The Ugly One: Moving into the theatre
The Ugly One moved into the the Jericho Arts Centre this week.
It’s the first time in about two and a half years that I have been a part of the load in. And I have missed it. There is a big difference between popping your head into the build on breaks and actualy haulling lamps up the A frame. In this case, as an equity co-op, director Richard Wolfe, myself (actor), Stage Manager Wren Handman the Stage Manager, ASM Jocelynn Mortlock, assistant director Michael Gunion shared in the duty with the house tech and designer Jerguš Opršal and a volunteer crew.
I don’t think I will ever get over the feeling of wonder I get when a space starts coming together. Weither it’s a found site or a more traditional venu, it’s the feeling is the same. Helping physicaly create a new enviroment – a new world that never existed before. Magic!
As a performer or director, particpating in the physical creating of that is infinitly rewarding. Not only is this something I helped built with my own two hands, through sweat, labor, hard work and sevral people explaining how to use a screwgun(look Mom!), it truly helps understand the playing space. I know how this light works or the potential of this level or that audience aisle simply because I put it there.
Additonaly there is something truly company building about the experience. The bonding that happens between the individuals while creating, the conversations that start up between crew, design and performers all seem to lead toward a stonger team that involved everybody. The artists from performance craft, design craft and build craft physicaly working together strengthens the ties between the creative camps and as an extention - the passion. We don’t serve different camps of the production instead we all own a piece of it together.
