Contributed by Nan Potts
What takes place in a theater? Acting! Anything else?
There are other activities behind the scenes which theater audiences are the recipients of. For example, preparing lighting and sound to emulate and enhance the emotional tone the actors create on stage. The drill of timing set pieces going off and on stage, and curtains and painted drops, pulled up and down with the changing scenes. Properties (props) are gathered and prepped to go on and come off the stage. All this happens before the production raises the Main Drape on opening night.
So, when you attend the theater, what’s the first thing you notice when the curtain rises? Whether actors on of off the stage, it is the scene. The props, the lighting and the set. The set might be as stark as a black box or elaborate, with buildings, backdrops and a multitude of property flourishes. To me, this is the art of theater.
Currently I have the honor of working as Stage Manager with AJ Seims, Producer and Director of Beauty and the Beast, at the Glenn Massay Theater. Along with all of the duties that go with my position, I am responsible for gathering the talent necessary for a production of this magnitude. Well, with a lot of help from show’s cast and crew, the talents required began to appear.
Set design and construction began with Cory Rausa, Lead Theater technician and Matt Sale, Managing Director. These two creative geniuses started the process rolling and brought in other volunteers to assist and make it happen.
Rausa explains, “One of the profound aspects of a production that Patrons rarely get a chance to realize is the fact that all of the incredible artistry and construction that is painstakingly undergone is but a temporary facade and will all be torn apart and painted over just a few weeks later. For the artists and builders this is just part of the process. [Few others] realize how much love it takes to ‘build up’ such temporary masterpieces, only to tear them down again, making space for future creations. In this way theatre teaches on real life and the way we must be constantly clearing our spaces in order to make way for new things. This is why we love it. Where else can such discipline be trained?”
The artistry! With a show like Beauty it has to be there. Enter, Center Stage, the artists: Erin Shepard, Annie Prevost and Myranda Bailey who have put in hours of effort and creative passion to deliver the drops and backgrounds the audiences are enchanted by.
Shepard, the artistic talent of the gorgeous Be Our Guest drop, and, Village and Castle sets, has been painting for her entire life. When I asked her what she felt was her forte, she replied, “[Painting] . . . it’s always been one of my very favorite things. Usually, I paint things like landscapes, wildlife, and portraits with a bit of a twist. I love pushing my limits and working on large projects and subjects that I don’t get to work on often! I enjoy finding beauty in little details around me, and trying to capture that in my work.”
When I lured her and Prevost into painting a drop, the pair had no idea where it would take them. “My expectation was to help paint the Be Our Guest drop, but I’m so happy to have been roped into painting the rest of the set as well,” stated Shepard. “I didn’t expect to love the process so much, and to want to help with [painting] all of the sets now! The most rewarding part was watching my creativity and leadership skills begin to intertwine, as the sets couldn’t have been completed without all of the wonderful help! Watching the enthusiasm from the cast grow as the set grew, and seeing the magic happen as they became immersed in the set was [also] very rewarding.”
Prevost, Shepard’s partner in this project, characterizes herself as a “freeform and intuitive” painter, self taught. She describes her work, “Rather than having a specific plan or outcome in mind for any of my pieces, I simply begin with a splash of color and allow the shapes and patterns to emerge. In this way, my artwork truly is more about the process than the outcome, and each piece is unique and singular.”
As a crew member, there are expectations which Director, Cast and other crew members demand. When asked their personal expectations, Shepard and Prevost concurred.
“I guess my only expectation going into this project was to learn a lot while trying something new,” said Prevost. “Having never worked on a set before, I knew it would be out of my comfort zone, so I really only expected the challenge — I didn't expect the sense of true joy, community, and outright FUN we ended up having. Despite the sleep-deprivation and long hours, both Erin and I were so, SO excited to come in to the theater to work every day.”
She went on to say, “This project was SO rewarding! I honestly am so proud of the work we accomplished. It's wild to think that we started with absolutely nothing just a couple weeks ago, and now we have an entire set. It was so special to see the cast and crew watch our progress, and see it all happen through their eyes — I wanted so badly to have our sets live up to the magnitude of their talent and the magic of this story. I really think we've done that.”
Myranda Bailey, an artist currently residing in Anchorage, is a veteran to the Glenn Massay stage. She brought her talents to dab on the details for Belle’s house. She details her experience, “I started doing scenic painting because I knew I wanted to have some kind of painting career, but I didn't want to do freelance work. You know, like trying to sell small paintings. I got into theatre in college and haven't stopped since.
“I like working with the Glen Massey group [Matt Sale and Cory Rausa] because it's a fresh new set of minds. I've worked with the same set of people for the past five years. It's just refreshing to think about things from a slightly different point of view.”
With actors come costumes. For this production, Kay Schaugaard is to be acknowledged for cladding our humble Villagers and Linda Lockhart for, literally, enchanting our charming Castle characters with exquisite attire. They’re a must see!
It is the artisans and crafters who bring productions together. And for the most part, it mimics a symphony in a major key, mostly harmonious with a grand finale! They provide the cast members with scenery and outfits with which to work their magic on the stage.
Author’s Note: There are a few surprises on the stage. Watch closely as periaktoi pivot into position for scene changes and more!
Observe for yourself the art of theater and, “A Happily Ever After”! In the case of Beauty, if you haven’t seen it, you can catch the last performances, Friday, February 21st at 7pm and Saturday, February 22nd at 2pm and 7pm.
Erin Shepard and Annie Prevost are local artists from Palmer. Annie’s other passions are Oula dance and yoga. Myranda Bailey is an Anchorage artist, completing her BA in Art at UAA. Linda Lockhart lives in Big Lake with her husband, John. Linda is know for her spectacular wearable art outfits on the Valley Arts Alliance runway each February.
