Welcome to the Arden Theatre Company blog, where we share behind-the-scenes stories and current happenings with you. You will hear from the Arden staff as well as actors and other visiting artists, and we hope to hear from you, too. If you have an idea for a topic, please post a comment about it. We can't wait to hear what you think!
Our all around Intern Fen is back with Part II of this exciting Backstage Access of Robin Hood!
by Kristina Chadwick, Charge Scenic Artist
Have you ever sat in math class wondering, “When am I ever going to use this?” Well, if you’re a Scenic Artist painting the set for a show like Robin Hood at the Arden, you’re going to have to do your math.
The painted tubes ready to go on the set.
The set for Robin Hood, which takes place in the Arcadia Theatre, is surrounded by an abstract forest comprised of many cardboard tubes, metal poles and pieces of lumber of varying diameters and widths. These tubes and boards line the walls of the Arcadia – all at a height of 14 feet from floor to ceiling – and also hang horizontally from the ceiling in a canopy of abstract branches. Additionally, the structure at the center of the set is made of steel poles. All of these tubes, poles, and boards are painted various shades of green from a bright lime color to an almost-black forest green.
(If you were to take every section of steel pole, every cardboard tube and every piece of painted lumber that decorates the stage, and then line them up end to end, they would stretch over a mile in length!)
Our Technical Director Glenn Perlman.
When preparing for a show like this one, you must know how much paint you will need to use. A good starting point is to figure the amount of square footage that needs to be covered by each type/color of paint that you need. Our Technical Director, Glenn Perlman, ordered a total of 300 cardboard tubes of varying diameters from 2 inches to 8 inches, all 14 feet in length. To find the square footage of each tube’s surface you must first find the circumference then multiply it by the length. The equation 2 x Radius x Pi (approx. 3.14) gives you the circumference. A 6-inch diameter tube would have the circumference of approximately 18.84 inches, or 1.57 feet. At a length of 14 feet with a circumference of 1.57 feet, each 6-inch diameter tube would have 21.98 square feet of surface area. There are 19 tubes of 6-inch diameter in the set for Robin Hood, meaning the total square footage of the 6-inch tubes was 417.62. One gallon of paint covers roughly 400 square feet; therefore you would need a little more than 1 gallon of paint for those 19 tubes. Similar calculations were made for the other diameters of cardboard tubes (2, 3, 4 and 8 inches), and for the various pieces of lumber and the steel pipes.
That's Me! Starting to paint the one of many trees.
Overall, we used nearly 10 gallons of paint for the set of Robin Hood, filling the Arcadia space with almost 4,000 square feet of green! That’s 1,000 square feet larger than a regulation Little League infield.
When you see the show, we hope you will feel inspired by the atmosphere and math all around you!!!
- Playwright Rogelio Martinez on the set of our 2011 Season Production of “Wanamaker’s Pursuit”
In conjunction with the March 27th international celebration of World Theatre Day, Rogelio Martinez, playwright of last season’s Wanamaker’s Pursuit, weighs in on the state of theatre today:
THE CRY OF AN ANGRY CHILD
It’s 3:00 in the morning and I can hear my four month old crying in her room. She’s hungry. Never mind that she ate two hours ago, she’s hungry now. She’s hungry and she’s letting us know. Afterwards I lie awake wondering what it must be like to have such strong needs. Surprisingly enough, this leads me to thinking about theatre today, and its struggle to survive.
Many believe that it’s long past the dawn of theatre. Some would argue that we’ve reached night and it’s lights out for everyone involved. However, the optimist in me believes we may be nearing another dawn. There’s no doubt that theater today is fighting for relevance. Today the cries our profession makes have never been sharper, louder. Like a child awake in the middle of the night, theatre can’t exist on its own. Secretary of State Clinton made famous an African proverb in her book, It Takes A Village. In today’s world, it is going to take more than a village to give theatre a new dawn. In fact, it is going to take a new attitude.
