Tuesday, September 06, 2016
Really Behind The Scenes
sightlines.usitt.org: We like to hide what we do. In fact, we invest in elaborate systems of curtains and track, or skillfully placed architectural features to prevent the audience from seeing the lighting equipment in use, the motion control mechanics, the quick change booth, as well as hiding the crew that is working hard to assist in bringing the show to life in performance. Yet, there are times that all of our efforts to prevent folks from knowing what we are doing can backfire.
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I understand that sometimes it feels that us theatre technicians feel as though we receive little credit for what we do. Our long hours of work: hanging lights, rehearsing quick changes, and laying in automation tracks sometimes goes unnoticed. However, we did not sign on for applause. We practice technical theatre because we enjoy being part of the magic that goes unseen. Sometimes we go a little too unnoticed, and definitely need compensation for the work that we put in, however, showcasing the technical elements of a production to it's audiences does not make sense. Most come to the theater to see a story being told, not to hear how the moving wall works. I think the "behind the scenes magic" should be left to Expos, conventions, and people who seek out this information, not the average theater goer.
Having been the production stage manager of my high school shows and walking out of the theater after each show and seeing all the actors get praise and not having anyone say good job can be hard. Its even worse when they say good job with the lights and thats all they think I did for the show. However no D&P student goes into this for the praise. Yes sometimes it is nice to hear from an audience member good job but thats rare. Also I feel like with most jobs people do not get recognized for there hard work. its just that actors will always get some sort of acknowledgment which makes the people behind the scenes want acknowledgement too.
In this article I have to disagree with the author saying there should be talk backs so people can learn more. I agree that it would be cool for more than the average theater goer to learn more, I think it should be left a mystery. Or if people actually care there are many conventions across the country that will explain these things!
Well, when the directive comes from down on high (the USITT President), then you better do it.. But Mark Shanda does really have a point. Anecdotally, when I speak with a family member or friend about theatre/entertainment and the technical design and production that goes into it, they barely have a clue. The “magic of theatre” works surprisingly well on them, and it is nearly inconceivable to them the amount of work that must be done. So yes, I totally get how backstage tours, pre-show audiences, talkbacks, and technical lobby displays might pull back the curtain on the “magical” work that we as technicians and designers do. I was particularly intrigued by his suggestion to display technical solutions to other departments on campus. Thinking about it though, I suppose it is reasonable that other departments, such as the physics department mentioned, might be both intrigued and impressed by a typical automation set up. Certainly, greater awareness of the arts can never hurt.
In class today, a few classmates and I talked about the unfortunate reality that during the Tony's, the performers usually get a lot of camera time whereas the designers rarely get shown in front of the camera. Across the entertainment industry, people who hold technical roles never receive as much recognition as the performers do. In theater, as my peers have pointed out above, designers and technicians are much less well-known despite the importance of their works. When the world takes theater (or any type of performance art) as more of an entertainment rather than an art, it tends to pay more attention to those under the spotlight -- the celebrities -- instead of those who are the backbones of a production. I think it is really important to educate the audience on the artistic value of theater, which does so much more than just putting on a show. In my opinion, theater is the most versatile art form. As technology advances, people experiment with different forms of media and expand the boundary of storytelling. It provides social commentary while introducing new visions for the future. Theater is on the absolute forefront of artistic and technological experimentation, and this wonderful experimentation can never be done without the creative works of designers and technicians. This is kind of the reason why I decided to leave my original field of electrical and computer engineering and come explore media design in drama. I have infinite respect for the designers in drama, because they have the talent and audacity to create new realities with all the technological tools available. Their works are extremely interdisciplinary and should be appreciated in the tech field as well. The creativity of designers and technicians in the world of theater definitely deserve more recognition. They are not necessarily celebrities, but they are artists.
I understand and respect both sides of this issue. I think that it is interesting to see how all of the theatrical "magic" is done, but at the same time, it's called magic for a reason. In certain situations, pulling back the curtain can be a great way for people to enjoy the show in a different way. For example, as Mark Shanda points out, college theatre programs can benefit from having tech talkbacks after the show. Especially here at CMU, a very engineering oriented school, I think such an event would greatly interest people in the theatre we create. Having a "how does this work?" session for a big show, like the musical, would convince people who would not otherwise attend theatre to come and see the show. In other performance situations, like big Broadway and Vegas shows, I don't think this practice is beneficial. Sure, some people who see these shows are always trying to figure out how the technical elements work, but openly revealing them destroys the magic that the artists and technicians work very hard to create.
I’ve always liked the idea of theatre productions (and other productions with behind the scenes aspects, for that matter) pulling back the curtain for demonstrations of how the apparent “magic” is accomplished. I may be partial though, but I think it appeals to a wider audience – everyone always asks the magician for his secrets. I think the difference is that in theatre, the magic doesn’t really lose the effect once people know the methods behind the tricks. I can still go and be surprised by large scale productions even if I know the basics of automation, because these are merely tools that we use in different ways for theatre productions. The “tricks” for one production may be very different from another, but utilize similar technology.
I appreciate author Mark Shanda’s call for more demonstration and transparency on the behind the scenes work in theatre. I definitely would agree that this education leads to better understanding and consideration for the work that happens off stage.
