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• Training Opportunities Abound in our Summer Study Directory
By Line
• Know Theatre Thinks Outside the [Sand] Box
• Words of Advice from Shakespeare’s Script Doctor
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JANUARY 2009
spanking
SubHead
Good Costuming
Avoiding
Costuming Drama
Top Makeup Schools
Jungle Headdress
How-To
1 April 2008 • www.stage-directions.com www.stage-directions.com • April 2008 1

Table Of Contents
January 2009
10
14
Features
10 The Kindest Cut of All
A longtime dramaturg at the Utah Shakespearean Festival
provides some helpful advice when editing Shakespeare’s
scripts for performance. By Michael Flachmann
20 The Summer Study Directory
Find your summer training program with Stage Directions’
expanded listings of summer study opportunities.
Special Section:
Costumes & Makeup
14 The Magic's In the Makeup
These three innovative makeup training programs are
changing the face of theatre makeup and inspiring students
to think outside the box. By Lisa Mulcahy
18 Queen of the Jungle
Stages St. Louis takes a tailored, refined approach to costume
design for a production of Disney’s The Jungle Book.
By John Inchiostro
Departments
4 Letters
Never settling for a second-rate show, and a tribute to a late,
great theatre.
5 In the Greenroom
The Doris Duke Foundation aims to jumpstart the arts, the
Shubert Organization moves forward with new leadership
and more.
9 Tools of the Trade
A selection of new gear for your shop.
28 Answer Box
Designer Andrew Hungerford had to think outside the box
while working on Know Theatre’s production of Militant
Language: A Play with Sand. By Thomas H. Freeman
Columns
4.Editor’s Note
When everything is doom and gloom, cue the mustache
twirling. By Jacob Coakley
25 Show Biz
How to avoid costuming drama and keep dress rehearsal a
breeze. By Tim Cusack
26 Off the Shelf
Resources for performers and teachers.
By Stephen Peithman
ON OUR COVER: Lisa Ferris (left) Melinda Parrett and Dennis Elkins in the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s 2008 production
of The Taming of the Shrew
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Karl Hugh.

Publisher Terry Lowe
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Audio Editor Jason Pritchard
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Lighting & Staging Editor Richard Cadena
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New York Editor Bryan Reesman
bryan@stage-directions.com
Managing Editor Breanne George
bg@stage-directions.com
Contributing Writers Pete Abel, Tim Cusack,
Michael Flachmann, Lisa Mulcahy,
Stephen Peithman,
Consulting Editor Stephen Peithman
ART
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Advisory Board
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Apollo Design; Becky Kaufman, Period Corsets; Keith Kevan, KKO Network; Todd
Koeppl, Chicago Spotlight Inc.; Kimberly Messer, Lillenas Drama Resources; John
Meyer, Meyer Sound; John Muszynski, Theater Director Maine South High School;
Scott C. Parker, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film; Ron Ranson, Theatre
Arts Video Library; David Rosenberg, I. Weiss & Sons Inc.; Karen Rugerio, Dr.
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Stage Directions (ISSN: 1047-1901) Volume 22, Number 1 Published monthly by Timeless Communications
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20
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OF SERVICE TO THEATRE

Dan Hernandez
Editor’s Note
[Cue mustache twirling]
Maybe it’s because I’ve been
involved in drama my entire
life, but I have a tendency for
catastrophic thinking. If I get an ingrown
nail, I’m sure it means that my toe will
need to be amputated. OK, I’m not really
that bad, I’m just being melodramatic—
Jacob Coakley
but that just proves my point, right?
Charles Dickens could be a little melodramatic, too. As
doom and gloom about debt and leverage have been the
order of the day the past few months, pundits have been fond
of repeating Wilkins Micawber’s advice to David Copperfield
in Dickens’ novel of the same name: “Annual income twenty
pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure
twenty pounds aught and six, result misery."
Before this current fiscal crisis, it would have just been
a pleasant bromide—yes, yes, live within your means, how
quaint. The lure of leverage—of incurring debt to invest it in
something and increase your profit—was too powerful. Now,
leverage looks a lot scarier.
Still, not all leverage is bad. When I got a car loan, I used
leverage. I never would have been able to afford it otherwise,
and the car has proved a sound investment—it’s gotten me
to and from work and increased my ability to bring in money.
So, the difference comes down to “good” investments. How
do you decide what a good investment is? After all, for a while
there, houses looked like a good investment. Where can I put
my money that will result in a better future for me and mine?
To me, the important part of that question is “better future.”
It means you get to decide what a good future looks like—in
fact, it demands you decide it. I pursue a career in the arts
because I believe the best way to build a better future is to
establish it on the best part of humanity and encourage that
to grow.
Companies and artists that have decided how they want to
build the future and are continuing to invest money and time
to achieve that vision will survive, and thrive, no matter what
happens in the markets.
SD is gearing up for the future, too—the information here is
better than ever, and we’re more dedicated than ever to helping
you, our readers, grow. You are what’s really valuable about
SD and the arts. We’re here, in print and online, to make sure
that you have all the knowledge, inspiration and guidance you
need to succeed in the arts, whatever that success looks like to
you. After all, this current crisis will come and go, but the future
will always be there.
Jacob Coakley
Editor
Stage Directions
jcoakley@stage-directions.com
Letters
Ring My Bell
Thirty years ago, I was the sound technician
for a production of Beyond Therapy.
There are several scenes in the play where
the audience needs to hear the caller's side
of phone conversations coming from the
phone. After much consternation and a little
ingenuity, I rigged a miniature speaker into the base of the stage
phone and connected it to a microphone backstage. It worked
beautifully and was the technical highlight of the production.
Four years ago, I needed a phone ringer that would ring the
stage phone and stop when it was answered. I rented one from
an individual and used it for two shows. After the second show,
the renter decided that he wanted it back. I returned his and
bought one of my own from Viking Electric in Wisconsin.
My point here is that, regardless of what type of theatre
you are involved in (school, community, alternative, semi-pro
or professional), a group should never settle for a second-rate
show. Sure, a critic or the audience may overlook flaws in
non-professional productions, but that doesn't mean that the
theatre company should settle for second best. We all owe it
to our audiences to present the best possible theatre. After all,
this is what they paid for and should expect!
Jim Meady
First Run Theatre Company
Merci Beaucoup
I was a wide-eyed undergraduate in the
late ‘70s when I met Dominique Serrand
and Barbara Berlovitz [of Theatre de la
Jeune Lune]. They came to our small college
in southern Missouri to offer a program
in mask work and mime. I recall
speaking to Mr. Serrand on the phone as
he asked about us having received his lighting requirements,
which we had not, and I assured him that we would be ready.
Many hours of prep, under Mr. Serrand’s watchful eye, got us
ready, and the performance was a real treat for those of us who
knew nothing about mask work. Mr. Serrand and Ms. Berlovitz
stayed late and allowed us majors to work with their masks,
giving us a free workshop. Before they departed, and like we
asked all of our visiting performers, we had them sign a ceiling
tile in our Green Room. As I read about the closing of their
Theatre de la Jeune Lune, I recalled their inscription; “Merci
Beaucoup et pour tout, et encore, et encore, et encore…”
So, right back at you Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Thank you
very much for everything, again and again and again…
Shan R. Ayers
Associate Professor of Theatre
Berea College
Correction
In the “Manufacturing Green” feature in the October
SD, the logos for companies Clark Transfer and Showman
Fabricators were swapped and placed next to the incorrect
company. We regret the error.
4 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

