Living the Chifferobe
An OG, Robert Townsend, comes to one of our stages and kills it in his show. Living the Shuffle’. This is what I saw through my lens.
Over the years, one of my “go-to” jokes has been a reference to a throwaway line in Robert Townsend’s Hollywood Shuffle. I used it when I’m running late for something and get called on it. “Where you been?”, they say and my response a thousand times over has been that I was out back bustin’ up a chifferobe.
The first thing I thought when I heard that Robert Townsend may be performing at our theater is that I’d probably owe him some royalty money. My crack team of lawyers told me that I’m fine because his line is a parody of the reference in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ where Mayela Ewell asks Tom Robinson to bust up said chifferobe.
Over the years, I’ve been pretty cool about meeting an odd celebrity here and there, but this dude was different. He’s not only a genuine OG in his field, but he also provided me with years of excellent comedy content. Now, I get to meet him and help promote his show, ‘Living the Shuffle.’
FUN FACT - He has such a strong social media game and such a huge following that between that and the social mojo of his co-Producer, Don Reed, I just held on for the ride. His popularity and skill as a performer sold the show.
As happens in theater, we needed some media shots to help spread the word of the show. So, a week before the first performance, Robert came to town for a quick tech run and to work out a few quirks in the show. He had been rehearsing plenty for this, but he needed to get a feel for the space where it was to be performed. During that time, he was kind enough to let me drag him around downtown Berkeley to grab a few shots.
The whole time, he was pleasant and present, engaging with passers-by that recognized him and bullsh*tting with his friend, Don Reed, who was with us. Dude was totally comfortable in front of a camera and gave me everything that I could have hoped for with my tight deadline.
We did take some shots on the stage, but it was so bare and unfinished for the images to be of use. So, we waited until a few days until the tech stuff was more ready and had another go at it. Now keep in mind these images were taken during a cue-to-cue. That’s an unsexy term that means it was a run specifically for the tech team to get their light cues and image cues ready for specific points in the show. It’s perhaps the most stressful part of a show’s development, more technicians and artists have fought to the death during this stage of production than any other. This day, though, no one was murdered.
I’ve met enough artists in my time to get a good feel of the kind of person they are within only a few interactions. From day one, Robert and his whole team were super pleasant, their responses to requests were prompted, and their gratitude for our actions was quick and warm. Just a pleasure! Honestly, in this field, I’ve met very few folks that I’d consider a bad person. The worst thing I usually encounter is someone who is just concerned with himself. Robert is the opposite of that. His whole career has been an example of pushing others towards success. The grand number of folks that flew up from Southern California to see him on opening night was a testament to that.
About the show itself? Let some of these quotes do the talking…
90 minutes of captivating tales and good humor - Broadway World
Townsend’s imagination catapults him forward in life again and again. It’s there when he reads “Oedipus” in class in school with such Royal Shakespeare Company panache that the other kids scramble to one corner of the classroom as if they’ve discovered a fox in the henhouse. It’s there when he almost bombs his first audition, for a Chicago troupe called the Experimental Black Actors Guild, but then demonstrates the improv skills he first honed in his bathroom — all before he even knows the term “improv.” It’s there when he’s cast as extras in a Pepsi commercial and an action movie but then so thoroughly envisions his character and situation that directors give him meatier roles. - Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle
There are plenty more great reviews here, and here, and here.
In brief, it’s a show that has legs. It’s a high-quality piece of art with a huge market that is certainly going onto greater things. We’ve already extended him once, there’s some talk of other extensions or shows but it’s all up in the air. You can totally expect more from this show.
“Living the Shuffle”: Written and directed by Robert Townsend. Through Dec. 15. 95 minutes. $30-$100. The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. 415-282-3055. www.themarsh.org
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Texas Premiere!
This was one of the first times that the publishers had licensed the musical to be produced at a regional or community theater anywhere in the county and it was the very first time in Texas!
I think that the Director, George Green and his team nailed it pretty well!
DOM CLAUDE FROLLO - Bob Galindo
QUASIMODO - Nick Szoeke
CLOPIN TROUILLEFOU - Sean Salazar
CAPT. PHOEBUS DE MARTIN - Quinn Johnson
LT. FREDERIC CHARLUS - Macaulay Hammond
ESMERALDA- Alyssa Lopez
JEHAN FROLLO - Travis Trevino
FLORIKA - Josey Porras
FATHER DUPIN - Ryan Campen
KING LOUIS XI - David Nanny
TRIBUNAL OFFICIAL - Ramsey Sweatmon
MADAME - Corina Zars
SAINT APHRODISIUS - Robert Nauman
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Madeline Gutierrez
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Alyssa Araguz
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Luis Legaspi
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Carrie Daniels
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Stephanie Clark
CONGREGATION/ ENSEMBLE - Robert Gonzalez
CHOIR - Christopher Miller
CHOIR - Rebecca Trinidad
CHOIR - Katy Galindo
CHOIR - Nicole Erwin
CHOIR - Jennifer Hoskins
CHOIR - Megan DeYoung
CHOIR - Rob Shaver
CHOIR - Ben Scharff
CHOIR - Victor Trevino
CHOIR - Luke Trevino
CHOIR - Chancey Blackburn
There are two types of people in this world.
Those who love Nick Szoeke ... and those that haven't met him yet
Best Show images of The Playhouse's 2016-17 Season
9 shows, 9 Dress Runs, 5 archive shoots ... and these are the best! Before we begin the 2017-18 Season, let's look backwards abit.
