Mary Poppins is here!  In preparation for the first performance tonight, we thought we’d share some pictures from the load-in on Wednesday:

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It’s Texas Independence Day AND the first Tuesday of March, which means it’s time for a new episode of “10 Minutes to Curtain”!

 

This month, go behind-the-scenes with the creators of the world premiere musical Mama Hated Diesels, learn about how costumes are designed and created for the upcoming production of Shakespeare’s Othello, catch up with 11-year-old local Bryce Baldwin before he joined the national Broadway tour of Mary Poppins, and don’t miss highlights from Charlie’s Colorado New Play Summit video blogs.

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Photographer and Denver Center Trustee Jim Steinberg has embarked on a journey to photograph the open roads and the truckers who travel them. Photos from his 6.606 mile journey will be featured in Mama Hated Diesels this spring! The play, which runs March 19-May 9 in The Stage Theatre, is a world premiere musical about America’s long-distance truckers.

Follow Jim’s journey on his blog: Colorado Scenic Byways.

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It’s Groundhog Day AND the first Tuesday of February,  which means it’s time for a new episode of “10 Minutes to Curtain”!

 

This month, Charlie explains why he’s only had time to make 2.5 Minutes to Curtain (hint: it has to do with his work on the new production of When Tang Met Laika). Then, get an exclusive backstage tour of The Denver Center’s Space and Stage theatres, home to the world premiere productions of WHEN TANG MET LAIKA and EVENTIDE. And don’t forget to tune in next week for live video blogs from the 5th Annual Colorado New Play Summit.

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By Amy Hartman, Assistant Projection Designer and Video Operator for When Tang Met Laika, Denver Center Theatre Company

Hi everyone!  Amy Hartman here, Assistant Projection Designer and Video Operator for WHEN TANG MET LAIKA. Last week we started tech rehearsals for the show.  This is one of the most “tech-heavy” show the Denver Center Theatre Company has ever produced!  Here is a recap of our second tech day:

5:52pm

8 minutes ’til we resume work. Crew all seems happy and well fed as they trickle in from dinner break. Ronnie just said he made “good” coffee. Must go investigate this claim.

5:56pm

Ronnie has indeed made “good” coffee. The set all of a sudden looks much more colorful.

6:04pm

And we’re back…

6:31pm

Running the retirement community scene. Having some technical difficulties involving a shuffle board mat. The seagull sounds and palm tree projections make it seem very tropical here in The Space Theatre. There is a cabinet filled with board games, which makes me wonder, when

was the last time I played Battleship? If I have to ask, it was probably too long ago.

6:55pm

And just like that, it’s winter again. Running the Moscow scene; the lights and video are chilling.

7:19pm

The amount of technology in this show really is amazing. Pallets on, pallets off, lights, videos, sounds and music. Our stage manager Christi has her work cut out for her keeping up with all of it. And it’s her birthday! Happy birthday, Christi! Maybe she’ll get a birthday surprise, later on…

7:29pm

Everyone is singing along to Frank’s “Fly Me To The Moon” during our first 10-minute break. Awesome.

7:32pm

Just finished some delicious shortbread from Backstage Coffee. I highly recommend trying it.

7:52pm

…let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars….

8:02pm

Ward Duffy, who plays Yuri Gagarin, keeps barking. Well, his vest does. Have I mentioned how high tech this show is? I mean, there is a barking vest! How awesome is that?

8:27pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHRISTI! We just had a cake rise on the elevator during the first International Space Station (ISS) scene, accompanied with a custom projection. She was so surprised. Too bad we have 2- minutes until our next 10-minute break to eat cake.

9:08pm

Cake was delightful.

9:14pm

In the first ISS scene, there are 32 separate cues — for a four-page scene. That’s impressive.

9:50pm

The space station looks incredible. Every detail is spot on! If I didn’t know better I would think we had real astronauts not actors. The revolving stage floor does a great job giving off that zero gravity feel. Clever effect.

10:14pm

Of course, the revolves do make finding your entrances and exits tricky. And catching up to your fellow actors. This whole show is an exercise in extreme blocking. The weak of heart need not audition.

10:37pm

Eleven and a half hours into a 10 out of 12: That’s when the crew starts getting giddy…and starts playing on the revolves. At least were all in good spirits.

10:52pm

And now it’s an all out dance party. WOOOO! Fortunately for all of us, it’s in the script. Charles McCloud did a bang up job making it feel like a real club in here.

11:03pm

Just broke for the day. Now notes and off to sleep. Tech day two — overwhelming success.

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Here at The Denver Center, we work hard to make theatre accessible and enjoyable for patrons of all abilities.  For our patrons who are Deaf or hard of hearing, we offer American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances for all of our shows.  In this quote from the most recent “Broadway Fan Club” newsletter, Lisa Carling, Director of Accessibility Programs at Theatre Development Fund (TDF) in New York, gives an excellent explanation of the difficult preparation necessary for interpreting a live show:

 

“Interpreting for the theatre is an ‘in the moment’ technique.  In 1980 TDF’s Accessibility Programs (TAP) presented the first sign-language interpreted performance of a Broadway show. Since then, hundreds of productions have been interpreted on Broadway.  It is an intense process wherein interpreters spend roughly 50-70 hours preparing for a show.  Their rehearsal preparation includes translating the script into American Sign Language (ASL), working with a Deaf advisor, character division, rehearsing at the theatre in an out-of-the-way place during the performance to learn the actors’ pacing, nuances, and facial expressions; and when it comes time to interpret the actual performance, staying with the live experience all the way.  This means keeping fluid, never freezing their translations, being able to adapt to changes both on stage and from the audience.   It’s a definite skill and when it’s done well, it’s an unforgettable experience for Deaf audience members.

 

Interpreting for the theatre is also, first and foremost, a service that is provided for the Deaf Community, people who are culturally Deaf and use ASL as their primary means of communication.  Sign language interpreters are not members of Actors’ Equity.  They are not performers.  Their job is to throw focus to the actors, not compete with them, and to help Deaf attendees understand what the characters are saying and feeling on stage.   It’s a very difficult balance but with top-notch interpreters you can see the difference between signers who are serving the show and those who are trying to use it as a vehicle to stardom, which it definitely is not. It’s a highly specialized skill that involves a tremendous amount of hard work on the part of the interpreters for a very appreciative audience.”

 

For a full schedule of ASL interpreted performances and other accessible performances, please visit our website.

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What does a stage manager do exactly?  I could say something trite and vague like “manages the talent” {yawn} but why not exercise the creative side of my brain by creating a list of some things that come across my “to-do” list daily?

 

And in the spirit of Christmas….

 

In the last weeks of rehearsal my bossman gave to me:

 

 

1 Director

2 Dogs

3 Kitchens

4 Assistants

5 Sound Minidisks

6 Members of the Cast

7 Parts of a Scenic Trick

8 Liquids that Appear Onstage

9 Rolls of Tape

10 Hours of Work Each Day

11 Furniture Units on Wheels

12 Days of Christmas… a Musical “Button” to the End of Act 2

 

Are you curious now?  Does my job seem absurd?  If you have a few more seconds then here are more details.  If not, see you opening night!

 

1 Director — The artistic guru, the person whom I report directly to for scheduling, tech notes, cueing, etc.  (in this case, Sabin Epstein)

 

2 Dogs — Sabin’s dog, Emma, can be found quietly minding her p’s and q’s beneath the director’s table.  Dog #2 is a special guest Chihuahua named Titus who belongs to the fight director, Gefe.  We have a few harrowing moments with knives that require fight expertise.  The dogs get along, by the way.

