Finally, the doors have opened to the Transcanada Stage in our new home at the base of the Calgary Tower. The journey to opening has been just like theatre itself: part comedy, part drama and even part farce! But as the opening night of A Life In the Theatre began, the real reason why we went through all of this was once again clear. We produce theatre! As obvious as that sounds, it was hard at times to remember that what all of this was for was for us to be able to offer what Lunchbox does best to our audience in a comfortable space with flexibility and warmth.
There are far to many people to thank, but I would like to offer my appreciation to the Lunchbox staff who went through this process with dignity, humour anfd grace. Now we can roll up our sleeves and get back to doing our core business.
If you haven’t scene our little jewel of a theatre, please stop by and say hello. I am certain you will be impressed!
From all of us at Lunchbox, thanks to everyone who made this possible and worthwhile.
See you at the theatre.
Martie
After having spent two weeks in rehearsals this week saw StageFright leave the rehearsal hall and move into the Studio at Vertigo where it will live until October 4th. This past week has been what is referred to as “Tech Week” where the show gets transformed into its final product with the addition of lights, costumes and set pieces. The cast and crew have spent tireless hours working with director Mark Bellamy and our wonderful design team: Deitra Kalyn (costumes), and Terry Gunvordah (set and lights) to bring StageFright to life.
While the cast spent Monday putting the finishing touches on the show acting wise, the crew (lead by Production Manager Caitlin Ferguson) prepared the Studio Theatre, moving set pieces, building risers and hanging and focusing lights. Tuesday was spent running the show numerous times to allow for every technical element to be tweaked to perfection. Wednesday brought an audience into the Studio for the first time as StageFright had its preview performance, followed by opening on Thursday. As the week comes to a close both cast and crew are well into the routine of the run.
On behalf of the cast and crew I’d like to thank the entire staff at Lunchbox Theatre for facilitating our needs and allowing us to make StageFright a success. I’d also like to thank our amazing volunteer ushers that make every performance possible.
Looking forward to seeing everybody at the theatre,
Alec McCauley
Apprentice Stage Manager
Well. It’s official. Our 2008 season has begun. Today Stagefright opened to an enthusiastic response. Natascha, Mallory and Kevin under the guidance of Mr. Bellamy, sang and danced their way into our hearts. Thanks to all including our production, admin and front of house staff for a great job. That’s what team work is all about!
The stage floor is being laid today in our theatre. Soon actors will be trodding the boards in our new home. The countdown is on.
Can’t wait!
Martie
Our first week of rehearsals for StageFright has come to a close, and what a week it has been. This week has been spent creating a shell for the show and starting to fill in the gaps. After spending the first couple days working out all the little kinks textually and musically in the show, we’ve moved into the process of blocking and choreography. There is an interesting aspect of this show as it is being “improvised” by the characters onstage. As such the movements and characterizations need to be “discovered” by the characters throughout the show. As the play goes on characters find props and costumes onstage and use them to create their characters.
There are a staggering number of musical numbers in relation to the length of the show. As such Brent Rock, our musical director, has spent hours ensuring that everything sounds magical and flows smoothly together. This fun filled, energetic show was cut down from the original two-act version of StageFright by the original playwright Jim Betts. As such, the cast and Director Mark Bellamy spent a day going through the show and trying to ensure that as much of the original characters and plot come through in this shortened form.
As we move into our second week, we’ve started to fill in the gaps of the shell we created last week and begun working through the show scene by scene. In this process the cast takes the time to clarify their intentions for saying each line and executing each movement. Though it can be slow and painstaking, it is this process that really brings the show together. At the same time we’ve been working on each musical number making sure that the choreography matches both the tone of the music, as well as the words and context of the show.
We’ve also begun to slowly add technical elements into the rehearsal process, such as props and costumes. As actors start to put down their scripts they have their hands free and can start to figure out what will work and what won’t, both in the context of their characters and also what they are able to work with onstage. Due to the relatively small cast for this show it allows us, the stage management team, to take the time to respond to the individual needs of every actor and help to facilitate everyone’s specific process.
- Alec McCauley (Apprentice Stage Manager)
We just had our umpteenth fire alarm evacuation notice come over the intercom here at Tower Centre. Like anyone who has worked downtown and been in that situation we slowly and calmly exited the building - a little slower than we probably should have as we waited for our auditor to pack up her belongings, after just unpacking them.
We exited the building and wandered on over to chat with the Vertigo Theatre people when, to our surprise, we watched the construction workers inside our theatre shovelling water out the exterior door. Wow, that is a lot of water… Where did it come from? We were told by bystanders the crew hit a sprinker head and the theatre began flooding. And flooding. And… won’t the water just stop already! (We have photos and will post them as soon as the pain of the scene has diminished.