With the 2017-18 Season about to begin at The Playhouse San Antonio, it's a good time to look back at some of my favorite images from the Dress Runs and Archive Shoots in the 2016-17 Season. Before we begin in earnest, here's a few images that I loved but that didn't make the finals.
Over the course of the 9 shows, most of these images were captured during a Dress Run in the days leading to opening night. While those shows always provided fantastic imagery, the microphones that the cast wore often interfered with getting tight shots of the faces. Also, because the shows were so vast and active with so many moving parts, I wasn't always able to get all the shots we wanted so we also relied on the Archive Shoots to produce images.
In past years, theaters would have these Archive Shoots later in the run and the images were used simply to "archive" the show. As marketing needs and social media needs altered over time, we continued doing these shoots but we moved them up a bit in the run so we could use those images for promotional use. A few years back, we started shooting the dress run images so we would have lively imagery in the days before the show to start to broadcast to the community the fun and beauty that they have in store when the show opens.
The reception of the images has been wonderful. The actors and their friends and family do a great job of sharing the images so that more folks can see what the show is about, who the pretty faces are, and what the stellar lighting and scenic design will contain.
Selfishly, I'm so grateful to be around so many talented folks and to have the chance to make my own art. My goals with the photography have been to help sell the shows to the patrons but also to honor the skill and effort of all those involved
Chris Berry and Carlye Elyse in Disney's Beauty and the Beast
A fantastic way to open the season, this show did so incredibly well that it is among The Playhouse's top-selling shows of all-time. The Opening Night fire alarm sure was interesting, no?
Why This Shot --
Chris and Carlye were awesome in their respective portrayals of Gaston and Belle. With their superb comic timing and the deep well of acting experience they both have, they killed the roles. For this scene to work, their timing, grace and facial poise had to be perfect. I'd seen them practice this move before so I knew where I had to be to get the image I wanted.
Dir - David Nanny
Sam Mandelbaum in The Glass Menagerie
Not really a light and happy story on its best day but Molly Cox's version of this classic took it in a thoroughly new direction. Her team didn't change a lick of dialogue but resetting the "illusion" to take place at a mid-century mental institution was brilliant! It gave new life and breath to Tennessee Williams' words.
Why This Shot --
Sam created and nurtured so many little tics that made his Tom Wingfield beyond perfect for the new setting. Never going over the top or being cartoonish, he used every inch of the space to great effect. As other characters were in their scenes, Sam would be watching his "family" and he'd be taking notes on their behavior, using them as material for future writings.
Dir - Molly Cox
David Fenrich in All is Calm
Yup. Still my favorite musical. I've been so lucky to work with various casts of this show over the years and they're all superb humans.
Why This Shot --
Because of its utter simplicity. Nicholas Ponting's set and Dan Heggem's lighting are always a huge part of any show but the restrained use of resources was so masterful on this set because the feel of cold and sparseness was so vital to the story.
David Fenrich's voice is stellar but his ability to, in silhouette even, portray the loneliness and madness of war shone out through his simple, shrugged stance.
Dir - George Green and Bill Gundry
Holly Clifford in Fool for Love
This cannot be a FUN show of which to be a part. It's difficult to imagine the inner demons that an actor might have to bring up and harder still to imagine how to face them, encompass them into a performance and come out normal at the end of a show's run. I admire all of the actors involved with dramas like this.
Why This Shot --
Sam Shepard's play is not for the faint of heart, either for the actors or patrons. Holly's portrayal of May was stunning and chilling from start to finish. Whether the emotional pain was being hurled at her from her love interest or if it came from the demons and guilt she carries with her, the weight of all of her love, desires, and fears hammers her at the end of the play and the manner in which she projected that was magnificent.
Dir - George Green
The Secret Garden
This show was another fine example of less being more. The RHR stage was far more stripped down that in most other shows but that doesn't mean that the set wasn't intricate in its own way. Sliding curtain, moving "gardens", and light design that moved the story along and added chills to each scene.
Why This Shot --
This shot almost didn't happen! The idea for it was from Nicholas Ponting. The yellow light is something the patrons saw only for an instant at a time. It was flashed on and off as lightning during the storms but for this shot we staged the scene as if the kids were captured in the flash of lightning. Corina and the kids managed to make the very best of the moment, no? Keep an eye on Nickie and Ashley. They're gonna be stars.
Dir - Laura Michelle Hoadley
Disgraced
A simple dinner party with friends. What could go wrong?
Why This Shot --
This was one of the very first images we took on our media day and I was surprised and amazed at how quickly and easily the cast got into their characters and enacted their dinner routines. The banter seemed normal and natural, their dining movements seemed smooth, and their demeanor and postured displayed the perfect "before the storm" comfort. The set and lighting were simple/complex enough to turn our Cellar into a trendy Manhattan apartment. A perfect setting for the worst dinner party ever.
Dir - David Rinear
Urinetown, the Musical
This show is now easily in my top three musicals ever. With the power trio of Tim Hedgepeth, Andrew Hendley and Courtnie Mercer covering direction, music, and movement, Urinetown used every inch of the stage, performed superbly the very complex score, and got the most out of every set piece and lighting element.
