Thundercats - Updated and AWESOME!!!

Tonight, the reboot of the classic 1985 Rankin/Bass Thundercats aired on Cartoon Network. The original cartoon was one of my favorites from that era (along with He-Man and Silverhawkes). I remember loving the characters and the awesome adventures that happened in the 30 minute spot. I was very excited to hear that the series was going to get a reboot, but I was nervous at the same time. If this series were to get the same quality (or lack thereof) treatment that the He-Man series received in 2002, I would be totally turned off. The total disregard for what the purpose and message of the original 1980's He-Man series and not so much as a wink at the original character design (the characters looked like Neanderthals!!) left a very bitter taste in my mouth that took me watching several of the original series episodes to clean out.
To my joy, none of the worries that I had were a problem with the new Thundercats. From the time that I saw the first previews for the new series I was pleasantly surprised. As I watched the 1 hour debut special and I saw each of the characters show up my immediate response was "Yes!" and occasionally, "Really?! They put Gruun in the first issue, too!?" The shocking moment of the evening, though, was when I said to myself "WHAT!!?? They killed off Panthro in the first episode?! We do not even get to see him?!" Each of the characters were very easily recognizable and each had the familiar feel of the original series.
The new series has done an excellent job of updating the plot and the relationships of the characters within that plot very seamlessly. Even the changes that were made from the original characters (like Tigra and Lion-O being brothers and Wilie-Kit and -Kat beign vagabonds) created a much more dynamic and interesting opportunity for conflict to surface. I also appreciated the simplification of the Thundera portion of the plot. Placing the Cats already on Third-Earth and having an already established conflict with the lizard mutants tightened up the plot and location greatly from the original space-travel idea. It is a refreshing change as well to have appropriate sexual tension between Lion-O and Cheetara (and if you think that it was not there, watch the episode again...) in the show.
Overall, I am very excited for the new series! There are still a lot of great characters to meet and the new conflicts and plot points show great promise for the this reboot!!

Light Plot Deconstructed Review

Let me begin by saying that I was very excited for the opportunity to read and review this book. If there is one thing that an educator and freelance designer needs to understand, on all levels of production, whether you are a set, costume, properties or even sound designer, it is the light plot. What happens with and to each of the design elements when light is included can make or break an entire design or show! How to read, interpret, communicate about, and understand the fundamentals of this design communication tool should be a fundamental learning experience for EVERY theatre practitioner - from Artistic Directors to designers to directors and actors. If you can read, understand and communicate about what is happening in terms of light on the stage then your individual responsibility will be more clear and you can do that job more skillfully.

I was appreciative of the history lesson that Greg Hillmar gives the reader in Light Plot Deconstructed, but after 10 pages of history of hand drafting plots I started to wonder about the thesis and purpose of the manual, particularly since the entire manual is only 92 pages in length to begin with. I had picked up the book to hone my skills and hopefully learn some shortcuts that would speed up my workflow when it came to plotting. However, just like the long winded (albeit very interesting...) history lesson was not practical, I found most of the manual very general in nature. Specific Vectorworks Spotlight plotting did not begin until page 41 - up to that point the reader get a general "this is Vectorworks" introduction, however, a few preference modifications specific to plotting ARE included that are worth taking a look at. Even when the reader DOES get to Spotlight specifics the history narrative creeps back in to the book with "In Ye Olde Days..." speech that seems to bog down the purpose of the manual.

Now before you think I am totally discounting this book, let me explain from what perspective I am reading it. I have been teaching all aspects of theatre for years. I consider myself a director at heart and a designer by trade. I have worked on all sides of the theatre in many different capacities. My formal training is in education - which has forced me to become a jack-of-all-trades. When I have taken design classes, in college and out, they have always focused on theory or have been extremely basic in nature in order to reach a larger base. I have, at large, had to teach myself the technology (specifically software like Vectorworks) and software I needed to use beyond a very basic application. It would be my hope that a book that professes to focus on light plots would do that throughout, with minimal tangential trips down memory lane.

Once the book actually starts covering the specifics of a plot (pg. 49) the quality of the instruction significantly increases. Mr. Hillmar takes a very sequenced and logical approach to laying out lighting positions, focus areas, and instrumentation (this section was especially helpful, particularly when it comes to label legends and accessories). There is also a brief section on paperwork, however, the assumption that if you are using Vectorworks you are also using the additional program Lightwright makes this section less useful. As a teacher I am lucky to get an educational license for Vectorworks, however, Lightwright has no such option and dropping the serious cash for a full license of the program just is not at the top of the priorities list when Arts Ed. is being hacked to pieces as is...but that is a discussion for a whole separate review...

