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.

Our Summeround season hurtles forward, and we’ve already built, teched, and run our first offering, “Dear Ruth.” Here are a few photos from final tech:

First, the set under preset lights:

The moment when Miriam reveals that she’s been writing all those letters:

At night, the Judge chatting with Ruth and Bill:

When Ruth’s actual fiance breaksdown after being arrested for turn-style jumping:

A few weeks ago, we opened our final production of the season “Strong Poison.” Here are some photos from the final dress rehearsal:

And since we’re also in the final week of classes now heading toward exam week, here are the projects students in the scenic painting independent study seminar are working on:

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, as we finished construction on “Strong Poison” and moved into technical rehearsal. First, a few construction photos:

Two students spackling and sanding one of the bookcases:

A member of the prop team applying some tender love and care to one of the chairs:

A bunch of the shelving waiting to be painted:

The set itself, half painted and awaiting those book shelves to be installed:

The view from behind the tech table as we wait to get rolling at first tech the other night:

And finally, student SM Sami calling the show during tech:

Final Dress of “Animal Farm” was last night. Adaptation of the George Orwell novel by Ian Woolridge. Directed by Angela Iannone, scenic design by Eric Appleton, costume design by Marshall Anderson, lighting design by student Quinn Bauer, props management by students Andrew Walsh and Ben Treinen, sound design by student Costandi Kuttab, stage managed by student Brianna Cullen.

Here are some photos. There’s a lot of constant movement in this show that my little camera can’t handle at lower light levels, so please excuse the blurriness in some of these images.

The set under worklights:

The “Manor Farm” sign was a late addition. I’ll be toning it down this afternoon.

Old Major addresses the animals:

The expulsion of Snowball:

The completion of the windmill:

Teaching the young animals:

Pilkington vists the pigs:

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opened last night. Our director was guest Lenny Banovez (of Titan Theatre out of NY), the set was by Eric Appleton, lighting by student Joe Berman, costumes by Marshall Anderson, sound engineer student Mason Ronan, stage manager student Emily Ottinger, and props student Allison Lozar.

Eight actors were cast and they switched off on almost all the roles regardless of gender, so there were a lot of runs to allow them a chance to do all the roles that fell in their allotment. Here are some photos from the first run on the last day of dress rehearsals (Sunday):

The choosing of roles:

A trio of lovers:

Pyramus and Thisbe:

Titania asleep:

Titania and Oberon and Puck:

And meanwhile, it’s back to work on “Yankee Tavern:”

Last night was final dress rehearsal for “Sweeney Todd,” and right now, the students are performing a matinee for high school students. Here are some pics from last night.

The opening number:

Sweeney and Anthony arrive in London:

Toby hawks elixir on the step of Pirelli’s wagon:

Mrs. Lovett brings up her husband’s chair:

Testing the trapdoor and chute to bakehouse:

Anthony’s rescue of Johanna from the madhouse:

Closing number:

Our TD said this show probably pushed us right to the very limits of our technical capacity. . .

It was down to the wire, but “I Hate Hamlet” opened last night. The muslin for the sky arrived yesterday morning, the final trim went up in the afternoon, but it’s done. I think all of us agree that we were prefer not to cut it so close ever again.

Here is a photo from fight call (featuring Dennis and Nick) before the final dress, with the set arranged for act one:

Here is the stage set up for the second act:

During yesterday’s work call, one of the tasks was paint touch-up. Here’s ASM and TA Lilliana seeking out unpainted ends and bits:

I finally finished the globe that is also a bar:

And then headed to the office to draft a plate for “Three Excellent Cows,” which will start getting built this afternoon.

As well as work through some ideas for “Radium Girls,” since we have another production meeting this afternoon.

Last night was the first tech rehearsal for the UW-Whitewater production of “The Furies.” It went pretty well; things were discovered, things were addressed, lists were made. Here are a few photos:

A preliminary preset (lighting design by student Logan Bydalek):

The Furies take the stage:

Athena begins the trial of Orestes:

The Furies object to the results of the trial:

We opened “The Tender Land” on Sunday, so here are a few photos from the final dress rehearsal on Saturday.

Directed by Jim Butchart, scenic design by Eric Appleton, costume design by Tracey Lyons, lighting design by Steve Chene, props manager student Quinn Bauer, Music Director and conductor Bob Gehrenbeck, stage managed by student Allison Lozar.

I was learning a new camera, so between it and the LED fixtures (which, we’re finding, play havoc with digital cameras) out of the 300 shots I took, about forty were decent, even even those had a fair amount of image blowout on the actors and color shifting on costumes.

First, here are stage manager Allison and backstage crew member Lilliana having a brief break after the stage is swept and mopped:

The party scene, as Laurie emerges from the house:

The end of act two, as Laurie decides to leave the farm for good:

And while my camera has trouble with real things, it does have a number of built in filters. Here’s a moment of the party scene through the sepia filter: