Stage Manager

While tracking rehearsals and the process of producing a play, I will also shed light on some very key roles that are vital to the operation. The first profile will be of Lydia LaGue (great name, by the way), the guest Stage Manager for PICNIC.

I chatted with Lydia to discuss her ideas of the specific role that a Stage Manager plays within a production as well as to find out a little of the history that led her to work with the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

Lydia views her role as the hub of the wheel, linking the production team with the director and actors. She is the eyes and ears of everyone throughout the rehearsal process, supporting the director's vision while also serving as an advocate to the actors. The Stage Manager is later crucial in the transition that occurs as the play progresses into technical rehearsals and Lydia will also be present for all performances, overseeing that the stage and all props are taken care of in addition to calling the light, scenery, and sound cues and working with the House Manager to ensure that the Theater is nightly prepared for an audience.

Lydia was born the eldest of five children and had a hammer in her hand by the time she was ten, helping her father with repairs at her family's lake house. She gained an appreciation and enjoyment of theater from her mother and as a child would put on plays in the 'proscenium arch' of her parents' dining room. While at the University of Texas she became a Technical Production Theater major, and found her passion at a time when not many females went into this type of study. Later, while working in Kansas City and then at SUNY- Purchase, she found that when working behind the scenes in technical theater that she missed the rehearsal process and strong connection to the actors. This led her to become the Production Stage Manager for the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival before moving to Wisconsin.

Having taken some time off from working in the theater to raise her family of five children, she is now ecstatic to be active with acquaintances that she has not worked with for quite a while, and on a play that she considers to contain great characters and plot. She is further looking forward to calling the performance cues, her talent and experiences providing the essential link that joins the artistic with the technical to present a memorable theatrical experience. Though the audience does not see her, the management and organizational skills that she employs are critical to the success of every performance.

Bein' Pretty Ain't Easy

I can't believe we are only on the second week of rehearsal and already we've run two of the three acts!!!! What an amazing week this past week was. I am having such a great time playing within Madge's world. I feel as if each day I learn so much about this fascinating character and yet I feel as if I haven't even begun to scratch the surface. I don't want to give too much away, but I can tell you this...being pretty ain't easy!
Today we are going back and working through each act to solidify and sharpen what we've already created. I am anxious to get back to work and to continue playing.

'Till Then!

emily

Rehearsal Recap

The first week of rehearsals is over...and we'll start on the second week tomorrow. To catch you up to speed, I'll do a recap of all that has transpired. In a very short time (5 days, count them!...) both Act 1 and Act 2 have been blocked, and this is a tremendous accomplishment. The actors are a bit shell shocked, having spent many hours in the staging and rehearsing of their blocking while becoming comfortable in the memorization of their lines and the dialect in which they are delivered. The complexities of each of the characters are becoming even more apparent as each actor continues to examine their own character's unique relationship on stage to every other character in the play. One evening was also spent on dancing, as a scene requires certain characters to dance with each other. The coordination of counting the dance steps, mastering the jitterbug, and remaining in character while delivering lines can be challenging!

This past week there have also been numerous costume fittings to make sure that everyone's costumes and accessories carry the look and feel of the play. This is the first time that the costumes are examined together, and hats, shoes, gloves, purses, aprons, and hair styles are continually decided upon.

The scenery and props are also adapted to fit the needs of the actors and script and to portray the yard between two houses where the action takes place. Here's a peek at a model of the 'grass' that will carpet the stage:

Here's to another productive week!

Mind your Manners

Since its Friday, I thought it might be nice to have a bit of fun... As the actors continue to research and experiment with their own characterizations, one useful tool is to find out as much as possible about the culture and time that their particular character lives in. Often within these investigations, humorous things turn up that provide great fodder for many laughs...

Ah, where to begin?

Ah, where to begin? There are not enough words in the English language to express how excited, elated, thrilled and terrified I am to be playing Madge in Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's production of Picnic. Excited, elated, thrilled, because it's an amazing role, in an amazing play, with an amazing company...I don't think I need to explain why I'm terrified. During the first read through, I found myself overwhelmed with emotion. Finally, finally it was time to dig into this script and these characters. Not often have I felt the serendipitous energy that I felt on Tuesday. It seemed everything and everyone had fallen into place so perfectly.

In a foreword, written by Inge, introducing four of arguably his most successful plays, he writes, "I think every line and every situation in a play should 'pay off,' too, and have its extensions of meaning beyond the immediate setting, into life. I strive to bring meaning to every moment, every action." Inge has certainly done this with Picnic. Every second of that play is so full of life, meaning and experiences. As Michael told us on the first day, "Everything we say has weight." We've only just begun, and already, I feel as if Madge has traveled so far, experienced so much, felt so much. This is my favorite part of acting. The experiences. The opportunity to experience the character's most important moments. Like Inge, I, too, am striving to find meaning in every moment, every action. To bring life to this beautiful character and what is, in my opinion, the most amazing moment in her life; finding her soul mate. I can only hope to do her justice.

So much more to come. Thank you for coming along this journey with me and all of us involved with Picnic!

Emily

Color Inspiration

A powerful influence to the look of PICNIC are the paintings of Thomas Hart Benton, whose colorful works whimsically depicted American life in the 1950s. Two particular paintings, Butterfly Chaser and Picnic (great title!) provide the color palette for the scenery and costumes: the scenery taking cues from the more neutral earth tones and the costumes from the brilliant colors that pop from the paintings. As the production continues to progress, it is interesting to see the impact that all of these factors have on shaping the overall outcome.

Day one and two

I was feeling pretty confident and excited about our first read through yesterday. I have been reading Picnic to myself for what seems like an eternity. We all gathered for a delightful hour of snacks and greetings to welcome everyone to the process. And then we read the play...it was just as satisfying as I imagined to hear all the voices of such an amazing cast.

Today we are on our feet for the first time, playing around in character...tons of fun! Had to go because break was over...little frustrated because I keep turning my back to the audience … but I think we've nipped it in the bud...Time for bed!