In the Greenroom
”Leading for the Future” Aims to Jumpstart the Arts
By Breanne George
Facing an ever-changing environment, “business as
usual” is no longer an answer for arts organizations across
the country. From small regional theatres to major nonprofit
arts organizations across the country, staying relevant to
younger audiences, implementing the latest technologies
and sustaining funding sources are key concerns.
To attempt to tackle some of these sector-wide challenges,
last October the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
and Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) kicked off their “Leading
for the Future: Innovative Support for Artistic Excellence”
initiative, a five-year, $15.125-million program.
“Given the rather pessimistic backdrop, we kind of turned
the situation on its head by looking at it as an opportunity
for positive change and innovation,” says Sharon Combs,
vice president of knowledge and advocacy for the NFF.
The Doris Duke Foundation selected 10 leading
nonprofit arts organizations to be part of the initiative,
including, in New York City, the Alvin Ailey Dance
Foundation, Cunningham Dance Foundation, Misnomer
Dance Theater, Ping Chong & Company, SITI Company
and The Wooster Group, and also Jacob’s Pillow Dance
in Beckett, Mass., National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta,
Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago and Center
Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
The Center Theatre Group became involved in the program
because company members saw it as an opportunity
to try experimental ideas without the fear of failure.
“The foundation is very supportive of experiments with
the understanding that all experiments don’t turn out
positively,” says Charles Dillingham, managing director of
the Center Theatre Group.
The Center Theatre hopes to gain younger and more culturally
diverse audiences by enhancing the theatre’s online
presence with new technologies, adding to its membership
program and broadening programming to incorporate more
experimental, shorter-run productions into the season.
Similarly, Steppenwolf Theater Company plans to develop
bold initiatives to attract younger audiences, specifically college
students. “It’s critical for us, as an arts organization, to figure
out how to attract this age group and keep them engaged
so they have continued interest in participating in theatre,”
says Steppenwolf Executive Director David Hawkanson.
The grant contains two parts, including a $75,000
research component that will take place over the next 12
months. Once research has been collected, Steppenwolf
will create a strategy and estimate the cost to tackle it.
According to The Wooster Group’s Producer Cynthia
Hedstrom, the largest-scale initiative is to develop the
theatre’s archive of work to be used as an education
resource for the interested public such as students, fellow
artists or scholars.
“We don’t have a school or training program associated
with The Wooster Group, but we look forward to developing
educational materials,” she says. “The archive provides a window
into the working process of our company.”
Not everyone in the theatre world, however, sees the
“Leading for the Future” initiative as a solution to the challenges
the industry is facing. Scott Walters, theatre professor
at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, says he
believes the initiative does not target the organizations that
need funding the most—small community theatres.
“They are funding mainly nonprofit dinosaurs that are
centered in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles—eight out
of the 10 are massive nonprofit arts organizations that are
centered in the metropolitan areas,” says Walters. “There
are dozens upon dozens of community-based arts organizations
who could use that money.”
Still, others insist that the initiative will result in a
trickle-down effect, with the 10 selected arts organizations
passing on their successful ideas to other organizations.
Hedstrom says, “I hope to develop programs that are a
model for other companies to learn from.”
Woolly Mammoth Receives “A-Ha! Program: Think It, Do It” Grant
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has announced that
it is one of four recipients of the MetLife Foundation/Theatre
Communications Group’s inaugural “A-Ha! Program: Think
It, Do It” grants. The program supports risk-taking, reflection,
experimentation and the development of creative
strategies.
The A-ha! Program has two components (theatres applied
to one). Think It grants (up to $25,000) give theatre professionals
the time and space for research and development
and Do It grants (up to $50,000) support the implementation
and testing of new ideas.
With the support of this grant, Woolly Mammoth will
send its 21 fulltime staff members on individual one to two
week sabbaticals to shadow professionals working in analogous
jobs or fields to help provoke new thinking about their
work at the theatre. The sabbaticals will take place over the
course of calendar year 2009.
“As an organization that has been dedicated to producing
the most innovative new plays in America for the last
three decades, it feels right that we have been selected
to participate in the inaugural round of the Think It, Do It
Program with a project that will stimulate innovative new
thinking throughout the entire organization,” stated Woolly
Mammoth’s Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.
theatre buzz
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 5

theatre buzz
In the Greenroom
High School Student Dies from Prop Gun Impact
A 15-year-old Desert Hills High School student, Tucker The school district granted permission to use the prop gun
Thayer, died November 15 from head injuries after firing a only under the premises that it would be in the possession
blank-shooting prop pistol shortly before the play Oklahoma! of a parent.
was scheduled to begin. Although the prop gun had no bullets,
The Washington County School District released a state-
the gas inside reportedly has the same impact as bullets, ment that said it was "troubled about the accessibility and
according to St. George Police Captain Bruce Graham. use of an operable firearm on school property. The District
The production’s cast and crew were in rehearsals when will carefully consider our policies and procedures that apply
they heard a loud noise at approximately 6:20 p.m. Thayer in light of this tragic situation and take appropriate administrative
was found in the sound booth with the prop gun in his hands.
action to insure the safety of our students and staff."
industry news
Microphone Manufacturers Reveal 700-MHz Rebate Programs
As a result of the recent FCC ruling
on white spaces, a number of wireless
microphone manufacturers are offering
700-MHz rebate programs.
Shure Incorporated has announced
a rebate program for up to $1,000
for the trade-in of Shure 700-MHz frequency
band (698-806 MHz) wireless
systems and other related components
purchased before Feb. 1, 2007, and
for any other manufacturers’ qualifying
700-MHz frequency band wireless
systems and related components.
Lectrosonics has announced a new
service policy in order to aid customers
with products in the 700-MHz
band.
AKG has announced a trade-in program
for customers of any brand of
wireless system that operates in the
over-698 MHz range on its WMS 450
system. This rebate program gives
customers a $100 instant rebate when
they trade-in their “700-MHz” wireless
system against the purchase of a WMS
450 from a participating contractor or
retail dealer.
Sennheiser’s12-month rebate program
includes tiered rebates of up to
$1,400 or a simple flat rebate. Users
must purchase new Sennheiser systems
in an alternate range and tradein
an equal number of old wireless
systems, including non-Sennheiser
brands, that currently operate in frequencies
between 698-806 MHz.
CURRENT JOB LISTINGS
House Manager (Part-Time)
Alexander Kasser Theater Montclair State
University.
Technical Director / Project Manager
Seeking full-time South Florida-based
technical director/project manager for
production company.
Production Account Representative
E L S i s s e e k i n g a P r o d u c t i o n A c c o u n t
Representative.
Inside Technical Sales Representative
Los Angeles manufacturer serving the
Entertainment Industry is expanding its
Inside Sales Force.
Rigger
Experienced rigger needed for freelance,
6-month and 1-year contracts in various
worldwide venues.
6 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

IN BRIEF:
American Musical Theatre
of San Jose has announced that
it has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
and will cease operation,
canceling upcoming productions
of Tarzan and 42nd
Street…Yale School of Drama
and School of Music have
joined forces to create the Yale
Institute for Music Theatre…
The Los Angeles Unified
School District plans to send
70 theatre teachers to Stage
Lighting Super Saturday 2009
as part of a year-long technical
theatre training program…
Bill Barclay of Shakespeare
& Company receives the Fox
Foundation Resident Actor
Fellowship…Seattle Opera
will receive a $75,000 Wallace
Foundation grant over the next
four years to increase accessibility
to opera through new
and innovative practices…The
Society of Stage Directors and
Choreographers has appointed
new leadership, including
Kathleen Marshall as vice
president and Director Mary B.
Robinson as secretary…Adam
Gwon has been awarded the
fourth annual Fred Ebb Award.
industry news
Shubert Organization
Moves Forward with
New Chairman
The Shubert Organization has
appointed Philip J. Smith to chairman
of the organization and its
foundation. The appointment comes
following the death of the organization’s
longtime chairman Gerald
Schoenfeld, 84, who served in that
role for more than three decades.
Smith, 77, was the organization’s president
for many years, working alongside
Schoenfeld in the production of shows.
During the recent stagehand strike last
year, he took an active role in negotiating
with unions. Robert E. Wankel, 62,
who was the company’s CFO and executive
vice president, was named president
and elected to the board of directors.
changing roles
8 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

Tools of the Trade
Ben Nye Matte Foundation Palette
Ben Nye has introduced
two new refillable
Makeup Palettes.
Its Matte Foundation
Palette includes 12
versatile shades for
fair, olive and brown
skin tones. The
Lumiere Series is now
enhanced with intensely color-saturated crème formula
shades. Available in a 12 color Lumiere Crème Palette, and
individual color pots. Crème Lumiere shades are ideal for
dramatic eye, face or body designs. Both palettes can be
refilled. Also new is an improved Brush Cleaner formula
that quickly cleans, brushes and sanitizes them for the next
time. www.bennye.com
Martin ShowDesigner 5
A new version of Martin Professional’s ShowDesigner
(MSD) lighting and set design software package is now
available. Designed for developing realistic 3D lighting
simulations for stage, Martin ShowDesigner 5 includes a
3D graphic engine designed for delivering near rendering
quality in real-time. Also new is a way of acquiring and
upgrading ShowDesigner packages online. Other features
include a new user interface with sidebar for quick access
to all features, dragdrop
of object and
fixture onto 3D space
and an ISO camera
view for each manipulation
of objects in 3D
view. MSD 5 comes
in five different packages;
Gold, Live, Live-
4, Silver and Live-LJ.
www.martinshowdesigner.com
Mehron Ad Gem
Mehron’s Ad Gem is a
latex-free adhesive that
provides strong hold for
glitters, jewels and other
cosmetic accessories. A
safe, water-based acrylic
formula, it features a
super-strength grab that
is both moisture and
water resistant. To create
a shimmer without adding
rhinestones, Mehron’s Celebré Precious Gem Powders
are soft makeup powders that create a jewel-like luster to
the skin. www.mehron.com
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 9

Feature
|
By Michael Flachmann
The Kindest
Cut of All
Editing Shakespeare’s scripts
for performance
Karl Hugh
“So you’re the guy who cut my favorite line in
Macbeth.”
“Where was Old Gobbo? He’s the best character
in the show.”
“I paid my $58; I want to see the whole play! Are
you going to cut the price of my ticket like you
cut the script?”
During my 22-year career as company dramaturg at the
Utah Shakespearean Festival, I've heard a number of
similar comments about my role in editing scripts for
performance. Some people want the whole play and nothing
but the play, even if Gertrude drinks her poison considerably
after the midnight chimes.
One of life’s great ironies is that I am entirely sympathetic
to their arguments. To paraphrase Morocco in The Merchant of
Venice, I hope audiences will "Mislike me not for my profession."
As befits someone who started out as an English professor and
then segued into the world of professional theatre, I cherish every
word in the plays. I learned early in my theatrical apprenticeship,
however, that the languid pace of reading Shakespeare’s scripts
in the comfort of one's study or teaching the “whole play” to a
group of undergraduate students must, by necessity, give way
Lindsey Wochley (right) as Desdemona and Jonathan Earl Peck as Othello in
the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s 2008 production of Othello.
to the real politik of the theatrical profession. Since almost all
theatres cut almost all of their Shakespeare plays, the question is
not whether to slice and dice, but how to make the best textual
recipe possible while doing so.
Consequently, I’d like to list the “Top 10” determining factors
here in hopes of illuminating the exceptionally complex and
often angst-ridden process of editing Shakespeare’s plays for
production. I also hope the following confessional essay about
our editorial practices at the Utah Festival will inspire a dialogue
among dramaturgs and literary managers at other theatres,
where procedures may differ significantly from our own.
1 — Abiding by Time Restrictions
First (no surprise here), the length of our productions at Utah
is initially dictated by our producers’ desire to keep the plays
between two-and-a-half to three hours running time (including
one 15-minute intermission). In fact,
Fred C. Adams, our founder, and R. Scott
Phillips, our executive director, start fidgeting
if the shows run more than two and
three-quarter hours. As a result, we have a
mandate from our producers that the curtain
must come down by 11 p.m., given a
starting time of 8 p.m. Figuring 1,000 lines
of script per hour of stage time (or 3.5 seconds
per line), this is relatively easy with
shorter scripts like The Comedy of Errors or
The Tempest, but it can be extremely difficult
with a longer drama like King Lear or
Othello, where audience members know
the plays so well they often mouth the
words along with our actors. Several years
ago, in fact, during the Prince's crucial 3.1
soliloquy in Hamlet at the USF, the actor
playing the title role followed the words
"To be" with a long theatrical pause, during
which a patron in the front row helpfully
added "or not to be" in a rather loud
stage whisper, which prompted audience
laughter rather than dramatic empathy.
Additional factors like stage fights, music,
10 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

