
Sunday night (Day 3) there was silence as the curtain fell, and a good long pause before the appreciative audience began to applaud. Maureen Anderman (Nat) reported that the cast was thrilled… sometimes it means more us when people are so moved that they sit silent and mesmerized for a few moments. You know they have taken the journey with you.
Monday (Day 2) is the actor’s day off. Not much at all going on for Rabbit Hole. The mattress is getting dyed so it’s not as bright, and the floor gets a final coat of polyurethane. There’s payroll to check (or at least I was supposed to), we welcome some new overseers at an orientation over at the Pavilion, and I have a conference with a designer for a room that we are hoping to convert into a lounge in the lower lobby. And I get reminded that I have a quarterly budget update due tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday (Day 1) is our final preview. We had a production staff meeting this morning, Mauritius closes on Sunday, and Cherry Orchard production started yesterday, so we have a lot to discuss. Then I blasted out payroll, weekly budget reports, the quarterly projections for our finance committee coming up, and set up my staff's reviews. Hence all of the blog posts late today :-)
The big day is tomorrow... OPENING NIGHT! I'll tell you all about it after I recover.
(Photo: Howie (Jordan Lage, r.) and Becca (Donna Bullock) come to terms with their future lives in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.)
I don’t have much to say as I took Saturday (Day 4) and Sunday off. If I’m needed I’ll get called and I don’t. I get to spend the day concentrating on the “Domestic Arts” (thanks Meg). There is no rehearsal, just brief notes with the cast after the show. The director asks us to add the following line to the pre-show recording; “If you feel the need to enjoy a hard candy during the performance, please unwrap it… now.” It’s a cute line that usually gets a laugh, but it doesn’t seem to stop the crinkling. We stopped using it a few years ago.
Sunday night (Day 3) there was silence as the curtain fell, and a good long pause before the appreciative audience began to applaud. Maureen Anderman (Nat) reported that the cast was thrilled… sometimes it means more us when people are so moved that they sit silent and mesmerized for a few moments. You know they have taken the journey with you.Monday (Day 2) is the actor’s day off. Not much at all going on for Rabbit Hole. The mattress is getting dyed so it’s not as bright, and the floor gets a final coat of polyurethane. There’s payroll to check (or at least I was supposed to), we welcome some new overseers at an orientation over at the Pavilion, and I have a conference with a designer for a room that we are hoping to convert into a lounge in the lower lobby. And I get reminded that I have a quarterly budget update due tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday (Day 1) is our final preview. We had a production staff meeting this morning, Mauritius closes on Sunday, and Cherry Orchard production started yesterday, so we have a lot to discuss. Then I blasted out payroll, weekly budget reports, the quarterly projections for our finance committee coming up, and set up my staff's reviews. Hence all of the blog posts late today :-)
The big day is tomorrow... OPENING NIGHT! I'll tell you all about it after I recover.
(Photo: Howie (Jordan Lage, r.) and Becca (Donna Bullock) come to terms with their future lives in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.)
5... First Preview
Day 5. Friday, November 3
What is a preview? From the point of view of the audience member it’s usually a fairly normal performance. We sell tickets to subscribers and the public, though at a slight discount, and invite some of our neighbors to come for very little (thanks to an outreach sponsorship from Citizen's Bank). We also have pay your age previews. It’s amazing to me how many of our subscribers really like to come to the first preview. They like seeing something that is out there for the first time to an audience, and know there’s a chance they might see something that the rest of our patrons might never see, like a mistake, or something that get’s changed or cut before press Opening on Wednesday. What makes it different is that we’ll take what been learned from experiencing the show with an audience and try to meld that in. And we usually keep rehearsing, with up to five hours of rehearsal a day until opening. I’ll watch first preview but then, if I can manage, not see it again until opening. Often it’s a very different experience after a few days away. In a good way.
We didn’t rehearse much today though, after spending a half hour working with some new TV cues the cast arrives and they run a couple of scenes. 
They only work about an hour together.
Four year old Gabe Emerson (the voice of Danny) came in and gave his advice. Turns out his true calling may be that of Director. Watch out. Really though it was very touching to have a four year old hanging around the set. It was a little spooky to see him playing in the bedroom. The show now has it's ghost.
