Blog Entries from Our Town
All “Our Town” Designer Presentations Now Online!Posted February 20th, 2009 by Marketing InternHey everyone, After weeks of shaking my fist at YouTube’s deliriously slow uploading speed, I finally have all of the designer presentations from the first rehearsal online. Pretty interesting lot, especially after viewing our current production: Thoughts? The designers sound pretty confident in the effectiveness of their designs—after seeing the show, do you agree? How effective were they? What Does "No Set" Look Like?Posted February 5th, 2009 by Marketing InternIn his stage directions for "Our Town," Thornton Wilder famously stated: "No curtains, no scenery." To Thornton Wilder's contemporaries, seeing a empty stage was shocking--yet today, audiences are fairly used to blank stages. Indeed, to a modern audience, a stage with only a few chairs and a table seems almost amateurish. Yet without using Wilder's (carefully dictated) empty stage, how does one effectively convey Wilder's themes of loss and the transient nature of human life? John Musial has a few ideas. By hanging objects from the ceiling, Musial makes the blank stage appear as not only a definite choice, but as a somewhat precarious and delicate one. However, while the set rendering (as seen on the video) looks quite beautiful--indeed, almost peaceful--the "detrius" that is beginning to be hung from the ceiling seems slightly more foreboding. 
Even the cast can't resist glancing up at the ceiling, half in awe, half in hope of a warning sound when the piano comes loose. How, then, do we calm our fears about death, dying, instability? Through community--through talking to one another and realizing our interconnectedness. Don't have a place willing to untangle these ideas? Come join Lookingglass for a night. We've still got a few tickets left. 
"Our Town" Rehearsal PhotosPosted January 28th, 2009 by Marketing InternCompany members mentioned in this entry: David Catlin, David Schwimmer, Andy White, John Musial, Louise Lamson, Tracy Walsh and Raymond Fox Artistic Director David Catlin snapped some photos of his fellow castmates during tablework for "Our Town"--the time when the director (in this case, directors!) leads the cast through the script, discussing everything from dialect to syntax.
It's fun to imagine what John is pitching to Alex and Kevin. "You ever think about hanging a real, honest-to-God churchbell up there? We'll ship it over--won't take a minute. I know a guy in Indiana..." And don't worry--while Catlin isn't in any of his own photos, you'll see a lot of our Artistic Director when he steps onstage in "Our Town" as Dr. Gibbs. Come to think of it, you'll also see our Artistic Director of New Work, Heidi Stillman, as Mrs. Gibbs, and perhaps even Nina O'Keefe, our Manager of Education Programs (who is understudying a variety of roles in the production). Someone'd better send Phil Smith a card or something-- as Producing Artistic Director, he's holding down the three-pronged "Artistic Director" fort all by his lonesome self. Better yet, post your well-wishes here. I'll be sure to pass them along. Live-Blogging the "Our Town" Read-through! Part TwoPosted January 22nd, 2009 by Marketing Intern12:01 - The designer presentations continue. The assistant costume designer passes around sketches of the costumes. Lots of white dresses for the first two acts, darker colors for the third. Schwimmer: What’s Emily’s costume going to look like?” “The skirt’ll be made of ombre… do you know what that is?” All of us stare blankly. Schwimmer: No. The silence stretches uncomfortably. Schwimmer: Unless you mean a Latino male. The whole room kind of loses it. Anna: THAT’S why this play is so expensive! 12:16 - Kevin O’Donnell, the sound designer, is up next. Echoing Anna and Jessica, he talks about the time moving not just linearly, but vertically—our current moments intersect with the ripples of what will come. “I’m sitting here, yet I’m already dead—as that’s what my fate holds.” We all shuffle uncomfortably. 12:23 - Ten minute break. There are still some cookies left. Woo! I pass Alex Blunt, the production manager, who is staring at the pastel set rendering. “John Musial, is that a toilet hanging from the ceiling?” 12:35 - The actors start to bring up questions about the “logic of the space.” Uh-oh. Catlin asks about dialects. There won’t be any dialects in the show, answers Anna, but one should be aware of the “limits of language in the past, but the continuity of emotion.” Anna further explains her concept of the space, emphasizing the importance of conjuring up the audience’s own memories—to “make the audience remember what it’s like.” Yet without being self-referential! Nor an indictment about how one SHOULD be feeling! This is all sounding a touch tricky, though I suddenly recall the designer presentations. Anna and Jessica DID just get everyone to cheerfully accept walking under precariously hung pianos, bathtubs, and kitchen tables for two months. If they can lead the actors there, they can surely lead them many places. 