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Thursday, August 30, 2018
Goodman Theatre
Prop Agenda: On the final stop of our tour of Chicago theaters is the largest of all, the Goodman Theatre. The Goodman is the city’s oldest nonprofit theater, and Alice Maguire has been properties supervisor there for nearly thirty years.
2 comments:
Sidney R.
said...
This short but sweet article gave me an interesting look into the spaces of the Goodman theatre. Anytime I’m in a new theatre, I always love to peek into their backstage and shop spaces, just to compare and contrast to what I’ve seen in the past. The work environment is essential for the success and efficiency of work from the technicians and designers. However, it is also essential for their well-being. The humorous photos and decorations, especially the “strange management” sign, bring some joy and light into the space. Having a positive attitude and support system will lead to as much, if not more, productivity from the actual focus on the work. I find that in stressful times during tech week, kindness and patience can be overlooked as an important aspect to focus on. Remembering to respect those on our team and in our cast can improve any experience. From these photos I also noticed the measures of storage and organization taken to improve the crowded space. De-cluttering not only improved the appearance of the space, but probably also the mindset of those who work within it.
Having been born and raised in Chicago I've of course been to the Goodman Theatre for their yearly Christmas Carol and for other shows that interest me, but I honestly had no idea how in depth the prop shop was. Over the summer I toured ZAP props in Chicago which is a more film/TV prop house, but I guess I never realized how many things were considered props. I always assumed a lot of these things were handled by the scenic department. Working with costumes in High School I also did a lot of things that in professional theatre would probably be the prop dept responsibility like canes, parasols, and briefcases. Which is why I think the prop dept has so much overlap with the other departments. I also think they have a much more difficult job than the costumers or the scenic constructors, that is because props break, actors will find a way to break your prop. The Goodman is a really cool place that I would love to work at someday.
2 comments:
This short but sweet article gave me an interesting look into the spaces of the Goodman theatre. Anytime I’m in a new theatre, I always love to peek into their backstage and shop spaces, just to compare and contrast to what I’ve seen in the past. The work environment is essential for the success and efficiency of work from the technicians and designers. However, it is also essential for their well-being. The humorous photos and decorations, especially the “strange management” sign, bring some joy and light into the space. Having a positive attitude and support system will lead to as much, if not more, productivity from the actual focus on the work. I find that in stressful times during tech week, kindness and patience can be overlooked as an important aspect to focus on. Remembering to respect those on our team and in our cast can improve any experience. From these photos I also noticed the measures of storage and organization taken to improve the crowded space. De-cluttering not only improved the appearance of the space, but probably also the mindset of those who work within it.
Having been born and raised in Chicago I've of course been to the Goodman Theatre for their yearly Christmas Carol and for other shows that interest me, but I honestly had no idea how in depth the prop shop was. Over the summer I toured ZAP props in Chicago which is a more film/TV prop house, but I guess I never realized how many things were considered props. I always assumed a lot of these things were handled by the scenic department. Working with costumes in High School I also did a lot of things that in professional theatre would probably be the prop dept responsibility like canes, parasols, and briefcases. Which is why I think the prop dept has so much overlap with the other departments. I also think they have a much more difficult job than the costumers or the scenic constructors, that is because props break, actors will find a way to break your prop. The Goodman is a really cool place that I would love to work at someday.
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