TADA!

Miss Vicki

After 14 years of service to the Department of Theatre and Dance, Ms. Vicki Gage had announced her intention to retire effective September 29th. The State of New York has offered to many SUNY employees an early retirement incentive package, and “Miss Vicki” (as she is known) decided this was a good time to take advantage of this opportunity.

A lifelong resident of the Fredonia area, Vicki held several other positions at SUNY Fredonia before becoming the TADA secretary, but she has said that “this was her favorite job she ever had.” What made this job her favorite was primarily the students. She has been confidant, mother, and friend to many of them over the years, listening to their trials and tribulations, going to see them in all their shows, offering encouragement when they were down, and laughing with them when they came to visit her in the office. Of all the things she says she will miss, it is the students most of all. Their energy and enthusiasm for what they do always made her feel good even on her worst days.

In addition to her secretarial duties, Miss Vicki has also been the department’s audition coordinator, and as such she has been the first person most people have talked to or seen when they come to visit the campus. She has given numerous tours, talked with parents and prospective students, coordinated all the paperwork for each audition, and in short has been the best public relations person the department could ever have hoped for. She even appeared as a baton-twirling cheerleader in the department’s production of Barnum in 2005.

Vicki will have plenty to do as she retires. Her hobbies include scrapbooking (she teaches classes on scrapbooking in the area), weaving (she just got a new loom), holistic health and Reiki, and of course her family (children and grandchildren). We all wish her well on her retirement and hope she will still come around to visit us now and again. Thanks for a great 14 years, Miss Vicki!

Well, the first week went by so fast that we had no time to catch you up on anything at all! It’s utterly amazing how that happens year after year.

What have we been up to? Well, meetings, auditions, classes, breaking in new faculty members – all sorts of stuff! Here is a very, very brief synopsis of the activities of last week:

• The annual Welcome Back meeting took place on August 23 at 7:00 PM in the Marvel Theatre. All sorts of announcements were made. We welcomed Katie Nesbit, our new Technical Director, and Max Zorn, our one-year replacement for Sean Culligan, to the department, as well as 52 first-time freshmen and transfers to the department. We are now about 189 students strong!
• Auditions commenced immediately on Tuesday evening beginning with the Fredonia Dance Ensemble and running all the way to the PAC I production of Spitfire Grill. All the cast lists were posted, and rehearsals for Charley’s Aunt and Spitfire Grill begin Monday evening August 30th (Spitfire may even be rehearsing this Sunday!). Our complete season is listed here. It’s also listed on the sidebar to your right.
• The shops are up and running as Laurel Walford and Max Zorn are getting their crews trained and ready to go. Shop tools and sewing machines are already humming.
• Production meetings are taking place once again as we get everything lined up and organized.
• Classes have also begun. Oh yeah – classes!

Once again we will try to keep you updated with the latest videos and photos are we make them available. So from all of us to all of you – Welcome to TADA 2010-11!

Hello all. Just a quick blog. The semester has started up. It’s odd to be a senior this year. It certainly doesn’t feel like it. I managed to land Florindo/Brighella in The Venetian Twins. I’m a bit surprised to be honest; I didn’t have a good year of auditions. I guess we all hit a slump and I’m currently in mine.

I’m also currently waiting for the cast list for The Spitfire Grill to go up. That is the PAC 1 show this year and it counts as theatre practice. This brings me to a good point for future students: Never purchase tickets for a concert you don’t know you’ll be able to go to! I have tickets to see one of my favorite comedians on October 14th… opening night for Charley’s Aunt and probably a build night for The Altruists. Seeing as I’ll be on a crew this semester, I won’t be able to go. Oops. Lesson learned: Don’t pay lots of money for things you aren’t sure you can use… that said, anyone wanna buy a set of tickets to see Jeff Dunham?

KAB

And here goes another year at Fredonia.  Luckily, and sadly, it’s the last for me.  Senior year has officially started, which means that the summer is now officially over.  The days of waking up in the morning and going to work at the theatre; hanging out with some great interns, staff members, and designers; running a fantastic show; and hitting the town at night are over.  It was a great summer filled with amazing opportunities and people.  For the last 3 months I’ve been working for Bay Street Theatre located in Sag Harbor, NY as a stage management intern.  For three weeks I commuted into New York City from my hometown to attend rehearsals for Fifth of July at the New 42nd Street Studio next to Times Square. The view from our studio overlooked Times Square, and for someone who hasn’t often traveled into the city (even though I live only an hour away) it was amazing.  Once our rehearsal process was finished we all moved out to the Hamptons, had a week of tech, and then opened the show for a month-long run.  As a stage management intern I attended all rehearsals taking notes, blocking patterns, and creating all sorts of paperwork for the show.  Once we hit the tech process I was in charge of everything backstage, keeping the crew on track, and choreographing and rehearsing the major scene change in the show.

Fifth of July had an impressive cast, including Elizabeth Franz, Anson Mount, Kellie Overby, Jennifer Mudge, David Wilson Barnes, Shane McRae, Kally Duling, and Daniel Deferrari.  Fifth of July was directed by Terry Kinney, a founding member of Steppenwolfe Theatre in Chicago.  He performed in the Drama Desk Award winning play Balm in Gilead by Lanford Wilson, and Sam Shepard’s Buried Child.  He has also been in several TV shows including Miami Vice, HBO’s Oz, The Unusuals, and The Mentalist.  Kinney has also been seen in several movies including Miles from Home, Devil in a Blue Dress, and Save the Last Dance. Terry was an enthusiastic director, and it was very eye-opening to see how he worked with the actors and the production staff.

There were also several big name designers on the show.  The scenic designer was David Gallo, the Tony Award winning scenic designer of Broadway’s The Drowsy Chaperone, as well as Broadway’s Memphis, A Catered Affair, Xanadu, and A View From the Bridge, to name a few. Gallo also designed the Ringling Brother’s circus, and was full of hilarious stories about working on it.  (You can see his work at www.davidgallo.com)  The lighting designer for Fifthof July was David Weiner, a prominent regional designer.  (Check out his work at www.davidweinerdesign.com)  The costume designer for the show was Sarah Holden.  The sound designer was Broadway designer Obadiah Eaves.  The props master, who is a regular at Bay Street Theatre, was Kathy Fabian, founder of PropStar, who’s Broadway credits include South Pacific, Spring Awakening, Barefoot in the Park, Fiddler on the Roof, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Fabian is not only an amazingly talented Props Master, but is also an absolute joy to work with.  I am so happy I got the chance to work with her this summer, and with all of the designers and actors, and I can’t wait to work with them again in the future.

While Fifth of July was running I had some free time, which is a great thing to have in the Hamptons.  When I wasn’t at work or volunteering in the shop and at the second stage space loading in other shows, I was able to go to the beach and just generally relax in a gorgeous setting.  And trust me, the Hamptons, though ridiculously expensive, are beautiful.  That’s one of the reasons so many celebrities travel to the Hamptons throughout the summer.  During my time there a lot of big names came to see the show.  Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick are patrons of Bay Street.  We also had Cynthia Nixon, Alan Cummings, and Michael Emerson attend the show.  Lanford Wilson, the playwright of Fifth of July is from Sag Harbor and came to see the show on opening night, which was also exciting.  And though I didn’t get to see them, Bill and Hilary Clinton were in town one weekend for a wedding, stopping at the 7Eleven across from the theatre while one of our electricians was getting a Slurpee.

Once the run at Bay Street was completed our production of Fifth of July traveled to Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires.  Unfortunately, I was unable to go with the production to WTF since I had to be back at school before the run completed there, but I was able to stay at Bay Street as an extra electrician to help load-in their next show, David Mamet’s Romance. It gave me an opportunity to work in several areas this summer outside of stage management, which was nice.