The preview goes well. It’s fun to sit in the crowd and hear them whisper to each other. It’s not so fun to listen to the opening of the candy wrappers.
(Photos: (top) Howie (Jordan Lage) attempts to relax his wife Becca (Donna Bullock) with a massage. (Bottom): Nat (Maureen Anderman, l.) and Becca (Donna Bullock) share a quiet moment in Danny's room in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.)
Day 6: Invited Dress Rehearsal
Day 6. Thursday, November 2.
Today we ran the show twice, the first time in the afternoon after some brief work notes. Things are in good shape and we’re still doing a little finessing. Now is the time that we begin to give the show back to the cast. They have not really been able to get into the show since last Saturday as we have been constantly interrupting the show with adjustment making. A little change in blocking here, or a few minutes spent tweaking a lighting cue. We’re pretty much done with that now, so the cast can now begin to find the rhythm of the piece again on their own. Almost…
The afternoon’s run is photo call. During the run our photographer will take the production photos. The photographer will take several hundred shots and of these we’ll pick the 10 or 12 that you’ll see in the press and in our media from here on out.. Needless to say, it’s a bit of a pain for the actors to hear the constant clicking and film reloading during the run.
Tonight we give them a more realistic shot at it. No interruptions, no stops. Even a bit of an audience; we’ve invited some 60 or so of our neighbors from Fenway Community Health Center, Boston Conservatory, and Home for Little Wanderers to attend the invited dress. This medium does not work until it the experience is shared with an audience, and tonight we begin to see what is there; when the audience breathes as one, laughs (or doesn’t), and where we lose their attention. And we listen to what they’re saying as they talk to each other on their way out. It's much better than a survey form… you get the real candid reactions. It’s the beginning of what the next five days will bring.
(Photo: Izzy (Geneva Carr) gets philosophic over a home-made baked good in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, running through Dec. 3 at the Boston University Theatre. Photo: Eric Antoniou.)
November 2, 2006
Dress Rehearsals - Day 8 and 7
Day 8: Tuesday, October 31 Yesterday’s work has paid off. The set is looking great and it’s fun to look around and find the new stuff. Pictured here is assistant Props Master Brandon Ribordy admiring the fridge dressing. What’s wrong with this picture? Stainless steel does not attract magnets. We faked it.
Today is our second 10 out of 12 (ten rehearsal hours in a 12 hour span). I have a feeling we’ll be out early again. We start with tech of the last scene. Costumes has scrambled and will be ready to put everyone in costume for 1PM. Six hours earlier than originally scheduled. We’re ahead and we’re ready to see the clothes and try all of the fast changes.
The cast gets to eat a lot of dessert in this show. Crème caramel (yogurt), lemon squares, and a chocolate birthday cake (sugar free, no trans fat). Any local bakeries care to help out??? There’s a fair share wine consumed as well. That’s just still water with a little coloring.
I’m right. We end early, shortly after 10 pm.
Day 7: Wednesday, November 1
This afternoon we do a little tech stuff in the afternoon, and then a full dress run in the evening. There’s a cake crisis today. We don’t have a (working) oven on site, still can’t find a local bakery that does sugar free (what’s up with that Whole Foods??) and the cast doesn’t want leftovers. Props asks if they can run over to my apt and bake. Unfortunately I recently let my housekeeper go and there is no way I’m letting anyone near my kitchen with out spending a few hours cleaning up. We discover that one of our microwaves is a convection combo and the baking experiments begin. It was all frustrating and silly but if that’s the biggest problem we’re fixating on I’m not too worried. What are some of the other issues… it’s a little tricky to plumb a sink that moves around onstage. Much like an RV we have to use a pump to get the water flowing. And a pump makes noise. Another issue is the TV where the hubby watches his videos. We’ve managed to place the screen so it’s not visible to the audience, and now we’re working to make it look like it’s actually playing something so that you’ll see the light flashing realistically. It will take a bit of playing around to get it right.