12:54 The read-through begins. Everyone shuffles around to be nearer to their scene partner. I’m now pressing my knees against the back of Christine Mary Dunford. This isn’t awkward at all. Joey Slotnick begins. “In this play, you will see Mr. Catlin, Mr. Cox, Ms. Dunford, Ms. Eason, Mr. Fox, Mr. Kersner, Ms. Lamson, Mr. Schwimmer, Ms. Stillman, Ms. Walsh, Mr. White…” Here, he glances at Kevin Douglas, the only one not mentioned. “And many others.” We all laugh, hesitating to stop, knowing what’s to come. 2:05 - The next notable laughter is here—more of a quiet, rueful outburst—at Joey’s line “…and a number of people who thought they were quite young and spry have noticed that they can’t bound up a flight of stairs like they used to, without their heart fluttering a little.” Everyone settles down quickly, watching. 2:45 - End of the read-through. Several actors reached for a tissue, and many others seemed have suddenly come down with a head cold. Why does everyone cry at the end of “Our Town”? Is it that people realize that there isn’t really any difference at all between Grovers Corners and their own communities? And that they will all ultimately be separated from their community by death? Or is it that they are not privy to such a support system at all (a la Simon Stimson, the town drunk/choirmaster)? Or is it something else entirely? Thoughts? Live-Blogging the "Our Town" Read-Through! Part OnePosted January 15th, 2009 by Marketing Intern11:07 - Sara Gmitter, the stage manager, calls the meeting to order. We (the cast, the designers, the Lookingglass admin staff, and we overeager interns) are all crammed into a rehearsal room—the cast are arranged around a square of tables in the center of the room, and everyone else is sitting in chairs along the wall. Tight quarters. My knees are pressed awkwardly against the back of David Kersnar’s chair. Brilliant! Someone’s provided bagels. And cookies. I try not to get any cream cheese on either Kersnar or Laura Eason, who has just sat down next to us. David Catlin takes a seat next to Kersner. “Do you have lipgloss on?” It’s suddenly not hard to imagine these guys as nineteen year-old theater geeks. 11:09 – Catlin reveals that, at the inception of Lookingglass, he swore never to do “Our Town.” So why’d he change his mind? He’s elusive on this point. Drat. Maybe the ensuing read-through will shed some light on the subject. 11:16 - Vince Malouf, the Marketing Assistant, brings up our desire to film rehearsals. Some are a bit hesitant. “What exactly will you be filming?” asks an actress. “Bathroom breaks, mostly,” Phil Smith deadpans. 11:20 - Sara Gmitter introduces the actor packets. She’s included wallet cards with important phone numbers and the detailed run dates. Whoa. Best stage manager ever. “The parking info’s all in your packets. I can’t validate anyone, except to say that you’re all wonderful.” Silence. “You’re all wonderful,” Sara repeats. Ah, one of those “thinking man” jokes. I need to step up my game. 11:38 - Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica Thebus, both dressed in black, stand in unison. Anna gestures to Vince. “Camera, please.” We titter. The two begin to read their opening statements to the cast, sometimes in unison, sometimes alone—the coordination is too smooth to be spontaneous. I suddenly feel strangely touched that they already are so invested in this production and this company. 11:47 - Anna explains that, in Thornton Wilder’s time, having “no set” was very shocking, but today, a blank stage is not uncommon. So how can one effectively express the feeling of emptiness? Set designer John Musical pulls out his set concept picture, drawn in pastels on a black canvas. To Lookingglass, “no set” seems to mean suspending seemingly thousands of found objects from the ceiling. Chairs. A piano. Props from community theaters around Chicagoland along with Lookingglass detritus. “We’re rebuilding the moon from “The Master and the Margharita” says John proudly. There are murmurs of approval. “We still have that?” “Didn’t we steal that from someone?” Heidi: “We borrowed it!” Jessica reminds us that all these items will outlast us—that everything from our coffee cup to our old photographs tend to have the last laugh. We sober up a bit. Ensemble Member Tracy Walsh Interviews "Our Town" Co-directors Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica ThebusPosted January 9th, 2009 by Marketing InternThis Winter's show, Our