A Week in the Shop
This week was a whirlwind of activity and excitement for the company and cast of Footlight Players! As our first week, we began with auditions for our four shows: the Campers (7-12 y/o) and Academy (13-17 y/o) Players each perform a musical and a play, with some kids even being double-casted in a play and a musical. Aside from the Camper and Academy ensembles, there is a Design/Tech/Management group. The "DTM" group is an option for Academy-aged Players wanting to try their hand at backstage work.
As the Scene Shop Intern, I work most directly with the DTM division, assisting the DTM coordinator, technical director, and set designer to provide this group an encompassing backstage experience. Projects that I have assisted so far includes work with power tools, paint, and props. Aside from my projects with DTM, I also have planned weekly lunch activities implemented twice during the week that all of the Players can choose to participate in. An example of a weekly lunch activity includes Wacky Wednesday, where Players have themed dress up days. This previous week's Wacky Wednesday theme was Twin Day, where the students were encouraged to dress up with another person to look like twins. I coordinated and facilitated the Wacky Wednesday parade the Players could choose to participate in to show off their goofy and creative outfits with their friends and peers.
In the shop, progress on the set for the shows has been going smoothly; this week, the scenic team and I have actually finished laying down the top layer of MDF for the floor (which included filling in a small gap in the floor on stage right), and proceeded to complete the painting of that floor today (which included about 5 different layers/concentrations of paint with a pause in between for lining). Construction has included filling unwanted caster openings in a platform with custom built wooden blocks, building knee (or stud) walls to create a raised upstage, and routing the stage to create smooth, even edges. We even made a moving platform (where I got to install my first caster!), which only brings us another step closer to a finished set. Monday morning, I will be up in the grid to help the Light Designer hang and focus lights, so everything is moving in the right direction!
While I have only completed my first week out here in Indiana, I already know that I have learned so much more than a classroom can teach in a safe and positive environment; I'm even building my own miniature 3D rendering with my teaching artist! Most importantly, I am bonding with youth that are loving the theatre experience that come in excited every morning to learn. I cannot wait to see what else is in store for this upcoming week -- stay close, readers!
