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Dan Hernandez
Editor’s Note
Slowing the
Speed of Light
I love making theatrical discoveries.
Whether it’s a new play,
a new designer, a new troupe, a
new venue, a new way to interpret
text or a new staging technique
— whenever I’m surprised, whenever
there’s a new twist to be added
to the mix, I’m thrilled.
Sometimes, these new twists
are most easily recognized when
they’re technical in nature. While it’s popular to mock the
‘80s invasion of big British spectacle musicals, the fact is,
the first time that chandelier soared or the barricade came
together — that was thrilling. They were oversized stories,
staged in oversized ways.
But sometimes the thrill comes from a different direction.
I recently saw a production of Have You Seen Steve
Steven by Ann Marie Healy, produced by 13P in a small offoff-Broadway
house, and the show was terrifying. People
were shrieking with dread, even though the dialogue
consisted of talk about brownies. It was riveting and unsettling,
and while the tech element was well done, the effect
of the show came from the script, the direction and some
very strong performances.
So how do we resolve the human and technical elements,
and how does each camp get what it needs to make
a riveting show? In this month’s special section on lighting
and projection, you’ll note that, in one article, we talk about
some groundbreaking projection tools that companies are
using; we also talk to the actors working with these same
companies in another article. These new tools offer new
challenges to actors that go beyond just hitting your light.
Trying to remain present enough to tell a human story
while being mediated by a camera and a projector, and
without the benefit of multiple takes, can require new skills
and a different focus. Especially when the technicians are
probably facing challenges of their own.
It’s unfortunate that for most productions the tech
and the human elements don’t come together until tech
rehearsals, which are laborious, repetitive — and short.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that some of the companies
we talk to this month in our features on projection take a
long time to develop a new work. During this process, the
actors, designers and technicians all work together in the
same room and in real time to create the show. This isn’t
required — or even feasible — for all shows, but if you’re
looking to create something thrilling from both the human
and technical side, it’s one place to start.
Jacob Coakley
Editor
Stage Directions