Why This Shot --
OK. The artsy stuff was awesome but I chose this image because it captures the utter ridiculousness of the ensemble. Yes, the leads were all superb but this show NEEDS a bright, loud, colorful, occasionally stupid cast of background characters. There was not a weak link in the show ... nor in this picture. If you saw it, you know what I mean.
Dir - Time Hedgepeth
Crimes of the Heart
I'd seen this drama a few times and never liked it. I won't get into why but this cast and this show changed my opinion. Maybe it was the casting or the cast. Maybe it was Bill Gundry's use of the space and his pacing. Who knows! It was awesome and the critics and patrons loved it. So did I.
Why This Shot --
LOOK at that set! Once again, Nicholas Ponting and Dan Heggem turned the Cellar into another piece of visual, useable art. As the space is so intimate and close to the patrons, any half-hearted efforts or cheapness will be easily spotted. Not in this house and not in this show.
Dir - Bill Gundry
Danielle Renae King in HAIRSPRAY
Hairspray is a fun and colorful show but it also has a strong point about race relations and equality. This, the biggest cast of the season, took that message and material, treated it with honor and class, and created the best season closer we've seen in a while.
Why This Shot --
Power. Pure, raw power!
D#mn! That lady can sing! In addition to that, her stance in that shot, her movements leading up to it and in the whole show demanded that you look at and listen to her. The very first time I met her was during the portrait shoot. She was funny and polite and awesome and I loved her right away. I imagine she gets that a lot.
Dir - Omar Leos
Y'all ready for the next season?
Best Portraits of the 16-17 Season at The Playhouse
With the opening of 'Hairspray', I've completed my first season as the photographer for The Playhouse. These are my picks as the best for each of the nine shows.
My first full season shooting for The Playhouse San Antonio has come to an end and I couldn't be more pleased with the numerous opportunities I had to meet the cool folks that populate the theater community and San Antonio on the whole. I started my tenure at the very tail end of the 2015-16 Season and I was able to shoot Two Sisters and a Piano, directed by Omar Leos who also directed Hairspray, this year's season closer. The Circle of Life.
For the nine shows in the season, I created a total of 56 images that made it into the public as official portraits. Of those, these are my favorites. Sometimes I chose them for the story behind them or merely that they pleased me the most. Feel free to have others be your favorites but here are mine.
Enjoy!
Beauty and the Beast
Jeff Jeffers - The Beast
Costume-wise, this is as difficult of a show as you might suspect so we only had time to create ONE portrait. The Artistic Director, George Green, wanted a show that was slightly darker and more ominous that previous iterations and the costumery and wardrobe that the team created certainly matched that.
Jeff is an accomplshed actor with a rich background and I think that he found the sweet spot between the scary beast and the wounded prince in his portrayal. Well done, Sir.
The Glass Menagerie
Gloria Sanchez-Molina - Amanda Wingfield
Without changing a single bit of the script or stage direction, The Playhouse and Director Molly Cox crafted an entirely new look at this venerable (koff - overdone - koff) classic and made history. The Glass Menagerie sold every seat for every show and gave San Antonio audiences an immersive experience in the mid-century mental hospital instead of a mere St. Louis apartment.
While 'Amanda Wingfield' was already a dynamic yet wounded character, Gloria's representation of her set a new standard, IMHO.
All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914
Nicholas Ponting
I've stated for the record that this is my absolute favorite piece of theater and I've been lucky enough to shoot it before. It's coming back again for the 2017-18 Season and we already have ideas on how to make the next round fresh and exciting.
This guy, Nick, is amazing. Not only did he have a hand in every show this season as the theater's Resident Designer, he has also performed in 3 of them. For All is Calm, he also served as the Musical Director, channeling the voices of all those trained singers into one magical wall of sound. As an actor, he was masterful at his ability to show strength through gentleness.
Fool for Love
Bill Gundry - The Old Man
If a photographer can't take a good pic of Bill, that photographer should just get rid of the camera. The character, history, and color on this man's face tell stories that others have never heard. As 'The Old Man' in the play, he was tasked to be a silent observer, always judging and occasionally chiming in with his faulty, biased memories and opinions.
"I got nobody now! Nobody!"
The Secret Garden
Corina Zars - Mrs. Medlock
Nobody should be this talented AND kind at the same time. Though I had already worked with her on Beauty and the Beast, I didn't really get to know Corina until this show. Up until then, her reputation as an artist and a super human was well-known but I just couldn't believe that she was as universally loved as folks said.
The rumors were true. From my first days in town, she has been simply wonderful on stage and off and she's earned all the kind words about her. Imagine my surprise when she portrayed 'Mrs. Medlock' as such a thoroughly repulsive woman!
The mystical nature of The Secret Garden inspired me to try a few new tricks and create the aged but ethereal portraits.
Disgraced
Megan Van Dyke - Jory
I chose Megan's pic for two main reasons. In the most simple way, the image captures what matters in the play; her quiet fierceness, the controversial art piece, a hint of wine, and the austerity of the NY apartment. Second, Megan's portrayal of 'Jory' was so very much in line with her presentation for the portrait. Quiet and fierce. Without unneccesary dramatics, she let you know exactly what her opinion was.
Urinetown
Carrie Daniels - Little Becky Two Shoes
Carrie is another person that has greatly helped the 2016-17 Season be the success it was as she has had her hand in all of the productions. She performed in Beast, The Secret Garden, and Urinetown, she was Stage Manager or crew for several productions in the Cellar and she worked on the creation of all the sets. On top of that, her on stage ability is superb, seemingly getting better with each show.