Karl Hugh
A scene from the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s 2006 production of
The Merchant of Venice
songs or scenic transitions often complicate the 1,000 lines/hour
formula, though we’ve found that the estimate is useful in helping
us make rough initial cuts.
2 — Facilitating the Director's Concept
Editorial changes will often reflect the director’s attempt to
shape the script. Most of the cuts will be forged through a dialogue
between the director, dramaturg and actors. Sometimes
the director sends potential cuts to me first and I respond, while
other times the process works in reverse. It's always a sustained
and spirited conversation at our theatre, which ends in a viable
script intended for performance by specific actors for a known
audience. I dramaturged, for example, a wonderful version of The
Winter’s Tale at Ashland in 1990 in which director Libby Appel
envisioned Paulina as a shaman figure whose magical control
over the world of the play culminated in the statue scene at the
conclusion. Had we not cut some lines and rearranged several
of the speeches to highlight Paulina’s central role in the show, I
doubt the play would have worked so well.
Sometimes the “shaping” is more controversial, as it was in
a production of The Merchant of Venice I worked on at another
theatre where the director cut Shylock’s “fawning publican”
speech (1.3.37-48) entirely to make the character appear more
sympathetic to the audience. Most of the theatres where I've
worked have permitted some cutting and rearranging of lines if
the textual editing served the overall design of the production
without unduly compromising the integrity of the script under
consideration. It's always a judgment call.
3 — Deleting Obscure References
Many theatres will trim or somehow clarify obscure lines
in the interest of maintaining audience attention. At a certain
point, directors inevitably ask themselves if the gestural histrionics
required to clarify an incomprehensible 16th-century joke
are worth the stage time required to do so. The same theory
applies to deleting references that might make some theatergoers
uncomfortable. In Flute's allusion to "eke most lovely Jew"
in 3.1.90 of A Midsummer Night's Dream, for instance, the word
"Jew" is undoubtedly a nonsensical repetition of the first syllable
of "juvenal" earlier in the line, but you'd need a dramaturg in the
wings shouting clarification to the audience in order to illuminate
that subtle etymological point.
Admittedly, some directors like to focus on the more unintelligible
moments in a script. Peter Sellars once explained to Time
magazine, "When I direct Shakespeare, the first thing I do is go
to the text for cuts. I go through to find the passages that are
real heavy, that really are not needed, places where language
has become obscure, the places where there is a bizarre detour.
And then I take those moments, those elements, and I make
them the centerpiece, the core of the production." The rest of us,
however, do just the opposite when we delete arcane, incomprehensible
or potentially offensive lines from a script, thereby
streamlining and clarifying the play for its audience.
4 — Omitting Disputed Lines
The same is true of variant readings in the early quarto and
folio editions of the plays, in which the suspected lack of authorial
authenticity often dooms a line or phrase to the cutting
room floor. Is Hamlet's flesh too too "solid," "sallied" or "sullied"?
It depends on whether you're relying on the folio, the quarto
or a 19th-century conjectural emendation by Horace Howard
Furness. Which early edition of Othello is closer to Shakespeare's
original manuscript, the 1621 first quarto or the 1623 first folio?
And what do we do with the 160 lines that appear in the folio,
but not in the quarto edition? Should we include them in an
acting edition? How about a play like Timon of Athens, the folio
text of which seems to have been based on an early, unedited
draft of the author's foul papers? To what extent do we spruce up
Shakespeare's scripts if he obviously didn't have the time or energy
to do so himself? Such questions soon get us enmeshed in discussions
of early printing house practices, compositors' routines,
Stationers' Register records, Elizabethan "secretary hand," joint
authorship and other bibliographical quibbles usually reserved
for doctoral classes in the study of Shakespeare. Yet some knowledge
of these complexities is necessary for anyone foolhardy
enough to perform verbal surgery on Shakespeare's scripts.
5 — Consolidating Roles
Whether Old Gobbo actually appears in a production of The
Merchant of Venice depends on many factors, including whether
the director needs more or less comic relief in the show.
Some or all of such roles will be cut unless the production
has the luxury of including all the dialogue from its so-called
“minor” characters. Often, it’s the clowns who bite most of the
dust, though sometimes several smaller parts are consolidated
to save time, making one substantial role for an actor out of
several lesser ones. Combining several characters into one
will often save time through script cuts, unnecessary costume
changes and a streamlined rehearsal schedule, while the tactic
can also help the festival conserve precious financial resources
by eliminating the need for additional salaried actors to play
the discarded extra roles. Most of the directors I’ve worked with
over the years prefer internal cuts to deleting entire characters
or scenes, which makes the editing appear more seamless and
doesn’t deprive any actors of their roles.
6 — Sending Cuts Out Early
At the USF and most other regional theatres, scripts are mailed
or e-mailed to the actors well before the beginning of rehearsals.
There’s nothing worse than playing the Second Gentleman, going
through the first read-through with your entire role intact, and
then discovering at the second rehearsal that your part has been
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 11

Feature
gutted of more than half its lines. Since
most actors would interpret this as a lack
of confidence in their ability to perform
the part, we try hard to get the cuts to
the actors as early as possible. That way,
they take the deletions less personally. All
theatres make additional cuts during the
rehearsal process, of course, though these
will generally reflect anxieties about running
time, jokes that continue to fall flat
(no matter how often they are re-tuned),
last-minute personnel adjustments and
other essentials endemic to the living,
breathing, evolving process of theatre.
7 — Exploiting Actor Strengths
The number of lines cut from an actor’s
role will usually, of course, betray the
respect theatres have for the artist in
question, who can often be extremely well
known (and therefore a strong box office
draw), a long-time audience favorite,
immensely talented, or all of the above.
Hal Gould (Rhoda, Golden Girls, The Sting,
Love and Death) played King Lear for us at
the USF in 1992 and Prospero in 1995, and
I don’t believe we cut a single line of his
in either show. But just because a theatre
has lesser-known actors in smaller roles,
their lines are not necessarily more vulnerable
to cutting because of the actors’
relative pecking order in the company.
The smaller roles may be in jeopardy due
to their diminished importance in the
script, but not because of the gifted actors
who play them.
8 — Trading Lines
Some cuts operate on the barter system.
A common occurrence during the
rehearsal process is for an actor to ask
for lines back in order to flesh out a character.
The director may agree, as long as
the actor gives up different lines.
Such discussions will often encourage
an actor to rethink their dramatic
priorities while respecting the theatre’s
right to bring in the production under its
time limit. Ideally, each actor would be
able to say all the lines assigned to his
character in the acting edition chosen
for the production. But is this always a
desirable or prudent rule to follow? I’ve
personally had some wonderful experiences
working with the entire uncut
script in Shakespearean productions.
For example, Des McAnuff’s modernized
production of Romeo and Juliet at the La
Jolla Playhouse in 1983 used the entire
folio edition of the play. Although the
performance was four-and-a-half hours
long, it was breathtakingly exciting.
Sadly, however, most full-text productions
of Shakespeare please the scholar
more than the average theatergoer.
9 — Cutting or Emending Famous
Speeches
Another important variable in determining
which lines or speeches are subject
to the ax is, of course, how familiar
the play in question is. From the sublime
to the ridiculous, we would certainly
never edit out Macbeth’s “Tomorrow, and
tomorrow, and tomorrow” soliloquy, or
any other well-known, favorite lines. If
Caesar doesn’t say “Et tu, Brute,” we’d all
demand our money back.
But what about some of the more
obscure lines? That’s a question devoutly
to be asked. This may be an odd way to
run a railroad, but I suspect most directors
and dramaturgs would agree that
the more obscure a line or speech, the
more vulnerable it is to excision. You
12 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

need to keep the storyline intact, of
course. That’s Job One. But when the
production opens in a week and you
still have to prune 15 minutes from the
show, a surprising number of options
will miraculously appear. No one likes
these last-minute cuts — least of all the
actors who now have to delete from their
memory banks lines and blocking they
have painstakingly conned. Sometimes,
however, our running time estimates
are just plain wrong, and we need lastminute
textual emendations to save the
production. That’s when obscurity is our
very best friend.
10 — Resources
I’d like to mention a few variables
we don’t have to deal with at the Utah
Festival, although other theatres routinely
cope with such problems. The first has
to do with the resources of the theatre.
We’re very fortunate to be blessed with
excellent venues in which to present
Shakespeare’s plays. However, theatres
without such traditional architectural
resources may have to reconfigure the
language of the plays to accommodate
the design of the theatre. If you don’t
have an inner above, for instance, you’ll
have to find imaginative ways to do the
balcony scenes in Romeo and Juliet.
In addition, cutting and rearranging
of scenes is often required for small-cast
productions of Shakespeare’s plays (Julius
Caesar presented by six actors, for example).
Whatever the challenges, however,
creative directors, designers, and actors
will always find a way to perform the plays,
even if they have to edit Shakespeare’s
language to make it happen!
To cut or not to cut, that is the question.
And the answer, as the foregoing
examples suggest, is often “yes.” Does
Shakespeare suffer in the process?
Perhaps. But as Cassius metatheatrically
asks of the conspirators in Julius
Caesar, “How many ages hence / Shall
this our lofty scene be acted over / In
states unborn and accents yet unknown”
(3.1.112-114). I doubt that Shakespeare
had Cedar City, Utah, in mind when he
wrote these lines, but they invite each of
us to develop new and inventive ways to
render his plays completely accessible for
today’s audiences. When a little editing is
required to make that happen, we always
look for “the kindest cut of all.”
Michael Flachmann is the dramaturg for
Utah Shakespearean Festival.
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 13

Special Section: Costumes & Makeup
The Magic’s In
the Makeup
Three makeup training schools use cutting-edge curriculums to inspire students.
By Lisa Mulcahy
Change is happening in the fascinating world of theatre
makeup. Just a few years back, apprentice artists
would go to a makeup-training program, learn an array
of old-fashioned stagecraft techniques, graduate and create
the same faces that had been seen in Broadway and regional
shows for ages. Today, an explosion of fresh design concepts
and application innovations have changed the game. A
student can now develop skill sets encompassing the latest
character, beauty and SFX looks, then use this knowledge
proactively to achieve tremendous artistic success professionally.
Here’s a closer look at three programs that offer topnotch
instruction by pioneering makeup pros.
Putting Students First
MUD (Makeup Designory) has blazed trails ever since its
inception in 1997. The school's unique aim is to put students'
needs first The result: MUD has grown from a cramped 800-
foot classroom to lush campuses in both New York and Los
Angeles, churning out alumni who are working on Broadway,
around the country and in Europe.
At MUD, the classroom experience emphasizes handson
work. After learning
fundamental application
skills via lecture, students
begin executing techniques
on their very first
day of class.
"Our faculty has seen
outdated makeup procedures
in the industry,"
says Paul Thompson,
MUD's director of education.
"We decided we
would give students what
Models show off the looks from students at the School of Professional Makeup
MUD Instructor Ashley Jackson (left) with hairstyling students
they actually needed in terms of the current skills that would
get them jobs and change and adopt our teaching techniques
as we need to."
Each instructor at MUD is an established makeup artist.
This, according to Thompson, gives students a real advantage
in observing successful work strategy. "They specialize
based on what they are interested in pursuing career-wise,"
he explains. SFX classes are tremendously popular; other
key components of the MUD program include hairstyling, a
crucial skill rarely stressed to makeup students and an overall
concentration on the importance of proper research theory.
What should a prospective MUD applicant bring to the
table? “The most important quality I look for is desire," says
Thompson. "I can teach any student how to do makeup, but
that element of drive, that drive to want it, is what will set a
successful student apart. When a potential student comes to
me, that student is asking me to help make a dream come
true—to achieve his or her dream of working as a makeup
artist. Who am I to say that student can't achieve it?” Seeing
his students apply themselves is Thompson's ultimate reward:
"When I see a student finish our program, beat adversity
and go on to a successful
career, I love it!"
Practical Perfection
Joe Blasco’s reputation
as the godfather of the
“classic monster” melds
with his commitment to
utilize and develop new
artistry applications and
share his expertise with
the next generation. His
program, the Joe Blasco
14 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

A student airbrushes SFX makeup onto a model at MUD’s L.A. school.
Joe Blasco teaching makeup technique in one of his school’s classes
“Makeup is not for a
moment easy.”
— Stacey Ferrari, director,
Joe Blasco Makeup
Center, Orlando
Makeup Center, established in 1976,
with branches in both Hollywood, Calif.
and Orlando, Fla., have produced many
working artisans.
The program is particularly respected
for its emphasis on practicality: Students
are encouraged from the start to follow
their mentor’s example when it comes
to career initiative.
"Mr. Blasco began his career in his
early twenties,” says Stacey Ferrari, the
Orlando program's director." At the
time, the makeup industry was dominated
by just a handful of people, but as
a budding artist, he pursued interviews
and got work.” Another important characteristic
of the program is developing
students' ability to work in a range of
makeup styles.
"Mr. Blasco wanted to go a step
beyond and offer a curriculum based on
many different types of makeup training,"
Ferrari explains. Classes are offered
in disciplines from natural beauty to old
age, character, bald cap/hair work and
more, plus instruction in the latest prosthetic
and monster techniques.
Another unique aspect of the Joe
Blasco program is its realistic emphasis
on career difficulties. "Makeup is not for
a moment easy," Ferrari stresses. "A job
as a makeup artist means you probably
won't have a set schedule or time for
family, kids or pets. You must be prepared
for this kind of lifestyle. Everyone
wants a guarantee that they'll get a job
right after graduation, but I can't tell
you that will happen.
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 15

Special Section:
Costumes & Makeup
A special-effects makeup design from
the School of Professional Makeup
"If a student wants it bad enough,
they will do the things needed to
succeed; however, that can mean
taking a job that doesn't pay at first.
We try to help through our e-mail
program, which serves as a networking
resource for former students."
Ferrari definitely sees the school's
no-nonsense approach pay off: "I hear
from students a week after graduation
who already have their first jobs, and
I'm always absolutely impressed!"
Verve and Versatility
Makeup pro Rob Closs is well
known for his diversity—he's as skilled
at creating gorgeous airbrush effects
as he is at hardcore bruised-andbloody
FX. Morphing makeup styles
not only keeps life interesting—it’s
the core message sent at Closs's training
mecca, the School of Professional
Makeup in Toronto. From the school's
inception, Closs decided to blend
educational disciplines.
“I started doing makeup in 1981,
and eventually was drawn to teaching
in the early '90s," Closs recalls.
"Having taught facial design and
technique at many different schools,
I took the strengths of my different
teaching experiences, the best of the
best, and created our initial program
in 1998." Closs approaches the role
of a makeup artist from a number
of fronts: designer, technician, interpreter
of an artistic statement and
businessperson. For example, his
program stresses prosthetic work,
not simply from the perspective of
straight-up latex craft, but from the
need for an artist to communicate
effectively with a crew, producer or
director. Closs also infuses his curriculum
with variety, plain and simple.
16 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

“The industry’s always changing,
and you’ve always got to change
to accommodate it.”
— Rob Closs, founder,
School of Professional Makeup
“I like to tweak the material I teach and grow the program
continually,” he explains. Because the work is highly detailed,
Closs looks for innately curious students.
“When a student asks, 'How does this institution differ
from other makeup schools?', I know that student is prepared,
and potentially, motivated,” he says. “In this industry motivation
is everything—it's all freelance work, and if you're lucky
to land a job, it has to be because you're motivated to put
yourself out there and know your work."
In the end, Closs wants his students to think on their feet—
which he thinks is the key to any makeup artist's ultimate
success. "The industry's always changing, and you've always
got to change to accommodate it."
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 17

Special Section: Costumes & Makeup
Queen of the Jungle
Stages St. Louis went regal for its version of The Jungle Book
By John Inchiostro
Step 1
Wet and stretch the buckram
over a head block or
styrofoam head. You can use
pushpins or rubber bands. I
use three layers of buckram
and then rubber bands on
a wood head block covered
with plastic wrap.
Step 1
The finished cap, our end result.
In approaching costume designs for the Stages St. Louis
production of Disney’s The Jungle Book last summer, I
looked at productions of the play, the Disney-animated
feature and the real animals. Rudyard Kipling wrote his
stories for an English-speaking audience, but the stories
took place in exotic India—which is why I wanted the
costumes to reflect an “English-idealized” India.
Then, our artistic director shared what he had in mind
for the character of Shere Kahn, the tiger villain. Unlike
the Disney feature, he proposed casting the character as
a female, inspired by the Wilhelmina Slater character on
the TV series Ugly Betty—a tailored, put-together, powerful
“Queen of the Jungle,” with maybe a rhinestone or
two.
In designing her costume and headpiece, I first
designed a tailored Nehru jacket, Jodhpur-style pants,
all in oranges and golds, with a lot of gold trim and
"orangier" tiger fur. The headpiece posed another problem.
I did not want “kitty-cat” ears on a headband.
Instead, I wanted to get some white around the face of
the actress, so the audience’s attention would be drawn
there. I decided on a pleated, heart-shaped design, modeled
after a Hindu statue I had at home—the headpiece
would frame the face of the actress, much like the white
tufts of hair around a tiger’s face. I wanted it to look like a
crown or ceremonial headpiece, not an animal hood. The
list of materials I used is in the sidebar, and if you follow
these steps, you should be able to build a headpiece of
your own.
This article can also be found online at www.stagedirections.com/tigercap,
with large pictures.
Step 2
After the buckram has
d r i e d , c u t t h e d e s i r e d
shape. I cut a teardrop skullcap
shape. Wire the edge of
the hat with milliner’s wire,
using either a long “whip
stitch” by hand or the widest
“zig-zag” setting on a
sewing machine. (Milliner’s
Step 2
wire is a heavy wire that is
wrapped with thread and can be purchased at most millinery
supply stores.)
Step 3
Stretch and pin tiger fur to hat and stitch.
Step 4
Apply black bias on the
inside of the skull cap, and flip
the raw edge to the right side
of the hat. From the inside of
the skull cap, stitch the black
bias “in the ditch” (i.e., the
crease where the two fabrics
meet). Then trim the extra bias
from the right side.
Step 3
Step 4
MATERIALS NEEDED
Buckram
19-gage milliner’s wire
Head block or Styrofoam head
Thread or hymark
White fusible interfacing
Commercial black and white bias
White chiffon or twinkle
Gold braid
White gimp
Fabric-Tac
Sewing machine
T-pins
Pushpins or rubber bands
Spring clothes pins
Gold filigrees, beads and jewels
Flat elastic
18 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

Step 5
Using Fabric-Tac, apply gold braid over your raw edge and
stitch line.
Step 6
Cut the two face crescents
like parentheses—( )
—using two layers of buckram
stitched together. At
this point, you’re going to
need your fusible interfacing.
Fusible interfacing is a light
fabric with a layer of heatactivated
glue on one side.
Step 6
When that side is ironed on to another piece of fabric, it sticks.
To hide the weave of the buckram, take some white, commercial-cotton
fusible interfacing and iron it on one side of each
face piece. That side, with the fusible ironed on it, will be the
inside or frontside of each face piece. Don’t wire these pieces
yet, so they’ll be easier to handle under the machine later.
Step 7
Gather or pleat white chiffon
(or twinkle) to the frontside
of the face pieces—the
fusible side—and stitch down
on each edge. (You can do
this by hand or machine.)
Be sure to cut your chiffon
at least an inch wider than
Step 7
the widest part of your cresent
shape and double the length of the crescent. When
stitching down each edge, run a gathering stitch on both
sides of the length of the chiffon and fit it to the frontside
(the fusible side). Make sure you pull the chiffon tight, from
width to width, and pin it all the way around. You should have
extra fabric all the way around the cresents and that fabric
should completely cover the frontside of each crescent (the
fusible side).
Step 8
For the backside of each
crescent—the side without
the fusible or chiffon—cover
it with tiger fur and stitch
around that as well. Next,
carefully stitch milliner’s wire
around the edges of the face
pieces.
Step 5-A Step 5-B
Step 8
Step 9
Apply black bias to the outside
curve, and white bias to
the inside curve, from the fur
side, and flip the raw edges of
both colors of the bias to the
gathered or pleated side. Stitch
in the ditch as you did with the
cap of the hat and trim extra
Step 9
bias off. Glue white gimp over
your raw edge and stitch line, keeping it close to the edge.
Step 10
Using Hymark or button
thread, attach the face
pieces to the cap, positioning
them so that the lower
points will curve under the
performer’s chin.
Step 10
Step 11
To build the ears, cut two 7-inch-by-7-inch pieces of
the tiger fur. Fold point to point and stitch (Pic 11-A), then
repeat (Pic 11-B). Gather the long straight side, with all the
raw edges, and pull it tight (Pic 11-C). The result should be
a “cup” or, as I was taught, a milliner’s leaf. You can glue a
small tuft of marabou or white fur into the cup if you like.
Sew the ears to the cap, behind the cresents as far apart as
possible, to give the impression of a tiger’s broad head.
Step 12
Stitch a small piece of elastic (dyed to the skin tone of
the actor) to the lower points of the face pieces, to fit under
the actor’s chin. Finally, apply any embellishments you like. I
chose small gold beads around the face pieces, gold filigrees
and jewels to make our Shere Khan look like a true “Queen of
The Jungle.”
Gold beads placed around the face pieces
Step 11-A
Step 11-B
Step 11-C
Add gold filigrees and jewels for accents
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 19

Summer Program Directory
Due to space limitations, special notes about the programs and their offerings could not be included. Please check the company
Web sites for more info regarding all their programs. To get your summer program included in this annual directory, e-mail your
info to: summerstudy@stage-directions.com. — Ed.
Alaska
Fairbanks Summer
Arts Festival
P.O. Box 82510
Fairbanks, AK 99708
P: 907-474-8869
E: festival@alaska.net
W: www.fsaf.org
Program Duration:
Sunday, July 19 -
Sunday August 2
California
American Academy Of
Dramatic Arts: Summer
Program
1336 N. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
P: 800-222-2867
E: admissions-ca@
aada.org
W: www.aada.org
Program Duration: Six
week course offered
July 6-August 14.
Multiple two-week
intensives also offered
during that time period.
American Conservatory
Theater (A.C.T.):
Summer Training
Congress
30 Grant Ave.
Sixth Floor
San Francisco, CA
94108
P: 415-439-2426
E: apasic@act-sf.org
W: www.
actactortraining.org
Program Duration:
5-week session or
2-week intensive. Check
Web site for dates and
details.
California State
Summer School For
The Arts (Innerspark):
Theatre Program
1010 Hurley Way
#185
Sacramento, CA 95825
P: 916-274-5815
E: application@
innerspark.us
W: www.innerspark.us
Program Duration:
July 11 - August 7
Dell’ Arte School Of
Physical Theatre:
Summer Workshops
131 H St.
P.O. Box 816
Blue Lake, CA 95525
P: 707-668-5663
E: info@dellarte.com
W: www.dellarte.com
Program Duration:
Multiple sessions June
through August.
Idyllwild Summer
Program: Children’s
Programs
52500 Temecula Dr.
P.O. Box 38
Idyllwild, CA 92549
P: 9516592171 x
2365/2366
E: summer@
idyllwildarts.org
W: www.idyllwildarts.
org
Program Duration:
July 12-25, July
26-August 8, August
9-22
Idyllwild Summer
Program: Youth Arts’
Center
52500 Temecula Dr.
P.O. Box 38
Idyllwild, CA 92549
P: 9516592171 x
2365/2366
E: summer@
idyllwildarts.org
W: www.idyllwildarts.
org
Program Duration:
July 12-25, July
26-August 8, August
9-22
Institute For Readers
Theatre: International
Readers Theatre
Workshop
P.O. Box 421262
San Diego, CA 92142
P: 858-277-4274
E: marlene1@san.rr.com
W: www.
readerstheatreinstitute.
com
Program Duration:
July 12-25 in Toronto,
Canada
San Francisco Shakespeare
Festival
P.O. Box 460937
San Francisco, CA
94146
P: 415-558-0888
E: sfshakes@sfshakes.
org
W: www.sfshakes.org/
camp/index.html
Program Duration:
Multiple session
locations & dates.
Theatre Academy In
Hollywood
Los Angeles City
College
855 N. Vermont Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90029
P: 323-953-4000 x2971
E: faterf@lacitycollege.
edu
W: theatreacademy.
lacitycollege.edu
Program Duration:
Visit Web site for dates.
Young Actors Camp
689 Foothill Blvd.
Suite A
Claremont, CA 91711
P: 909-982-8059
E: request@
youngactorscamp.com
W: www.
youngactorscamp.com
Program Duration:
6/20-7/12
Young Actors Camp
Hollywood
689 W. Foothill Blvd.
Suite A
Claremont, CA 91711
P: 909-982-8059
E: request@
youngactorscamp.com
W: www.
youngactorscamp.com
Program Duration:
Offers three programs
during June and July,
2009: Casting Call:
Be in a Real Movie
Acting Camp; Meet
Your Favorite Stars
at The Acting Camp;
Getting Started at
the Preprofessional
Program.
Colorado
Perry Mansfield Performing
Arts School
& Camp For Children,
Youth & Young Adults
40755 Routt County
Rd. 36
Steamboat Springs, CO
80487
P: 800-430-2787
E: p-m@perrymansfield.org
W: www.perrymansfield.org
Program Duration:
Multiple sessions
offered. Please check
the Web site for the
dates of courses.
Perry Mansfield Performing
Arts School
& Camp: Professional
Workshops
40755 Routt County
Rd. 36
Steamboat Springs, CO
80487
P: 800-430-2787
E: p-m@perrymansfield.org
W: www.perrymansfield.org
Program Duration:
Please check Web site
for the dates of courses.
Rocky Mountain Theatre
For Kids: Summer
Camps In Denver, CO
& Boulder, CO
5311 Western Ave.
Suite D
Boulder, CO 80301
P: 303-245-8150
E: info@theaterforkids.
net
W: www.theaterforkids.
net
Program Duration:
Two-, three- and fourweek
sessions available,
Ages 5-16. Please check
the Web site for the
dates of courses.
Connecticut
Yale Summer Session
P.O. Box 208355
New Haven, CT 06520
P: 203-432-2430
E: summer.session@
yale.edu
W: www.yale.edu/
summer/
Program Duration:
Two five-week sessions:
June 1-July 3, July
6-August 7
Florida
Asolo Repertory Theatre:
Camp Asolo
5555 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34243
P: 941-351-9010 x3306
E: leah_page@Asolo.
Org
W: www.asolo.org
Program Duration:
June-July 2009
Lovewell Institute For
The Creative Arts: Ft.
Lauderdale Junior &
Teen Programs
1600 NE L8th Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33305
P: 954-565-5113
E: info@lovewell.org
W: www.lovewell.org
Program Duration:
Multiple sessions
offered. Please check
the Web site for the
dates of courses.
Illinois
National High School
Institute At Northwestern
University:
Theatre Arts Program
617 Noyes St.
Evanston, IL 60208
P: 847-491-3026
E: nhsi@northwestern.
edu
W: www.northwestern.
edu/nhsi
Program Duration: June
28-August 2 (Musical
Theatre Extension
program continues until
August 15)
Second City: Summer
Programs
1616 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60614
P: 312-664-3959
E: mconway@
secondcity.com
W: www.secondcity.
com/?id=trainingeducation/training/
summers
Program Duration:
Multiple session
locations & dates.
Please check the Web
site. (Locations are
Chicago, Los Angeles &
Toronto.)
Iowa
Donna Reed Annual
Performing Arts Festival
& Workshops
1305 Broadway
Denison, IA 51442
P: 712-263-3334
E: info@donnareed.org
W: www.donnareed.org
Program Duration:
June 15-20
Maine
Celebration Barn
Theatre Workshops
190 Stock Farm Rd.
South Paris, ME 04281
P: 207-743-8452
E: info@
celebrationbarn.com
W: www.
celebrationbarn.com
Program Duration:
Multiple classes and
sessions from June into
September
Massachusetts
Boston Conservatory:
Summer Choral
Program
8 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02215
P: (617) 912-9153
E: summer@
bostonconservatory.edu
W: www.
bostonconservatory.edu
Program Duration:
July 12 - July 25
Boston University,
College Of Fine Arts:
Summer Theatre
Institute Office
855 Commonwealth Ave.
Rm. 470
Boston, MA 02215
P: 617-353-3390
E: mkaye@bu.edu
W: www.bu.edu/cfa/
theatre/sti
Program Duration:
Five-week intensive
actor training course.
See Web site for details.
Harvard Summer
School
51 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA O2138
P: 617-495-3192
E: ssp@hudce.harvard.
edu
W: www.ssp.harvard.
edu
Program Duration:
June 20 - August 7
Shakespeare &
Company: National
Institute On Teaching
Shakespeare
70 Kemble St.
Lenox, MA 01240
P: 4136371199 x 123
E: education@
shakespeare.org
W: www.shakespeare.
org
Program Duration:
July 5-August 1
Shakespeare & Company:
Youth Program
70 Kemble St.
Lenox, MA 01240
P: 413-637-1199
E: education@
shakespeare.org
W: www.shakespeare.
org
Program Duration:
See Web site for dates.
Michigan
Interlochen Arts
Camp - Summer
Theatre Program
P.O. Box 199
Interlochen, MI 49643
P: 800-681-5912
E: admission@
interlochen.org
W: www.interlochen.
org/camp/
Program Duration:
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
New Jersey
Camp Of Montclair &
Cedar Grove:
143 Highland Cross
Rutherford, NJ 07070
P: 973-746-8686
E: actingcoach@
amidsummers
dreaming.com
W: www.amidsummers
dreaming.com
Program Duration:
Takes place in July.
three & four-Week
full-day camps and a
half-day camp.
20 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

Paper Mill Playhouse:
Summer Musical Theatre
Conservatory
Brookside Dr.
Millburn, NJ 07041
P: 973-379-3636
E: crubino@papermill.
org
W: www.papermill.org/
outreach/conservatory.
php
Program Duration:
2 Sessions: July
Conservatory and
August Intensive
Shakespeare Theatre
of New Jersey
36 Madison Ave.
Madison, NJ 07940
P: 973-408-3278
E: information@
shakespearenj.org
W: www.
shakespearetraining.
org
Program Duration:
May 24-Aug. 10, for
college-aged and early
career adult students.
New York
ACTeen - Acting
For Teens: Summer
Academies
35 W. 45th St.
6th Floor
New York, NY 10036
P: 212-391-5915
E: rita@ACTeen.com
W: www.acteen.com
Program Duration:
June Program,
June 22-July 2; July
Academy, July 6-30;
August Academy,
August 3-19, Summer
Saturday Program, July
11-August 15.
American Academy Of
Dramatic Arts: Summer
Program
120 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10016
P: 800-463-8990
E: admissions-ny@
aada.org
W: www.aada.org
Program Duration: Six
week course offered
June 29-August 7.
Multiple two-week
intensives also offered
during that time period.
British American
Drama Academy
(BADA): Midsummer
In Oxford Program
900 West End Ave.
#15F
New York, NY 10025
P: 212-203-6956
E: jrockwood@
badaonline.com
W: www.badaonline.
com/programs_oxford.
html
Program Duration:
Run for four weeks in
the month of July. See
Web site for dates.
Broadway Artists Alliance
Musical Theater:
Summer Intensives
For Youth, Teens &
College Students.
209 W. 40th St. #202
New York, NY 10018
P: 646709-9918
E: masterclass@
broadway
artistsalliance.org
W: www.broadway
artistsalliance.org
Program Duration:
July 26-30, August 2-8.
Three-day Musical
Theatre Workshop, July
18-20.
Camp Broadway:
Musical Theatre Camp
For Children & Teens
336 W 37th St.
#460
New York, NY 10018
P: 212-575-2929
E: info@
campbroadway.com
W: www.
campbroadway.com
Program Duration:
July 13-17, August 3-7.
Circle In The Square
Theatre School:
Acting And Musical
Summer Workshops
1633 Broadway @
50th St.
New York, NY 10019
P: 212-307-0388
E: admissions@
circlesquare.org
W: www.circlesquare.
org
Program Duration:
Seven-week program:
June 29-August 14
Cobalt Studios: Summer
Scene Painting
134 Royce Rd.
P.O. Box 79
White Lake, NY 12786
P: 845-583-7025
E: mail@cobaltstudios.
net
W: www.cobaltstudios.
net
Program Duration:
July 27-August 14;
Teachers Training for
Scenic Painting June
22-26 and a second
session July 6-10.
Hangar Theatre: Lab
Company Summer
Program
P.O. Box 205
Ithaca, NY 14851
P: 607-273-8588
E: labcompany@
hangartheatre.org
W: www.hangartheatre.
org
Program Duration:
June-August
Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY 11549
P: 516-463-6600
W: www.hofstra.edu
Program Duration:
Check Web site for
exact dates.
Lee Strasberg Theatre
& Film Institute: Summer
Acting
115 Lee Strasberg Way
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-533-5000
E: newyork@strasberg.
com
W: www.strasberg.com
Program Duration:
12-week program starts
June 29.
Lee Strasberg Theatre
& Film Institute:
Young Actors At
Strasberg, Summer
Courses
115 Lee Strasberg Way
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-533-5500
E: amanda@strasberg.
com
W: www.strasberg.com
Program Duration:
Multiple programs
offered July-August.
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
Long Lake Camp For
The Arts
199 Washington Ave.
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
P: 800-767-7111
E: marc@longlakecamp.
com
W: www.longlakecamp.
com
Program Duration:
Three-week and sixweek
sessions offered.
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
New Actors Workshop:
Summer Intensive
Workshop
259 W. 30th St.
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-947-1318
E: newactorsw@aol.
com
W: www.newactors
workshop.com
Program Duration:
Three-week intensive,
2 sessions offered: July
6-24, August 3-21
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 21

Summer Program Directory
New York Film Academy:
School Of Film
And Acting
100 E. 17th St.
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-674-4300
E: film@nyfa.com
W: www.nyfa.com/
film_school
Program Duration:
1-week, 4-week, 8-week
& 12-week Acting for
Film courses. Please
check the Web site for
the dates.
New York Film
Academy: Summer
Camps & High School
Workshops
100 E. 17th St.
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-674-4300
E: film@nyfa.com
W: www.nyfa.com/
summer_camp
Program Duration:
Mulitple sessions/
locations offered.
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
New York State
Theatre Institution:
Summer Theatre
Institute
37 First St.
Troy, NY 12180
P: 518-274-3754
E: stidirector@nysti.org
W: www.nysti.org/
education.htm
Program Duration:
Four-week program in
August 2009. Please
check the Web site for
dates.
New York State Theatre
Institution: Summerstage
Performing
Arts Camp
37 First St.
Troy, NY 12180
P: 518-274-3295
E: tasdirector@nysti.org
W: www.nysti.org/
education.htm
Program Duration:
Three-week program in
July 2009. (Please check
Web site for dates.)
New York University:
Summer In Greenwich
Village
7 East 12th St.
6th Floor
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-998-2292
W: www.nyu.edu/
summer/
Program Duration:
Multple sessions
offered. Please check
the Web site for the
dates of courses.
NYU Tisch School
Of Arts: Summer
Programs For H.S.
Students
721 Broadway
12th Floor
New York, NY 10003
P: 212-998-1500
E: tisch.special.
highschool@nyu.edu
W: specialprograms.
tisch.nyu.edu/page/
hsstudents
Program Duration:
July 13-August 7
SITI Company (Saratoga
International
Theatre Institute)
520 8th Ave.
Ste. 310
New York, NY 10018
P: 212-868-0860
E: inbox@siti.org
W: www.siti.org
Program Duration:
Skidmore College
Summer Intensive May
31 to June 27, 2009
Columbia University
Advanced Summer
Intensive July 12 to
July 25, 2009 Links Hall
Workshop, August 3 -
14, 2009
22 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

