So I guess I'm newer to this blogging idea but I've decided to give it a shot! My name is Andrew Blevins and I serve as the Stage Manager for this production of The Women of Lockerbie. This project has been exciting as it started for me back in March and has been a joy to work on this whole time! The whole show is officially coming together! It's getting down to the time where we are in the prep stages for Tech. We will start adding lights, sounds and the set within this next week. My days will be filled with meetings with the director and designers as we prepare for Tech.
The event that always starts off prep for tech week for me is what we refer to as Paper Tech. This is the moment where myself, the director, the lighting designer & sound designer all sit down and discuss the lighting and sound cues within the show that I will be responsible for making sure get called at the correct time. It will be a good meeting to start off what is going to be more than likely a very good tech week!
I hope you all are as excited to see the show as we are to present it. It really can't be expressed how much work goes into a show. Everyone has been working so hard, whether it's the cast or design team. In the end, it should be a great product that we put on that stage!
Andrew Blevins
Stage Manager
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream 2
The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream on Flickr.
More photos from Rehearsal
Designer Run/First night in the CPA
Tonight was a good night. The actors had their first real chance to explore the full show on the set in the CPA. It was amazing to see it all come to life! (I think there are photos that will be posted of the night)
I am always amazed how things change once we get onto the REAL set. We have been rehearsing on a flat, taped out version of the set, that while correct in scale and size is really hard to feel much of the size and scope of the actual set. We do not get to experience the height or depth of the space until we are really there. This requires some imagination and creativity (and lots of work on the part of the stage management to tape the set out to scale!) but we make it work. It is important to give the technical folks time to do their work and complete their jobs to make the set safe and beautiful for the show. The actors and I always REALLY want to get on the set as soon as we can but also REALLY want the set to be a lovely and well constructed as possible. This means using another room to work through much of our rehearsal process. It is a compromise that in the end always works well. The actors are smart an adaptable with their surroundings and the tech folks are able to take the time to do their jobs well.
Also another great meeting with the ENG 102 class today! So many great questions about the rehearsal process and the viewers guide. Looking forward to seeing some of you in rehearsals soon!
Best,
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie
I am always amazed how things change once we get onto the REAL set. We have been rehearsing on a flat, taped out version of the set, that while correct in scale and size is really hard to feel much of the size and scope of the actual set. We do not get to experience the height or depth of the space until we are really there. This requires some imagination and creativity (and lots of work on the part of the stage management to tape the set out to scale!) but we make it work. It is important to give the technical folks time to do their work and complete their jobs to make the set safe and beautiful for the show. The actors and I always REALLY want to get on the set as soon as we can but also REALLY want the set to be a lovely and well constructed as possible. This means using another room to work through much of our rehearsal process. It is a compromise that in the end always works well. The actors are smart an adaptable with their surroundings and the tech folks are able to take the time to do their jobs well.
Also another great meeting with the ENG 102 class today! So many great questions about the rehearsal process and the viewers guide. Looking forward to seeing some of you in rehearsals soon!
Best,
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie
Friday, September 9, 2011
Off Book time
We have reached the point in the rehearsal process where the actors are off book (memorized) and now, as they say, the real work begins! It has been an exciting few weeks working on this piece. Each day I learn so much about the play and the characters as the actors make new discoveries in their work and the designers bring in new thoughts for us to try.
We are slowly going back through each scene after running the full show for the first time on Tuesday night. The run gave us a chance to find out what worked and what needed work and pointed us in the direction we needed to go this week.
The Scottish accents for the women are coming along nicely. Connie DeVeer, the voice and dialect director for the show has been working with the women outside of rehearsals and teaching them practice drills and working on individual lines and scenes. She also comes into rehearsal to listen to the women up on their feet working on scenes and gives them feedback at each break. We laugh a lot because the actresses often continue to speak in their Scottish dialect even when we are on breaks, talking about scenes, or doing warm-up.
Today's weekly production meeting went very smoothly. Each area had new things to report. Set: the set is up but not painted or carpeted (carpet will be used for grass on the set) and carpet samples were brought to see how easily it could be painted. Lights: we did a test of water under stage lights as well as looked at the color of the light on some of the costumes. The light crew is currently in the middle of a work call until 11:00 PM tonight and it looks like things are going well in the CPA. Costumes: fittings have been going well and the actors now have their shoes from the costume shop to rehearse with. Props: Props are being gathered and there was much talk about how to work with the candles the script calls for (they have to burn for 35 mins or more on stage in the hands of some of the actors). Sound: new compositions are being created all the time to underscore some of the sections of the show.
Tonight we will be working on some of Madeline's monologues and re-working some of the finals scenes in the show.
