It’s strange to think that it’s halfway through the Spring semester and we’ve got five shows in the pipeline.
Yesterday I got the groundplan and elevation of “Yankee Tavern” rolling:
And worked up a preliminary sketch of “On the Verge” based off the director’s early notes and doodles:
She responded well to the sketch, so today I will be working out a groundplan for it.
I pushed yesterday to get the groundplan and elevation of “The Tangled Skirt” done:
So I could start in on the groundplan and elevation of “Yankee Tavern” today.
Then, I have to get rolling on “On the Verge.”
And as the model gets finalized, the drafting begins to settle. Here are the groundplan and section, ready to get scanned and distributed.
Now, heading full speed into cranking of “Sweeney Todd” drawings. This afternoon, working out small groundplans for all the wagons and other bits before launching into more detailed drawings:
Strangely enough, a friend of the music department had a harmonium for sale just when we needed it most:
And this morning, Tracey’s camera broke during her make-up class. I ran down to snap photos of students’ prosthetic work. Here are some of them working on their projects:
Even though it’s past the middle of the semester, the production meetings have suddenly piled up. We’ve got our two Summeround shows (“Suds” and “Arrangement for Murder, No. 2”), and our first two Fall offerings (“I Hate Hamlet” and “Three Excellent Cows”) to start talking about. I had a few ideas for “Suds” and started working up sketches, which turned into a Sketchup frenzy. This morning I showed the director where I was heading; he liked it, so I kept going. One of the walls still needs its stripes, but this is pretty much what I will present at the production meeting.
Working on the drawings for “The Furies,” which will be produced by the UW-Whitewater department of Theatre/Dance in April (adapted and directed by Angela Iannone).
Doing the 3D model really helped me see into the platform stack, which really helped in working up the section — though I did discover an issue with borders that I will have to discuss with our TD.
Today’s plates head into the details. There won’t be all that many detail plates for this show, since beyond the platforms, there aren’t a lot of details. Here’s the plate (in progress) for the shard curtains and the navelstone.
Of course, the details are pretty detailed — the navelstone must allow Hermes to climb up and pour water over a kneeling Orestes, Athena will be huge, portable, and must allow the actual Athena to emerge from her skirts, etcetera. Less time at the drafting table, more time in the shop. But that’s okay.
Drafting away on the upcoming UW-Whitewater production of “The Furies,” adapted and directed by Angela Iannone. Today’s project was the elevation (tomorrow, the section!). The difficult thing was figuring out how to draw all those randomly tilted platforms. . .
With “The Tender Land” running, I’ve ramped up work on “The Furies,” getting a rough model put together for Angela (our director) to use in rehearsal. It will also help clarify much of what’s happening in pile-of-platform land. Here is the model set up for Delphi:
And here it is set up for Athens:
Since the budget is pretty tight on this one, we’re going for cheap yet effective. The platforming is intended to be all stock, the white strips are all white parachute silk we had in storage, Athena’s a flat paint and fabric hybrid, and all those shards will be broken up masonite scraps strung on manila cord. Fingers crossed.
“The Tender Land” has opened, “Dancescapes” is gearing up, and “The Furies” is already starting rehearsals. This morning I finished drafting the groundplan (third time is the charm) and will get it scanned and copied and distributed tomorrow. Now it’s on to the rest of the drawings. . .
Last night was first tech for the UW-Whitewater’s production of “The Tender Land.” We’re still working on the set (which is what sometimes happens when the TD has to split time between being the TD and being the lighting designer and it all has to happen at the same time). The two larger things that need to get installed is the porch (posts and headers) and the split rail fence along the upstage walkway. Oh, and the clapboarding for the house. It’s all built, and I expect will get installed this afternoon. In fact, here’s Intro student Josiah cutting the last few holes in the fenceposts yesterday afternoon:
I finished the groundrow:
And here it is, installed behind the scrim:
In the evening, as we got ready to get rolling, here is a shot of the tech table, with board operator Jennifer with TD/LD Steve Chene beyond:
And stage manager Allison figuring out some cuing in her prompt book:
Finally, the actors do their vocal warmups at the edge of the pit, led by music director/conductor Bob Gehrenbeck:
Oh, and then of course, earlier in the day I started working up the revised groundplan for “The Furies,” and here it is on the drafting table, under my lists and fresh platfrom cut-outs which will be used for the next stab at a model of the pile of platforms. . .
