Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Theme Thursday: The Surface of Things

On the surface we are all smiles and hugs as we greet old friends and introduce ourselves to (hopefully) new ones. Inside, we hide the angst as the first day of rehearsal brings so many questions: *Am I prepared? Will I get along with these people? What if the director is a dork? What if they find out that I'm a fraud?*

The surface of the rehearsal hall has been swept and neon-colored spike tape marks off rooms, stairs, doors, and windows of a set that up to now has only been rendered in 2 dimensions. Actors will negotiate flat stairs and non-existent doors (*Dude, that's actually a wall you just walked through*) as the real ones are built downstairs on the surface of the stage. *Really, they want a wall there?*

The play itself has only been discussed, it has not yet had life off the surface of the page. As rehearsal hours tick away, actors animate the playwright's words trying to fit their interpretation with the director's vision. *You know, I never thought of Joe as a Buddhist nymphomaniac, interesting choice.*

Costumes, at first only patterns and drawings on the surface of paper soon add extra texture to the characters struggling to be defined. Meanwhile, in the theater, from a flat, non-descript surface springs the world of the play, built carefully by the technical director and crew. Soon the actors, directors, and designers invade and add more nuance and feeling to the story that only a few weeks ago was just a vision and some words. *Oh, so that actually is a wall there. You know in this costume, Joe feels more like a gay Irishman.*

Soon, the final element arrives, the audience. Their response spurs the actors to find new meaning in the words and encourages them to crystallize the emotional arc of the play. *Wow, that audience was great - no one texted, no cell phones went off, no one fell asleep, no one left!*

And all too soon it is over. Sets are torn down, costumed stores, and actors and directors (and stage managers) move on to other plays. But the memory of the story we told lives on, just below the surface.

*Note: None of the comments in asterisks has ever, EVER been heard by this Stage Manager.*

19 comments:

  1. You've brought back a lot of memories and feelings when I once "trod the boards." Great piece of writing! As usual... we toast with our Martinis! To you, my dear!

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  2. hope you get to hear your italics...smiles. an yes i do believe the stories go on well after the production. happy tt!

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  3. Skip: Martinis it is! Brian: Perhaps I've heard something similar...perhaps : )

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  4. What a fascinating life you lead, Kate. Break a leg, my friend!

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  5. What a fun job you must have. A sense of fulfillment after every show. Great post.

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  6. Cool piece and an interesting life!

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  7. I love reading your anecdotes, but they sometimes remind me why I stayed away from the theatre!

    Film is so much... safer. ;)

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  8. Thanks Willow and yes, Ms. Pup, I do have a fun job. Thanks Wings and Jeff,ya know, I'm thinking film isn't all that much safer but what do I know?

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  9. Kate: This is a terrific post...You remind me why it is I love to watch plays. Cheers to you.

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  10. nice peak under the surface....i wonder how many of us think that we are frauds!

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  11. ha! sounds like fun, and of course a lot of hard work

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  12. Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your life. I as fascinated with the construction of this world.

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  13. Very cool and I agree LONG after I have a production (good OR bad) bits and pieces come back to me...

    Great "take" on TT.

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  14. Very intersting take adn post here. Thank yo. Love that world.

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  15. Great story about life in the theatre. I wish my hubby liked to see plays. The few I have gone to see I really did enjoy. I remember in high school how much work my fellow classmates put into each play. But it was always fun to see the results.

    And I hate when cell phones go off in places where they should be turned off. Why are people so rude, then they answer it and start talking so loudly. I seriously just want to tell them to shut up, but I am too polite. And then two wrongs do not make a right.

    Happy TT.

    God bless.

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  16. I love hearing about your experiences as a stage mgr. you're doing a theme within a theme, yes?

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  17. I love hearing about your backstage shenanagins too, you should kiss and tell, really . . .

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  18. That's interesting, the post-performance Q&A, I have never seen that.

    Course, I haven't been to a play in forever, which is criminal considering how many get put on around here.

    I have just made a resolution to buy tickets for something as soon as the budget allows.

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  19. Great post Kate!Really interesting!

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