My new laptop arrived this afternoon, so I got a chance to play a little. Found this on Julie White (Bad Dates and the title character in Persephone performed at our Breaking Ground festival last spring). Julie is so much fun… she guest judges on Iron Chef America once in a while and steals the show.
And Radio Golf scene designer David Gallo talks about his latest project Evil Dead:The Musical on the NY Times website. I’m not sure how to link directly to the slideshow, so look for the audio slide show link in the multimedia square. David was telling us back in September about all of the fun they were having with the blood FX.
(Photo: Julie White in Bad Dates. Photo taken by T. Charles Erikson)
All in the Family
Day 9: Monday, October 30th Today is the Actor’s Day off. Lighting and Sound are also laying low. Scenery, Props, and Paints hit the stage in full force to knock out as many of the notes as possible. It’s all the finishing touches. Slight adjustments on the wagons to make them quieter and more level. The finish molding is added to the walls. More boxes of set dressing are pulled from props storage, and a few shopping bags full of Crate and Barrel. Scenery cuts one of the kitchen cabinets down so the sightlines to the sink are better. This house is started to look lived in.
I would like to introduce you to Gabe Emerson, son of Ben and Virginia, our Audio Supervisor and Assistant Costume Director respectively.
The deceased character of Danny, around whom the grief of this story revolves, is heard in a video tape that the father sneaks down to the living room to watch every night. We needed a four year old to do a voice over. Our sound man has a four year old. How convenient. It turns out that Gabe is quite the little actor, and did very well with the lines. It’ll break your heart.
Actor’s Equity allows us to use one or two “Non-Pros” a season (unless it’s a really big cast, or a student) so Gabe was it. No need to hire a casting director! Thanks to Mom and Dad Emerson for their assistance and coaching. All recordings were made in the comfort of the Emerson household. Gabe is coming by to meet the cast and crew on Friday. This is him in his Halloween Costume. I assume Mom made it.
If he wears it again we have plenty of candy.
October 31, 2006
Day 10 - Rehearsals on stage begin
Sunday, October 29th
We have a total of 40 hours of rehearsal time with the actors before our first preview on Friday, Nov. 3rd, today we're scheduled to use 10 of them. This is the first day the designers, director, cast and crew are onstage and rehearsing together. The crew spends the morning moving props and furniture onstage from the rehearsal hall. The sets are dressed (decorated), the backstage area is set up with the usual conveniences (chairs, props shelves, water stations, quick change booths), safety lighting. A good cleaning is done. We don't have costumes today, there is usually enough to do in the first 10 or 15 hours of rehearsal that we don't add them until later.
The actors arrive at Noon and are shown around the stage. They're instructed on how to get from here to there, how to find their dressing rooms and green room, how to get out in the house, and they are introduced to the crew. We start rolling around 12:30.
We step through the blocking, write the lighting cues, set sound levels, add these elements to the scene shifts and then refine. And then refine some more. The refining will continue until we open (DAY 0). Things are going well and rather quickly. The flan doesn't work, it has to be creme caramel which comes out of the cup easier. The sheets are wrong (what about something with Robots on it?). Do we use Whole Foods bags, or something generic? Why not... Whole Foods gives us cookies to sell at concessions. We have to change some spacing here and there, the wagons bump into each other once. Nothing major.
The set designer takes and gives notes on some adjustments to be made over the next few days. The lighting designer refocuses a few instruments. All of the sudden, it's 9:40PM, and we're in the final scene. The actors are released? Did I hear that right? We were supposed to rehearse until Midnight! Sure enough, we've done enough for the day and we're finishing early.
We wrap up a post rehearsal production meeting by 10PM, in which we lay out the next rehearsal day's schedule, and discuss the work notes ahead of us. Out early two nights in a row? No one is complaining. Especially me. It usually takes us about 20 hours to get through the whole show the first time.
Boo
Happy Halloween :-)
We have a total of 40 hours of rehearsal time with the actors before our first preview on Friday, Nov. 3rd, today we're scheduled to use 10 of them. This is the first day the designers, director, cast and crew are onstage and rehearsing together. The crew spends the morning moving props and furniture onstage from the rehearsal hall. The sets are dressed (decorated), the backstage area is set up with the usual conveniences (chairs, props shelves, water stations, quick change booths), safety lighting. A good cleaning is done. We don't have costumes today, there is usually enough to do in the first 10 or 15 hours of rehearsal that we don't add them until later.
