An article and a reflection on Little Shop of Horrors
So, it's been a while again, but this time I don't feel quite so bad. We had three weeks of Christmas holidays, so not a lot to write about during that time. And then, I was back for only 2 and half days before taking time off for the birth of our new son. So, here I am at home, on my "paternity" leave, reflecting on our Fall Term show.
Following is the first draft of what I have written as an article to accompany the Little Shop of Horrors feature that will appear in the winter edition of our school's magazine, Traditions.
What’s the recipe for a successful musical production? Well, it’s nothing terribly scientific, but it might look something like this:
Combine 3 days of auditions, 1 afternoon of callbacks, 56 rehearsals, 3 cast changes, 930 moments of laughter, 140 tears shed, 227 nerves frayed, 14 Starbucks runs, 1 inexhaustible rehearsal pianist, 22 two by fours, 8 flats, 178 screws, 9 cans of paint, 1154 lines memorized, 46 lines recited wrong, 29 pages of director’s notes, 1 indestructible stage manager, 114 lighting changes,1 fog machine, 2 dress rehearsals, 4 performances, 3 of them sold-out, and over 2000 combined man-hours. Add in several healthy doses of commitment, passion, pride, excitement, and dedication. Give these things to 4 capable directors and after several months of intense work, you will have accomplished something truly magical – musical theatre.
Of course, we cannot forget the things unique to our production in particular, which serve to make the adventure even more memorable. 1 power outage during a technical rehearsal, the Senior Boys Soccer team makes provincials and we lose 4 cast members for a week, 1 birthday party in Italy, 2 clocks that just refused to cooperate, and the list could go on and on.
What makes a production memorable? Well, for an audience, it’s feeling like you’ve been invited to be part of something special, just by being present in the theatre. It’s witnessing those things on stage that remind you that you are attending live theatre. It’s feeling the electricity in the air as the auditorium fills, the lights dim, and the performance begins. For a member of the cast or crew, it’s much more than that. It’s much more than four successful performances. It’s the bonds of friendship that are formed by the intense hours of rehearsal. It’s the appreciation that is gained for the art of theatre. It’s the knowledge that you have contributed to something great, and the feeling that each night can never be recreated as it was, but is unique in itself. It’s the tears and laughter that will never be shared with an audience, but are so integral to the building of an ensemble.
As the Production Director, I will take with me always each unique experience that comes with producing theatre. Each year brings a new script, new challenges, a new cast, a new crew, a new perspective on people, and life. The IB Theatre Arts program guide states that “theatre is one of the oldest, most universal, and most profound of human activities.” To that list, I would add the words enduring, and endearing. Through our production of Little Shop of Horrors, I have seen students and adults alike transformed, changed, and “profoundly” affected. In my opinion, there are very few undertakings that can equal the experience of taking part in the creation of theatre, and perhaps doubly so at the high school level, working with people whom you love and trust.
See you in the theatre!
Cheers until soon....
Following is the first draft of what I have written as an article to accompany the Little Shop of Horrors feature that will appear in the winter edition of our school's magazine, Traditions.
What’s the recipe for a successful musical production? Well, it’s nothing terribly scientific, but it might look something like this:
Combine 3 days of auditions, 1 afternoon of callbacks, 56 rehearsals, 3 cast changes, 930 moments of laughter, 140 tears shed, 227 nerves frayed, 14 Starbucks runs, 1 inexhaustible rehearsal pianist, 22 two by fours, 8 flats, 178 screws, 9 cans of paint, 1154 lines memorized, 46 lines recited wrong, 29 pages of director’s notes, 1 indestructible stage manager, 114 lighting changes,1 fog machine, 2 dress rehearsals, 4 performances, 3 of them sold-out, and over 2000 combined man-hours. Add in several healthy doses of commitment, passion, pride, excitement, and dedication. Give these things to 4 capable directors and after several months of intense work, you will have accomplished something truly magical – musical theatre.
Of course, we cannot forget the things unique to our production in particular, which serve to make the adventure even more memorable. 1 power outage during a technical rehearsal, the Senior Boys Soccer team makes provincials and we lose 4 cast members for a week, 1 birthday party in Italy, 2 clocks that just refused to cooperate, and the list could go on and on.
What makes a production memorable? Well, for an audience, it’s feeling like you’ve been invited to be part of something special, just by being present in the theatre. It’s witnessing those things on stage that remind you that you are attending live theatre. It’s feeling the electricity in the air as the auditorium fills, the lights dim, and the performance begins. For a member of the cast or crew, it’s much more than that. It’s much more than four successful performances. It’s the bonds of friendship that are formed by the intense hours of rehearsal. It’s the appreciation that is gained for the art of theatre. It’s the knowledge that you have contributed to something great, and the feeling that each night can never be recreated as it was, but is unique in itself. It’s the tears and laughter that will never be shared with an audience, but are so integral to the building of an ensemble.
As the Production Director, I will take with me always each unique experience that comes with producing theatre. Each year brings a new script, new challenges, a new cast, a new crew, a new perspective on people, and life. The IB Theatre Arts program guide states that “theatre is one of the oldest, most universal, and most profound of human activities.” To that list, I would add the words enduring, and endearing. Through our production of Little Shop of Horrors, I have seen students and adults alike transformed, changed, and “profoundly” affected. In my opinion, there are very few undertakings that can equal the experience of taking part in the creation of theatre, and perhaps doubly so at the high school level, working with people whom you love and trust.
See you in the theatre!
Cheers until soon....
Labels: article, Little Shop of Horrors, theatre
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