I think this is a great idea! As Shanda points out, most audience members know very little about the behind the scenes world because hiding it is such a big part of what we do. It makes a lot of sense to then show off that work not only because it might make people see the need for funding, but also because (though I may be biased about this) I think people will find it interesting. I know I personally would love if theater companies did a pre- or post-show “how it was done” talk, or if they had some sort of backstage tour. Even though it is likely that I’d be more interested in the technical aspects of shows than many audience members, I think there are plenty of people who would be interested/ curious enough to come learn about the backstage world, and I think by learning more about it, people would have more of an appreciation for the technical world of theater.
This was a short but compelling piece that left me with a lot to think about. I always appreciate when theaters show some of the design work that went on, like hanging the costume renderings in the lobby or having the designers talk about what went into their design process. I think that not only does it give the people behind the scenes a chance to show the hard work they did, it can also lead the audience to a better understanding of the work and how the company sought to interpret it. Last year, I really appreciated the time in conservatory hour that we took to talk about the designers' goals for the piece and the creative choices they were making as a team. As a student, it gave me things to think about during the performance and certain themes to look for that were echoed throughout the scenic, costume, media, lighting, and sound designs. I realize that something of this format might not be feasible or appropriate for all theaters, especially since the designers are often hired per show and probably don't even live in the area of the production, but maybe a solution to this could be a section in the program or a lobby display.
As a technician I kind of like being invisible. I think part of the power of theater is the mystery or “magic” of how it all happens. I do however, understand that some audience members would be interested in how an automation track works and how a particularly difficult quick change is accomplished. I remember when Jefferson Mays introduced Gentleman’s Guide at the Tony’s and while he was talking his dressers were changing him from one of his characters to another. That was really fascinating to watch. But then there is the Cinderella dress trick, which no one has gone into full detail of how that works and retaining the mystery is part of the magic of that moment. Over the summer I worked on two musicals in rep and every night a small group of us would have to take down or put up the red and white circus tent that covered up the rusted walls of a closed down steel factory. Towards the end of the summer we hosted an event where audience could choose to come and watch the changeover take place and the creative team gave a talkback on how running both shows at once had worked for this small theater company. This is the kind of event I would be in favor there being more of. Separate times that interested people can come and learn more about the work of all the people behind the scenes. I am not in favor of having quick changes, etc. happen during intermission or as part of the show because I think being a theatergoer who wants to maintain the illusion and be totally immersed in the story is completely legitimate and we should respect those people and continue to do what we do best by pulling off impossible moments of wonder for them to enjoy.
I often feel conflicted when approaching discussions of this type, mostly because my opinion of them has changed back and forth many times over the years. The misfit theatre kid in me - the one who hid in the costume shop and gladly did the work no one else wanted to do just for a chance to be a part of it all - shouts "hurrah!" when I read articles like this. That kid just wanted to be handed a bouquet of flowers when she closed a show, to be patted on the back when she left through the side doors of her high school at 11 o'clock at night. But that kid was also just starting out in theatre, and was all to proud to be a part of the magic to consider what it looked like from the house. Today, I purposefully walk out and look at the empty house before every show I am a part of begins in order to remind myself that the magic I see happening backstage is very different from the magic the people in those seats will see. I love knowing how it all happens, I love having an in on what makes it all work, but I think the few instances in which it helps to show the audience what that is are rare and precious. I will gladly display renderings, but I will not always exhibit a quick change. I will gladly talk about the design process, but I will not always show off a paper pattern. The secrecy of backstage is sacred to me, so to let an audience member in on that is precious - but always possible! To me, it just depends on the circumstances.
This article offers some good ideas. While I sit here and think about the talk backs I have seen recently I realize that there was no one from the production team on stage. Obviously I was aware of this from the wings when there wasn’t anyone from the production team onstage, but I didn’t realize how that hurt the talk back until reading this article. Pretty much every question that was asked from patrons who stayed back at a show I worked on over the summer were questions that I or someone on the production team/staff could have answered better. With kids and older folks in the house, there were questions ranging from, how did that drop fly out (with less technical terms) or how long did it take to make the set, what happens if you rip a costume. Questions like these were somewhat dismissed, somewhat answered incorrectly. The questions that got an answer from everyone onstage (Cast) were questions like, “what’s your favorite song from the show?” or “Is it fun?” I think it is important to expose the work we do, not for the credit, but because it is really cool and interesting to a lot of people who don’t even know it exists.
This article reminded me of how the new director that came to my high school decided to stop letting backstage crew members go on stage with the rest of the cast during curtain calls. Yes the point of our jobs is to make everything on stage look effortless and magical, and the point of us wearing all blacks is so that we're hidden - all to allow the audience to willingly suspense their disbelief. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't get recognition for our hard work after the show is over. Because we've kept everything overly hidden, whenever I tell people I'm majoring in theater design and production, the overwhelming response I've gotten is either "there's a major for that?" or "so you paint backdrops?" Sadly, especially for non-theater goers, people lack a basic understanding of how intricate and developed the world of technical theater is. Many even fail to recognize that technical theater is also a form of art. The idea that this article suggests is great, and I would be happy to look at the magic behind different shows and learn from them.
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