The actors arrive at Noon and are shown around the stage. They're instructed on how to get from here to there, how to find their dressing rooms and green room, how to get out in the house, and they are introduced to the crew. We start rolling around 12:30.
We step through the blocking, write the lighting cues, set sound levels, add these elements to the scene shifts and then refine. And then refine some more. The refining will continue until we open (DAY 0). Things are going well and rather quickly. The flan doesn't work, it has to be creme caramel which comes out of the cup easier. The sheets are wrong (what about something with Robots on it?). Do we use Whole Foods bags, or something generic? Why not... Whole Foods gives us cookies to sell at concessions. We have to change some spacing here and there, the wagons bump into each other once. Nothing major.The set designer takes and gives notes on some adjustments to be made over the next few days. The lighting designer refocuses a few instruments. All of the sudden, it's 9:40PM, and we're in the final scene. The actors are released? Did I hear that right? We were supposed to rehearse until Midnight! Sure enough, we've done enough for the day and we're finishing early.
We wrap up a post rehearsal production meeting by 10PM, in which we lay out the next rehearsal day's schedule, and discuss the work notes ahead of us. Out early two nights in a row? No one is complaining. Especially me. It usually takes us about 20 hours to get through the whole show the first time.
Boo
Happy Halloween :-)
11...
Day 11: Saturday, October 28th
Today is lighting focus and dry tech. Lighting designer Dennis Parichy joins our crew first thing in the morning to set all of the lighting. Each of our shows will have 200-400 individual lighting instruments. They all need to be pointed to a specific spot on the stage, and then shaped, and then colored. Some of them project a pattern. This one's pretty easy, as there is not much square footage to light, and because of the configuration of the set, not a lot of places to put lights. We get it all done, except for a few items because we aren't able to move the wagons.
It's raining. Hard and fast. Our Huntington Avenue digs have a tendency to drip, flood, and spout water in the oddest of places when it rains a lot. Saturday was one of those days. I usually get to take this day off, but my computer at home was down and we were going to do a short dry tech that evening, so I came in before lunch to get some work done (mostly to catch up on this blog). I walked in, and soon everyone was telling me to go find the janitor who had been looking for me. Water in the basement. Our most flood prone area is our call center, in the basement of 252 Huntington, where the box office call center, offices, and telemarketing is run from (this is also where the phone rings if you call BostonTheatreScene.com).
The toilets are overflowing... a sewer backup. I head to the back of the building where there is a minor flood in the telephone equipment room. We learned a long time ago to get the equipment well off the floor, so no damage here. In another room there is the cutest little fountian of water spouting out of the floor like a drinking fountain. It's 18" from the sump pump, thankfully providing a needed laugh. The plumber is just arriving. Ronny is moving the hose of a wet vac from toilet to toilet. Another sump is now draining the phone equipment room. Everything here is relatively under control.
I check a few other of our basements and then go to my office to alert the staff not to use the plumbing in the 252 building. No other visible problems. It's calm again.
Then I head back to the stage, and the stage carp is rushing to cover our brand new automation system with plastic. A roof drain pipe has sprung a leak and is showering down on the computer, monitors and control equipment. Lovely. A small cascade coming down the wall four stories from the roof to the basement. Not nearly as cute as the little fountain in the basement. The crew rushes to move the equipment to a safer location, and the thousands of feet of control wiring is relocated. Hence the wagons not being able to move for focus.
The happy end to the day is that all is back up and running an hour before the evening's dry tech is to begin. Dry tech is where we essentially set the scene shifts and practice them without the actors. There is not a lot of furniture moving around in this show, just the wagons, the house curtain, and and some black out panels. Since the major moves are already pre-programmed we complete the Dry tech in a record 27 minutes. That's 6 shifts. We had allotted three hours. Not bad! See you at tech!
