FROM THE DIRECTOR
"We're building this plane while we're flying it!"
I think that sums up the production process for our 2021 musical perfectly. In a "normal" production (is there really any such thing?), we hold auditions, then begin working on blocking, learning music and choreography, do the staging/character work, polish the songs and scenes, add the orchestra, costumes, and props, do some dress rehearsals, and open the show. But life, including theatre, has been anything but normal the past year. Even so, theatre has still been happening at BVW. Our fall play was done remotely, our rep show was done over Zoom, but when faced with mass singing and projected speaking (both scientifically proven to be aerosol-cloud super-spreading activities), we knew we had to do something different for the musical in order to be safe and follow performing arts protocols in place across the nation.
The solution? Record the audio/vocals/orchestration! Easier said than done, but after much trial and error, we were able to do just that. The singing, speaking, and playing you hear tonight was all performed by our cast and pit orchestra. Thus we are able to use clear masks, limitless choreography, and do as close to a normal show as possible for an actual live, in-person audience!
We held auditions in December, and immediately began diving into the music for several weeks. Then we recorded the pit orchestra one week, the singing the next, the dialogue the next, all while doing choreography, blocking, and staging all at the same time while we were mixing all the audio recordings together and timing them out to digital projections. Throw in costumes, building set pieces, gathering props, and put it all together, all while doing our best to follow the safety protocols so we could keep everyone safe and healthy. Out of the 100+ productions I've been a part of, I can easily say this was the most challenging. But it has also been one of the most rewarding!
The process for this production gave us opportunities that we never had before. Learning a new way to create characters with audio tracks, figuring out how to use new technology, and developing our resilience when things did not go as planned have all been unforseen benefits of this process. I'm extremely grateful for the patience, grace, and support I have received as a director. The resilience of our students, the flexibility of our staff, and the encouragement of my peers has kept me coming back in every single day. While we all long for a return to normalcy, it's great to know that by making a few adjustments and following safety protocols, we will be back to normal soon!
On a personal note, I want to thank everyone for making me feel so very welcome at BVWHS this year. Even in this crazy mode-changing, Zoom-meeting, schedule-flipping year, I'm thrilled beyond compare to be here, helping make theatre happen for all of us. Thank you for your continued support of BV West Theatre!