The new attitude I speak of has to do with understanding and embracing the basics of theatre. Theatre happens when the ideas of a few clash with the beliefs and sentiments of many. It is in that magical space between creator and audience where theatre happens. Unlike any other art form, theater needs an audience to come alive. Good theater unifies an audience early on. In other words, an audience of 5, 50, 250 suddenly finds that they are one. For two hours (shorter, longer) good theatre makes an audience whole. The power an audience feels when they’re united is exhilarating. It is inspiring. Theatre reminds audiences that at heart we are all social creatures.
Theatre’s uniqueness is what will guarantee it a new dawn. Technology is constantly helping us find new ways to be entertained, to engage the world around us. Alone. The price we pay for all this great technology is our relationship with others. Good theater continues to remind us that we are part of a larger whole. For theater to exist there must be at least two people in the audience collectively working as one.
What is theatre’s angry cry but the cry for us not to distance ourselves from others.
This morning CBS Philly’s Lindsey Lewis named the Top Upcoming Local Philadelphia Actors to look for this season. Among them were Arden Theatre Company alum Steve Pacek, Alex Keiper and Krista Apple!
Steve Pacek as Reverend Jim with Julia Gibson in our 2012 Production of "Clybourne Park".
Steve Pacek has been seen in many wonderful Arden productions such as James Joyce’s The Dead, Pacific Overtures, Franklin’s Apprentice, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie (Barrymore nomination), The Borrowers, and most recently Clybourne Park. We are so excited to have him back in the spring where he will be playing multiple roles in our next Children’s Theatre production of Robin Hood.
Alex Keiper as the Cannibal Princess in the 2011 Children's Theatre Production of "Flea and the Professor".
Alex Keiper was last seen on our stage in the 2011 Children’s Theatre production of The Flea and the Professor. Her feisty portrayal of the Cannibal Princess earned her a Barrymore Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical. She will back this May for Arden’s upcoming new musical Tulipomania with Jeffrey Coon, Ben Dibble, and Joliet F. Harris. Alex is also a member of the Arden Theatre Drama School Faculty, and she will be teaching our Acting and Musical Theatre classes on Saturdays now until May 15!
Krista Apple as Lady Montague with Frank X as Lord Montague in our 2010 Production of "Romeo and Juliet
Krista Apple first made her Arden debut in the 2008 production of Our Town In Old City. She was later in seen as Lady Montague/Balthasar in our recent production of Romeo and Juliet. When she is not busy acting, Krista is a writer for both American Theatre magazine and The Phiadelphia Theatre Initiative. Krista is also a fantastic teaching artist and will be teaching our Arden Drama School Teens this spring for an One Day Acting Worksop.
Eric Hissom as the title character in "Cyrano" running now through April 15, 2012.
by Catherine Logan, Marketing Assistant
It is no secret here at Arden Theatre Company how much I love the story of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. I knew that once I heard the announcement of our 2011-12 Season, Cyrano Translated and Adaptated by Michel Hollinger and Aaron Posner would be my favorite production this year. This classic story of unrequited love, beautiful daring poetry, and exciting swordplay captured my heart at a very young age when I read Rostand’s famous work in Mr. Leventhal’s Honors English class in Middle School.
We have received an overwhelming amount of feedback for this production. Here is what some of our audiences have to say:
We loved Cyrano. What a great adaptation and what great acting. You know what they say about a great show. Make them laugh, Make them cry and send them home happy. -Dennis, Havertown, PA
I was very very pleased with the play. Each character was wonderful and unique. The actor portraying Cyrano was magnificent. Kudos to him. -Gail, Cherry Hill, NJ
Wow! I attended with my husband and my daughter who is 9. Cyrano is a favorite story with all of us. We really, really enjoyed the show which prefectly captured the comedy and tragedy of the story. -Lhianna, Philadelphia, PA
Roxane (Jessica Cummings) falling in love with Christian (Luigi Sottille). Little Does she know it is Cyrano (Eric Hissom) who is teaching Christian how to woo her.
