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(04/20/18 1:33pm)
Actress Olivia Crawford gets her first wig fitting by Wardrobe Assistant Erin Stumm. This is just one of the 24 different wigs used throughout the show. Faculty Costume Designer Rebecca White cites it as one of the biggest shows she’s worked on in her 11 years of experience at Otterbein.
(04/20/18 1:33pm)
Colin Robertson and Maggie Ek take some time to rehearse a more difficult number. Before hair and makeup, actors take roughly an hour to stretch and practice choreography, lifts, and scenes with difficult set changes.
(04/20/18 1:33pm)
Violin I Lane Champa and Violin II Madison Hookfin practice warming up their instruments during dress rehearsal. Orchestra members are given show music well in advance of production time. They meet collectively just a few times in the theatre to work out timing adjustments and technical arrangements before opening night. Some orchestra members can often be found playing multiple instruments throughout the show, saying they enjoy the challenge.
(04/20/18 1:33pm)
Abby Kress and Christian Heinemann celebrate the opening night performance by grabbing a quick drink at the show’s reception. After every Otterbein musical, audience members are invited to Roush Hall for a short reception with cookies and punch. Friends and family of actors gather to wish them congratulations. Bouquets of flowers are handed out, and the hall quickly fills with people from the set crew and design team as well. The energy in the room is apparent; it’s a small moment of victory for those who put months of effort into creating the musical.
(04/20/18 1:33pm)
Andre Spathelf-Sanders and Maggie Ek take a moment to rehearse a few lines before the show is ready to begin. Underneath Cowan is a large basement where the dressing rooms, costume storage, and scene shop is housed. In the fleeting moments before production time, an odd sense of organized chaos comes about the space. Actors are sprawled about in the hallways, warming up their vocals, stretching, and nailing down their lines. Some are in the dressing rooms, touching up their lipstick and securing their wigs. The set crew is running around with headpieces, while the design crew is waiting in bait for the upcoming costume changes. Everyone clearly has a purpose.
(04/20/18 1:32pm)
Abigail Isom, who plays Millie, pours her heart out in the musical number “Forget About the Boys”. This costume was particularly special for crew members. In the song, Millie songs, “No canary in a cage for me, this canary's ready to fly free!” If you look closely, Millie’s sleeves have a pattern of birds and cages printed on them. Despite being such a small detail, it’s the little touches like this that make the show truly meaningful for crew members. Costume Designer Rebecca White later made a bowtie out of the remaining material for Director Thom Warren to wear for opening night.
(04/20/18 1:32pm)
Actors welcome Millie into the rush of the city in the musical’s opening scene. After much anticipation, the show begins with a solo by Millie and then a group number with remaining cast members. This is where audience members can more clearly understand the setting of the show. Rebecca White, the faculty costume designer, began period research for the 104 different costumes last spring. 21 of these costumes are constructed by the White, and the rest are pulled from our stock, rented, or purchased. “The period of the show gives a jumping-off point for my research, but the characters and story are most important,” said White. “Our job is to enhance the story and characters, which usually means we are not 100% period accurate. For example, the show takes place in 1922, but the clothes are more like the late 1920's because the early 20's were mostly shapeless sacks and aren't nearly as fun to look at as the late 20's.”
(04/20/18 1:32pm)
Assistant Stage Manager Marissa Brown performs technical checks on the set’s fly system. Most sets for Otterbein musicals are moved around this way. The system uses rope lines and pulleys to quickly and quietly lift each set up into a waiting loft while simultaneously allowing a different set to take its place. This set, the 12th floor hallway of the Priscilla, is made of steel, which Scenic Designer Rob Johnson says is better for strength and stability. The set design for Millie uses roughly 50 percent steel and 50 percent wood.
(04/20/18 1:31pm)
The proscenium and backdrop are the two elements Scenic Designer Rob Johnson lays out ground plans for when beginning to create a set. He takes 2 months to design before his plans go to the technical director for 6 weeks of construction. This is followed by a week’s worth of painting and technical rehearsals. Overall, the entire design process typically takes about 3 to 4 months before a set is ready for production. During this time, changes are constantly being made to the design. This scene originally had a revolving door as part of the construction plan before the decision was made to edit it out.
(04/20/18 1:32pm)
Assistant Stage Manager Marissa Brown and Scenic Studio Assistant Zach Hubler adjust the set for Café Society before warmups and mic checks. The gold color, swirling calligraphy, and elaborate design was crafted with the 1920s setting in mind. Lots of period research was done beforehand to create a Gatsby-like feel. “Good design is when you’ve helped tell the story,” said Scenic Designer Rob Johnson. “The design is supposed to match the tone of the show. A more tragic plot would have a sharper, more cut design.”