As 'Little Becky', Carrie created a dirty, loathsome little wretch that (forgive me) still managed to be very hot. Weird, I know.
I look forward to her stage appearances next season.
Crimes of the Heart
Rosa Gardner - Chick Boyle
This is another example of a super nice person portraying such a magnificent (rhymes with Witch) on stage. Rosa was with The Playhouse in The Secret Garden and is now in Hairspray.
We kept the portraits simple in keeping with the early 70s look and feel of the play but Rosa, especially, managed to make the viewer (or at least me) feel like her portait was about to say something snotty and rude.
Hairspray
Kass Ortiz - Tracy Turnblad
First, a confession ...
I didn't like this show before The Playhouse did it. I won't get into why but I'll state very clearly that this production won me over. It's the biggest cast I've seen on this stage and everyone of them moves with purpose and energy. No wasted moments.
THIS kid is front and center for almost every moment of it and for every moment, she is a radiant ball of fire. I suspected that would be the case when we created these portaits and Kass didn't disappoint.
Kettel Bells
Hairspray - Portraits
'Hairspray' opened up this weekend at The Playhouse. Their season closer, LOTS of folks have been waiting for this gem to arrive!
When the CEO/Artistic Director, George Green, and I were discussing what to do with the portraits for Hairspray, the word that he said that struck me most was "loud".
We had some back and forth with a few different proofs but some of my initial ideas were not loud enough. After a few tweaks and a few more proofs sent, I got the go-ahead and started working in earnest.
I'll say that these were the most intense images that I've created in a long time. Each one took about an hour just for the final editing and all the shooting, reshoots and batch editing took several days on their own. Well worth it though. I truly love helping a show and its team succeed by getting the patronage excited with these portraits.
Based on the packed houses and standing ovations that they received at all three shows this weekend, I know for a fact that the patrons were pleased.
Congratulations to Director Omar Leos and his team for ending The Playhouse's 2016-17 Season with a smash hit!
As the 2016-17 Season is on its last show, very soon I'll be posting my favorite portraits from each of the 9 shows in the season and another post with my favorite show images. Stay Tuned!
Loud enough for ya? I think so.
Hairspray runs at The Playhouse San Antonio through Aug 6. Tickets and info can be found HERE!
Junie B. Jones, the Musical at The Magik Theatre.
A new school year and new friends. Sounds great, right? Not so much for Junie B.
Though I've been in San Antonio for a year now, this show was my first time shooting at any theater other than The Playhouse. Magik Children's Theatre has a wonderful home in the heart of downtown and though it's a bit bogged down due to the massive but wonderful renovations in Hemisphere Park, that area of town is set to become another gem in the city. The Magik is well-located for future success.
I have a dear friend in the cast and when she told me bout the show, I knew that it was going to be loud and colorful. Just the type of show that I like to shoot. Junie B Jones, the Musical is a children's show but the design team didn't water down their skills a single bit. Loud and colorful, indeed.
From their website:
Based on the books by Barbara Parks
Book and lyrics by Mary Heisler
Music by Zina Goldrich
Directed by Frances Limoncelli
It's time for 1st grade, and Junie B. can't wait to see all her old friends! But over the summer old friends have drifted away, and new ones have moved to town. Junie B. soon learns that things don't always stay the same, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing.
As shows go, it's not my cup of tea but I'm not the intended demographic. What I found quite impressive is the amount of effort and dedication that the cast and crew put forth simply for the ideal of sharing art with the younger generation. The show runs from June 16 to August 13, 2017 so they're just a few weeks into the run. If the cast can keep up their energy through closing weekend, there will be LOTS of entertained little patrons.
Junie B Jones, the Musical, will run at Magik from through August 18th
2MT - Blithe Spirit at Ignite! Community Theatre
Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit as presented by Ignite Community Theater.
From the 2013-14 Season of Ignite Community Theatre's presentation of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit. The audio backing originally aired on Off the Beaten Track on CFUV 101.9 in June, 2011.
You can see the full cast and crew list HERE!
Artist Spotlight - Sarah Miller
"Frankly, I didn’t think I was good enough to do professional theater" - Sarah "Wrong!" - danscape
Since I first met Sarah in the Spring of 2013, she's portrayed folks that are English, Irish, French and German. She's been a sweet mum to a hero, a filthy pirate, a sensual/psychotic air stewardess and, um ..... well, a french prostitute. It's fair to say that she's not daunted by the task of being diverse.
I put Sarah into that category of person that, if you don't like her, there's something wrong with you. Ask anyone that's ever worked with her and they'll agree that she's more than just talented. Her positive character elements shine through. I first met her in the Spring of 2013 while working on Spokane Civic Theatre's production of Treasure Island. We were filthy pirates together but she also had additional roles that kept her running backstage to make her quick-changes and to find the mental space needed to transition from one character to another. It was impressive to see her make that leap every night of the show.
Since then, I've been pleased to maintain a friendship with her and to continue to work with her on a few occasions. She's always a peach to shoot when she's on a stage but recently, she took on the challenge of stage managing the Modern-CDA's production of The Last Five Years. It was her idea that spark perhaps my favorite image from that show. I'm grateful for the idea that provided an image that so wonderfully captured the essence of that show. Again, she proved the diversity of her talents.