But now it’s back to the books, and attending classes.  It should be a great year, and I’m so excited to work as the assistant lighting designer on Charley’s Aunt, the lighting designer for The Altruists, and stage manager on The Sound of Music (which isn’t going to be as bad as I thought, though the music is already stuck in my head!).  It’s scary to think that in the next few months I have to apply to graduate schools, and figure out what I’m going to be going with the rest of my life after college ends.   Who knows where I’ll end up?  I certainly don’t!

Here are a few links I’d like to share with anyone who’s interested!

Bay Street Theatre’s official website

www.baystreet.org

A video of the changeover process at Williamstown Theatre Festival from Our Town to Fifth of July.  The set was the same set used at Bay Street Theatre with a few extensions added to the walls to make the set two stories.  The set was built and painted by Bay Street Theatre.  Video courtesy of the Williamstown Theatre Festival online blog. (http://williamstowntheatrefestival.blogspot.com/)

Long-time, no-post! Get your reading glasses on and settle into a comfy chair…this may take a while!

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Our performances in Friday Harbor, WA (U.S.A.) went very well, and Alyssa and I even extended our stay for a day and a half in order to spend July 4^th on the island! Lori, whom Alyssa stayed with during the week, graciously offered to house me for the extra night, so we could attend the annually anticipated Fourth of July Parade. It was my first live-parade (save for Disney World!) and I was absolutely enchanted by how much the community got involved in the festivities, whether it was walking alongside a float throwing candies, or simply stopping their morning routine to support their fellow neighbors. Almost every kid from our cast participated in the parade, and some of them got so giggly and animated to see Alyssa and I in our lawn chairs on the curb that they would give us the candy and completely ignore the other children around us! Just a perk of the job, I guess!

Following the parade, everyone trekked over to the Pig War Picnic. Way back when, San Juan Island was half occupied by French and Americans. Apparently some feud over a pig arose between a Frenchman and an American, and voila! A war was started.  I’m told that the Americans eventually won this battle, but relations between the two “sides” were currently on good terms (I would hope so! I mean, c’mon…it was literally over just one pig!) After consuming the traditional hot-dog and pop, we headed back to Lori’s house for a quick nap, and to help her ready the house for her Fourth of July party. Soon guests were arriving and we were munching on delicious finger-foods, discussing the importance of programs like Missoula Children’s Theatre, and then had front-row seats for the big fireworks extravaganza that literally took place on a barge in the harbor right in front of Lori’s deck (and the Friday Harbor ferry dock).  Despite being very far from home and with none of my usual suspects, it was a great holiday, and I felt fortunate to be sharing it with such caring people!

Bright and early on Monday morning, Alyssa and I caught the 8 a.m. ferry for Anacortes (the mainland!) for our drive to Vancouver, British Columbia. Alyssa and I chose Vancouver for our week off because we had heard that the city was really nice and definitely worth checking out…wow, was that description ever spot-on! Vancouver was AMAZING! We stayed at a respectable hostel called The Cambie on Seymour Street. Our private double room was quite small…okay, more like Harry’s cupboard under the stairs and lacking air-conditioning, but other than that, it was ideal. Continue reading…

Regardless of how much fun, how relaxing, or how busy the summer is, inevitably the calendar flips to August, and the reality of returning for the new semester is upon us all. There are many preparations and behind-the-scenes activity going on at the Dept. of Theatre and Dance at SUNY Fredonia. We’ve had prospective students visit; faculty, staff and students have been busy with summer theatre, presenting at conferences, taking workshops or international travel; re-modeling and refurbishing of spaces in the RAC has moved apace. With the start of the semester less that three weeks away, thoughts will begin to turn to packing, moving, new classes, auditions and new shows.

To get all our students back in the mood and getting ready to face the new semester and its challenges, here is our annual “welcome back” summer letter. If you’re a returning student, please read the information below and be sure to pass this along to anyone you might know (it will be on Facebook as well as sent via ANGEL). For any incoming first-year students, a copy of this will be sent to your home via US mail. For all our recent graduates and alumni, we hope this will bring a smile to your face and some nice memories. A PDF version of the letter may be downloaded by clicking this link.

