CMU School of Drama


Friday, September 18, 2015

Curran being reborn under construction

SFGate: “You really have to see this,” Carole Shorenstein Hays exclaims as she scampers up another backstage flight of metal stairs, past another warren of the small dressing rooms that occupy much of the compact upper floors on each side of the Curran Theatre’s large stage. “Isn’t this amazing?” she exults as she leads a visitor onto the narrow fly rail — at the same level as the top of the proscenium arch — where, during shows, stagehands manipulate the many thick rope, pulley and counterweight systems for all the curtains, sets, flying rigs and lights that must fall into place on cue.

1 comment:

Ruth Pace said...

In summary: The Curran Theater is using its construction phase as an excuse to deviate from its traditional fare of Broadway tours and large scale productions to more experimental theater, where the audience shares the stage with the performance. Reading this article reminds me of all the things that make my home in the San Francisco Bay Area home. No, we aren't Broadway, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a place more studded with talent and creativity than San Francisco.I think this article just serves to prove that. While other theaters might just use their periods of renovation to give much-needed vacations to their executive boards, the Curran, driven by the creative force of nature that is Carole Shorenstein Hays, has decided to use the time to change and become, however briefly, a different animal. Reading this article made me homesick in the best way possible, and when I return home during the winter, I may just take advantage to my proximity to this awesome project.