From Sarah:
There was a period of time in my twenties when I was finishing up college and starting my career in finance. I worked a ton of hours per week and, in my limited free time, found myself focused on a young marriage, a church, and little group of friends. I didn’t perform. Not to any great extent. Instead, I worked really hard at my company. I worked to advance! And artistry had to become a much smaller part of my life. I did a little backup harmony for our worship team. I put on little plays for church services. Though these were small projects, they were very special. Spiritually satisfying without a doubt, this creative outlet was an artistry life-line and I was grateful.
In college, I spent a lot of time doing theater and loved it. Transitioning away from the stage wasn’t easy and my heart broke when I decided to pursue a non-theater degree. Frankly, I didn’t think I was good enough to do professional theater and, even if I was wrong or feigning humility at that time, I feared I wouldn’t have the guts to make a career out of it anyway. I worked my early finance career and spent 5 or 6 years watching my college friends shine on stage and in film instead.
I hadn't been totally out of the creative community, though. I was crazy lucky to make friendships with other artists who like to dabble on side projects: low time commitment, high reward. That is where I’ve been keeping my skills sharp while not working on official projects. I’ve “dabbled” in any theatrical or artistic avenue that scared me:
- Home acting groups to “geek out” over various acting styles and methods, finding and experimenting with different exercises, experiencing the freedom to “be bad” at things in order to get better.
- Singing 1930s and 1940s music. I was asked to lead with Six Foot Swing for a season and, because I have terrible nerves when it comes to vocal performance, I took lessons from the brilliant Kathleen Cavender to handle my nerves enough to do it afraid.
- Creating the Writer and Actor Collaborative with Emily Hiller and Rie Lee so we can play with and help develop new scripts, finding an audience (which is scary, too!) by dreaming up off-the-wall events (or participating in events like Get Lit! and Terrain).
- Hanging around with 50-Hour Slam filmmakers (Film is my next Everest!), mostly to do PA work and get inspiration for future creative experiments.
- Tons of other random stuff…all with safe and supportive artists (too many to list by name).
The process of learning and exploration for a new role is fascinating. In the decade since college, I’ve been lucky to be in a production every 2 years or so at Spokane Civic Theatre, the former Lake City Playhouse and Spokane Children’s to stay in touch, but I’m now ready for more. My work life is more balanced now and my goals as an artist are to keep dabbling on side projects while trying for larger, more eclectic roles. For example, my most recent was Gretchen in The Modern-Spokane’s Boeing Boeing. Hence, the blonde hair!
I never want to lose sight of how lucky I am. I have great artist friends and we support each other as we develop. I’m nothing without them. And there are hundreds of incredible performers in our region who can fit into any role I might get and do the role amazingly. I am one of a large community of actors and musicians and I want to pour my best work into any project I’m lucky enough to be invited.
My hope is to be a day-professional that works in financial services and a professional artist that performs at night. Ultimately, I want to try everything. If I could look back forty years from now and see myself as one of the most versatile performers in our area, I’ll be elated. Although, I have a feeling the forward thinking I apply to improving my craft, won’t give me a whole lot of time to look back.
In my role with the Modern Theater, I'm privileged with the knowledge of all the upcoming casts for the 2015-16 Season and I'm very excited to announce where Sarah (and all our other wonderful talent) will be fitting into the season. For now, suffice it to say that you WILL be seeing more of her at our theaters and with as active as she is in the local community, don't be surprised if you see plenty more of her on local stages and screens.
All is Calm - Character Portraits
The Playhouse San Antonio has just announced that All is Calm has been added to their 2016-17 Season and I couldn't be more pleased as I have a fond history with that production
My new theater, The Playhouse San Antonio, has just announced that we're adding All is Calm: The Christmas Eve Truce of 1914 to the 2016-17 Season as the Christmas show. I'm extraordinarily pleased to hear this as I was quite sad that I'd miss The Modern Theater's 2016 presentation. I've grown to love all the folks involved with the show and had great plans for this year's portraits.
I'm excited that I'll be able to apply those plans to this cast, albeit with a twist, but I won't reveal those plans to anyone but a select few and then only in the days leading up to the shoot. It's fair to say that I intend to give this cast my very best efforts.
In the first season that we presented AIC, the cast of 11 blended perfectly and created a thing of such beauty that I can't properly describe. Words can be cheap when trying to explain such a thing but I'm sure you've all experienced such a reaction to something so exquisite. Directed by my dear friend Abbey Crawford and with Music Direction from Zach Baker (the one with the cigarette), they had the distinct honor to perform the piece to a packed house at The Bing on the 100th anniversary of the event from which the piece came.
For 2015, we lost two of our young stars to their college aspirations but picked up Nicholas and Jace, a classicly trained opera singer and a local cabaret star, respectively. Again, they created a show of near perfection and I was lucky to have been able to capture them again.
For 2015, we even made a few videos. You can see this and one more on the Modern's Youtube site.
Every show that I've shot has afforded me new opportunities to learn and improve. I'm very happy that I get to be part of this show again as I had some great successes with this show yet there also a few aspects of its weight and beauty that I feel I missed.
Soon, I'll have the chance to try again.
Dogfight - Character Portraits
My very last show with The Modern Theater family, Dogfight, directed by my dear friend, Abbey Crawford
l to r - Joshua Lee Fox, Brendan Brady and Robby French
That's it! No more! All done!