Town, will be co directed by Jessica Thebus and Anna Shapiro. Ensemble Member Tracy Walsh was able to catch up with Anna, asking her about the challenges of co-direction, the appeal of Lookingglass as a company, and trapezes. Tracy: What inspired you to take up Our Town at this point in your life, and this time in history? Anna/Jessica: We both have long been admirers of the play - it's a beautifully drawn picture of how we all actually live our day -to-day lives: occupied by tasks, distracted from wishes, hoping for the best and waiting for the worst, just living. For the two of us, who grew up in the same place and have followed similar paths, we now find ourselves closer to the end of our lives than the beginning. It's not a bad thing or a scary thing. life and its inescapable journey is one all humans share. If we begin in the same way and meet where we end, perhaps we should take better care of one another along the way. Not a bad idea at this point in time, we think. Tracy: Why did you bring the project to Lookingglass? Anna: Well, we are all contemporaries and we hoped that the Lookingglass ensemble would see the play through a similar prism. You have literally lived your lives together. In each other is contained the image and echo of your own youthful selves. To contemplate the life of a community - both its beginning and its end - seemed an appropriate imaginative exercise and one that would speak beautifully to you and through you. Plus, we thought it would be fun because we love you guys. Tracy: How will you divide directing duties? Did you agree that one person would handle one aspect of directing, for example, " I will direct the Gibbs family and you direct the Webb family", or is it going to be a more organic process? Anna/Jessica: I will direct the synchronized swimming and Jessica will direct the ponies. Honestly, we have worked together unofficially for years. We enjoy what the other brings to our work informally, so this is not really a huge leap. Our conversations so far have been very fluid and easy - we share the same ideas about the play so when we talk about the expression of those ideas, we just throw a few things out there and then pick the one we like the most. The key is that the role of the director hasn't changed. We will be as organized in terms of our communication to the company as we can. Actually, this does create more work, because whereas one director saying "maybe this" or "maybe that", might be okay, two directors doing that would seriously impair the actors. So maybe we are being more diligent in the articulation of our ideas. That or you are all pretending we are just to be nice. Which is fine. You are very nice people. Tracy: Will Emily and George be getting married on a trapeze? Anna: Look, the harnesses are already up, so get ready. They don't let us fly at Steppenwolf. Congratulations to Chicago Tony Award Winners!Posted June 16th, 2008 by erikschroederSunday, June 15, 2008 was a big night for Chicago theatre. Not only did Chicago Shakespeare take home the Tony Award for Regional Theatre, but the Broadway production of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's August: Osage County won Best Play, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play and Best Scenic Design. The award we are most excited about, of course, is Anna D. Shapiro winning Best Director of a Play. We are honored to have Anna come to Lookingglass in the spring of 2009. She will co-direct our production of Our Town along with Jessica Thebus. The production will feature Ensemble Members Thomas J. Cox, Christine Mary Dunford, Laura Eason, Raymond Fox, David Catlin, David Kersnar, David Schwimmer, Joey Slotnick, Heidi Stillman, Tracy Walsh, and Andrew White with Artistic Associate Louise Lamson. Designers include Ensemble Member John Musial (scenic design) and Artistic Associate Andre Pluess (sound design), with Janice Pytel (costume design), J.R. Lederle (lighting design) and Kevin O’Donnell (music composition). The production stage manager will be Artistic Associate Sara Gmitter and the assistant stage manager will be Production Affiliate Patia Bartlett. The only way to guarantee your seats to this remarkable reunion of Lookingglass Ensemble Members is by subscribing to our 2008-2009 Season, which includes The Brothers Karamazov, Our Town, and The Arabian Nights. Ensemble and company participation is at an all-time high for this season, with more than 25 company members participating as actors, directors, writers, designers and stage managers. We hope you will join us - subscriptions start at just $81 for all three plays! Click here for more information about subscribing. | More from Our TownArtAntica Articles
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