Dear Department of Theatre and Dance Students,

I hope this letter finds you well rested and having an enjoyable summer. The beginning of the fall semester is only a few weeks away, and so it’s time to send you the annual summer update in preparation for your arrival here in the fall. I am looking forward to welcoming you all for the first time as department chair.

To begin with, there are two major faculty/staff changes to report. The first is that our newly-hired technical director, Katie Nesbit, will be joining us in the fall. She has her MFA in Technical Production and Design from Florida State University, and is working this summer as the Assistant Production Manager at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. I hope you will all give her a warm welcome!

Also, our scene shop supervisor for the past three years, Sean Culligan, is taking a one-year leave of absence to assume the Technical Director position in the Department of Theatre at SUNY Oswego. As of this writing we have not yet hired a replacement, but we hope that by the time the semester starts we will have someone on board. Continue reading…

Hello,
I hope everyone’s summer is going well! Mine is flying by. I cannot believe that it is already July! Well a lot has happened in the last two weeks. The Santa Fe Opera opened two shows with great reviews. We opened “Madame Butterfly” and “The Magic Flute.” The opening night of “Madame Butterfly” was amazing. We got a really bad storm that night and during the climax of the opera (I wont give it away) there was a massive thunderclap and lighting! The wind was carrying the rain in circles onto the stage. You could not have asked for a better ending for that show. Mother Nature at her best it was!! It was really cool to be backstage helping the singers get dressed and say to your self “ Yeah I made that!” That is always a good feeling.
This coming week we will be opening the third show of the season “The Tales of Hoffman.” We start dress rehearsals on Monday and the opening night is on Friday! For Hoffman we have to make 20 iridescent taffeta dresses! Which they are a little behind schedule right now. The pieces are there we just have to put them together! They are intense, as soon as I can get a picture I will share it with you! I am really excited to see SUNY Fredonia’s production of “The Tales of Hoffman” that is coming up this fall!
With all of these shows going on and the long hours you may wonder how am I doing. Well, I am exhausted; everyone is really. When you have a bunch of sleep deprived people tensions do flare up! We are working long hours everyday! It is “crunch time” as some would say! I am also getting anxious to go back to school! I miss New York! It is funny when people ask me where I am from and I say New York they get all excited and say “How do you like the city!” Some people only think New York is New York City!! HAHAHA…Then I have to explain that I live in Central New York not the city!
I guess that is all the update that I can give you now! More to come soon!!

The sky during the Madame Butterfly Opening Performance.

With the arrival of the month of July, a changing of the guard has taken place within the department. Prof. Tom Loughlin has officially become Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, and emeritus chair and Prof. Steve Rees has officially embarked on the next journey of his career, taking time this month for a trip out west to visit his son Dylan, and then returning in August as Project Shepard for the planned addition to the Rockefeller Arts Center. Happy travels, Steve!

In the process of cleaning out his office, Prof. Rees found a very unique and historic picture, and it seems appropriate to post it here at this time. This photo was taken on the occasion of emeritus Prof. Gary Eckhart’s retirement, and it is the only known picture that features all the past chairs of the Department of Theatre and Dance. Take a look:

Dr. Jack Cogdill, founding chair of the department, is in front. Standing L-R: Dr. James Ivey, Prof. Steve Rees, Dr. Bob Klassen, Prof. Joe Totaro

Finally, on a very sad note, the department has learned that Holly Phillips, the husband of emeritus Prof. Mary Charbonnet, recently passed away. Holly’s contributions to the department were enormous. His skills as a carpenter and upholsterer were legendary, and he was always willing to contribute his artistry whenever asked. He was the epitome of the southern gentleman; polite, kind, hard-working, generous of spirit, and a friend to all who knew him. The department extends its deepest sympathy to Mary on her loss. Alumni who are interested in contacting Mary to extend their condolences can contact the department at theatre.dance@fredonia.edu for contact information.

Aloha from Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington! This week Alyssa and I have found ourselves in the picturesque, lively, wonderful town of Friday Harbor. Island life is treating us very well and the children we are working with are incredibly talented and focused!

