Monday, January 03, 2022
DCMTA 2021 Staff Favorites: Outstanding Design Elements in Community Theater Productions
DC Metro Theater Arts: As the year drew to a close, we asked DCMTA writers to think back on the shows that left an indelible impression on them in 2021. In this category, outstanding community theater design, we recognize:
Design elements including set, sound, lighting, and costume
Directors and Choreographers
Here are the community theater designers that left the biggest impression on our writers in 2019. Recipients are listed underneath the show they are being recognized for.
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3 comments:
I suppose that before I read the contents of this article I never thought of things like direction and choreography as design elements, I saw them as some strange medium in between the work of designers and actors. Perhaps as something that fits into both. Buty know, looking at this I'm seeing praises for where things like direction and choreography can be stylized to a time period in the same way that costumes, sets, sound, and lighting can be. Now I realize that they can fit together not just as design adorning direction, but both furthering setting at the same time. In a sense, performance can be included in this too. I think this article made me see that the differences between the different parts of making theater are not as vast as I thought they were. It seems that all these things work in tandem in the best cases, and I can’t wait to be involved in that way.
One award that stands out to me from this article is Danielle Guy’s direction of “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.” “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” can be a difficult show to do well, as there is a disconnect between the playwright, Alan Ball, and the subject, 5 bridesmaids who are all only at a wedding due to their infatuation with a groomsman. As a play that pulls upon femininity for humor, the play has the possibility to be easily butchered. However, according to this award, Danielle Guy has done a good job of maintaining the hilarity of the script while giving each character agency and dimension. I think this poses an interesting discussion about discrepancies between playwrights and directors. How do different viewpoints in these two roles change the audience’s understanding of the message? Just as a female director can put a spin on a sometimes sexist play, any director who does not share a playwright's perspective can twist the meaning of a piece, for better or for worse.
This article reminds me of how many artists in the industry often look down at community theatre or more specifically look down on people who work in community theater. However, the talent in many community theatres is rich. At the heart of it the designers and technicians behind community theatre, love their jobs and are passionate about what they do. These theatre-makers make an impact on their community, and to me that’s really powerful. It was nice to see this creative teams get recognition in the DC Metro article. I know back at home we have similar awards, and they tend to not be very competitive or aggressive because there is a lot of overlap in the community, but the people nominated are always thrilled to be recognized. It makes me happy to see the hardworking designers and technicians getting recognition for the work they do in their community.
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