These are the last images that I have created for any Modern production! The fact that I took them for a production at the very first place that I was ever IN was an added bonus. That they were for a show directed by my very dear friend, Abbey Crawford, was an honor. Additionally, she was the director on that very first show of mine, Fiddler on the Roof.
Plus, the review from The Spokesman-Review came out today and said what I felt was gonna be the case ...
It’s been a strong year for character-driven stories at the Modern, and “Dogfight,” which closes out the season, is one of the best. - Nathan Weinbender
'Dogfight' is a musical about 60s-era Marines, fresh out of Boot Camp, who are having one last hurrah before they ship out to Vietnam. Having myself been a young recruit about to be shipped overseas, I empathize with the fear, excitement and trepidation of that time period. I didn't have a "dogfight" as in the play but I did my best to live as richly as possible during that time.
From The Modern's website:
On the eve of their deployment, young Marines set out for one final boys' night of debauchery. Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress, rewrites the rules of the game and teaches one of them the power of love and compassion. Studded with impressive songs, an unexpected love affair, and a genuine and charming soul, this is a heartbreaking theatrical journey that stays with you long after the performance.
Again, these portraits don't succeed without actors that are dedicated to their characters. This was my first time capturing Joshua and Shelby but they stepped up and did a wonderful job of wearing their characters for the 1/200th of a second that I need them to.
Of the 30+ shows that I've shot for the two Modern Theaters, I suspect that I've shot Brandon, Robby and Alyssa at least 15 times altogether. You'll find a few of them in the portraits gallery. They're talented and prolific actors and it's been a pleasure shooting them on the numerous occasions.
What's most upsetting about this show for me is that I won't be able to watch it. It debuted after my departure to San Antonio. Yes, it's still running for another few weeks but it's a bit out of the way for a weekend jaunt.
I know the director and creative crew and I've seen the work of the talent in the cast so I'm certain that I'll be missing another fantastic Modern production.
My Very. Last. Modern Show.
Damn.
The Man of La Mancha - Character Portraits
Based on Miguel de Cervantes' fantastic 'Don Quixote', 'The Man of La Mancha' created a whole new audience for this historical work. Now, The Modern Theater - Spokane and Director Troy Nickerson, give it their special, updated treatment.
It's the end of era for me. This fantastic show, directed by Troy Nickerson, was the last show at The Modern-Spokane for which I captured portraits. The themes and settings of the show and the "look" that Troy was going for lent itself to dark and brooding imagery.
Perfect!
None of my character portrait shoots would succeed without the super-talented actors that sit for me. Posing for a still image and creating a character on-stage are completely different skills and some folks are better at it than others. Most of this cast has sat for me before so they know what I expect but I couldn't have been more pleased with how this shoot started off ... and ended up.
First up was Emily Jones as The Housekeeper! I'm not kidding, within the first 4 or 5 shots, I knew that she had already nailed the look we we were going for. A few of the other actors waiting for their turns watched this happen and they knew that they had a high bar set for them. I took a few more of Emily to be safe but she did great on all of them. She's a champ!
The lighting setup for these images was more simple than most. I had one diffused strobe off to the subject's left side about 3 feet away and a simple reflector off to their right. It was really that stark, contrast-rich look was perfect for the piece. Troy wasn't trying to rewrite Cervantes' story. He simply updated some of the visuals of it by bringing it to a modern day prison filled with modern day thieves and cutthroats. Darker, more brooding and with darker souls.
By the finished product, you'd never know that these were some of the nicest folks you'd ever meet. I couldn't have been more pleased to have worked with them. I know that my imagery doesn't affect the quality of the work on stage. The very best that I can hope for is to inspire the actors to more completely embrace their characters and to have the patrons get an idea of the mood or feeling of the play that they'll be seeing soon.
I hope I've succeeded!
You can see more of my Character Portraits HERE!
Daniel E McKeever as Don Quixote
Evita at UHigh - Archives
Andrew Lloyd Webber's stunning musical 'Evita' made its appearance at University High School in Spokane Valley. I'm quite certain Mr Webber would be quite pleased ... and you will be, too!
Caitlin McLennan as Evita Peron
These kids are the reason that the Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of theater activity and talent. Time after time, Briane and George Green from UHigh Drama have produced theatrical gems and 'Evita' is yet another. They are superb administrators and leaders but without the high-calibre of students they lead, the shows wouldn't be as wonderful as they are. 'Evita' is the fifth UHigh show that I've shot and though the first of them was already stellar, they seem to be getting better and better!
I've written a little bit about theater photography HERE, but I didn't quite express how difficult an archive shoot can be. For the still images, we have all the conditions that exist in a show: props, sets, lighting cues, wardrobe and wardrobe changes and we have to have all the right people in the right place in the right time. You'd think that if we run the shoot in the order of the show, it shouldn't be so much of an effort, right?
Well, I've never done one where you go in the order of the show and there are many reasons for that. If you want to dismiss some folks early, you get their shots done first. If your leads are in a certain costume at various time, you get all of those scenes together ... regardless of whether the scenes are contiguous or not. For this day's captures, as we were shooting directly after the school day ended, we had folks straggling in at various time because of their school needs or that their school was across town. We had middle schoolers and even younger kids in the cast so we had to wrangle them all from their various schools.
