UW Whitewater Theatre/Dance Department

“Public Enemy” struck over the weekend, and the plates of drafting for “Putnam County” have been delivered to the TD — though I have to start in on paint elevations this week. Last week we started thinking about “Animal Farm,” and by the end of the production meeting, we’d begun to explore stadium style seating.

And I then worked up a rough 3D model:

This afternoon, the director, the publicist and I will have a meeting to talk about seating, ticket sales, and how many seats (if any) we can afford to lose.

I’m also plunging into the grading of the Intro to Theatre’s costume design project. It was in a neat stack on my office floor before I spread them out to show off the students’ work for this photo:

In the rush to get “Putnam County” drafted and begin preliminary work on “Animal Farm” I forgot to post pictures from the final dress rehearsal of “Public Enemy.” So, here they are.

Directed by Mary MacDonald Kerr. Set design by Eric Appleton. Lighting design by Aimee Hanyzewski. Costume design by Tracey Lyons. Sound design by student Emily Ottinger. Props manager student Allison Lozar. Stage manager student Abyra Schneeberg. Thanks for Josh Schmidt for working with Emily on developing her sound design.

Scenes One and Two: The Stockman home:

Scene Three: The newspaper office:

Scene Four; The Meeting Hall.

Scene Five: The Stockman home:

This past week, one of my favorite Intro to Theatre assignments was due — a costume design for “A Raisin in the Sun.” The students pick a character from a moment on the play, do research, write a statement supporting their choices through the text of the play and their research, and do a costume rendering. They’re always surprised at how well they manage to do!

Here the projects are, on the wall of the classroom, prior to presentations and discussion:

Some pictures from Saturday’s first dress rehearsal of “Public Enemy,” a modernized version of Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People.” There are still things to be done on the set, but those will happen during Monday afternoon’s shop session (since we open Tuesday morning with our student matinee).

The top of the show:

Heading into the transition between scene one and two:

Scene three, the newspaper office:

We had first tech last night. It went pretty smoothly. On the other hand, there’s still a lot to be done.

Here’s a shot of guest director Mary MacDonald Kerr and guest lighting designer Aimee Hanyzewski with students at the tech table as we get the evening rolling.

And student stage manager Abrya walking the stage:

The set under worklights:

A final major element will be installed this afternoon. The timbers, which are all laying in the Hicklin theatre at the moment:

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With actors on the stage, the opening scene:

And my list at the end of the night:

Lots happening on Friday afternoon! The platforms for “Public Enemy” are in place, and primed. Light hang (LD is guest designer Aime Hanyzewski, and our ME is student Quinn Bauer) over the stage was pretty much wrapped up. Here is the lighting crew finishing up one of the over-apron trusses:

In the shop, student sound designer Emily Ottinger worked with Intro student Alexa to finish the Foley door to produce all the front door opening and closing through the play:

Here are Jordan and Jordan installing one of the escape steps on stage:

My afternoon project was to get the three flown paintings rolling:

I hope to finish those this afternoon and turn them over to the TD. Finally, over the weekend, I found better chairs for the Stockman’s living room.

We’re getting closer to the hang for “Public Enemy” (directed by guest director Mary MacDonald Kerr, with guest lighting designer Aimee Hanyzewski), and the platforming is getting moved into place. Last night, we had a designer run of the show, so it was important to give the actors the final platform positions.

I believe this is TA Katie working with one of the Intro to Theatre students on attaching masonite to the next to last platform:

And view of the work from the house:

Then it’s back to the office for me, and finishing up the elevation of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

Now that “Public Enemy” is in the shop (with platforming getting built on stage at this very moment), I’ve been working away on “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” which is the musical slated for February. After meeting with the director this past weekend, we firmed up scenic decisions and are going with this:

That means I get to work up the groundplan this afternoon!

Some photos from the final dress rehearsal of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Set design by student Lilliana Gonzalez. Costume design by student Kat Middleton. Props by student Jordan Meyer. Stage managed by student Alex Cary. Lighting design by Eric Appleton. Technical direction by Ruth Conrad-Proulx. Directed by Charles Grover, to bookend his years at Whitewater. Sleepy Hollow was the first show he directed when he started his position here, so many years ago.

Preset:

The Storytellers:

Outside the Tarrytown Tavern:

Ichabod learns about the bridge:

Ichabod hobnobs with the ladies of the town:

Ichabod and Brom vie for Katerina’s attentions:

Brom and Katerina:

Ichabod gets ready for the dance:

All they could find was his hat and a shattered pumpkin:

Brom and Katerina tie the knot:

Friday afternoon was spent finishing up “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” We opened on Saturday and sent it off on the road. Here are some pics from that final afternoon in the shop.

Students adding leaves to the background flats:

Painting the trees. The Fall (non-spooky side is facing us):

Touching up the black on the side flat trees:

Final painting of the stools:

TD Ruth working with TA Nathan on some sign hanging technology:

Waiting for the evening’s tech rehearsal to begin. The trees on stage, Fall side out:

And then student stage manager Alex kindly flipped them to spooky side out so I could get a shot of that: