Author: Kate Dawson

I'm a second year drama student at the University of Lincoln!

How will I manage this production?

The most important factor of producing a technical demanding production is organisation. ” The production manager is responsible for the entire organization of a theatrical production” ((Crabtree, Susan and Peter Beudert (2005) Scenic Art for the Theatre. Oxford: Focal Press.)).  A PM’s main role is to organise ALL elements of the theatrical production from set to lighting, sound to props and bring all these elements together into one, cohesive performance, all the while maintaining the director’s concept for the show. In order to achieve all of these aims in an efficient and effective manner, a PM must be well organised.

Therefore, my main method in producing this performance is careful planning and organisation  and, as a consequence, ensuring that all designers/stage management team have clear instructions and deadlines to meet throughout the production process.

After our initial production meeting, my aim is to begin set construction as soon as possible (ideally during the Easter break) and work to as close a budget as possible. Theatrical productions such as ours, which employ numerous technical elements, can often incur unexpected costs close to performance day. Therefore, I feel it is important to ensure that some money is left in the budget for any unforeseen costs on performance day.

I also aim to maintain constant contact with the director, throughout the rehearsal process, in order for no technical requirements to be missed. In order to do this, I will ensure that at least one member of the technical team (not including those who are also actors) are present at every single rehearsal. Ideally, the Stage Manager will attend as many of these rehearsals as possible because she will be on book during our live performance and it is important that she knows the performance inside out. Any member of the production team who attends these rehearsals has been asked to compile a ‘Production Rehearsal Note’ (see *Appendices) detailing any technical requirements/changes which have been made during that rehearsal.

This is the Stage Management Rehearsal Schedule detailing who will attend each rehearsal:

Stage Management Rehearsal Schedule

Kate Dawson

Word Count: 346

Works Cited

What is a Production Manager?

Creating a successful technically demanding performance requires its production team to not only be versatile but also dedicated and organised contributors to the production. In order for these production processes to run smoothly, one member of the team must act as chief organiser; the Production Manager.

The roles which a Production Manger undertakes vary from show to show; however an efficient Production Manager must be an approachable and organised individual, capable of managing a substantial production team. According to Gail Palin’s Stage Management: The Essential Handbook, a Production Manager has numerous roles to play:

Production Manager (PM)

  • Employs and supervises all production staff.

  • Liaises and agrees the budgets and design deadlines with the director and designers.

  • Prepares and distributes the provisional schedule and budgets to all production departments.

  • Oversees all ordering of materials and building work.

  • Manages and controls the production budget.

  • Chairs design and production/progress meetings.

  • Prepares the production risk assessment and advises on action to be taken.

  • Schedules and oversees all work during production week.

  • Contributes to the technical rehearsal by taking technical notes and scheduling their completion. ((Palin, Gail (2010) Stage Management: The Essential Handbook. London: Nick Hern Books Ltd. pp. 14-15)).

According to this list of numerous tasks and responsibilities a PM must undertake, I enter this experience with a slight hint of uncertainty. Previously, my roles within a production have had much less responsibility and, being that this production is already destined to be ‘tech-heavy’, it is a major undertaking agreeing to the role of Production Manager. Nevertheless, I am determined to succeed in this role and produce a technically spectacular performance comparable to those produced by some of the other theatre companies I have previously reviewed and by whom I am inspired.

Kate Dawson

Word Count: 291

Works Cited

Filter and the Lyric Hammersmith’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Filter Theatre and the Lyric Hammersmith are two theatrical organisations who combine forces to produce innovative and exciting theatrical productions. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was directed by Sean Holmes and created by Filter Theatre, who are said to “create new work and interpret classic texts” ((Filter Theatre (2013) ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. (Accessed 30 January 2013) Available at: http://www.filtertheatre.com/page/Coming_Soon/)), and was performed at the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre in October 2011. This production was particularly inspiring due to its unique adaptation and modernisation of the classic Shakespeare text, which they describe as ” a magical and fast-paced version of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedy” ((Filter Theatre (2013) ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. (Accessed 30 January 2013) Available at: http://www.filtertheatre.com/page/Coming_Soon/)).

FilterThis production particularly stood out to us because of the innovative way in which the company produced their own sound effects. The concept of producing live music and sound effects on stage, while the action takes place is very inventive and creates a further component to the performance. As well as watching the action, the audience can experience the delights of live and ingenious music creation. This impressive form of sound production was very complimentary of Filter theatre’s modernised version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as it enhanced the magical element of the theatre experience.