A special THANK YOU to all the ENG 102 students from Elizabeth Hatmaker's class for all your visits this week and last!
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie
We are slowly going back through each scene after running the full show for the first time on Tuesday night. The run gave us a chance to find out what worked and what needed work and pointed us in the direction we needed to go this week.
The Scottish accents for the women are coming along nicely. Connie DeVeer, the voice and dialect director for the show has been working with the women outside of rehearsals and teaching them practice drills and working on individual lines and scenes. She also comes into rehearsal to listen to the women up on their feet working on scenes and gives them feedback at each break. We laugh a lot because the actresses often continue to speak in their Scottish dialect even when we are on breaks, talking about scenes, or doing warm-up.
Today's weekly production meeting went very smoothly. Each area had new things to report. Set: the set is up but not painted or carpeted (carpet will be used for grass on the set) and carpet samples were brought to see how easily it could be painted. Lights: we did a test of water under stage lights as well as looked at the color of the light on some of the costumes. The light crew is currently in the middle of a work call until 11:00 PM tonight and it looks like things are going well in the CPA. Costumes: fittings have been going well and the actors now have their shoes from the costume shop to rehearse with. Props: Props are being gathered and there was much talk about how to work with the candles the script calls for (they have to burn for 35 mins or more on stage in the hands of some of the actors). Sound: new compositions are being created all the time to underscore some of the sections of the show.
Tonight we will be working on some of Madeline's monologues and re-working some of the finals scenes in the show.
A special THANK YOU to all the ENG 102 students from Elizabeth Hatmaker's class for all your visits this week and last!
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
First night of Blocking
After a week of table work we are now on our feet and moving forward quickly. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to see this work getting on its feet and hear the words with the blocking. Even though it is only a shell at this point, I can see the makings of something great up there in those actors. They are smart and excited and fully committed to going on this journey. There is nothing better than a group of people working toward a common goal with such passion and drive. I have to admit I was tired heading into rehearsal after a long day. But 10 mins in the room with those folks and I had my energy renewed.
Today Gloria Clark and I also got to meet the Eng 102 class. It was a good group with some really nice questions. It is exciting that there are people who seem to have lots of experiences with theater mixed with folks who have never seen a play in their lives. I take for granted that theater is such a big part of my life that it might not be for many others. It is our hope that this is a positive experience for all the students who study and see this production and that theater finds a way into their lives, even if only a little bit.
Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie
Today Gloria Clark and I also got to meet the Eng 102 class. It was a good group with some really nice questions. It is exciting that there are people who seem to have lots of experiences with theater mixed with folks who have never seen a play in their lives. I take for granted that theater is such a big part of my life that it might not be for many others. It is our hope that this is a positive experience for all the students who study and see this production and that theater finds a way into their lives, even if only a little bit.
Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie
Monday, August 29, 2011
Table Work and Week 1
It has now been one week to the day since we cast Women of Lockerbie and the team and I could not be more thrilled with the talented group of actors working on the show. Each brings a special energy to this play and together they are really something special. The cast list is as follows:
Madeline: Eliza Morris
Bill: Jeff Kuryzs
Olive: Tori Allen
George: Gregory Hicks
Hattie: Jessie Swiech
Woman 1: Fiona Stephens
Woman 2: Elizabeth Keach
This past week has been filled with exciting rehearsals.
August 23rd: Introductions, Designer Presentations, Read Through of script with full cast
August 24th: Viewing of "The Keepers" with cast and full team, dramaturgical backgorund work on the events of the crash of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie Scotland.
August 25th: Continued Dramaturgical work and conversations of how these details fit into our production.
August 26th: Mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries.
August 28th: Continued mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries, then a final read through of the script before we being blocking the show.
From here on out we will be up on our feet working on blocking and making discoveries about the characters and the circumstances of the play!
Best,
Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie
Madeline: Eliza Morris
Bill: Jeff Kuryzs
Olive: Tori Allen
George: Gregory Hicks
Hattie: Jessie Swiech
Woman 1: Fiona Stephens
Woman 2: Elizabeth Keach
This past week has been filled with exciting rehearsals.
August 23rd: Introductions, Designer Presentations, Read Through of script with full cast
August 24th: Viewing of "The Keepers" with cast and full team, dramaturgical backgorund work on the events of the crash of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie Scotland.
August 25th: Continued Dramaturgical work and conversations of how these details fit into our production.
August 26th: Mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries.
August 28th: Continued mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries, then a final read through of the script before we being blocking the show.
From here on out we will be up on our feet working on blocking and making discoveries about the characters and the circumstances of the play!
Best,
Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie
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