We have opened and had a very successful run of The Diary of Anne Frank this past week! The show has been such a success (we literally have sold out EVERY night we have had) that we have had to hold the run over and add an additional performance for Monday!
I have never had to hold a show over due to popular demand, but since I have had a standby line at the door to the theatre every night it has just made sense to hold it over. All the kids are really excited that this is happening. No one can tell me the last time that they have had a show do this well in terms of audience response at Skyline. It is great to have this kind of response!
Faster than expected...
By tomorrow we will have blocked the entire show AND have the main structure of the set completed. I was totally not expecting to be at this point this soon! It will be really great to be able to focus on the details of the show rather than the basic concepts and needs of the production. Most of the time it feels like I never get a chance to work on the specific acting and design items that I would like to. At some point, it always seems like I am scrambling to finish one or the other.
I am very excited to actually have a moment to work with the actors on their listening and responding to impulses. Being able to work at a level that I do not get to very often will be really great! I just hope my actors can handle being able to focus for long enough for it to do any good... Up to this point they have been doing well, but the material is really kind of heavy for anyone to have to focus on for a long time. If they can manage to do that, I think that this show has the potential to really knock people's socks off! (Now to just convince my technicians that if they can focus and do good work...)
I am very excited to actually have a moment to work with the actors on their listening and responding to impulses. Being able to work at a level that I do not get to very often will be really great! I just hope my actors can handle being able to focus for long enough for it to do any good... Up to this point they have been doing well, but the material is really kind of heavy for anyone to have to focus on for a long time. If they can manage to do that, I think that this show has the potential to really knock people's socks off! (Now to just convince my technicians that if they can focus and do good work...)
Anne Frank - Just getting started is the hard part...
We have been in rehearsal for The Diary of Anne Frank for about 2 weeks now and I have run into a pretty major snag. . . My Otto Frank (the father) told me that he has taken a role in a hockey movie and will no longer be able to do the show. I have now had to shuffle the cast around and have a couple of different kids take roles that they were not originally assigned. I even tried to give one role to a new student in order to minimize the impact of the change, but the student turned down the role (which is fine). So now I have moved an actor from a minor role to a major role with a lot of lines. I hope that making these changes will not slow everything down like crazy.
The set is coming along very well. My crew has done quite well with getting the main platforming finished for the show. It will be really nice to have the set all the way finished for most of the blocking process. The blocking process is proving to be rather difficult in such a tight space. I am having a tougher time getting people to focus and actually get what we need to done. I wonder if it is because of the tight quarters that the set provides... that or the content may end up being a little heavy for them. I want them to be able to keep the whole thing light, but I do not want them to make light of the whole situation.
It will interesting to see how things turn out once the new cast members settle in and everyone gets comfortable with the new changes.
The set is coming along very well. My crew has done quite well with getting the main platforming finished for the show. It will be really nice to have the set all the way finished for most of the blocking process. The blocking process is proving to be rather difficult in such a tight space. I am having a tougher time getting people to focus and actually get what we need to done. I wonder if it is because of the tight quarters that the set provides... that or the content may end up being a little heavy for them. I want them to be able to keep the whole thing light, but I do not want them to make light of the whole situation.
It will interesting to see how things turn out once the new cast members settle in and everyone gets comfortable with the new changes.
Thesis Production Journal Musings
For the next little while I will be posting some entries from my progress on my thesis project for my Masters in Theatre Production. I will be doing a production of Dark of the Moon by Howard Richardson & William Berney. I will be producing the show in the Spring of 2011 and will have a bunch of entries for my production journal that will be a part of the thesis paperwork that I will post here for everyone to follow my progress.
Here is the first one!
It happened! I received approval for my thesis show to be produced today!! I gave my principal a copy of the script of Dark of the Moon at the beginning of the year to read and give me some feedback. Well, I finally was able to get her to read it and have a meeting with me in order to determine whether or not it would be ok to do for my thesis show in 2011. When I met with her I had totally expected to get a rather negative response since the show is about witches, they burn a witch baby, and there is a rape staged in the show. I had prepared myself with a bunch of answers to those issues, but when I met with her I ran into no such issues. She actually seemed to be quite excited about the show. There were no issues that she could find with the script that would keep me from doing it. So she brought in her secretary to dictate a note to in order to provide me with documentation that it was alright for me to do the show. As she explained the show to her secretary and what needed to be in the note both the principal and I could tell that the secretary was questioning the decision... As a result, we decided that it would be a good idea to present the show to the school’s Community Council which was made up of parents and teachers from the community in order to get a response from them and see how they might perceive the show.
Here is the first one!
It happened! I received approval for my thesis show to be produced today!! I gave my principal a copy of the script of Dark of the Moon at the beginning of the year to read and give me some feedback. Well, I finally was able to get her to read it and have a meeting with me in order to determine whether or not it would be ok to do for my thesis show in 2011. When I met with her I had totally expected to get a rather negative response since the show is about witches, they burn a witch baby, and there is a rape staged in the show. I had prepared myself with a bunch of answers to those issues, but when I met with her I ran into no such issues. She actually seemed to be quite excited about the show. There were no issues that she could find with the script that would keep me from doing it. So she brought in her secretary to dictate a note to in order to provide me with documentation that it was alright for me to do the show. As she explained the show to her secretary and what needed to be in the note both the principal and I could tell that the secretary was questioning the decision... As a result, we decided that it would be a good idea to present the show to the school’s Community Council which was made up of parents and teachers from the community in order to get a response from them and see how they might perceive the show.
