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?
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
A Walk Along St Mary's Ave
You may have noticed that I like to walk a lot.
Perhaps my new friends in San Antonio have noticed that I like to walk and run a lot; to be in motion most of the time. I do so because I have a desire to see the world and experience its flavours and sights. My family emigrated here and I've been back to their homeland on many occasions to see what they saw. I've travelled when and where I could but whether I go to a faraway place like Malta or merely take walk through back alleys of Spokane, I do what I can to "see things".
There is so much colour and history all around us. Countless numbers of folks have walked through the same doorways that we have and have trod the same stairways and sidewalks. As a species, it's in our nature to alter our environment, to add goodness or remove blight, to improve efficiency or size. That's all fine and well but let's not forget that those who came before us did a pretty darn good job of crafting the world in which we live.
My new home is settled in the middle of several cool areas, all historic districts in central San Antonio. Tobin Hill, Olmos Park, Alta Vista and Monte Vista surround me and all have their splendid historical, architectural pieces interspersed with the newer ones and the hints of gentrification. All in all, it's a very pleasing mix and I haven't yet decided which areas I like best yet ... so I'll continue exploring.
For this trip, I decided to pick the low-hanging fruit. I needed to stop at a shop at the far end of N St Mary's St so it was an easy choice. If you click on the names of the shops under the images, you'll see on a Google Map exactly where they sit.
The styles of buildings are so very different than those in Spokane ... really from anywhere I've lived. California has its Spanish-styled buildings but this area seems to have a much deeper well of styles to choose from. This simple service station is an art deco marvel but I'd guess that it was considered quite pedestrian and utilitarian in its prime.
Perhaps the most striking building along the way is this 5-sided marvel. It's a cool pub and live music venue that seems sleepy most of the day then gets insanely busy on weekends. Also, WAY too loud for my taste. I give it a wide berth but do enjoy looking at the way it catches the sun and throws out oddly shaped shadows.
Another service station, this one seems to be much younger and has a more atomic-age feel to it. Superb angles and lines to it, no?
I've saved the best for last! Another 5-sided gem, this shop sits right next to Hi-Tones. If you look at them on the map you'll see that their shapes are a product of the crossing and divergent streets near them. The wonderful "Art Island" sits in the middle of the intersection where Dewey, Josephine and St Mary's meet and this place is just across from that. It was after their normal hours when I captured these images but one of the barbers, Jesse, was still there and we had a nice, quick chat. When I came back the next day, I got the best haircut that I've had in a while. Dude was awesome from start to finish.
Where should I go next? Which part of San Antonio deserves some time and attention. Leave a comment below and tell me your thought.
A Walk Through the Grass
The secret to happiness is freedom ... and the secret to freedom is courage. - Thucydides
We wear masks. All of us do. In order to keep the social peace, we smile when we're supposed to. We use good manners and we keep ourselves pretty in order to be accepted. Most of the time, when we rebel against social norms, we fall into the familiar, well-used patterns of rebellion because we really don't know any other ways. Our "rebellion" looks just like those of all the other wannabe rebels.
We pretend to like the popular things ... sometimes we convince ourselves that we DO like that cool band or new movie. We don't speak our true minds. We keep ourselves so tight and wrapped up because of all the unspoken rules about how we're supposed to BE when we're in the world. So many things we have to do to conform and be "normal".
I just wondered what a thing it would be...if overnight everything you owe anything to, justice, or love, had really gone away. Free. It would be...heartless terror. Yes. Terrible, and...Very great. To shed your skin, every old skin, one by one and then walk away, unemcumbered, into the morning. - Tony Kushner
Those who do not move, do not notice their chains. ― Rosa Luxemburg
The world I held so closely, she played me like a game, I released and left her laughing to stand on my own two feet. ― Coco J. Ginger
#Hoopfest2015 from atop The Liberty Building
Spokane's Liberty Building has a front row seat to Hoopfests! I was lucky enough to be allowed on top this year.
I've visited The Liberty Building a couple times before, each time finding more gems held within this treasure. With its prime location at Washington and Main, the building has seen more than its share of Spokane history. Plus, they are in the middle of Hoopfest every year! This year, I was lucky enough to be allowed atop the Liberty Building to get a bird's-eye view of #Hoopfest2015. Escorted by the owner, Shannon Ahern, I went during the peak of the day, with the baking sun directly overhead. On any day, it's one of the best views in town but on this, Day One of Hoopfest, with the games in full swing, there was no better spot in town to catch this special glimpse of Spokane's premiere event!
With 7,000 teams, 3,000 volunteers, 225,000 fans and 450 courts spanning 42 city blocks, it seems that one could see it all from up here. Truly it was the highlight of my day!
Shannon was very kind to enjoy his aerie and I was very grateful to be able to catch this rare glimpse into Spokane and its richness. I hope that you enjoy the view as much as I did.
The Trade Winds Motel
What was once an ultra-cool travel lodge is now, well ..... a sh#thole!
From the Spokesman-Review:
Once a fashionable motel, built when the country loved Tiki-style architecture, the Trade Winds in recent years became a rent-by-the-month apartment complex for Spokane’s hard-luck crowd.
Well, yes. It has become, how should I say this ...... a shithole ..... but it's a shithole with amazing textures and colors to it. In a different world, it should be brought back to its motor-lodge glory and made a hub of hipster coolness. I suspect that's not going to happen, though. Too many strikes against it. Shame. It's cool to look at so I'll enjoy it while I can.
Stevens Lake by iPhone
I've already told you about this trip to Stevens Lake in a previous post so I won't bore you with the details again. I suppose that I could add some cute poetry but I suspect that you'd rather see the pretty picture.
There may have been some skinny-dipping involved. The water was as chilly as you might expect so I didn't last long.
As the trail winds through several types of forests and gains elevation quickly, every bend and turn provided a new view or a new type of forest to walk through.
I so thoroughly love every aspect of the Stevens Lake Trail. It's my favorite escape valve in North Idaho.
Stevens Lake - iPhone - danscape (18 of 69)
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.