This is the third or fourth production of the play that I’ve seen, not counting reading Rostand in French and the various films. They are all different. Yours was probably the funniest. This is not a put-down of Eric Hissom, who did a terrific job in the lead, but usually the actor who plays Cyrano is a really good-looking fellow who just has a large nose, whereas in your production, Hissom looks more like an ordinary guy, proboscis or no, so he is more believable in the role. -Joan, Blackwood, NJ
I had come home for spring break from my college (University of Southern California) really craving a good night of theatre…and Cyrano was that and much more.…my only complaint about Cyrano was that it ended. -Zach, Philadelphia, PA
By: Jessica West, Associate Production Manager
I recently remarked to a friend that Superior Donuts just might make it into my “Arden Top 10” list. He replied, “Well if YOU say Donuts is in the top 10 that means something to me.” That one small comment got me thinking. How many Arden productions have I seen over my 10½ years with the company? Could I distill those 73 productions into a tidy list of ten shows?
Jessi’s Arden Top 10 List - in no particular order
1. Opus (2005-2006 Season)
Words. Words. Words. This play is all about the words for me. The dialogue and language are lovely and markedly relatable. You really care about the quartet members and their relationships as you follow their story.
2. History Boys (2009-2010 Season)
It’s an amazing story with engrossing characters and some truly fantastic dialogue. In addition to those top notch elements, I loved the elegance of the scene transitions in this piece. Jorge Cousineu’s musical selections coupled with the dance-like choreography and the wheeled desks gave the scene changes that feeling of in between class hustle and bustle that I remember so vividly from my own experiences in private school.
3. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (2009-2010 Season)
The kids in preview performances were so excited that they were quite literally quivering in their seats as the Mouse wrecked havoc on the Boy’s kitchen. In a world where everything was 1.42 times bigger than real life, big props and furniture translate into big fun for actors and audiences alike.
4. Superior Donuts (2010-2011 Season)
It isn’t the amazing set, the super talented cast or the fantastic script that puts Donuts on my list. It is the collective and commanding reaction of the audiences to the piece. There are moments during the play when the entire audience laughs, sighs and gasps together. Now that shows some personal investment in the characters you’re watching.
5. Sweeney Todd (2004-2005 Season)
Epic is the word that comes to mind when I think of our production of Sweeney Todd. The entire room was integrated. Lines between audience member and participant were blurred. Oh and there is also the sweeping score and the astounding amount of blood to consider. Bloody great show!
6. Go, Dog. Go! (2007 – 2008 Season)
This show exudes joy and enthusiasm from start to finish. The feeling you get from an audience of energized, engaged kids makes producing children’s theatre profoundly rewarding. This candy colored tour de force had them tittering from the time MC Dog rolled onstage in skates until the Big Dog party at the end. Silliness was celebrated and my heart was won many times over by MC Dog, Blue Dog, Yellow Dog, Green Dog, Spotted Dog, Backstage Dog and Red Dog (or as I like to call him Tall Dog).
7. Stinky Cheeseman (2005-2006 Season)
If Go, Dog. Go! was pure joy realized on stage than Stinky Cheeseman was pure chaos. Well executed and highly choreographed chaos, mind you, but chaos nonetheless. Jack never stopped running around and neither did the crew!
8. Sideway Stories From the Wayside School (2003-2004 Season)
Gym teachers that scale buildings, evil teachers who turn students into apples and dancing pigtails…what’s not to love? I still have one of the pictures from Mrs. Gorp’s classroom hanging in my office.
9. A Year with Frog and Toad (2004-2005 Season & 2008-2009 Season)
There are 3 things you can’t dispute. Both Frog and Toad shows were beyond cute, the design teams were really quite astute and Toad looks funny in a bathing suit. The second iteration of this show holds special meaning for me. I took friend Stephen and his kids (Evan, Age 6 ½ and Aliyah, Age 3 ½) to the show. I was skeptical that Aliyah would be able to make it until the end but she sat in her dad’s lap transfixed by the actors. They now have what their father calls “a strong love for anything theatre”. That is exactly the kind of effect we hope to have on our young audience members and it’s humbling to know that we can and do just that.