I'm still having troubles uploading photos to the blog... found a few beautiful ones of a rainy day in Boston here
Today is lighting focus and dry tech. Lighting designer Dennis Parichy joins our crew first thing in the morning to set all of the lighting. Each of our shows will have 200-400 individual lighting instruments. They all need to be pointed to a specific spot on the stage, and then shaped, and then colored. Some of them project a pattern. This one's pretty easy, as there is not much square footage to light, and because of the configuration of the set, not a lot of places to put lights. We get it all done, except for a few items because we aren't able to move the wagons.
It's raining. Hard and fast. Our Huntington Avenue digs have a tendency to drip, flood, and spout water in the oddest of places when it rains a lot. Saturday was one of those days. I usually get to take this day off, but my computer at home was down and we were going to do a short dry tech that evening, so I came in before lunch to get some work done (mostly to catch up on this blog). I walked in, and soon everyone was telling me to go find the janitor who had been looking for me. Water in the basement. Our most flood prone area is our call center, in the basement of 252 Huntington, where the box office call center, offices, and telemarketing is run from (this is also where the phone rings if you call BostonTheatreScene.com).
The toilets are overflowing... a sewer backup. I head to the back of the building where there is a minor flood in the telephone equipment room. We learned a long time ago to get the equipment well off the floor, so no damage here. In another room there is the cutest little fountian of water spouting out of the floor like a drinking fountain. It's 18" from the sump pump, thankfully providing a needed laugh. The plumber is just arriving. Ronny is moving the hose of a wet vac from toilet to toilet. Another sump is now draining the phone equipment room. Everything here is relatively under control.
I check a few other of our basements and then go to my office to alert the staff not to use the plumbing in the 252 building. No other visible problems. It's calm again.
Then I head back to the stage, and the stage carp is rushing to cover our brand new automation system with plastic. A roof drain pipe has sprung a leak and is showering down on the computer, monitors and control equipment. Lovely. A small cascade coming down the wall four stories from the roof to the basement. Not nearly as cute as the little fountain in the basement. The crew rushes to move the equipment to a safer location, and the thousands of feet of control wiring is relocated. Hence the wagons not being able to move for focus.
The happy end to the day is that all is back up and running an hour before the evening's dry tech is to begin. Dry tech is where we essentially set the scene shifts and practice them without the actors. There is not a lot of furniture moving around in this show, just the wagons, the house curtain, and and some black out panels. Since the major moves are already pre-programmed we complete the Dry tech in a record 27 minutes. That's 6 shifts. We had allotted three hours. Not bad! See you at tech!
I'm still having troubles uploading photos to the blog... found a few beautiful ones of a rainy day in Boston here
October 30, 2006
13... 12... Rabbit Hole count down continues
Day 13: Thursday, October 26th, 2006
A very short post today. I got back to the office from NY around 1:30. Checked Email, answered phone messages and checked in onstage. All of the sudden there was scenery, and lots of it! The stage was a flurry of activity with all sorts of work being done on the Kitchen, Living Room and Bedroom wagons. Looking good. Mom came into town to see Mauritius so I took off to meet her for dinner at 5:30.
Day 12: Friday, October 27th, 2006
It all begins to look like we'll be ready for Sunday's first technical rehearsal. There will be a few things missing, like some moldings, a couple of last minute adds, and some set dressing. Kris and crew were busy doing some re-upholstery and the carps were in the way on the wagons anyway. Props will be very busy Sunday morning getting everything moved down from the rehearsal hall, dressing the three rooms (including a fully stocked kitchen, and yes IKEA came through on the appliances for us).
A very short post today. I got back to the office from NY around 1:30. Checked Email, answered phone messages and checked in onstage. All of the sudden there was scenery, and lots of it! The stage was a flurry of activity with all sorts of work being done on the Kitchen, Living Room and Bedroom wagons. Looking good. Mom came into town to see Mauritius so I took off to meet her for dinner at 5:30.
Day 12: Friday, October 27th, 2006
It all begins to look like we'll be ready for Sunday's first technical rehearsal. There will be a few things missing, like some moldings, a couple of last minute adds, and some set dressing. Kris and crew were busy doing some re-upholstery and the carps were in the way on the wagons anyway. Props will be very busy Sunday morning getting everything moved down from the rehearsal hall, dressing the three rooms (including a fully stocked kitchen, and yes IKEA came through on the appliances for us).
