UW Whitewater Theatre/Dance Department

Summeround ended, and the school year started and I realized I hadn’t yet posted any photos of the final product of “Blithe Spirit.” So, here are a few photos of the final dress rehearsal:

Set by me, lighting design by student Samuel Hess, technical director recent student Lilliana Gonzalez, hair and makeup by recent student Colin Grice, stage managed by Abby Smith-Lezama, assistant costume design by student Alexa Farrell, scenic painting by student Nathan Broege, sound by student Owen Poskin.

Construction continues on “Blithe Spirit!”

Here is TD Lilliana installing baseboard, next to the unpainted fireplace.

It’s also light hang day. Student lighting designer Sam is augmenting his rep plot. Here’s Alexa, hanging a light behind the set:

And Sam himself atop a ladder:

I took the fireplace back into the shop to add the trim to create the look of inset panels:

And then gave it a wash of paint before a coat of stain/sealer:

I added the hedgerow on the bottom of the sky flat that morning, and here’s Nathan helping to install it:

A backstage view of the flat installation:

“Mary, Mary,” has opened and closed! The audiences enjoyed it, we had pretty full houses, and from all reports, smooth running. Here are a few photos from final dress:

We are now in the midst of conversion to “Blithe Spirit.” The plan has been to keep the walls up, repaint them, turn some of the doors into the bookshelves, move the window to a different door opening, and add a fireplace. Exterior flats get repainted as well.

Here’s TD Lilliana working on a table that wobbled:

The walls, repainted to a cheery yellow:

Working on the sky of the garden flat:

My project last week was to build the fireplace. Here’s the start:

And a little further along:

It’s hard to believe that Summer is half gone already! Our first show of Summeround opens tomorrow night, and I must commend the students and recent graduates who have made the build and tech of this show really quite stress-free. Kudos to our technical director, Lilliana Gonzalez! Nathan Broege was the scenic painter on this one, and it was nice to work on a show where I barely had to pick up a brush! Megan Grove stage managed and worked in the shop! Sam Hess, lighting designer. Sam Bochat, props manager. Alden Swanson, ALD. Owen Poskin, sound engineer. Colin Grice, hair and make-up. Alexa Farrell, actor, carpenter, and assistant costume designer! Oh, and directed by Kym Mellen!

A mid-way construction pic, as the walls started going up:

This photo does not do justice to Nathan’s floor painting:

Lilliana and Megan work on the window sashes:

Alexa works on the front door flat, while Jamie cheers her on:

Installation of the front door flat:

Through this whole build, we are working around the construction, which is running ductwork from the newly remodeled print-making workroom in the basement through the costume and prop storage areas, up through the shop floor, and over through the shop ceiling:

Since the build was in Lilliana’s capable stewardship, I had time to build some mid-century-looking pieces that I couldn’t afford to buy and wouldn’t be able to transport. Two benches:

And a desk:

Nathan finishes up painting the vom entranceway:

A view from behind the tech table, as Kym adjusts something onstage:

And finally, a shot from last night’s dress rehearsal:

It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of the Spring semester! “Angel Street” opened on Tuesday and will close on Sunday. Then clean up, and then on to the summer shows, which include “Mary, Mary” and “Blithe Spirit.”

Our production of “Angel Street” was directed by Kymberly Mellen, with student lighting designer Nicolas Sole, and stage managed by student Alex Carey. I did the scenery, and Marshall Anderson designed the costumes. Sound was designed, with original music composed, by student Jonathan Mickel.

A few photos from final dress:

The set under work lights:

Kym added a little vignette that precipitates the action of the play, the little old lady that Mr. Manningham murders ten years earlier:

Mr. and Mrs. Manningham, at the top of the play:

Mr. Manningham leaves to go to the club. Mrs. Manningham has an episode:

Inspector Rough arrives, to voice his suspicions about Mr. Manningham:

The end of act one. Mrs. Manningham heads up to her bedroom:

Mr. Manningham returns and lights the lamps:

Technical rehearsals for “Angel Street” began this past Friday. Here are a few photos from that first night.

The set under worklights. You can tell there’s still a lot of detail work to be done.

The top of the show, from behind the tech table. That’s the head of director Kym Mellen there on the left.

This tech table shot includes stage manager Alex Carey on the left, and light board operator Siena (as well as Kym, again).

The set is framed by two ‘exterior’ flats that I painted last week. They turned out pretty decent. I’m particular happy with the “Room to Let” sign.

Another dress rehearsal last night.

Here’s guest lighting designer Tom Littrell and student board op Alexa watching the actors work a moment before things get rolling:

Brother and Sister in the garden:

A song about Mister Right:

And a bit of thinkfast shenanigans:

Final dress tonight, and opening tomorrow morning with the student matinee!

We are heading into tech week for “Triumph of Love.” Closer and closer to being done, but still a lot to accomplish before final dress Monday night.

Here’s David, one of the cast members, explaining to some Intro to Theatre students how to cover a flat with muslin:

Two of the wing flats laid out in the shop, just before I paint the quoins on them. Also the columns, waiting to be primed.

After priming, basing, and then some marbling.

Here’s our TD, Ruth, blurrily supervising the installation of the columns.

And the completed colonnade, with ME Abby standing downstage doing some electrics supervising.

Prepping for first tech, here’s one of the sound operators, Owen, working through mic check.

And before we get rolling, a view from behind the tech table. On the left, there’s our student SM Sami, in the middle, guest lighting designer Tom Littrell, and the light board operator Alexa.

And finally, a shot during rehearsal.

Like a rocket, the Spring semester is hurtling forward toward the opening of the musical, “The Triumph of Love.” We’re already to light hang. Here’s ME Abby working with another student on finishing up circuiting:

As well as other students working on the pipes. The show is being lit by guest LD Tom Littrell.

We start focus today!

In the shop, we forge ahead. I haven’t had the time to take many photos lately, but here’s one of the hedge boxes, all marbled up:

And attaching foam to the entablature for the colonnade:

When all is said and done, the set’s supposed to look like this:

It’s the end of the semester, and our third show has come and gone already. “Ghosts” was directed by Bruce Cohen, and featured scenery by student Lilliana Gonzalez, and props by student Alex Carey. My big project on this one was painting the drop that hung upstage beyond the windows and French doors. Here’s one end of it still on the floor as I was completing it:

One of the props was a painting that had to be worked on (and we’re in thrust configuration, mind you) AND destroyed every night by the actor:

The director wanted to immerse the audience in the Alving’s living space, so we had walls that wrapped most of the way around the seating area. Also in this picture is the model of the school that serves as a major plot point, and serves as a focal point for the space:

Here’s a view upstage during one of the dress rehearsals:

And one that covers more of the playing space: