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Behind t.&e scenes.
Although Roberta Denis didn't atep out on
the atage, she played a major role In "The
Elephant Mcm. • Denis. a Paul junior, apent
hours planning and deaigning the
coatumea. (photo by M. Touhey)
to help people. Angie Wheeler, a
St. Maries senior, has devoted many
hours to the theater and has been a
stage manager for several UI pro- ·
ductions. When asked what a stage
manager does, she laughed and
said, "Everything under the sun.
You act as a secretary, nursemaid,
organizer, disciplinarian and
scapegoat. You make sure
everything is in its proper place at
the proper time. You must think
quicker than the director - be one
step ahead of him and keep your
cool at all times. Believe me, it's difficult
sometimes."
Roy Fluhrer, chairman of the
theater department and a veteran
director and actor, believes that
much of the "magic" of the theater
depends on what happens
backstage, "There's magic within
most theatrical groups," he explains.
"And, within the audience.
That of the group comes from, I
hope, every member of the cast risking
himself by opening up to his
fellow actors. If this goes on behind
the stage as well, then it will become
one of those special evenings that
are memorable. If we can get the
audience to broaden their view of
the world - then the magic is really
there. It takes an awful lot of people
to make this real."
To create an exchange between
the actors and the stage crew, UI'S
theater program teaches its majors
about all aspects of production with
classes in lighting, stagecraft, makeup,
and costume design. "We
believe," explains Fluhrer, "that it
is important for an actor to know
what happens backstage. He's not
the only contributor to a production.
If the props, lighting, costumes,
make-up, sound and set people
don't do their job, the play will not
be that successful. That's why we
have the actor, along with the stage
crew, strike the set after the final
performance. It gives the group a
community.feeling - the circle."
And the circle is an important
metaphor of the theater. Before most
performances, the director calls
together the actor and stage crews
in the Green Room (a term used to
describe the room offstage where
the members of a production gather
during the performance). Before
each performance of "The Elephant
Man" Fluhrer called together his
crew and actors to talk with them.
"All right gang," he said before
"The Elephant Man's" opening performance,
"Here we are, waiting for
what you've worked so hard for to
begin. If you can't take pride in this
production if this doesn't make your
heart pound - your blood flow -
if you don't feel this, then you don't
belong here. Why do you think I
leave my family at home while I
spend every night here with you?
It's the theater that brings me here
and us together. And, we couldn't
do this without all of you. We're attached
- umbilical to umbilical. If
we can touch one person, that's the
difference. Do this for yourself, all
of you ...I love you.
Following Fluhrer's speech, the
crowd dispersed. Actors dashed to
the make-up room for that last touch
of rouge or that last squirt of hair
spray. Some sought a quiet comer
where they c ould draw into
themselves and their roles. The prop
people rushed backstage to wait for
their cues. The stagemanager and
the sound and lighting crew quickly
ran upstairs to man the boards.
The rest sprawled out in chairs or on
the floor to wait for that moment
when they must move the set.
Everyone had a task to perform and
sometimes this task included just
waiting.
Nicolette Carrell 0
Gi ving it all.
Even though it waa juat a reheraal. Mary
Jo Blumensheln and other a cton worked
at U it were opening nigh t. Blumensheln.
wh.o played Mrs. Kendall in "The Elephant
Man" tranled to Waahlngton D.C. with
John Morgcm to comepte for the Irecme
Ryan Drama Award. which Morgan won.
(photo by M. Touhey)
Behind the Scenes - Drama 27