At the end of the day we gave the automation a test run. The photo is of one of our new winch motors. It's called a "Pushstick". Not the kind of pushstick I used in summer stock! We're using three winches to move the Kitchen, Living Room and Bedroom. The Kitchen is the heaviest wagon, weighing over a ton, and is run by 1.5 HP motor. Each wagon rolls on about 125 skateboard wheels, chosen for their small size, and we use so many for weight distribution. The Kitchen and Living Room are meant to travel together for most of the show, even though they are driven by separate motors. When it's all said and done the scene changes will happen at a push of a button from the computerized automation desk.
Click here to see Shop Foreman Brian Sears having a little fun as we do a prelim attempt at running them together. Also shown are Associate Technical Director Adam Godbout, Stage Manager Eileen Kelly, and Light Board Operator Jenni Russell. (I had this embedded before, but it was messing with the blogs layout).
Tomorrow is the Lighting Focus and Dry Tech.
And a final plug for MAURITIUS. The rave reviews have continued to pour in. Two weeks left in the run. That's it... Don't miss. See a nice slideshow with actors Marin Ireland and Michael Aranov here.October 28, 2006
15.... 14....
Day 15: Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Things are looking good onstage, all of the wagons are in place and the painted wood flooring is being installed. We had our weekly production meeting in the morning, discussing the details of the load in, and the requirements of the show. Nothing too exciting.
Costume Designer Laurie Churba is in town until Tuesday morning, so there is a frenzy of costume fittings and hair styling going on.
“What kind of schedule do you work?” I was recently asked. I tend to work 10-6ish, Monday through Friday. Except when we’re in onstage technical/dress rehearsals and previews. Then it’s something like 10 AM – Midnight. And whenever else they need me.
The Huntington is open for business pretty much 16 hours a day when we’re in performance is open from 7 AM – 11 PM.
7AM – 4PM Scene Shop and Paint Shop Open
8AM – 5PM Properties and Lighting Open
9AM – 6PM Costumes and Sound Open
9AM – 6PM Administrative Offices Open
11AM – 5PM Rehearsals in progress
11AM – 8:30 PM Box Office Open
Our stage crew works about 5 hrs per performance, so for an 8 PM curtain that is roughly 6PM – 11PM
The FOH (front of house) staff close up the building at night’s end at the Calderwood Pavilion. On Huntington Ave it’s the night custodian.
Day 14: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Today I’m off to NY to attend the opening night of Butley. A handful of senior staff and about 30 Board members and their guests are going down for the performance and parties to cheer Nicky on and see Nathan Lane in a repeat of 2003’s runaway Huntington success. More on that in the next post.
After checking in with my staff and getting a little desk work done I hop in a cab with designer Laurie Churba.
She is also the costume designer for Saturday Night Live and is heading back to NY to prepare the weekend’s show. All went well at our fittings this week and Laurie estimates that we have 94% of the costumes ready for Rabbit Hole. She will return Monday to do some shopping locally for that final 6%. Our first dressed rehearsal is Tuesday evening.
A modern show is mostly “shopped”. The costume designer and assistant have been shopping all over Boston and NY to get the right clothes for our cast. Very often we will purchase three or more choices for each look, and then work with the cast member and the director to choose the right one. And then we go back and do returns. A LOT of them, we have returned over $5000 worth of clothing for some shows. I think we bought 17 pairs of jeans for Carol Mulroney until we finally found the right ones.
Things are looking good onstage, all of the wagons are in place and the painted wood flooring is being installed. We had our weekly production meeting in the morning, discussing the details of the load in, and the requirements of the show. Nothing too exciting.
Costume Designer Laurie Churba is in town until Tuesday morning, so there is a frenzy of costume fittings and hair styling going on.
“What kind of schedule do you work?” I was recently asked. I tend to work 10-6ish, Monday through Friday. Except when we’re in onstage technical/dress rehearsals and previews. Then it’s something like 10 AM – Midnight. And whenever else they need me.