10. Caroline, or Change (2006-2007 Season)
The set, lights, costumes, music, voices, acting…everything was beautifully executed and made me stand in awe of the group who collaborated to create the production. There is a moment when the radio girls descend the stairs during “Salty Teardrops “; their dresses seeming to emanate sparks of light from within. The backlight is practically electrifying the air while illuminating the rain drops falling to the stage floor. As their voices swelled, that moment made my breath catch in my chest and I realized that…this is why I do theatre.
Honorable Mentions: Baby Case (2001-2002 Season), Assassins (2007-2008 Season), Peter Pan (2009-2010 Season), All My Sons (2002-2003 Season), The Dinosaur Musical (2005-2006 Season), and The BFG(2006-2007 Season)
***I know the challenge was to limit the list to only 10 shows but since these were all strong contenders, I’ve included some honorable mentions.
Stay tuned for “Arden Top 10” lists from other staff members that have been working at the Arden more than 10 years.
By Megan Staples, Development Assistant
Click Here to Email Your Representative
We at the Arden believe in the power of the arts to strengthen communities, and we are not alone. The nonprofit arts industry in the U.S. generates over $166 billion annually in economic activity, employs over 5 million people, and returns over $12 billion in federal income taxes. Arden Theatre Company prides itself on creating more than just great theatre, and moved to Old City in 1995. Two decades later, Old City is a thriving hub of activity, with enough foot traffic to support an array of local businesses.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives will bring to the floor a Continuing Resolution appropriations package that proposes to cut dozens of federal agencies, among them National Endowment for the Arts (“NEA”), the National Endowment for the Humanities (“NEH”), Community Development Block Grants, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It is also possible that additional amendments to further cut or completely eliminate these programs will be introduced on the floor this week.
NEA and NEH dollars are the critical lifeline helping state and local budgets survive. Drastic reductions in funding will not only affect arts programs nationwide, but will decrease the incredible return on investment these funds yield for federal, state and local treasuries. As Americans for the Arts President & CEO Robert Lynch noted in a press statement, “The administration request of $146 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is a decrease of $21 million from the $167.5 million that Congress appropriated last year. The arts community recognizes the shared sacrifice being asked of all federal agencies to help reduce our national debt and is willing to do its part. President Obama had acknowledged in his State of the Union that it was time to prioritize and identify the programs and agencies that work and invest in them to ‘win the future.’ The NEA is one of those agencies. It helps create jobs and drive economic activity … and is part of the solution to returning our economic vitality.”
NEA grants support a wide range of projects, which include invaluable educational programming. Many Philadelphia-based arts education programs are currently at risk due to the economic downturn; on the other hand, the NEA’s recent grants have made it possible for these organizations to continue to support the region’s students. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance received $250,000 from NEA in 2009 to distribute to eligible arts groups impacted by the economy. The funds redistributed by NEA directly benefited individual arts education programs, and allowed underserved students the possibility to experience the joy of the arts in Philadelphia.
It is our hope that you will help us communicate to Congress and President Obama’s Administration the vital benefits that the creative sector has on both our communities and our economy. The arts stimulate our economy; NEA and NEH grants ensure access to the arts for underserved population.
Please use the following link to tell Congress that you support the arts and arts education: Click Here to Email Your Representative.
By Paul Arebalo, Jr., Production Fellow
The Arden has recently opened up a new seasonal staff opportunity called the Production Fellowship. And I am the guy who fills those shoes this season. I am overjoyed with this experience, which has informed my career path and my passion for theatre.
Throughout this program, I work as the second-hand to the different departments within production – scenery, running crew, properties, wardrobe, electrics/sound and paints – fulfilling a necessary role during all stages in mounting a seven-production season. So far, the Production Staff works with me in achieving my personal goals as a young professional, pursuing a career in stagecraft. They are an open-ear to my queries and concerns about this ever-changing field and provide much very valuable feedback. Their individual perspectives on the creative process enliven the collaboration that fundamentally guides theatre and give promise to my work as a craftsman and technician. Through the Fellowship and through active attendance at production and staff meetings, technical rehearsals, previews and opening nights, I have been a firsthand witness to how a company pulls together as a team.