As well as providing Progeny Theatre Company with inspiration in terms of technical production, it also grants us insight into how to adapt an original text into a unique and thought-provoking format, which both engages and ‘wows’ its audience.

 

“One of the pleasures of theatre is its capacity to surprise, and Filter is a company that delights in dumbfounding audiences. This condensed interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is joyously unorthodox” ((Hitchings, Henry (2012) ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lyric Hammersmith – review’. London Evening Standard. (Accessed on: 30 January 2013) Available at: http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/theatre/a-midsummer-nights-dream-lyric-hammersmith–review-7446903.html)).

In this video, the cast and creators discuss Filter’s production of  A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Kate Dawson

Word Count: 313

Works Cited

Theatre Ad Infinitum

Theatre Ad Infinitum are a multi-award-winning international theatre company who specialise in physicalizing  performances. Their aim is to produce performances which “move, challenge and inspire” ((Theatre Ad Infinitum (2013) ‘About Us’. (Accessed 30 January 2013)  Available at: http://www.theatreadinfinitum.co.uk/)) audiences of all cultures and nationalities.

“We all share a passion for innovative theatre making that speaks to a global community, and create performances that harness the universal language of the body” ((Theatre Ad Infinitum (2013) ‘About Us’. (Accessed 30 January 2013)  Available at: http://www.theatreadinfinitum.co.uk)).

translunar-paradise-3

This theatre company interests us because of their use of physical theatre, mask work and mime, which has developed their ability to captivate an audience without speaking. They have mastered the art of story telling without using words. In order to create a spectacle worthy of a storybook, the way in which our theatre company presents our story is vital. We can take inspiration from this company because of their unique methods of captivating an audience.

‘“The Lecoq-trained mime ensemble Theatre ad Infinitum have moved to the front of the pack, their vivid mix of theatre, clowning and storytelling gaining them critical acclaim” – The Guardian’ ((Theatre Ad Infinitum (2013) ‘Awards & Reviews’. (Accessed 30 January 2013)  Available at: http://www.theatreadinfinitum.co.uk)).

On Thursday 14th February 2012, Theatre Ad Infinitum performed their production of Translunar Paradise at the Lincoln Drill Hall, which was both incredibly moving and inspiring. This production used mask-work and live music to produce a sensual and emotive performance, which highlighted its themes of loneliness, grief and love. “Translunar Paradise takes you on a journey of life, death, and enduring love. After his wife passes away, William escapes to a paradise of fantasy and past memories, a place far from the reality of his grief. Returning from beyond the grave, Rose revisits her widowed companion to perform one last act of love: to help him let go. Using a live accordion accompaniment, this exquisite piece of mask and movement theatre was a critically acclaimed sellout at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011” ((Lincoln Drill Hall (2012) ‘Theatre Ad Infinitum’. (Accessed on 30 January 2013)  Available at: http://www.lincolndrillhall.com/events/theatre-ad-infinitum-translunar-paradise)).

The way in which this piece highlights its emotional themes through music and movement are techniques which our theatre company might hope to replicate in our own performances.

Kate Dawson

Word Count: 373

Works Cited

Why Adapt Children’s Literature?

An adaptation is said to be “the re-casting of a work from one genre to another (adaptation of a novel for the stage, for instance)” ((Pavis, Patrice and Christine Shantz (1998) Dictionary of the Theatre: Terms, Concepts, and Analysis. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Ltd.  p.14.)). Adapting a novel into a theatre production enables a theatre company to utilise the essence of a previously successful/popular story, while allowing them to intertwine the original text with their own unique ideas. Therefore, making the old become the new.

For a newly established theatre company, we feel creating an adaptation is both a wise move as well as taking a risk.

It allows us to use a story, which has already proven itself to be popular and, if advertised efficiently, will hopefully attract a significantly large audience. However, being that the public will already know the story they are paying to see, adapting the original text into our own form could perhaps mean the audience will not take to it as they did the original.

The act of transforming a novel into a theatre script is not a task to be taken lightly, which is part of the reason why, as a company, we decided to direct our attention towards children’s literature. These stories hold within them magic and imagination, which is unparalleled in the adult world yet the comparably basic story lines and characters allow our company to efficiently adapt the story without tackling the complexities of adult literature.

The simple yet moving story lines will also compliment the elaborate staging our company favours.

 “Complex staging + simple storyline = successful spectacle”

Kate Dawson.

Word Count: 273

Works Cited

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