 

3 Kitchens — The play has 3 acts that each take place in a different kitchen: OCD ships galley, unkempt disaster zone (enhanced by some bits with a dog), and antique Victorian/turned dance club

 

4 Assistants — Rebecca, Dennis, Katrina, and Cassie all track props, fetch rehearsal clothes, take line notes, choreograph one kitchen moving offstage and the next kitchen taking its place, and nod and smile when I ask them to do something that makes no sense at all.

 

5 Sound Minidisks — Cues pivotal to rehearsal: rain, dog barks and growls (Emma doesn’t like those), party chatter, doorbells, and Scottish reels.

 

6 Members of the Cast — The 6 actors play 3 married couples and boy are there some classic marital moments.  And some bits with a dog.

 

7 Parts of a Scenic Trick — The main body, the bulb, the shade, screws, fake wires, a socket, and pyro…. can’t disclose further details.

 

8 Liquids that Appear Onstage — Sherry, coke, gin, scotch, tonic wine (higher alcohol content than traditional wine), brandy, water, and bitter lemons (Brit soda).

 

9 Rolls of Tape — Painters tape (to spike paint-sensitive surfaces), masking tape (to label props tables), black gaff tape (fixes anything), and 6 colors of spike tape (yellow, red, green, blue, aqua, and hot pink).

 

10 Hours of Work Each Day — On a good day.

 

11 Furniture Units on Wheels — Various combos of kitchen cabinetry, appliances, and countertops that roll on and offstage in scene shifts thanks to a pressurized air tank (and some smart carpenters).

 

12 Days of Christmas —  You have to see Act 2 to appreciate this traditional Christmas carol, and the bit with a dog.

 

Time to shut off the laptop now and get some shuteye before the next day of absurdity!

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Last week, we had the exclusive opportunity to go backstage with CBS4’s Greg Moody to see Donna Vivino, who plays Elphaba in WICKED, get painted green before the show.  Makeup artist Christina Knapp told us they use a green paint that’s very simple – green coloring with cream, powder and water.  They paint it on with very soft, broad calligraphy brushes – one wet with paint and one dry to buff it into a sheer green skintone.  The actress’ face, shoulders and hands are all that’s painted green – her bodysuit and costumes cover the rest.  After the paint is applied, making an all over green skin tone, the beauty makeup is applied, including highlighting eye shadow and purple blush.  It’s an amazing transformation.  As Christina noted, Elphaba is supposed to be a beautiful girl who happens to be green.  So the beauty makeup really helps bring out that effect – she begins to really look like a gorgeous – yet green – girl.

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By Kurt Van Raden, Assistant Stage Manager, Denver Center Theatre Company

 

PROPS, PROPS, PROPS! My role on this show is all about the props…. Some shows I work with moving scenery and coordinating when it moves and who moves it. This show demands different talents. Welcome to A RAISIN IN THE SUN. Set in a cramped apartment with hundreds of little props (doilies, pictures, knickknacks, papers, rugs, silverware, etc.)

 

Look around your apartment/home/office and imagine if everything was packed away would you know the exact placement of each of those items? What angle was the phone at? Where was the red pencil? What drawer had the postcards in it? How many stamps are in there too?

 

These are the questions that I record and know the answers to.  So many times on a ‘set’ we have items that never move. In those cases we attached the items to the set so they never have the possibility of falling over or getting moved. In A RAISIN IN THE SUN the family begins to pack all their items and eventually the entire apartment is packed and put away.  We as stage managers have to know where each item goes back to at the end of the night and where each item is during the scene.  Where the tea cup got placed on the sink, who set it there and when it happened.

 

I hope that if you come see us that you won’t have any idea how much work goes into setting the stage each night.  If so, we did it right.

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Starting Monday, the WICKED trucks – 14 in all – rolled into Denver to begin loading in for the six-week run that begins tonight.  We caught a few photos of the proscenium being hung in The Buell Theatre today and the trucks unloading out front.

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