Stagedoor Manor
116 Karmel Rd.,
Loch Sheldrake, NY
12759
P: 888-STA-GE88
E: info2009@
stagedoormanor.com
W: www.
stagedoormanor.com
Program Duration:
3-week sessions.
Stella Adler Studio
Of Acting: Summer
Intensives
31 W 27th St.
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-270-6775
E: info@stellaadler.com
W: www.stellaadler.
com
Program Duration:
Multiple intensives
offered, from 5-10
weeks. Please check the
Web site for the dates
of courses.
Stella Adler Studio
Of Acting: Summer
Program For Teens
31 W 27th St.
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001
P: 800-112-1111
E: info@stellaadler.com
W: www.stallaadler.
com
Program Duration:
July 6 - August 7
University At Buffalo,
The Center For The
Arts
103 Center For The Arts
Buffalo, NY O4260
P: 716-645-6254
E: drw6@buffalo.edu
W: www.ubcfa.org
Program Duration:
Visit Web site for dates.
Williamstown Theatre
Festival: The Apprentice
Program
229 W. 42nd St.
Suite 801
New York, NY 10036
P: 212-395-9090
E: mcoglan@wtfestival.
org
W: www.wtfestival.org
Program Duration:
June 17-August 17
North
Carolina
University Of North
Carolina School Of
The Arts: Summer
Programs
1533 S. Main St.
Winston-Salem, NC
27127
P: 336-770-3290
E: admissions@ncarts.
edu
W: www.ncarts.edu/
summersession/
Program Duration:
Various programs
between June 21-July
24, 2009 (acting
program is four weeks;
stage combat is three
weeks; other programs
for various durations
of two weeks to five
weeks)
The Society Of
American Fight Directors:
National Stage
Combat Workshop
1350 East Flamingo Rd.
#25
Las Vegas, NV 89119
E: NSCWCoordinator@
safd.org
W: www.safd.org/
Program Duration:
Three-week intensive
program: July 5-24.
Program takes place at
UNC School of the Arts.
Ohio
Kent State Univerity,
Porthouse Theatre:
Summer Session
Music & Speech Center
B 141
Kent, OH 44242
P: 330-672-3884
E: porthouse@kent.edu
W: www.theatre.kent.
edu
Program Duration:
May 18-Sept 12
Oregon
Oregon Shakespeare
Festival: Summer
Seminar For H.S.
Students
15 S. Pioneer St.
Ashland, OR 97520
P: 541-482-2111
E: education@
osfashland.org
W: www.osfashland.
org/education/
students.aspx
Program Duration:
2-Week intensive
Program August
3-August 15, 2009
Pennsylvania
Camp Ballibay For
The Fine & Performing
Arts
1 Ballibay Rd.
Camptown, PA 18815
P: 877-746-2667
E: camp@ballibay.com
W: www.ballibay.com
Program Duration:
Sessions range from 2
to 7 Weeks in length;
check the Web site for
the dates & courses.
Carnegie Mellon University:
Pre-College
Programs
5000 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
P: 412-268-2082
E: precollege@andrew.
cmu.edu
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 23

Summer Program Directory
W: www.cmu.edu/
enrollment/precollege/
Program Duration:
June 27-August 7, 2008
Muhlenberg Summer
Music Theatre, Camp
Imagine Performing
Arts Camp For Middle
School Students
Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew St.
Allentown, PA 18104
P: 484-664-3333
E: roberts@
muhlenberg.edu
W: www.
summerbroadway.org
Program Duration:
July-August. Interships
available for high school
& college students
starting in May.
Tennessee
Tennessee Arts Academy/Arts
Academy
America
Belmont University
1900 Belmont Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37212
P: 615-460-5451
E: TAA@mail.belmont.
edu
W: www.tennesseearts
academy.org/address.
html
Program Duration:
July 12-17
Utah
Utah Shakespearean
Festival: Camp For
Adults, Seniors &
Educators
351 W. Center St.
Cedar City, UT 84720
P: 435-586-7880
E: usfinfo@bard.org
W: www.bard.org
Program Duration:
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
Utah Shakespearean
Festival: Camp For
High School And College
Students
351 W. Center St.
Cedar City, UT 84720
P: 435-586-7880
E: usfinfo@bard.org
W: www.bard.org
Program Duration:
July 17-27
Utah Shakespearean
Festival: Summer
Camp For Children &
Teens
351 W. Center St.
Cedar City, UT 84720
P: 435-586-7880
E: usfinfo@bard.org
W: www.bard.org
Program Duration:
Please check the Web
site for the dates of
courses.
Youth Theatre At The
University Of Utah
240 S 1500 E
Rm. 206
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
P: 801-581-6098
E: penelope.marantz@
utah.edu
W: www.youththeatre.
utah.edu
Program Duration:
Please check the Web
site for dates & courses
offered.
Virginia
Regent University
1000 Regent University
Dr.
Virginia Beach, VA
23464
P: 888-777-7729
W: www.regent.edu/
acad/schcom
Program Duration:
8-week summer session
or two 4-week sessions.
Check Web site for
exact dates.
Washington
Rigging Seminars
2416 3rd Ave. W
Seattle, WA 98119
P: 206-283-4419
E: riggingseminars@
mac.com
W: www.
riggingseminars.com
Program Duration:
Check Web site for
specific dates.
Seattle Children’s Theatre:
Summer Drama
School
201 Thomas St.
Seattle, WA 98109
P: 206-443-0807
E: dramaschool@sct.org
W: www.sct.org
Program Duration:
Offering from 1-day
seminars, 1-week
and 2-week classes
to 4-week programs.
Dates include July 6 -
August 14
Seattle Children’s
Theatre: Young Actor
Institute
201 Thomas St.
Seattle, WA 98109
P: 206-443-0807
E: dramaschool@sct.org
W: www.sct.org
Program Duration:
6-week training
program. See Web site
for dates.
Washington
D.C.
Camp Shakespeare
At The Shakespeare
Theatre Company
Harman Center For
The Arts
516 8th St. SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
P: 202-547-5688
E: educweb@
shakespearetheatre.org
W: www.
shakespearetheatre.org
Program Duration:
June 22-August 15
Studio Theatre Acting
Conservatory:
Summer Sessions For
Young Actors & Adults
1501 14th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
P: 202-232-7267
E: conservatory@
studiotheatre.org
W: www.studiotheatre.
org
Program Duration:
June 8-August 2
(Adults); June 22-July
16 (Young Actors).
Young Actors auditions
are June 13.
Wisconsin
Children’s Theater Of
Madison: Summer
Drama School
228 State St.
Madison, WI 53703
P: 608-225-2080
E: admin@ctmtheater.
org
W: www.ctmtheater.org
Program Duration:
Two three-week
Sessions from June 22
July 11, 2009 and July
13 August 1, 2009 and
two one-week sessions
from August 3-7 and
August 10-14.

By Tim Cusack
|
Show Biz
Costumed Drama
There’s a way to avoid the madness.
Some of the most fraught moments I’ve ever experienced
in the theatre have focused around costuming.
Many years ago when attempting an illconceived
production of Wilde’s Salome as a neophyte
director, the lead actress and I got into a horrible (and,
in retrospect, embarrassing) screaming match over the
yellow color of her dress. She insisted that yellow made
her look sickly. I insisted that she looked fine (especially
since I wanted there to be something “off” about
the character). Besides, even if I had agreed, I knew I
couldn’t ask for the costume to be re-dyed because, by
that point, my poor costume designer was at her breaking
point—72 hours of near-continuous sewing will do
that to a person—and we were opening the next day.
After much cajoling (between bouts of temper), browbeating
and just plain stubborn insistence, I coaxed the
actress into the costume, which she wore, albeit unhappily,
for the entire run. I justified my actions by pretending
that the dress making her miserable was somehow
“feeding” her interpretation of the Judean princess.
Eventually my diva dynamo (who’s now a male social
worker, but that’s another story) and I reconciled. But
the episode was a huge lesson, both as a director and as
a producer, in the importance of proper planning when
it comes to the clothes I ask people to don onstage. In
the 15 years since, I’ve managed to diffuse that kind of
situation before it went to total nuclear meltdown, but
I’ve certainly witnessed my share of squirm-inducing
moments of actors refusing to wear certain items of
clothing. While conflicts will inevitably arise, it’s a lot
easier and financially feasible to deal with them if the
other aspects of your costume plot have been effectively
attended to and budgeted for.
To get some guidance in avoiding potential costuming
snags, I turned to a seasoned pro, David Zyla. Zyla
comes with an impressive CV, having designed for
Broadway (the Big River revival) and TV (three Emmy
nominations for All My Children). But he’s also well
acquainted with the particular needs of indy companies,
having worked at smaller regional and Downtown
theatres. In fact, he’s accepted the challenge of designing
the 12-actor, multi-character world premiere of
William M. Hoffman’s Cornbury: The Queen’s Governor—
for absurdly little money—which my company, Theatre
Askew, is premiering in late January.
It turns out that just by approaching Zyla to do our
production, we were already ahead of the game—of
course, it helped that we are doing a new play by an
important playwright. According to Zyla, producers
should “reach high—if you’ve got an interesting project,
a more established designer might be willing to do
it for much less than their usual fee. You get his or her
expertise and avoid lots of potential pitfalls.” In return,
Zyla recommends that your organization “offer them the
use of an intern who can be groomed for the future.”
The designer gets much-needed assistance, and you get
someone on your team who can apply his or her knowhow
to other company projects.
Another important factor to keep in mind, especially
when working on period pieces like Cornbury, is that
you will most likely be dealing with stock houses. Zyla
has some helpful tips that producers should keep in
mind when renting costumes. He mentions one element
that often gets overlooked—dry cleaning. “Always
remember to factor in the cost of cleaning the costumes
in your overall budget, and be sure to ask the vendor if
they want to do the dry cleaning themselves or if they
expect the articles of clothing to be returned already
cleaned. Never assume that you can alter, distress or
dye a piece another color without asking first,” Zyla cautions.
Also be sure to double-check a shipment as soon
as you receive it for quantity and quality. The rental
house should include a packing slip with every box of
costumes—if you’ve ordered 10 pairs of breeches, it
behooves you to make sure that all 10 have arrived in
wearable condition.
According to Zyla, “A good rental house should be
honest about the quality of their stock,” but it’s completely
acceptable to request samples of pieces ahead
of time to get a sense of how well a particular company
maintains its costumes. To make this process easier,
Zyla suggests that producers maintain a FedEx account.
Simply ask the vendor to overnight samples using
your company’s shipping number. If they arrive overly
stained and/or dry-rotted, return them immediately
with a polite note stating that the director and designer
have decided to go in another creative direction, and
the production won’t be needing these particular costumes
after all. In this case, a little white lie saves face
on all sides and maintains good relations going forward.
Keep in mind: Large costume shops are constantly
replenishing their stock. Just because the Renaissance
doublets they sent you this year were only usable for a
production of Zombie Macbeth doesn’t mean that next
year they won’t have fabulous flapper dresses for that
production of Twelfth Night set in the ‘20s that you’ve
always wanted to do.
And finally, most houses charge their fees based on
the number of performances, not how long you have the
costumes in your possession. So, by all means, get your
costume plot assembled as early as possible. Who needs
fights about a dress the night before opening?
www.stage-directions.com • January 2009 25

