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from Victoria Jeans, Production Assistant

All season long I have been looking forward to [title of show]. The funny thing is, if you sat me down and asked me the reason why, I was totally without one (unless you count “just because” as justifiable)! It wasn’t until I was asked to reflect upon what speaks to me in [title of show] that I was finally able to pinpoint the reason I was so excited for the show. READ MORE

from Kirstin Franklin, Assistant Director of [title of show]

One of my earliest memories as a child was performing a ballet to Copland’s Appalachian Spring with my sister in our family room. I remember carefully selecting a pink hand-me-down leotard for the performance and holding back giggles as I pretended to prance like a deer at the opening of our highly theatrical choreography. Despite the lack of audience (only mom and dad in attendance) we pulled off a memorable performance with carefree confidence and charm. Thinking back, I wish I could find a way to replicate that same self-assurance into my adult life. READ MORE

from Stephen Schellhardt (actor, [title of show])

Well, we are well into the third week of our rehearsal process for [title of show] and we are about to start tech. So exciting! This whole experience has been incredible.

I’m often asked to identify my favorite show, but that ranks among the hardest questions to answer. Every show is a learning experience. Sometimes I am in love with a show for the book or the music – or even the scenery and costumes. At times the material speaks to me because of where I am in my own life–or it doesn’t for that same reason. Other times, my show experience is shaped by the artists I am working with.  Sometimes all the stars align, and a show hits every note. A dream show. [title of show] is just that.
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Northlight is getting a new shop! Great news! This morning a bunch of us from Administration went over to the scene shop to help box up props and clothes from storage in preparation for the move to our more spacious location. We are all very excited. I’ve been involved in moving the shop to various locations before and I always enjoy it. It’s fun to guess what props or clothing were in what show, who used them or wore them, and each one has an anecdote.

It’s amazing what you don’t throw away when you’re moving things from props. Normally if you were moving to a different apartment or home, you would take the opportunity to throw junk out. Here however we are recycling junk, because you never know when you will need a Life Magazine from 1953, a jar with a sponge brain in it, or a dozen cans of asparagus that are on the verge of exploding. How many champagne flutes might you need, or shot glasses?

After a morning of breathing in dust, I head to the theatre to watch some of [title of show]’s run thru. READ MORE

from Philip Dawkins, Playwright

One of the many lessons I’ve learned as a Teacher is that I do just as much homework as my students (if not more); I want them to pass their tests every bit as much as they do, and I’m constantly worried about myperformance in class… only from the front of it instead of crammed behind a single-seater desk. I’ve also learned there’sno way to prove these truths to my students, and that’s probably for the better.

What I didn’t know until this week is that all those nervous jitters I got as an aspiring middle school thespian during the first table readings of a new play are all still there when you’re the adult who wrote the play (only even more nervousy and more jittery.). Attending the first read-through of the play I wrote specifically for the talented kids at Fairview, I was a big blob of anxiety. READ MORE

from Lynn Baber, Casting Director and Artistic Administrator at Northlight Theatre

When listening to the first read-through of Ten Chimneys back in February, I was given pause when we got to this piece of dialogue between the Lunts:

ALFRED:  Lynnie, darling…it’s only a play.

LYNN:  (gasps)  Blasphemy!

I thought to myself, “That’s funny. That’s sounds like another script I’ve heard recently. What WAS that?” And then I thought about it for half the afternoon, until it came to me: the other dialogue I am thinking of is from [title of show], the next play in our season:

JEFF: It’s just a show

HUNTER: Why do you do that?

JEFF: What?

HUNTER: Just a show? Jeff, I know you. I know that for every hour I spend on the show, you spend ten…We’ve both dreamed about this our whole lives and now that it’s finally right in front of us, you act like you don’t care if it happens.

In both these scenes, one actor is reminding the person with whom he/she is closely bound ARTISTICALLY that it is not okay to reduce what we do, or to dismiss it. They are saying “This is our life. This is what we do. This is important.” At least that’s what I hear. It translates in my head: “Theatre is important. We must treat it with great care.”

Both Ten Chimneys and [title of show] have roots in the creation of theatre. Both plays are about The Theatre with a capital T. And yet both plays are completely accessible and relevant for anyone and everyone who has something they care strongly about. Both plays deal with the places where the personal and the professional intersect. Both plays are about people with strong personalities and artistic temperaments. Both plays expose the flaws as well as the genius of the characters.

I’m lucky to work in at Northlight where we get to do plays like these. And I’m on fire about the last two plays of the season. I just love it when there’s a play or musical ABOUT The Theatre. That’s my thing. Could you tell?

from David Russo, Principal of Fairview South Middle School

Our relationship with Northlight has come at a good time because I have very open teachers who see the value of having students participate in theatre workshops and attend professional theatrical performances.  Without buy-in from the teachers who will be asked to coordinate events and miss students for normal classes, the success of our program would not have been as great.  I think that it was critical to be involved as the Principal to select lead teachers who I knew would be receptive to this type of experience and would view it as a great opportunity for the students rather than an encumbrance on their curriculum.

The students at Fairview have greatly enjoyed the chance to be creative in a purposeful way when the artists have come on-site to discuss the plays and play several acting games.  Each time, the kids are very active and I am surprised by the students who step up in this setting.  READ MORE

Artistic Director BJ Jones talks with Hollywood 360‘s Lisa Wolf about the importance of Ten Chimneys to American theatrical history.  They also discuss the play Ten Chimneys, which opens at Northlight Theatre tonight.

Listen here: BJ Jones on Hollywood 360 

from Susan Van Dusen

I’ve never written a blog entry before, being of an age where computers and cell phones are, for me, akin to the Wright brothers’ first airplanes and indoor plumbing! None-the-less, I’d like to say a few things about Northlight Theatre and its importance to our community.

For me, the Arts, theatre and literature in particular, are as vital as air. Through them I can fly through the universe. They make me laugh, cry, feel immense pride, or show me that I should become more aware.  Northlight Theatre does that for me. Their credo is to reflect our community to the world and the world to our community, and they take it very seriously.
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from Sarah Hughey, Lighting Designer for Black Pearl Sings!

As a lighting designer, I am often called upon to help transform a setting onstage.  In Black Pearl Sings! the most striking canvas for this transformation is the vast sky that scenic designer Jack Magaw gave our world.  The colors of the sky help track the passage of time in each scene and comment on the emotions onstage.  But in Black Pearl Sings! the lighting must also enhance the subtle but important distinctions between Pearl’s prison home in Act I and the cozy apartment of Susannah’s “bohemian” friend in Act II.

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