The next night I went to the Council meeting and presented the show – gave them the synopsis of the play and asked for their response and questions that they may have to the play. Initially, I did not get any feedback (which was really quite intimidating…). I presented the plot and the major things that I could see that might be issues and the council sat, straight faced, without any kind of a reaction or a response. Thank heavens I had a couple of teachers that were in attendance that were batting for me! They started the discussion and asked some really relevant questions regarding how I would present things like the rape and the baby witch being burned. After I had finished my presentation, I was asked to leave and told by the principal that she would let me know the results of their decision the following day.
The next day she showed up in the middle of one of my classes and informed me that the Council was very enthusiastic about the show. They had voted unanimously in favor of the show being produced. One parent said, “It is about time that Skyline do a show with some meat to it.” The principal informed me that the council was excited to have a show that would prompt and promote discussion on some of the issues that the show would address.
This was my biggest concern – that the community would not receive the show well. Now that I have the approval of my administration AND the community behind me, I think that this show will be very beneficial for the kids and the community to experience. I was so worried that it would not be received well and that I would have to choose another show, but YAY no need – Dark of the Moon in Spring 2011!!!
Lots to report...
Since the last time I wrote I have opened and closed my musical for the year - Annie Get Your Gun. We decided to do the old original Irving Berlin version of the show instead of the newer revival version. The kids had a great time and our orchestra sounded AMAZING!! I will post pictures as soon as we get them from the photographer.
The next show that I am doing in February will be The Diary of Anne Frank. I am way excited! I love the show and I have some great (well, I think they are great) ideas for the design of the show. Most of the students seem like they are interested in the show. I am hoping I can get enough people so that I can have the option of double-casting the show. I already have a student that has composed a piano/cello piece that we will be using in the show. I think my season of shows for this year has the potential to turn out really great.
This is not the big news though, WE ARE HAVING A BABY BOY!!! Candace is due on March 11th. I am so excited to have a little boy! I think it will be great to have one of each! The adventure now will be to find a name for the little guy. There are no names so far that both of us like, so it will be interesting to see what we decide on. If anyone has any GOOD ideas - drop me a line!!
The next show that I am doing in February will be The Diary of Anne Frank. I am way excited! I love the show and I have some great (well, I think they are great) ideas for the design of the show. Most of the students seem like they are interested in the show. I am hoping I can get enough people so that I can have the option of double-casting the show. I already have a student that has composed a piano/cello piece that we will be using in the show. I think my season of shows for this year has the potential to turn out really great.
This is not the big news though, WE ARE HAVING A BABY BOY!!! Candace is due on March 11th. I am so excited to have a little boy! I think it will be great to have one of each! The adventure now will be to find a name for the little guy. There are no names so far that both of us like, so it will be interesting to see what we decide on. If anyone has any GOOD ideas - drop me a line!!
3D Modeling in Vectorworks 2009 Review
When I decided to write a review on this book I was a little skeptical – I am in no way a Vectorworks power user. I am a high school theatre teacher. Up to this point I have used Vectorworks for very basic functions like simple light plots, drafting set plans, etc. I really never thought that I would use the program for its more advanced features. However, when I sat down with 3D Modeling in Vectorworks 2009 by Jonathan Pickup I was pleasantly surprised to experience a user friendly, effective experience – if you follow Jonathan’s instructions in the first few pages.
At first, I thought I was going to be way over my head; but from the first exercise (a very nice introduction to 3D extrusion) I found myself able to accomplish each of the tasks quite easily. This set up a nice precedence for the rest of the book. By the time I reached the middle and end of the book I noticed that each of the things that I had learned in the activities before, I was using without hesitation in the more complex projects. This scaffolding of basic concepts to achieve a proficiency in the end was very useful and it gave me a sense of accomplishing things that, in the beginning, I was skeptical about finishing. By the end of the text I was able to finish what I felt were some very advanced 3D models.
The only way that I was able to understand each of the activities, however, was to read AND watch the videos that Jonathan provides in the manual and the CD that accompanies it. I found that the times that I thought to myself “Oh, I can do THAT…” were the times that I found myself scratching my head in the end and having to restart the exercise from the beginning. Once I read the instructions and then watched the videos (done step-by-step to follow the instructions in the manual by Jonathan, who rewords and, in some cases shows some useful shortcuts) I went from scratching my head to having an “Ah hah!” moment when the images and objects turned out the way they were meant to.
As I now look at all the things that I will be doing with Vectorworks I find that the things that I have learned in 3D Modeling in Vectorworks 2009 will change my basic workflow and everyday use of the program. I look forward to giving the skills I have acquired a try to create my next set design elevations. I would recommend this manual to anyone who has an acute need/interest in the power of the Vectorworks 2009 rendering platform. It is an excellent way to delve into the program that otherwise has a rather steep learning curve. I would also recommend it to those basic users, like myself, for an excellent way to expand your skill set, proficiency and speed in using the program for your creative needs. Either way, 3D Modeling in Vectorworks 2009 by Jonathan Pickup is an excellent tool for anyone who uses this power and effective modeling and drafting program.
3D Modeling in Vectorworks 2009 by Jonathan Pickup is available for purchase from Nemetschek North America, the makers of Vecotrworks 2009 at http://www.nemetschek.net/training/guides.php
More information on Jonathan Pickup and his other Vectorworks related materials can be found at his website: http://www.archoncad.co.nz/ . You can also follow Jonathan on Twitter – his handle is @archoncad or you can find him at www.twitter.com/archoncad
Nick Hutchinson is the theatre and film teacher at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, UT. You can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nthutch , his handle is @nthutch.
Fantastic Video on Arts in Ed
I found this video online and was instantly drawn to it. I love his outlook - it aligns very nicely with Aristotle's view of the "whole man." We need to teach students to be a whole person instead of a college professor focused on nothing but the cerebral.