The Huntington is open for business pretty much 16 hours a day when we’re in performance is open from 7 AM – 11 PM.
7AM – 4PM Scene Shop and Paint Shop Open
8AM – 5PM Properties and Lighting Open
9AM – 6PM Costumes and Sound Open
9AM – 6PM Administrative Offices Open
11AM – 5PM Rehearsals in progress
11AM – 8:30 PM Box Office Open
Our stage crew works about 5 hrs per performance, so for an 8 PM curtain that is roughly 6PM – 11PM
The FOH (front of house) staff close up the building at night’s end at the Calderwood Pavilion. On Huntington Ave it’s the night custodian.
Day 14: Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Today I’m off to NY to attend the opening night of Butley. A handful of senior staff and about 30 Board members and their guests are going down for the performance and parties to cheer Nicky on and see Nathan Lane in a repeat of 2003’s runaway Huntington success. More on that in the next post.
After checking in with my staff and getting a little desk work done I hop in a cab with designer Laurie Churba.
She is also the costume designer for Saturday Night Live and is heading back to NY to prepare the weekend’s show. All went well at our fittings this week and Laurie estimates that we have 94% of the costumes ready for Rabbit Hole. She will return Monday to do some shopping locally for that final 6%. Our first dressed rehearsal is Tuesday evening.A modern show is mostly “shopped”. The costume designer and assistant have been shopping all over Boston and NY to get the right clothes for our cast. Very often we will purchase three or more choices for each look, and then work with the cast member and the director to choose the right one. And then we go back and do returns. A LOT of them, we have returned over $5000 worth of clothing for some shows. I think we bought 17 pairs of jeans for Carol Mulroney until we finally found the right ones.
October 25, 2006
17... 16...
Day 17: Sunday, October 22, 2006
The BU Theatre production of Stoppard’s EDBGF closed with a 2PM matinee. The lighting department came in after the performance and changed the lighting rig over to the plot for Rabbit Hole. The first thing to happen in any load in is the overhead stuff, lighting pipes, scenery pieces and speakers (load in = installation of the scenery, lighting and sound equipment. We usually allow 5-6 days). It’s also the last day of rehearsal for the week up in the rehearsal hall. Today’s notes are light including a request for shift meeting, the costume fitting schedule for Tuesday, and a request to record some voice-overs. All routine. We finally got the boiler turned on so they could have a little heat. Then it started spouting hot water... I turned if off, told the custodian, and headed out to my garden. It was a beautiful day.
Over at Mauritius we had a mess with the automation at the matinee. The shifts happened, though a little late, the cast wasn’t thrilled, and the issues were solved by the evening performance. I don’t think it will happen again. Hopefully the stage manager will call me this time if it does, though I enjoyed the nice weather out of doors.
(BTW – the Mauritius reviews are incredible! My fav quote "A super boffo hit". Get your tickets soon. It’s a limited run.)
And the important stuff – Quizno’s finally opened across the street. We’re all excited.
Day 16: Monday, October 23, 2006
Day off for the actors today (they work six days a week).
The Scenery staff takes to the stage installing the portals and putting in the deck. Our Technical Director is out for a while, so ATD Adam Godbout and Shop Foreman Brian Sears have stepped up and are doing a great job trying to keep things running smoothly. The entire scene shop pulled together last week to get caught up and ready for today, putting in minimal overtime. Thanks Gents. Glad you got the rest yesterday. It’s going to be a LONG week.
The fixtures that go in the window light boxes did not arrive yet. At least DHL is paying for the shipping since they didn’t deliver.
Roberto and Lori in Paints are racing to finish up the pieces the shop got to them today so that they at least get a base coat before they are installed later this week. The space crunch and Mauritius note hit paints hard, but as scenery moves to the stage they’ll be able to spread out and breathe a bit. We’ll get to see some their fine wood-grain technique again on this one. Lunch is on me you two.
That’s all for today. The first day or two of load in is kind of dull (visually)... It's laying in the infrastructure mostly, so you get very little sense of what it’s going to be.