Being part of the show and running it out of order is VERY taxing. Has anyone ever asked you what comes after (for instance) the letter K? What do you do? Most folks, me included, have to sing The Alphabet Song in our heads until we reach the letter we need. Our brains don't memorize things just for the sake of committing them to memory. If we have habits and systems in place, like The Alphabet Song or the blocking/scene order of a show, we don't don't always need to memorize the order of things. We start the first thing and the rest flows behind it.
When the director or stage manager is calling out the shots to be taken and which ones are coming next, they're rarely in the order the show is run and every time, I mean it ... EVERY time, actors forget which prop they should have, light board operators get into the wrong cue, and actors forget where to stand when they are saying the lines from the scene to be caught. It can be absolute chaos getting from one shot to the next. It's always stressful to the cast and occasionally frustrating to everyone, we always get the shots we need and it's always amusing in hindsight.
I always try to keep in mind that these folks are giving up more of their free time in order to help create these images, so I'm very grateful for their patience and effort.
This may be the last time that I get to see a few of these folks on a stage again. Many of these folks are seniors and will be moving on in life. Perhaps even off the stage and onto other endeavors. I know for a fact that a few will be in productions for my home theater (they're THAT good) and , who knows! Some may end up on even bigger stages in bigger towns!
Congratulations to the cast and crew of University High School's 'Evita' on their spectacular show!
The Ladies Foursome - We Begin!
In a few weeks, we'll present another show. But first, we get to create more imagery!
Yesterday (Apr 24), the cast of 'The Ladies Foursome' and I headed out to The Links golf course in Post Falls, Id. It was a multi-purpose trip; partially to capture promotional images, hopefully to have the cast learn a bit more about the sport of golf and certainly to have a great day of fun and team bonding!
Sarah Miller, Callie McKinney Cabe, Marianne McGlaughlin, Nancy Gasper and the Director, Dawn Taylor Reinhart have been in rehearsal for just a week and as much as can be learned about golf through reading, conversation and YouTube videos, they knew that it would take a trip to the links to make their swings look realistic, their trash talk genuine and the knowledge about their characters come to life!
We won't even pretend that the form was perfect! Heck, even the shoes were off but, we all still had a blast playing on the course!
Over the next few days, we'll be showing plenty of new images on our various social media pages so be certain to keep an eye out. I'll have them all posted here AFTER the run of the show.
Next to Normal at The Bing Crosby Theater
'Next to Normal' is just wrapping up at The Bing Crosby Theater. If you miss this one, you're missing a true gem!
One of our best shows of the years wraps up today (the "our" is The Modern Theater, for whom I work and create images)! We partnered with Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater to present this Pulitzer Prize-winning musical. I've listened to the soundtrack on a number of occasions and while I was always pleased, there was always something lacking. That "lack" was the personal connection of knowing the voices and stories behind the music.
I've known the folks in this cast for a while! I know some of their families, their personal struggles and victories, their stories. Hearing MY people sing these powerful tunes made the music much more deep and meaningful. I mean, the play is all about mental illness and family tragedies ... and how we move past these issues. Heavy stuff and these folks handled the weight of it so very well.
From The Spokesman-Review :
It’s an edgy, occasionally bracing rock opera about one woman’s struggle with bipolar disorder and how her manic episodes send ripples through her household. That description might make the show sound like some kind of postmodern goof – you may wonder how such sensitive material could ever benefit from flashy theatricality – but the Pulitzer Prize-winning show is as stylistically risky as it is emotionally bruising.
This was only the second time that I've shot a full show here. The Bing is an incredible space but it wasn't designed for ease of photography. I had a couple ladders available and, yes, I did monkey-scramble across the chairs a bit. Those armrests aren't always perfectly sturdy.
Using some audio captured by our sound guy, Jesse Worley, we made a short promo video that, I hope, captures the beauty of the cast. you'll hear, in order, Alyssa Day, Daniel McKeever and Cody bray singing bis from their numbers.
Again, Doc Heggem did a fantastic job of not merely lighting the set, but in making the lighting a character in the play. The brilliant ambers, blues and magentas made the story come alive even more! The square footage on the stage is rather minimal so the team designed a multi-level set that fit perfectly and provided ample room in which to perform.
I'll confess that I'd be a horrible set designer ... but I sure know functional beauty when I see it. On my end, it may have been tough to shoot, but it sure provided angles and vistas not normally found in my other theaters.
Next up .... A Bright New Boise!
Character Portraits - All My Sons
Arthur Miller is one of the finest chroniclers of post-World War II America. His 1949 play “Death of a Salesman” is rightfully held as the gold standard in U.S. theater, with its exploration of the American dream and all the pitfalls that come with trying to achieve it.
Two years earlier, Miller found his first success on stage with another exploration of the American dream, “All My Sons.” Inspired by real-life events, it centers on two families – friends, neighbors and colleagues – whose lives are undone by a selfish act. It’s a powerful piece of theater and the Modern Theater Coeur d’Alene has done it justice.
“All My Sons” is not an easy night of theater. There’s a lot of tension between these characters, and director Davis does an excellent job of guiding his actors in maintaining that tension to maximum effect. The first act builds, then things blast apart after intermission. When the final plot turn arrives, it is a foregone conclusion. But that doesn’t stop it from being a shock nonetheless. - Carolyn Lamberson at The Spokesman-Review
What a fantastic story and what an all-star cast! Such a powerful tale needed striking images. During WWII, newspaper articles and letters from the war zone were important sources of information sharing and for communicating with family back home. Those two mediums have a strong impact on 'All My Sons' and I felt that they should have some influence on the portraits.
