First Look’s Three Looks
Posted by David New on 7/12/2006
Our crackerjack production crew is currently loading in the set for First Look Repertory in the Garage Theatre. The set was built at our shop located a few miles west of the theatre. It is then transported to the Garage and installed in the space along with risers for seats. This process requires the Technical Director, the Assistant Technical Director, 3 Carpenters, a 3 person props crew, a production intern, and a scenic painting intern.
The next step of the process will entail a 3 person Electrics crew to hang the light plot for the show and a 3 person Sound crew to set up the sound system. After all this, the space will be ready for the actors to begin technical rehearsals on stage in the space on Monday.
Scenic designer, Jack Magaw and Lighting designer J.R. Lederle have had a particularly interesting challenge in creating their designs for First Look. Because all three plays, Spare Change, Butcher of Baraboo, and 100 Saints You Should Know will all be performed on the same stage. Spare Change and 100 Saints You Should Know are plays that have multiple locations including the el train, a driveway, a living room, a bedroom, and a hospital hallway among others. The Butcher of Baraboo is the only play that takes place in a single location – a kitchen in northern Wisconsin.
And so, through ingenuity, clever use of furniture and props, lighting and staging, the director, playwright, and actors will work together to bring all these different environments to life. It will be very exciting to see all three plays alternately on the same unit set and discover the clever and theatrical solutions of the artists.