So, my overall review of this book would have to be pretty split. Fifty percent was less than useful review of the basic software coupled with a history lesson that felt rather like grandpa telling me about hiking uphill both ways in the snow to get to school. The other fifty percent I found useful and enlightening as a guide to the basic use of Vectorworks Spotlight to create easily readable plots to help communicate what needs to happen for productions. When Mr. Hillmar starts talking about the nitty-gritty work behind putting together plots, the manual becomes very easy to follow and allows the reader to create clear, concise, and professional light plots.

Light Plot Deconstructed by Gregg Hillmar is available for purchase from Nemetschek North America, the makers of Vectorworks at http://www.nemetschek.net/training/guides.php. More information about Mr. Hillmar can be found at www.hillmardesign.com.

Nick Hutchinson is currently a freelance director and designer in the Salt Lake City, UT area. You can find follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nthutch, his handle is @nthutch.

A Major Change & Diving into the Unknown

Things happen... Sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Well, for me and my little family one of those changes has taken place. I am no longer teaching. I probably will not be teaching for a while. I am currently looking for a new job in the hopes that I can keep my family afloat. I am doing some major soul searching, getting help, and trying to move forward. I know that the right thing will come up eventually, but right now it is a little rough feeling like I cannot/am not providing for my wife and children.
I am searching daily, praying constantly, and trying to better myself professionally and personally so that when the right job does show up I will be ready and able to proceed and progress. For those that read this and want to know what's going on - ask. I will tell you my little story.
I am looking for a job wherever I can find one at this point. Almost having a Masters Degree has opened some doors and made some other opportunities kind of difficult. I am also looking for a venue to finish my thesis project and produce the show that I have chosen and worked so hard to put together.

Trying to stay positive. Looking to the future & praying for the right things to fall into place for my family and me.

Glee - Unavoidable. Period.

How can I, as a theatre teacher, ignore a phenomenon that speaks to nearly every aspect of what I do on a daily basis? The characters of Glee, the situations, the performance aspect, and event the assignments for class speak so closely to my students, my assignments in class, and what my students need that I would be foolish to ignore this pop & popular series. Initially, I watched the first couple of episodes of the first season and thought it was fun, but I figured it would be a passing fad. It was fun, had some good music, but I did not think that it held a broad enough appeal to hold on for more than one season. As a result, I did not watch very many other episodes (that and the fact that my wife did not like the show at all... she does not like the relationship that exists between Matthew Morrison's character and the students - she feels like it is too informal and condones that kind of a relationship between teacher/student. I can see where she is coming from, but at the same time since it IS such a popular experience, how can I ignore it?). I did get the chance to watch a more recent episode, however that changed my whole view of the show.
I think the episode that gave me this epiphany would have to have been the Lady GaGa/KISS episode. When Matthew Morrison gave the assignment to be bigger than life and to get into the persona of the situation I was absolutely caught up by the whole experience. Now, yes, I understand that the show as a whole may not be phenomenal (face it - if you are not a main, recurring character in the show you do not even have to be able to act, let alone sing...and even then, there are a few of the regulars that could use some objective/obstacle classes), but the fact that Glee is SO accessible to such a diverse demographic makes it a show that should not be ignored by any educator - theatre or otherwise. I was totally captivated by and thought I need to adapt and use some of the assignments that get used in the show.
I am going to have to go back and watch at least this most recent season and get back into the whole show. I have to pay attention to this relevant, usable show in order to enhance my curriculum and further reach my students.

Realizations & Changes - Thesis Show

I have just finished reading my thesis script, Dark of the Moon by Howard Richardson & William Berney again. It seems like every time I read it there is something new that comes out of it - a change that needs to happen, a realization about one or more of the characters, a new image that speaks to me about the show. There are some basic changes that I think need to happen in my original set design to help facilitate the story. 1. There really needs to be a large log that sits next to the house for the wood chopping scene. It really should live about center stage and run diagonally UL to DR. 2. The Rock where the Conjur Man & Conjur Woman live needs to be revamped. It needs clearer platform-like levels (I am thinking circular) that need to step up to the main platform with the cave. This will facilitate the look that I think is necessary for the end scene with Barbara laying on the rock, dead, at the end of the show.

