I Walk Into The Cold Church Basement

I’ve adored theatre for as long as I can remember. From writing plays throughout elementary school, to being involved in Drama Club in middle school, to performing in community theatre in high school, and to visiting the theatre as often as I could from the very beginning, theatre has always been a part of my life. Every aspect of it engages me: the directors working to bring their vision of the show’s scenes, choreography, or music to life, the actors transforming into different characters through their expression of dialogue, song, or dance, the costumers and set-builders transporting the audience into the setting and time period with their artistry, the backstage tech and crew working quickly and precisely to keep the show flowing to curtain call, and the orchestra bringing the show to life through music. There is nothing like the experience of live theatre, both as a member of the audience and as a member of the cast and crew.

It calls for need to identify the central idea and unify the interpretations of different scenes with their relevant characters. Important as well to be able to harmonized the movement of actors on the stage and merge them with the pace of every scenery and line. Necessary also is the ability to plan and coordinate lights, sound effects, scenery musical accompaniments and all other production components. Directing is the function that brings quality and completeness in theatre production enabling the team to achieve their artistic visions(Innes and Shevtsova 34). Directing requires collaboration with other sub-disciplines hence the need to have various skills in each of them for a harmonized work relationship. To occupy the position of directing one should be able to assume varying authority and responsibilities. One must as well b e able to utilize a wider assortment of philosophies, techniques and collaborative levels. Due to this fact there is growing demand for professional training programs in directing. Theatre directing however presents an opportunity for the person to learn the skills involved while on the job. Theatre house therefore have in-house education systems which provides a chance for constant and continuous learning. Directing is an evolving aspect of theater due to emerging trends and new

Theatre and Musical Theatre has been a form of entertainment since before North America was “discovered”. Broadway shows have been dated back to the early 1920’s and 1930’s. By 2016, over 25,000 tickets are sold to Broadway shows in a week. Thousands of people enjoy the shows that are featured on Broadway but have no idea the work and process that brought it to life. The process of getting a show on to Broadway can be broken down into three phases: pre-production, staging, and performance/promotion.

One of the main magic’s of the theatre is for the audience to go into it unaware of what they will see, and exit with a whole new view in mind. This is still possible in jukebox musicals even if the audience member is familiar with some of the songs. Songs, text, and all literature can be interpreted in different ways based on the individual. Theatre is meant for all different people to enjoy. Some may like going to a show featuring songs that their favorite artists wrote or that speak to a memorable time of their life. It becomes a discussion about how the audience can relate to the characters.

When your interest is as broad as theatre it’s almost impossible for your identity to not be represented. However, like many of my peers, I’ve struggled to find my identity and have floated between different adjectives for the past seven years. Luckily for me my love for Broadway guided me to a perfect show that let me know it’s okay to be confused about who I am.

A cacophony of sounds twisted through the air as the house lights dimmed and the stage lights rose on a sun reddened sky. The stage began to fill as voice after voice joined the chorus. Elaborately costumed elephants and antelope paraded through the aisles. It was loud, organized chaos. It was my first time at the theatre, and as a mere eight year old, it scared me - at first. But as I kept watching, everything started to fall into place. I listened to how the singers’ individual voices fit into each of the songs, how every melody was repeated, wrapped back into itself and the show. What I had thought was nothing but noise was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

Pace drama provided me with an outlet since my freshman year to release this passion of art with so many different people. Drama,like the rest of Monsignor Pace is very culturally diverse, and is thus is one of the many reasons I believe that regardless of all our differences in the end we are all the same. In drama our common bond is the passion for art. As a young adult it is important to remind myself, along with everyone else, that though we don't all look the same, sound the same, or have the same historical backgrounds, at the end of the day we all love the same thing. Instead of using our differences to tear us down, collectively we,dancers, singers, actors and technicians, all share our commonalities to contribute to our environment in bringing plays, musicals and art into the

“Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances” said by Stanford Meisner. Theatre is an area of arts where you can be free from reality and imagine the impossible. Some of my favorite things about theatre are, the people that are involved, how helpful theatre is and how helpful everyone is, then my last thing is how much fun we have. One of my top favorite things about theatre is the people that are involved within it. Every person has a different personalities, that put together makes a new and neat experience. Theatre is an important part of my life and I enjoy every minute, while I’m there.

My mom and I were seated on red felt wooden chairs in the opera box above downstage right; basking in the anticipation of the start of the musical. The smell of the theater was musty, almost like a library. It even had those rays of dust and light that you see in old libraries. Looking onward, I saw the monitor in which Alex Lacamoire, the conductor, directs the actors and musicians. Closer to the balcony, huge metal spotlights hung, all containing the magical power to change a minimalist wooden stage into a bar, then a field, then a closed room in a restaurant, and finally the Weehawken dueling grounds. The feeling of excitement and glee was palpable. I looked at my mother, whose eyes were glued to the stage. In that dim lit arena of instruments,

The Stage Manager inspires everyone by taking different roles in the play. Our Town is the Stage Manager’s show and he is running it. He tries to show us that life is short so we must enjoy every moment, even the mundane ones. The Stage Manager isn’t some objective scientific observer making notes on a clipboard. He’s organizing the whole play, and that’s an important distinction.

Jasmine Legino Senior Project Mrs. Johnson January 8, 2018 The Importance of the Technical Crew Theatre is an activity that allows people to portray their creativity as they learn to express themselves through fine arts. By doing so, they will acquire new skills as well as show skills they already possess whether it be as an actor or a technician backstage. Both are equally important but the stage-crew crafts everything you see up on the stage before you as well as the jobs being done backstage that nobody sees. Stagecraft is the technical aspect of theatre, taking care of everything the shows needs including scenery, lighting, props, costuming, and sound.

There is no theatre without an audience. The audience is as much a part of the playmaking experience as the artists—so how do we incorporate them more actively into what we do? We must work with them – and I’ve learned, in so doing,

3) “The Technical Director has the daily responsibility for the technical operations of a theatre or performing arts center, including lighting, sound, set design and construction, and coordinating necessary maintenance” (“Technical Director”, aact.org). They are extremely important because they are in charge of maintaining the performers’ safety by ensuring all of the equipment such as the lights and the set are properly in tact. They also

Lastly, but likely the most important part of theater is the orchestra. In its simplest form the orchestra is simply a circular plot of land designated as a place for dance.

Many people simply show up to musicals and often take the costumes for granted and concentrate only the performance of the actors. Many people don’t realize the