Birth of the Actor Athlete

What did it take to be a cast member of this show? Time, hard work, and a lot of sweat. But, that is to be expected when your show is about Olympic runners. When you have a passion for something, you strive to be as good as you can at it. When your passion is acting, sometimes you learn new skills in order to play a part. Our actors embraced this and became actor athletes.

In addition to learning their lines, blocking, and working to understand their characters, our actor athletes took part in training to get in the physical shape of a runner. They were given training schedules for every day of the week and met together at 6:00 AM twice a week to exercise together.

But how does all this work translate to the stage?

Choreographer Becky Phillips gives us some insight into her process.

She says “I tried to watch running on youtube and watch track meet clips and watch the movie and take the movements that runners use to abstract them. With the movie there are slow motion clips and we can’t do that, but you have to play with space and time to make that happen."

“The performers are part of the process. They are helping to create it because I can’t really do everyone’s part and see if I like it without experimenting with them and seeing how it works."

“Even just a simple movement has this power when they all do it together. It can be just a simple step or move, but when you have all these bodies and all of their energy, it’s really powerful even though it’s simple."

“We have people in the cast that are dancers to so they can really do movements that aren’t just running. In the opening we want to showcase the things that they can do. They can tumble, they can leap, and do things that show their athleticism and we are abstracting images from other sports into that opening sequence. We want to celebrate the athleticism of these performers and capture that spirit of the athletic training and celebrate what the body can do”.

With the physical exercise, the dance choreography, and the demands of character creation, these actor athletes have had quite a task before them!

See this celebration of sport, dance, and physicality starting March 31st!

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by Janine Sobeck, dramaturg Tech week is one of the most exciting moments in any show. It's the time when we get to leave our rehearsal room, move onto stage, and add all of the production elements. To help the actors adapt to all the changes we usually make a gradual transition. Pre-tech: While still in the rehearsal room, actors are given certain rehearsal props and costumes to help them in the creation of their characters. In the case of Princess Academy, all the girls were given rehearsal skirts and all the characters were given rehearsal books and and other items (such as the miri flower). We also added all of the instruments used in the show. Tech day 1: The first day of tech included adding the set and sound. One of the biggest changes for our actors is the ramps on our stage. They finally had the opportunity to climb the mountain! Tech day 2: It's time to add the props! In order to support Director Megan Sanborn Jones' vision of the show, prop designer Scott Jackson made all of the props out of paper, letters, and books. Tech days 3-4: This is what we call an "All Tech." The final elements of the show (lights, costumes, and make-up) are added into the mix. Day 3 is spent working through all the cues in act 1 and day 4 is spent working through act 2. Tech days 5-7: The time has come to run the show! These are our dress rehearsals, where the goal is to do the show exactly as if it was a real performance. This means starting at our normal curtain time and trying to never stop. The director, playwright, dramaturgs, and designers sit in the audience making notes about what is working and what still needs to change. At the end of the nights, the actors and designers are given feedback and we rehearse any moments that need some extra attention. Tech day 8: Which is today! Tonight is the time when we finally get to add the final element of the show: the audience! Our final day of tech is known as the "preview performance." Friends, families, and students are invited to see the show before we officially open. While we always reserve the right to stop the show if necessary (it is, after all, still a rehearsal), we hope that everything will go smoothly!

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Last week, A Midsummer Night’s Dream opened in the Nelke Theatre and it was a great success! Eric and I were pleased to be a part of the opening night and celebrate not only the opening night of the production, but also the 40th anniversary of the Brigham Young University Young Company. In order to set the tone of the evening, patrons were encouraged to check out the lobby display that Eric and I had created for the show. We chose to do a puppet making station, aptly named “The Mechanicals Puppet Making Station” where guests and participants could make their own puppet out of a sock or paper bag. Other craft supplies were provided for the participants—allowing them to use their imagination and create a unique puppet that they could take home. Creating such a lobby display, we hoped to provide patrons, and especially children, with an opportunity to use their imagination and create something special, as well as connect with the style of the production before seeing the show. The role of puppetry is crucial to this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream—and we wanted to capture this and incorporate it whatever lobby display we chose. The actor’s hard work and rehearsal, as well as that of the production team, paid off—they did a marvelous job in telling the story of these loopy lovers and the adventures that take place in the magical forest. The puppetry skills and acting chops of the actors, the enchanting costumes, simple set design, and energy from the whole cast was thoroughly enjoyed by the very diverse and supportive audience. It was a packed house: if not sold out, very close. And this definitely contributed to the energetic feeling that pervaded the evening. Perhaps it was the presence of so many alumni from the Young Company that had come to support the production and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the formation of Young Company. Among the guests at the premier were Harold Oaks, founder of the BYU Young Company. Following the play, a presentation was made outlining and honoring the history and legacy of Young Company. Young Company has done an outstanding job for the last 40 years in providing quality theatre (adaptations and original works alike) for children that may not be exposed to the performing arts. A wonderful reception followed the presentation and was well enjoyed by cast and crew alike. A Midsummer Night’s Dream closes at BYU this Saturday, the 14th. Make sure to get your tickets soon and catch this unique production while you can! It will then go on tour throughout Northern Utah, presenting its whimsical and humorous message to elementary school children. Following are some images from the Opening Night Gala!

Birth of the Actor Athlete

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