There are some basic things that I know, however, that I do NOT want to change:

1. I want the show to be seen through the eyes of John. His world needs to be the one that is "normal" for us, the audience. It is his choices and his changes that drive our feelings for the rest of the town and the other characters (specifically Barbra) in the show. John and the witches need to be in their own little world that is normal for them - flying on eagles and playing in the fog, the magic, etc. all need to feel like that is what SHOULD be happening; however, the town needs to feel very foreign to John. The things that they do, the way they treat each other and outsiders, etc. needs to feel like it is very out of place in John's life.

2. The Conjur Man & Woman are the only ones that should seem like they are a part of both worlds. They need to seem like they could live in both worlds simultaneously, but if they were to live in just one world they would be out of place.

3. There has to be something that draws John to Barbra Allen and visa versa. I, at this point, am not sure what that something is, but it needs to be there.

4. EVERYONE in the show messes up at some point during the story. There is a point for those characters that are a part of John's personal life that feel remorse, regret, pain, suffering, or sorrow. It is what those characters do at that critical time of change that defines for us (the audience) who they are and how we should feel about them. The only characters that do not really feel that sorrow or regret are the townspeople. Their bigoted fanaticism, coupled with their closed-minded stubbornness make them impervious to the effects of such REAL emotion which, in turn, makes us unable to empathize with them at all during the course of the play.

5. I am toying around with the idea of leaving Barbara dead at the end of the show. She would effectively stay in the dead position on stage throughout the curtain call (she would not get one). I like the idea that the consequences of people's actions are going to affect those around them. This is no different. Dead is dead. She is not going to come back to life and I do not want the audience to have that option be available to them as they leave - if Barbara STAYS dead when they leave then she will STAY dead for them later.

Painful realizations...

I am sitting in my auditorium cringing during a choir concert wondering - "where did I go wrong...?" and then realizing that I have not taken control of my technical staff the way I should have at the beginning of the year. I have let bad habits and cocky/controlling students run all over me. As a consequence, I have come to the painful realization that more than half of my crew does not know how to propperly set up & run a microphone or patch and write a basic cue in the light board... *(sheesh...)*
I can tell that it is now going to be a really hard thing to take control and remedy the issues that are currently plaguing me. I can also bet that I am going to get a lot of backlash from those students that I have let go this long that think they know everything there is to know. I am not sure how to approach the whole situation either... Do I go in and strongarm compliance out of them, or do I go in and tell them that major changes need to take place because of the things I have observed or what?! I was planning on making some pretty drastic changes next year as I lose the techs that have been here since before I got to my school leave (who happen to be the root of my issues at the moment...); but, the poor quality of all of their work and technical skill recently makes me think I need to nip it in the bud here and now. Some of the kids know a few things, but if we were to have a major issue we would be in major trouble. Most of my kids cannot even troubleshoot a simple mic on the fly...
So now I have to figure out how to take care of the issue and fix the festering sore that has become my tech crew...


Help...!

Costume Design Process Starts...

I have finally started thinking about the specifics for the designs for the characters in Dark of the Moon. I did not expect to find this much difficulty in finding design ideas for the characters here since I have been thinking about this show for so long (I have been planning on doing the show since I STARTED my course work for grad school at CWU). My biggest issue is with the witches. I cannot find a balance between something I like and something that is appropriate/workable for the audience and students that will be in the show.
I want the audience to see the show through the eyes of John, the witch boy. For that reason, I want the witches to feel like they are the norm - that the people in the town need to be the one's that feel out of place. The only people that can seem at all "normal" in the sight of John should be Barbra and the Conjur Man & Woman. Barbra because she is the one that John loves; and the Conjur Man & Woman because they are the only characters that cross both planes and can feel semi-normal in both worlds.
The problem that I am having is that (especially with the witches) all of my research leads me back to witches that are more than half-naked. The historical plates and drawings that I come across are all of witches performing ceremonies in the full nude - particularly for the back-woods southern feel that I beleive that the show requires. I have seen a few production shots from other showings of Dark of the Moon, mostly college productions, that have witches in pretty much nothing but a unitard and some tulle - showing everything that they have (and in some cases accentuating those items). I need to find a way to combine the elements that I like while at the same time making it comfortable for my actors and accessible to my audiences. We are already doing a show that is going to push some boundaries and buttons, but I still want the show's message and themes to be accessible to my audiences and the students that participate.
I will just have to keep playing with some renderings and drawings until I find something that I like. I think I am going to try to get a hold of an Undergrad friend of mine that is a costume designer in Houston. I have talked with her about the show before (she loves it) and perhaps I can bounce some ideas off of her to see what we can come up with.