Right now we’re scheduled to have a press conference in the theatre in the theatre tomorrow morning with the Minister of Culture! Keep your fingers crossed…
Leslie, our general manager and project manager, has gone to investigate the damage. Let’s hope it is minimal and doesn’t result in having to replace too much drywall or put the construction too far off schedule.
More details as they come up to us…
UPDATE 1: Mark Bellamy, who is directing our first show and is the Artistic Director of Vertigo Theatre, just told me there theatre is flooding from the roof too. Apparently its just coming in through all the pot lights. Sigh… We’re going to go see if there is anything we can do to help them as our construction crew gets things under control in our theatre.
Things are really picking up steam now! The past week has been a whirlwind of finalizing things as we get ready for the season to start.
In addition to the new website launching, the bus/C-Train ads starting, and the first ad running in Metro (and finalizing the latter’s sponsorship agreement) I’ve been busy sorting out parking, playbills for the season, posters going to print, getting quotes for the new theatre signage, etc. To top it all off we sent Stephanie, our new box office and marketing assistant, off for CPR and first aid training for the past two days!
I’ve been trying to fill in for her by booking PlayPasses as they’ve come in via the mail, and we’ve had the odd patron even find there way up to our admin offices to book a PlayPass or Stagefright ticket in person. But I’ve been horrible about answering the phone. Apologies to everyone who’s been calling! Stephanie will be back tomorrow and will no doubt be busy returning phone messages and email.
I’ll also be lending Stephanie a hand to get the second mailout of PlayPasses out along with the tickets that were selected on the renewal form.
-DJ
PS - We had a couple of potential new theatre chairs in the office today. They were surprising comfortable. But we already know it’s more about the legroom than anything else! And the new theatre designs look like they will have plenty. I can’t wait to sit in an actual seat in the theatre itself!
What a way to start my tenure as AD at Lunchbox Theatre. Our little company won 5 Betty Mitchell Awards! A big shout out to Rona for selecting a superb season.
What a great night for Jonathan Monro. His play, With a Twist, won 4 Bettys, including Outstanding Musical Production. I went on stage with Jonathan to say a few words but before I could begin, the band played us off. Maybe they’ve heard all my pre-show chats. Too bad. I thought my speech was ever so witty.
Jonathan flew in yesterday morning just for the award ceremony and then caught the red eye back the same night as he has a matinee performance at the Stratford Festival today. I wonder how he’s going to get all those Betty statues through airport security. They are pointed, heavy and would make a great weapon. Good luck Jonathan!
Congrats also to Ethan Cole for his Betty win for The Astonishing Adventures of Awesome Girl and Radical Boy’s Composition. And of course congrats to the talented Laura Krewski for her amazing choreography in With a Twist.
All in all, a fine night with Betty.
Martie
It is an exciting time here at Lunchbox Theatre as we are about to embark on season number 34. Rehearsals for Stagefright begin in just over a week so there is a flurry of activity as we all get ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to our 2008/09 season! I am excited to welcome Mark Bellamy and a talented cast of actors. Natascha Girgis, Mallory Minerson, Kevin Rothery and Brent Rock are getting ready to sing and dance their way into your hearts beginning September 17 in this hilarious and touching musical by Jim Betts.
I always wonder when the season starts if it’s all going to work. Well we’re about to find out. When I chose this season, my first for Lunchbox Theatre, I tried to take into consideration not only what our audiences want to see but also what they don’t even know they want to see, if that makes sense. There are so many one act plays out there but not al will resonate with our audiences.
To celebrate the move into our brand new theatre at the base of the Calgary Tower, I have chosen plays that celebrate the magic of the theatre. From the rehearsal hall setting of Stagefright to David Mamet’s hilarious and moving homage to the theatre in A Life in the Theatre, to the show biz music of “old Blue Eyes” himself in Come Fly With Me, to the wonderfully theatrical The Invention of Music by our favourite playwright Clem Martini to the magic of the trailer park in Darrin Hagen’s tribute to trailer court women in Tornado Magnet (where else but in the theatre could you have an entire trailer park on stage!) and the sheer joy of brand new our holiday comedy The Christmas Tree by Canada’s most produced king of comedy, Norm Foster, these plays collectively pay tribute to the magic of the theatre and all things theatrical. At least that’s what I’m hoping you will feel when you join us this season.
Once things get under way I’ll let you know whether I am right or not. And I’m sure you will let me know too! Ah, what the hell, it’s still summer. I’m going to grab a cold beer.
Martie