As is always the case, the power of these images doesn't come from my fancy camera or special software. It comes from the dedication of the talent in front of the camera. Even young Mr Dixon, Little Bert, did such an amazing job, no?
I love my job and I'm so lucky to be able to meet and capture so many of these wonderful artists. Next show that I'll be shooting .... Last of The Boys by Steven Dietz
The Wild Party - Character Portraits
Directed by Troy Nickerson, Andrew Lippa's 'The Wild Party' was the wildest thing to hit Spokane in a long, long time!
I normally wait until after a show has finished its run before I post the images on my site ... but this show is so awesome, I couldn't wait. The Wild Party was the coolest thing that I've seen come through Spokane in quite a while. Based on a book-length poem by Joseph Moncure March, the story of the musical comes directly off the page and onto the stage. We shot these images at The Baby Bar, the same place I shot the cool Halloween images for their staff. It's a great location (and a great bar) that suited our needs perfectly; dark, a bit well-worn and the rich, red was perfect. Our idea was to capture the cast of characters as they'd be on an evening on the town.
How'd we do?
Plus a few other promo images we created...
Assassins - Character Portraits
"Why did you do it Johnny?"
It has just been announced that Stephen Sondheim will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom along with many other notables at the White House on November 24th. This seems like a good time to recall the character portraits from the recent presentation of Assassins at The Modern-CDA. I'll let the review of the show speak to its excellent quality but I was thoroughly impressed with this show. Though I'm fond of all of our shows, some are certainly better than others and this one was top-notch.
Recently, a dear friend caught me downplaying the value of the images that I create. I said something about how the images that I create don't have much to do with the final quality of the show and he disagreed firmly. He made a strong case for how show imagery and strong marketing material help to set the expectations that the public has for a production. The stronger the promotional imagery, the higher the expectations. If a cast and crew feel that their expectations are high, well, they'll work harder to reach that goal. For a low bar, they'll aim for that.
There is some sense in that. I do what I can to capture or create themes that are relevant and I'm proud of what I accomplish. I'd be lying if I said that having awesome artists with which to work didn't matter. They're super awesome!
For this show, we took all of these images in the basement of The Modern-Spokane. Though the place is much more well-organized now, when we moved into the space. It was a creepy mess; dirty, dusty and dark. Perfect setting for a bunch of assassins.
Rock of Ages - Character Portraits
'Rock of Ages' - Big bands with big egos playing big guitar solos and big hair!
For a season-opening show as big as this one, I had to try something different, something bigger. Rock of Ages is big and loud and fun and the portraits had to be big and loud, too. The movie had a great series of portraits but I didn't want to just copy them. We shot against a white wall, I edited the base images, then each image got about an hour of additional layering and painting .... with the help of a few actions that I had saved up for this shoot. I did my best to give each image a distinct look and color.
The reaction to the images from the cast was astounding, exactly what I hoped for. Those talented folks spend so much time and effort making these shows come alive, I'm more than pleased to make them look as good as I possibly can.
MCM1940 at The Modern-CDA
Another show closes and all we have are the memories and images!
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 just finished its run at The Modern-CDA. Though I'm sure you've seen me post about it before, its cast was so warm and funny, their show such a pleasant surprise and the images so cool, I thought I'd show a few last images! As all of the players, save the Maid and the Detective, were in the theater business in the 40s, I decided to have all of their portraits should have a stylized look from the era. Plus, what says theater more than the red velvet curtain and a spotlight?
First, the ladies....
The show is a silly farce. With folks coming and going, bodies dropping left and right, power outages and false identities, the audience is kept on their toes about who the killer is ... or rather who the killerS are.
The gentlemen, scoundrels ... all of them.
As I've already shared plenty about this show, I won't rehash too much and I'm certainly not an impartial patron so I won't bother with a thorough review. I just enjoyed the show, enjoyed creating the images and certainly enjoyed meeting new people.
My hat goes off to the Director, Heath Bingman. MCM1940 is a tough show to lead under any circumstances but this one had more than its share of administrative hurdles. I won't get into details but I'll just say that, in some ways, she had the deck stacked against her. Regardless, she managed it all very well and came through with a winner!
Well done, ma'am.
Reason to be Pretty and The Modern Magazine
Neil Labute's Reasons to be Pretty is a great show but it's a tough one to sell in Spokane. It's harsh, tight dialogue is well-crafted but difficult for many viewers to digest. The play deals with the topics of beauty, perceptions of beauty and how we defend ourselves when our self-images come under scrutiny. It doesn't always go smoothly for the characters onstage and it often, by design, leaves the viewer questioning his or her own perceptions and flaws.
How do you highlight a piece like that? Well, you play into stereotypes and how the normal person views celebrities. Celebrities with numerous, unseen flaws. What may in reality be a heartbroken, bitter wreck of a person may, with the right spin and marketing, appear to be a font of lifestyle advice. What, to a sane person's eye, appear to be a shallow, fearful bully may appear on our newsstands as a paragon of manhood.
I've grown to be very fond of Molly, Ryan, Nich and Jennie for both their acting prowess AND their ability to incorporate these flawed characters into their own persona. It's a difficult piece to perform and they did so marvelously well.
Reasons to be Pretty finishes its run this Sunday. For tickets and more info, click HERE!