Off the Shelf
|
By Stephen Peithman
Acting the Part
Resources for performers and teachers
Teacher and acting coach Milton Katselas died Oct. 24 at
the age of 75, and his recently published Acting Class:
Take a Seat now serves as a summation of the techniques
he perfected over many years of working with actors.
The first of the book's three sections focuses on acting skills,
including how to use observations of life, play comedy, work
with directors, and choose and prepare for parts. The second
section explains how the right attitude can lead to more
work—with chapters on such topics as "Personal Confidence"
and "The Arrogance of a Loser." The third section looks at the
choices actors must make to advance their career and better
their life, which Katselas insists means "seeing to it that you
complete these choices, execute them and get them done."
The book's three-part organizational principle works well,
making clear the interrelationships of craft, personality and
organizational skills. It's a good read, too, thanks to Katselas's
conversational writing style. [$34.95, Phoenix Books]
Joe Deer and Rocco Dal Vera’s Acting in Musical Theatre: A
Comprehensive Course provides actors with an independentstudy
course in how to approach a role in a musical. The
authors address fundamental acting, singing and dancing skills
for novice actors, as well as tips to help experienced performers
refine their craft. Topics include the fundamentals of acting as
applied to musical theatre; script, score and character analysis;
acting and performance styles; creating and personalizing a
performance; and practical steps to a successful career. Also
provided are exercises, a bibliography of useful musical theatre
books, a discography of shows and songs cited in the book and
a list of useful video performances. [$30.95, Routledge]
Whether in musicals or not, there’s more to a successful
acting career than acting. Why do some actors make it while
others, equally talented, become waiters? Answers to this
and other common questions can be found in Paul Russell’s
Acting — Make It Your Business: How to Avoid Mistakes
and Achieve Success as a Working Actor. Speaking from his
experience as a casting director—plus insight gleaned from
interviews with working actors and agents—Russell covers
auditions, agents, handling rejection, contract negotiating,
money management, staying healthy and dealing with people.
[$19.95, Back Stage Books]
Acting teacher Michael Chekhov, who died in 1955, spent
his life creating what was then a completely new and radical
approach to acting. Fortunately, his lectures were recorded
and over the years have been available in various audio formats.
They are once again available in On Theatre and the
Art of Acting: The Five-Hour Master Class, spread across four
CDs and with an accompanying booklet. Covering material
not included in either of Chekhov's books (On the Technique
of Acting and
), these audio lectures include insight
into the art of characterization, short cuts to role preparation,
ways to awaken artistic feelings and emotions, avoid monotony
in performance, overcome inhibitions and build selfconfidence
as well as psycho-physical exercises and development
of the ensemble spirit. Newcomers to Chekhov’s
method might want to read On the Technique of Acting first,
since his CD lectures depend in part on concepts covered in
detail in that book. Sound quality of these vintage recordings
is hardly state of the art, but is more than acceptable. [$49.95,
Working Arts Library/Applause Theatre Books]
Monologues are great ways for actors to hone their craft—
at any age or artistic stage of development. And, of course,
they are useful for auditions or classroom instruction. A near
flood of collections for young people emphasizes not only
age-appropriate topics, but cultural awareness as well. A
good example is playwright M. Ramirez's three new collections:
My First Latino Monologue Book: A Sense of Character;
My Second Latino Monologue Book: A Sense of Place; and
My Third Latino Monologue Book: Finding Your Voice. Each
volume emphasizes a different aspect of Latino life, with each
monologue followed by an imagination or hidden-clue question
to get the actor to think more deeply about his or her
character. [$11.95 each, Smith and Kraus]
Another choice to consider is Children of the Sun:
Monologues and Scenes for Latino Youth, by Carlos Morton,
with a teacher's guide by Cecillia Aragon. Included are 35
scenes and monologues from Morton's plays with material
suitable for both Latin and Anglo performers and students.
[Players Press: www.ppeps.com]
Kristen Dabrowski’s My Second Monologue Book: Famous
and Historical People contains 100 monologues for young
children that focus on real-life characters such as Cleopatra,
Sir Walter Raleigh and Elvis Presley. Each monologue includes
an activity such as guessing the identity of the speaker, drawing
their picture or filling in blanks to create a diary entry.
Dabrowski’s My Third Monologue Book: Places Near and Far
emphasizes cultural diversity here and abroad, encouraging
students to gain information about geography, weather, traditions
and more. [$11.95 each, Smith and Kraus]
Rebecca Young’s 101 Monologues for Middle School
Actors includes “duologues” and “triologues,” which are
essentially scenes for two and three actors. Young clearly
understands how middle school students think and act and
what they like to talk about. She offers a wide range of topics
and characters that should appeal to young actors, whether
used in auditions or classroom assignments. [$15.95,
Meriwether Publishing]
26 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com

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Answer Box
|
By Thomas H. Freeman
Thinking Outside the [Sand] Box
Know Theatre uses humble cork for a magical realism effect.
All photography by Andrew Hungerford
The set of Militant Language: A Play With Sand used granulated cork to simulate sand.
The ductwork that held the cork. It’s resting on casters in the gridwork, and red rope
leads to a backstage position so that it can be shaken remotely.
When Know Theatre chose to produce Militant
Language: A Play with Sand by Sean Christopher
Lewis, theatre members knew that some inventive
thinking was called for. The play is set in an unnamed village
in Iraq, where servicemen are guarding a construction site
in an unnamed village. Just before the play’s action starts a
murder takes place; in response, sand starts falling from the
sky, following the characters PFC Goop and PFC Beed. It’s a
literal event in the action of the play—characters refer to the
oddness of the sand, at one point one even sticks their hand
in the stream—but it’s also a metaphorical touch, as the
purpose of the sand is never explained, only hinted at, perhaps
as trying to “cover something up.” It was up to Know
Theatre’s Set and Lighting Designer Andrew Hungerford to
physicalize the magical experience.
The set consisted of a landscape built out of plywood,
covered with industrial carpet and then a thin layer of
concrete. This would get covered with sand, which would
also fill a central channel, “the river.” But in researching
sand, Hungerford realized that it was unworkable due to its
weight, the dust it would cause and the price. After talking
with colleagues in the industry, Hungerford decided his
smaller theatre would borrow a trick from one of the largest
shows around, Cirque du Soleil’s Ka.
“What we ended up using was granulated cork,” says
Hungerford. As opposed to the Cirque production, though,
Hungerford needed a different style for his smaller, more
intimate theatre. “[It was] in two different grains: a very fine
grain and then a slightly coarser one so that we could have
it on the landscape of the set itself and also drop it from
the sky. It caught the air in a really interesting way. It had
enough weight to fall that it would still pick up some of the
air currents in the space and have a really interesting and
sort of ethereal look to it.”
The cork was spread over the set for the normal sand, but
a little more work was necessary for the falling sand. Because
of the intimate set, Hungerford could make two different
locations to drop sand from an upstage and downstage
location and still make it look as if the sand was following the
soldiers. In the gridwork above these locations, he placed
spiral-drilled cylindrical HVAC ductwork on casters. The cylinders
were connected with pulleys and rope to a backstage
position where stagehands could rock the ductwork on cue,
much like a snow bag. Hungerford originally experimented
with connecting the ductwork to a variable speed drill
motor. The motor was dimmable and could be controlled
from the booth, but it was too loud in the intimate space,
even with sound baffling.
In the end, low-tech worked best, creating an appropriately
magical, menacing effect, but there was still one
final issue with all the sand. “After the show we had to blow
out all of our light fixtures and our color faders,” laughs
Hungerford. “The fans in our color faders started sounding
really unhappy about a week into the run.”
28 January 2009 • www.stage-directions.com