This is the first residency in which Alyssa and I are in separate home-stays, her with a fabulous woman named Lori, and me with a fantastic couple named Bob and Judy. Bob and Judy’s spacious home (reminiscent of a Northwest Native art gallery and lined with pictures that Bob, a photographer, has taken on his travels around the world) is perched atop the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Basically, as I eat my eat my breakfast and sip my coffee in the morning, I watch Orca whales hunt for salmon and bald eagles soaring in the sky…

Can someone pinch me, please? I can’t believe this is just part of my job!!

I promise to post more later on this week, but I know that many of you avid readers have been hungry for some sort of update on what I’ve been up to. Please know that I feel so grateful that this blog has garnered so much interest, and I hope that you enjoy reading about my adventures as much as I enjoy sharing them with you!

Many well wishes from the North Pacific!

P.S. Here are some photos from our residency last week in Eastsound, Washington (on Orcas Island) — Enjoy!

Down at the water’s edge in Eastsound, WA (on Orcas Island)

The quesadillas Alyssa made for us for dinner in our cabin at the Doe Bay Resort our second night in Eastsound (they were delicious!)

Me at the summit of Mount Constitution in Moran State Park. You could see Vancouver, Canada and Mount Baker across the ocean!

A restaurant right on the water where I had some fresh, yummy fish n’ chips right on Main Street in Eastsound, WA.

Orca whale hat! Orcas are totally ‘in’ right now…

Sorry for the delay in my updates! Last week we worked really hard trying to get Magic Flute and Madame Butterfly out of the shop. It was a difficult week for me. I kept making silly stupid mistakes and I was just getting really upset! It got a little better towards the end of the week. I worked a lot on the Magic Flute alterations. I did a lot of work on the children’s costumes. I will be in charge of dressing the children for the run of the show. I learned quite a bit about alterations since Magic Flute was a remount. The shop just had to do alterations instead of creating all new costumes.
This past week started out really bad. Lara, my draper, worked a lot with me one on one. It was nice that she wanted to work with me by myself. My task was to finish up the obis, which will be used in Madame Butterfly. They are the Japanese “belts” that tie the kimono around your waist. Our team was in charge of four of these obis. So Tuesday, Lara had me sew on the hook/bars, and snaps to close these obis. For some reason it took me all day to sew on the attachments for two of the obis. I don’t really know why it took me that long. Each obi had about 8 sets of closures, a mixture of snaps and hook/bars. Well, Weds. Lara was really mad that it took me that long. She gave me the last two and told me that I had to finish them before lunch. Which I did!! She was pretty tough on me all week. It sucked for a couple days. But I know that she was just pushing me to make me a better stitcher. Which I am proud to say, she told me that I had made great improvements this week.
On Thursday I went to the Santa Fe Rodeo!!! That was so much fun. I have never been to a rodeo. It was cool to see the bull riders and to watch the cowboys. There were several different “events” that the cowboys did. There was bull riding, barrel racing, bucking bronco, and several others. It was fun!! It was kind of like a smaller version of a fair.
Friday was a pretty busy day because we were trying to finish up the show. I also started out dressing schedule. When we have shows or dress rehearsals, our schedule is 10-5 in the shop sewing and 7pm -1 or 2am running the shows. We had our first dress rehearsal for Madame Butterfly on Friday. It was a lot of hurry up and wait. I am in charge of four chorus members. I have to make sure that they get dressed correctly. They are only on stage for about 20 minutes in the first act, and then they are done. Then on Saturday we had our first dress rehearsal for the Magic Flute. For this show, I am in charge of 11 children. It was a crazy night. We didn’t get home until 2am. It was a really long day and night.
This coming week we have rehearsals and shows all week. Madame Butterfly opens on July 2nd and The Magic Flute opens on July 3rd. It is going to be a very busy week. In the shop we will be working on building 16 chorus dresses for the Tales of Hoffman. They are big and full of ruffles. We have only about three weeks to complete these dresses. It will be a really busy couples of weeks.
NOTE: The pictures are of the fabric storage space in the costume Shop and of the Santa Fe Rodeo