Welcome to "The Light in the Piazza"

by Kristen Leinbach, Dramaturg

Piazza is defined as a small open square usually located in an Italian town. So what exactly is the Light in the piazza as referred to in the title of the upcoming production of The Light in the Piazza at BYU in Fall 2013?

Hello! Welcome to 4^{^th} Wall Dramaturgy! My name is Kristen Leinbach and I am the Dramaturg for BYU’s production of The Light in the Piazza. It is my pleasure to take you on a tour of the backstage processes of creating our production of The Light in the Piazza, directed by Scott Eckern. Having already held a plethora of production meetings, plus auditioning and casting the show, we are well underway on our journey to creating this beloved musical.

Let’s begin with a little bit of back story into the world of The Light in the Piazza. The story covers the adventures of Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara Johnson on a vacation in Italy in 1953. Upon arrival and after taking time to tour the Italian art and architecture, Clara meets a young Italian name Fabrizio Naccarelli. Although Clara and Fabrizio aren’t able to fully understand each others verbal language, they begin to fall in love. As for the rest of the story . . . .well that you will have to come and see.

While I can’t answer the question what is the Light in the piazza for you, the production will allow people to answer that question for themselves. As our characters journey through Italy, romance and self-discovery it is our hope that you, as the audience, will be able to join them on that same journey. Paraphrased from the words of our director Scott Eckern, The Light in the Piazza takes the characters and the audience on a journey from an “ordinary experience that becomes extraordinary.”

As we move forward in the production process I will keep you up to date on our own journey as we work to bring The Light in the Piazza to life.

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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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Welcome to "The Light in the Piazza"

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