A Show's Journey: Bringing the Team Together
Jennifer Butler
Most people consider the journey of a show to be from the page to the stage. But for me, it is so much more than that. Bringing a show to life is not just about the show. The theatrical journey is more about the people you meet along the way and how they help with the production. More than the story itself, the people along the way are part of the story behind the story. In a series of pieces, I am going to introduce you to those people. Some you end up seeing in the playbill for the show and others come in where you see their contribution but you (as the audience member) might not even end up knowing who they are.
The process begins with auditions and the first rehearsal. This is where you meet the cast and any new production team members. These are the people who are mainly involved with bringing the show to life. As the person who does the public relations for our theater, I get to personally know the cast members; where they are from and usually something we have in common. This leads to finding out how they became involved with the story that we are trying to tell.
For, me personally though, I am always torn with how I feel about working with new people. Mainly because I don’t know them, nor do they know me. I tend to get anxious when it comes to meeting new people. Over time as I talk to people and get to know them, I realize that there was no reason for me to be anxious, to begin with. And yet, as we approach the time for a new show, and meeting those I don’t know, the anxiety happens all over again.
Meeting new people though and getting them involved with our theater is a good thing. It means word is getting out about our theater production and that people want to work with us. It also means that new people will be coming to see our shows because someone they know is involved with the production.
New production team members bring fresh energy and vision to the group. They help bring the show to life with the director’s vision. They are now a part of the team that supports the actors and the show to help bring it to life for the audience.
Right from the beginning, from the announcement of the show, until it closes there are going to be many opportunities to meet new people who will in some way shape up the outcome of the show. And auditions and production meetings are only the start. These are the people with whom the audience gets to know best. They see the actors on the stage and sometimes can figure out who the production team is. But they are not the only ones who can and do help bring a show from the page to the stage.
Photo: Winder Barrow Community Theatre