The BU Theatre production of Stoppard’s EDBGF closed with a 2PM matinee. The lighting department came in after the performance and changed the lighting rig over to the plot for Rabbit Hole. The first thing to happen in any load in is the overhead stuff, lighting pipes, scenery pieces and speakers (load in = installation of the scenery, lighting and sound equipment. We usually allow 5-6 days). It’s also the last day of rehearsal for the week up in the rehearsal hall. Today’s notes are light including a request for shift meeting, the costume fitting schedule for Tuesday, and a request to record some voice-overs. All routine. We finally got the boiler turned on so they could have a little heat. Then it started spouting hot water... I turned if off, told the custodian, and headed out to my garden. It was a beautiful day.
Over at Mauritius we had a mess with the automation at the matinee. The shifts happened, though a little late, the cast wasn’t thrilled, and the issues were solved by the evening performance. I don’t think it will happen again. Hopefully the stage manager will call me this time if it does, though I enjoyed the nice weather out of doors.
(BTW – the Mauritius reviews are incredible! My fav quote "A super boffo hit". Get your tickets soon. It’s a limited run.)
And the important stuff – Quizno’s finally opened across the street. We’re all excited.
Day 16: Monday, October 23, 2006
Day off for the actors today (they work six days a week).
The Scenery staff takes to the stage installing the portals and putting in the deck. Our Technical Director is out for a while, so ATD Adam Godbout and Shop Foreman Brian Sears have stepped up and are doing a great job trying to keep things running smoothly. The entire scene shop pulled together last week to get caught up and ready for today, putting in minimal overtime. Thanks Gents. Glad you got the rest yesterday. It’s going to be a LONG week.The fixtures that go in the window light boxes did not arrive yet. At least DHL is paying for the shipping since they didn’t deliver.
Roberto and Lori in Paints are racing to finish up the pieces the shop got to them today so that they at least get a base coat before they are installed later this week. The space crunch and Mauritius note hit paints hard, but as scenery moves to the stage they’ll be able to spread out and breathe a bit. We’ll get to see some their fine wood-grain technique again on this one. Lunch is on me you two.
That’s all for today. The first day or two of load in is kind of dull (visually)... It's laying in the infrastructure mostly, so you get very little sense of what it’s going to be.
October 24, 2006
Rabbit Hole Countdown:
Here’s the plan – give our readers an idea of how a production moves from shop and rehearsal to the stage. Here’s how. I’m going to count down to opening night with updates on each day’s activities as we head towards opening night of Rabbit Hole on November 8. When did it all start? April 2006. This production was one of the last to appear in our line-up, I let my staff know we were doing the show around May 5th, 2006. A Huntington production takes at least seven months to put together from the time we’ve chosen the play. The first order is to select an Artist Team; Director, Scenic Designer, Costume Designer, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, and Stage Managers. It takes about three months to get to a final scenic design, from the first conversations between the designer and director, to the final technical drawings that work within the approved budget. Scenery build started 9/5, props and paints shortly thereafter, rehearsals and costumes build/shopping started 10/10, and lighting and sound started prepping for load in last week.
Our Team: Director – John (Joey) Tillinger, Scenic Designer – Jim Noone, Costume Designer – Laurie Churba, Lighting Designer – Dennis Parichy, Sound Designer/Composer – John Gromada. And of course Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire. The bios are not yet up on our web site, but I’ll add the new links as soon as they become available. Look them up here if you want to in the meanwhile.
The hardest part of this assignment? Keeping it blog short.
Question of the day: Why is it called Rabbit Hole? I guess I should read the script again.
Anyway, here goes… we’re down to 17 days before opening night.
October 18, 2006
Elvis has left the building
Our scene shop staff took a break from constructing the set for Rabbit Hole to join the rest of the staff to "meet and greet" the cast on their first day of rehearsal.Pictured are Elvis Ramirez; Technical Director, Elvis Godbout; Associate Technical Director, Elvis Gassan; Carpenter, Elvis Sears; Shop Foreman, and Elvis Brown; Carpenter. Also visible are Carpenters Jesse Caldwell-Washburn, Jim Farrell, Randy Higgins, Pat Austin and Tim O'Neil.
Why?
Why not?
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