Directors Meeting

Directors Meeting

At 3pm, a mid-way point in the day, the directors gather with the stage managers and design team. Stage plots are drawn on sheets of paper, updates of prop gathering are reported and frankly, what the directors have to live without happens right about now. It's the download for the stage managers and a reality check for the directors.

and the directors chime in...

#1 Richard

Ringo needs something to sit on. Is it easier for me to say it starts on stage? Yes, always. Let’s do that then. Let’s make it easier. (stage managers love to hear this, Miranda smiles!)

Do you have light changes?

Oh yeah -we change locations. Recording studio to Peter Sellers yacht and back to recording studio. Made everyone laugh to think we have the Beatles and Peter Sellers yacht as an opening show.

And lights?

Yes, I’ve talked with Dante regarding lights. It’s all set yes, so I will simply put my deck chair where it needs to be so we can have light.

Good answer, replies Dante.

#2 Stan

Biggest design element is a door. Stan asks – is there a door yet?

Still working on it. There's a door but the hinges are not going to work. We’re still working on it. - There is a whole conversation about the fact that the script says, “can I get in the door, will you let me in the door etc. “ - a curtain really will not work, we need an actual door.

OK. So far, it’s not quite right. Design challenge at it’s finest. but confidence that it will appear somehow, someway.

#3 Opal

Captain Awesome (Miranda Pratt) starts out - you are booth lady? Don’t know if I like you, Alright bench lady, go for it.

Machine Peechy dives in. Many internal lights up and lights down. We are just going to q to q through that in tech. Band is going to add sounds for the shifts. Band and design are all working on the same paper right now. Set is simple. Actors will set their plates since it has food on them. Verified that the only thing the actors have to deal with is their plates. Booth or bench (wasn’t quite clear) will be fixed with handles for easier on and off moveability for the deck crew. Lots of details on this one but it seems Opal has it under control.

#4 Andy

The table and chairs that show 2 uses, we can use (love you, says the captain) andy shows were the table and chairs go on the set plot. Baby and the mortar and pestle is still needed. Anything?

Design Michael responds- We have a call out for a baby. Runner is working as hard as she can right now.

Andy suggest a back up. If we don’t have a baby by five can you please give us some sheets wrapped up, my actor needs to work with the prop so if not by five, let’s do something simple for her. Sound q’s and isolated lights look have been discussed with tech crew. Will make sound the priority but will try to get the lights as an additional. Needs a wire to attach something. Michel says a wire? Ok, he says as he writes the not on his palm with a ‘what the fuck’ smile on his face. His phone rings…Hi mom…all laugh as he walks away and talks to his mum.

#5 Charles

First question - how wide is the bower? Michael describes it, Charles jumps with joy. Perfect, he needs them to be stuck inside it. Internal lights talked briefly with dante. No props needing set. Except the bower. You’re my favorite thus far, responds the stage manager. Thank you.

(ok, if you could be a fly on a wall. Jodi calls a place today looking for a wedding bower to rent. When do you need it, you can imagine the person asking on the phone. Oh today, replies Jodi. How may of those calls do they get and what goes through their minds. And then the bower arrives and can barely hold two people side by side. I guess you’re suppose to stand in front of it and not underneath it. It’s perfect for this show however.

#6 Jaime

Super easy peasy… ideally the sign is seen and if snow has happened…

Do we have something for them for snow? Sure, getting there. She’s late in the day. There’s a three hole punch and scrap paper in the office. Ok, Jaime says I can go ahead and create snow while my actors run lines. One sound cue, when the actors lock horns. One internal light cue, the nose in the box. Pretty simple, hopefully. Simple enough.

#7 Paul

Just need a bench. Small enough for two people. The dragon’s lair can either be represented or it can just be going off stage. Chooses to make it a off stage choice. (ahh the instant choices made with conviction, a beautiful thing to witness in any given creative process.) it’s big, so we just need an empty stage that they can run around in. It will be mostly sound heavy with a couple specific lighting things.

Ok-Captain Awesome, how do you think it’s going to go?

A lot of tech compared to last week. It’s taking Saturdays tech and doubling it. What is going to happen tomorrow. It’s been an increasing train…

And designer, Michael?

Props are going to be tough. Runners still out looking and lots of custom built stuff and costumes, oh my god, costumes… (all this said with a that smile that such challenges bring this die hard vet!)

The directors all peeled off one by one to head back to their corners to create and shape, create and shape. Time is closing in now.