As the Production Fellow, I have had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most dedicated, hardworking and proficient people in their disciplines, both in and out of production. Just being in the presence of established field professionals, including designers, directors, and technicians, has given me the chance to network and receive their institutional knowledge.
Moreover, this program has cultivated my skills and my portfolio, whose new works alone any potential employers would deem worthy of consideration. As of yet, I have been introduced to new practices in rigging, the safe use of foam, adhesives and other props-building materials, scenic painting techniques, wardrobe maintenance, and lighting programming on the Express 250 and ION boards. Additionally, the Fellowship allows me independent chances to provide technical support to some of Arden’s special events and to better its technical shops/storage, including props, set, electrics and costumes. The Fellowship provides a greater footing in this industry, being able to appraise my skills, develop greater work ethic, and to have the referential support of co-workers who know my process as well as my product.
Undoubtedly, at the end of my stay (sadly, ending May 13), I will owe much more to the Arden. In my journey, I hope to do good on repaying this debt and to reflect well upon this company’s good name. The Production Fellowship has the admirable capacity to train future leaders in the performing arts community; in this, I hope that this program will continue for seasons to come.
[Interested in seeing some of the projects the Production Fellowship has offered? Please feel free to visit my online portfolio at www.parebalodesigns.com or email me with further questions at parebalo@ardentheatre.org]
By Courtney Riggar, Production Manager
Hopefully this will be the first in a series of blog entries to keep you up to date on what some of our visiting artists are up to when they are not working here at the Arden. We work with many talented designers, who quickly become part of our family, so it is nice to keep up with them when they’re out and about.
You may have first seen Justin Townsend’s work on Caroline, Or Change
where he was the lighting designer. Caroline provided me with many goose bump moments, but my favorite moment by far was when the Radio started to sing Salty Teardrops and the stage was bathed in a beautiful blue with the moon glowing overhead and slowly rain started to fall upstage. This counts among my top ten best theatre moments of all time, and I still get goose bumps just thinking of that song. That was my first season at the Arden, and it was at that very moment that I knew I had finally found a home.
Justin has gone on to design the lights for several more shows here for us. He created a wonderfully simple beauty in Our Town, his Auto Da Fe was electric in Candide, and he brought order to chaos in Sunday in the Park with George. He has also collaborated with Terry in New York for the Primary Stages production of Opus.
So what is Justin up to these days? He is the lighting designer of Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson currently running on Broadway in the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson is a wild and crazy take on the life of; you guessed it, Andrew Jackson. It is a little bit history and a little bit rock ‘n roll. Check out the New York Times review of the show. It includes photos that showcase Justin’s work.
This is Justin’s first Broadway design, and here at the Arden we couldn’t be more thrilled that our friend is finding great success. We are also looking forward to his return to us here at the Arden. We don’t know when that will be just yet, but rest assured you haven’t heard the last of Justin Townsend.
Now that spring is in the air, we are planning our “summer projects”. In the short time we have between productions and rehearsals, every department has things we want to catch up on. One of the biggest projects upcoming for our 2010 summer break is the renovation of our rehearsal hall and backstage areas.
These renovations will be overseen by Kieran Timberlake, the architects that renovated the Arden when we first moved to N. 2nd Street in 1995, including the design of our F. Otto Haas Stage. Our relationship with the firm has definitely grown since then! Richard Maimon, a principal at Kieran Timberlake is an Arden board member and James Timberlake, a partner at the firm, is a member of the Arden’s Sylvan Society.
While the Arden’s rehearsal hall renovation is certainly a large undertaking
for us, Kieran Timberlake has something even bigger on the horizon. They were recently selected to design the new US Embassy in London. You can read about their embassy design and see photos from The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Washington Post. The Arden is proud to have such prestigious collaborators!
We’ll be sure to post updates on our summer projects, including these renovations, so keep checking the blog!
