How to Be a Proper Victorian: Part 2

by Jessa Cunningham, dramaturg In the last post, I outlined some of the important rules that Upper Class Victorians followed closely. At rehearsal this past week, I asked the wonderful actors in our show to demonstrate some of the rules (and what it looked like when your broke them). Take a look at the pictures below, get a glimpse into Victorian etiquette, and see the silliness of the amazing cast! First, I had the cast display bad posture that couldn't be found at someone's house while visiting. Posture was always meant to be upright, with no slouching, leaning, or relaxing in any inappropriate manner. [caption id="attachment_4888" align="aligncenter" width="584"]

From left: Meg Flinders, Emma Widtfeld, Stephen Moore, and Sean Worsley

From left: Meg Flinders, Emma Widtfeldt, Stephen Moore, and Sean Worsley[/caption] Next, I had them demonstrate proper escorting etiquette. While men were allowed to escort two women if necessary on the street, women were never allowed to have two men on their arms. [caption id="attachment_4890" align="alignright" width="225"]

From left: Sean Worsley, Emma Widtfeldt, and Spencer Hunsicker[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4889" align="alignnone" width="225"]

From left: Meg Flinders, Sean Worsley, and Emma Widtfeldt[/caption] This next picture is a hodge-podge of no-no's for Victorian's. The actors got creative and put on a display of deplorable crimes to commit while visiting someone's home. One pose was actually a rule, though: no picking at your teeth while calling. [caption id="attachment_4891" align="aligncenter" width="584"]

From left: Meg Flinders, Emma Widtfeldt, Spencer Hunsicker (blissfully unaware), and Sean Worsley[/caption] Finally, I had Sean portray another rule that would have been embarrassing if one was caught committing it: looking at the handkerchief after one blows their nose into it. That was considered disgusting, and no one could do that if they were in polite company; it wouldn't seem proper. [caption id="attachment_4892" align="alignleft" width="225"]

Sean Worsley[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4893" align="alignright" width="225"]

Sean Worsley[/caption] This was a fun exercise to understand some of the intricate rules that Victorian's had to abide by. Hopefully you found this a funny and informative way to learn about the era!

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by Jessa Cunningham, dramaturg After the show wrapped up and people went their separate ways, Garret Rushforth, who played Wilbur, and I chatted and I asked him some questions about his experience with the play. What better way to gain insight about the show than from the actor who was in the thick of things from the very beginning? Here is what Garret had to say about this unique opportunity: Me: How was this experience of playing Wilbur? What was your Favorite aspect of it all? Garret: I loved playing Wilbur. My favorite aspect was discovering the character more and more each performance. I never really felt that I had learned all that the character had to offer. Me: What were some challenges that you faced while preparing for the show? Garret: A few of the challenges that I faced had to do primarily with transportation. My car tried to die a couple of times during the run. As far as developing the show goes, I found that the difficulties were mostly in finding the lines. Not simply reciting them, but discovering what was beneath them, motivating them and making them come to life. Me: What lessons have you learned from playing this part, or just from the play in general? Garret: I've learned that there is an amazing opportunity to find out about yourself from the character discovery process. I also learned how much a family the cast can become if given the opportunity. Me: What is your favorite part of this story? Garret: I love when Wilbur and Charlotte talk about Charlotte's death and Wilbur is so devastated. It showed how deep Wilbur's reliance on Charlotte was as well as his desire to help her too. Me: As you leave this production, what will stay with you? Garret: The friendships I've made and the things that I've learned about myself because of the show. Me: What aspects of your character did you love/latch onto from the beginning? Garret: I latched onto the loneliness aspect of Wilbur's life. For all his life, he'd not been given much of a chance, Fern and Charlotte being the exceptions. He was written off by nearly everyone until Charlotte pointed out how special he is. Me: Any final thoughts you would like to share with those who came to the show? Garret: Charlotte's a web was a show that offered a unique view of friendship and family. It doesn't matter what someone looks like or where they're from, friendship and family can transcend all differences.

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by Amelia Johnson, Dramaturg Creating a show is a process. Though the run of the show is over, there was a lot more that went into the show than what was seen in those few weeks. Months before the run, the production team began meetings. They discussed the director’s vision for the show and began planning designs. Everything was approved of and discussed before lights were set, sets, were built, and the costume and makeup designs were implemented. This year, the costume and makeup designers drew inspiration from the local artist, James Christensen. Having passed away earlier this year, director Dallyn Bayles thought it would be nice to pay tribute to him in this way. Costume designer Dennis Wright was thrilled to base his designs of Christensen's style. He said, “What I really love about Christensen’s work is the whimsy that he incorporates into his characters. His distinctive use of patterns, layers and silhouette is really fun and distinctive. I wanted to be sure to capture that in the costume designs for this production. “I love this show, and the concept and design choices our team has made. I am excited to share it with our audience. As a big James Christensen fan, my one regret is that I didn’t actually get to meet the artist in person. I just returned to Utah last year and sadly, missed my chance. I am very grateful to be able to pay tribute to him in this small way”. Makeup and hair designer Sarah Bult also shared some of her thoughts. “After reading the script I looked through as many James Christensen paintings as I could find. I picked out textures, colors, broke it all down and paired certain characters with those elements. His artwork influenced everything from the shape and colors of hair down to the detail on the bead work of the hairpins. I loved that I could draw my inspiration from his work and create something that really embodied his artwork." Bult continued, “One thing I didn’t expect to be a challenge was that not many Christensen pieces have hair showing. This created a very unique and fun challenge for me. I had to look many different paintings, combine textures and colors, and use my own design style to come up with fun fairy tale hair and makeup styles that were reminiscent of Christensen’s artwork. I am very excited to see how all of the elements come together”. Join us on the 4th Wall next time to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes!

How to Be a Proper Victorian: Part 2

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