behind theON THE COVER scenes Meet the folks in black and in back in Lexington’s theatre scene By Russell Mendez hen I speak to groups of young the- these things are needed for theatre. Some of did then you know what I mean when I say est of community theatres to the largest Watre people I always ask, “How many the best performances I have ever seen were magic of theatre. Broadway production, you will find the of you want to be the star of a show in a park or on the street corner. An actor and For those in back and in black, the same dedicated people doing the same job. standing stage center? Your name on the a writer and that’s all. But….when you do techies. A good show means the audience Each one ready to help a fellow techie in Marquee in lights and on the front of the use lights and sound et al. There is where the never noticed they were there. Every light, another theatre solve the problem. playbill?” Almost EVERY hand would shoot magic comes in. sound set, and costume quick change goes You don’t see them. You don’t know what up with excited noise. A helicopter lands on stage in Miss on time and without a hitch. they do. You don’t applaud them. Yet they are Then I ask, “How many of you want to Saigon…A HELICOPTER! The stage version Of course things go wrong. In this busi- the first in and last out of the theatre and they be in black clothes standing in the offstage of Lord of the Rings with its ungodly number of ness there are so many things that can go are there for every single performance. dark? MAYBE your name is the playbill. No turntables, lifts, drops, projections, special wrong, and do. There is no blame or fault— They are in back and in black. one in the audience knowing you are there?” effects, and flying set pieces. Any and all of only the problem to be fixed, right now, and You’ll get to know some of them a little One or two hands quietly rise. the Broadway Live Series at the Opera House. before the next cue. Lighting systems freeze better in this week’s issue. ■ Pointing to these few quiet ones, I tell the Did you see the fast, complex, and up. Sound computers crash. Actors rip the group “These people will always find work.” seamless scene changes in WCTAA’s Noises crotch out of their pants. And most of the time Russell Mendez is currently the Technical I have been a techie most of my life. Off? The simple and absolutely real dock and the audience never knows the difference. Director for the Lexington Children’s Theatre. He I absolutely believe you do NOT need river bank in Studio Players Catfish Moon. You can find a high level of can do atti- has worked is almost every theatre organization me and my kind to have a great show. The spot on costumes at Lexington tude and drive for perfection in the booth in the area in one way or another. He is the Guest Lights, sound, costumes, props…none of Children’s Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. If you and wings of every theatre. From the small- Editor for this week’s Ace Summer Theatre Issue. A Love Letter to Theatre Techs One Actor’s Perspective By Laurie Genet Preston rom an actor’s perspective, theatre the techies “get” for their work? All I know stairs during Macbeth, there stood a young techs are often the unsung and invisible is that they love it. They have to. No one man ready to catch me if I fell. And I did F“actors” of any theatre production. Not would endure crawling under the stage one night. Thanks to him, I suffered only a to get Bette Midler-in-Beaches on anybody nightly at an outdoor venue in the high heat bruise rather than a broken arm or neck. here, but theatre techs really are my heroes. of summer, if they didn’t love it. Or stay up There have been countless stage managers The men and women in black who light for three nights in a row designing and who handle medical emergencies, while the stage, make set pieces magically appear sewing costumes if they didn’t love it. The keeping the show running. and disappear, make sure the phones “ring” passion I have for theatre is mirrored in the “The show must go on!” is the battle cry at precisely the right moment, hand you the eyes of everyone who works on a produc- and I’ve witnessed stage managers and bowl of steaming spaghetti you are to tion. It is part of who we are. directors jump into roles when actor goes “serve” onstage, or help you change out of And we actors sometimes need more down. I have been oh-so-lucky thanks to one dress into a full bridal gown complete help than we let on while performing techs or the safe sets they have built. And with veil in 2.5 seconds are the actor’s best It’s part of the illusion, you know, to cre- goodness knows I cannot forget the people friend. Not to mention all the lovely artists ate a seamless world that we all share with who hoisted me down and up as I “flew” as who design and build beautiful productions the audience. But things go wrong. Oh my, the “Angel” in Angels in America. Poor folks, to capture just the right mood or complete do they ever! I can’t tell you how many times I still think of you now with love. the director’s vision. Theatre technicians or techs have “saved” me from a bounty of mis- Laurie Genet Preston has performed with almost As I sit here and write this, I keep “techies” are a rare breed indeed: a group of takes or mishaps, not to mention the count- every theatre group in town since 1991 and was thinking that when the lights, sound, set people rarely seen by the audience who less folks who have dressed me beautifully or last seen in Studio Players Catfish Moon and and costumes are well done and everything work solely for the love of theatre and not given me a beautiful environment to play in. directed and performed in Balagula Theatre's runs smoothly—the techs go unnoticed by for the applause or often any kudos of any While in Psycho Beach Party, my long, Lovesavers. the audience and I would even say some kind. Actors will tell you that they act for slinky, red, strapless dress’s zipper ripped actors. But without the techs? There’s a say- art’s sake and, yes, that is partly true. But open while I was being tossed around by ing that goes, “An actor without techies is any honest actor will tell you; we do it to another actor; there stood a lovely tech just and nimble fingers. Or, every night, as I just a person standing naked in the dark perform for the audience, too. So what do off stage right with a handful of safety pins raced down a flight of backstage “escape” trying to emote....” ■ ACE Weekly June 26, 2008 7 ON THE COVER team, notes from meetings and other memos to herself which she crosses off daily as she deals with them. She is also utilizing tech- nology to her advantage. The cast and crew can check in for updates and schedules on a BY A ‘HAIR’ Google message board specific to the show. When asked if a show can become an Just don’t call Natalie Cummins ‘Stage Manager’ academic exercise, Cummins agreed that there is much to learn on each production. By Meredith Nelson “With Hair we’re examining a defined period of time, and a particular class of people. hate to admit it but I’ve never taken ager acts as mother and drill sergeant, as the munity of people in order to have an effec- We’re spending a lot of time in rehearsal ask- a single theater class,” Natalie proper nexus point for communication tive theatrical production. I firmly believe ing ‘why is this line written this way? What “ICummins grimaces over her coffee. between the cast and the creative team. And that even if your entire team is composed of were the authors trying to say here?’” Theater classes or no, Cummins has risen to every person involved in a production is dif- outstanding professionals with years of Though the end of this summer’s produc- a prominent position as one of the area’s best ferent—necessitating some psychological experience, and you don’t have a sense of tion will open up more time for viewing stage managers through hard work, sacri- analysis when determining the best manage- community behind the production, it shows episodes of Doctor Who, Cummins is content in ficed hours, freakishly keen organizational ment approach for that individual. Some peo- straight through to the audience.” the moment. “There’s an energy to doing out- skills, an up-to-date relationship with tech- ple may need a shoulder to cry on, while oth- Staying calm under pressure and main- door theater that you don’t get anywhere else,” nology and a preternatural ability to decom- ers need to be left alone to practice their craft. taining a sense of purpose are some of she says.