HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1995-05-24, Page 19Bringing it to life Forthcoming
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Bruce and Eileen Barrie
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the forthcoming marriage
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Marie Eileen
to
Michael David Rosen
son of
Lamle Rosen of Whitby
and
Avi Rosen of Toronto.
The wedding will take place
at 4 p.m.,
Saturday, June 3, 1995
at the
Church of the Good
Shepherd,
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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1995. PAGE 19.
E ntertainment
Top designer on Blyth team
Set design a fantastical trip
Having seen it miniature, theatre designer Stephan Droege
now oversees the construction of the 16th century galleon
which will adorn the Blyth Memorial Hall stage during
performances for the premiere production of Ballad for a
Rum Runner's Daughter, which opens the season on June
16.
By Bonnie Gropp
With chiselled features and a
mane of golden blond, Stephan
Droege looks more like he belongs
on the stage rather than behind the
scenes.
Yet, in viewing the set created by
this veteran theatre designer for the
Blyth Festival's season opener, Bal-
lad for a Rum Runner's Daughter,
it is obvious that he is on the right
side of the production.
Stephan has contributed to the
design end of some 75 new works
over the past decade, in addition to
being the founder and co-artistic
director of Scheme Ov Things The-
atre Ensemble from 1982-1985.
He has been nominated for three
Pauline McGibbon awards, is a six
time Dora Mayor Moore award
nominee and a recipient of one for
production design of Gargoyle in
1990.
Though he assisted with produc-
tion design on Blyth's Back Up and
Push, in 1992, this is Stephan's first
major project here. It was some-
thing that was eventually going to
happen. "Janet (Artistic Director
Janet Amos) and I have danced
around each other for years," he
explains. The two are alumni of
Theatre Passe Muraille and have
both worked closely through the
years with director/actor Paul
Thompson. Back Up and PuSh was
written by and starred Amos's hus-
band Ted Johns and was directed
by Thompson.
Working with theatre in its devel-
opment stages, as Blyth Festival is
noted for, is a challenge that
Stephan feels is very exciting. He
first came into the Ballad project
almost two months ago, when he
was presented with half of a hand-
written draft. That there was no
clear formula was not the least bit
unnerving. "I feel it's incredibly
important to enter into the process
of play development early, so all
elements [of production] develop in
tandem."
In a new play, Stephan says,
there is greater possibility for set
designers to have influence into
how the subsequent draft will be.
He was involved in the workshops
done on Ballad, which, he said,
give actors, playwrights and pro-
duction an opportunity to come up
with a unifying project."
Playwright Laurie Fyffe left the
premise for the set design "quite
open" said Stephan, which gave
him the chance to "come up with a
set that's playful despite the occa-
sional poignancy of the play," he
said.
Stephan viewed the overall show
as having potential for spectacle.
"There are four musicians working
their way through the show as well
as other elements that blow it open.
It is making an effort to include the
audience. I wanted the design to
move off stage and have impact so
they will be touched."
What this vision brought him to
is an eye-catching, ambitious set.
The romanticism of the play, its
setting and the characters, brought
immediately to Stephan's mind a
picture of a 16th century galleon.
Though it does not fit the time
frame of the play, which occurs
during Prohibition, Stephan felt it
suited the mood. "I was not as con-
cerned about realistic detail, but
more about what it was like to
grow up, living by the sea — the
fantasies and make believe."
Adding to the flavour is "lots of
fog and music with a Celtic influ-
ence," says Steplwri "It is a highly'
developed resit!, 3f a three-week
process to address le overall spirit
of the play and hov., to facilitate the
action of the play."
In addition to ck .plementing the
play, Stephan als' faced the chal-
lenge of doing a &sign for reperto-
ry theatre. "You have to keep in
mind that you are designing ele-
ments that don't look temporary, so
the show is getting full value, but
can be moved in three hours."
"People may feel the summer
season is not ambitious, but for the
bulk of it there are three shows,
with three sets going on at the same
time."
When I came in with a design I
knew it was an ambitious undertak-
ing, but the show holds that kind of
potential. It was hard to restrain the
kid in me."
Unlike some production design-
ers, Stephan likes to make a model
of his design first. "I don't sketch
that well."
The 1/2 inch scale of the scene is
the first time he can really get in
touch with the sense of space, he
says.
Once the miniature stage is set,
Stephan then breaks down the con-
struction doing supporting
blueprints to "wrestle ideas down to
managing components."
"The bulk of the work to this
point has been the building period.
Then we go through costing."
Though many production people
can be frustrated by seeing their
work altered to cut costs, Stephan
takes it in stride. "It is central to the
art, being inventive, imaginative
and cost effective. It should all be
complimentary. If the sky were the
limit it's abdicating responsibility."
Set designers can often get the
idea that they are working in an
ivory tower, but theatre production
is a team game, he says. "It's a
group effort as to whether a play
hits or misses. I am always listen-
ing to suggestions."
"My first responsibility is that the
design is well founded, makes a
unique contribution," he says,
adding, "even if it seems over the
top."
Though Stephan acknowledges
that artists don't like to be held
back, in theatre it is best to proceed
with a number of ideas on how
something can proceed. "The chal-
lenge is coming up with the right
mix."
That is something he is confident
Blyth has this summer. "My major
plug for this season is the team in
place, which represents the cream
of the Toronto theatre scene. It's
nonsense that summer theatre is of
any less value. This is an excellent
company and we do have some of
the best technicians here."
He is glad to be one of them. "I
am getting tuned in to the country.
It is quite comfortable here, good
for the soul."
Debra Hanson
The Blyth Festival acquired a
wealth of talent in costume and set
design when Debra Hanson, a vet-
eran of 12 Stratford seasons, joined
the theatre group for 1995.
A native of New Brunswick, han-
son graduated from Dalhousie Uni-
versity and the National Theatre
School of Canada before becoming
an integral part of the design teams
95th Birthday
A come -and-go tea
will be held for
Luella McGowan's
95th birthday
May 28
from 2 to 4
at her residence in Blyth
CONGRATULATIONS
ON YOUR
50TH ANNIVERSARY
MAY 26
BOB & ISABELLE
HENRY
OPEN HOUSE
2 - 4 P.M.
SUNDAY,
MAY 28, 1995
BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL
Best Wishes Only
at such theatres as San Deigo
Opera, Shaw Festival, Manitoba
Theatre Centre and Grand Theatre,
just to name a few.
Her more recent accomplish-
ments include working as a design-
er at the Manitoba Theatre Centre
for the production of Hamlet, star-
ring Keanu Reeves, as well as
working on Broadway Bound and
The Rez Sisters at the Grand The-
atre in London.
Hanson comes to Blyth to design
costumes for Ballad for a Rum
Runners Daughter and the set and
costumes for The Tomorrow Box.
Happy 16th
Birthday Lesley
May 25th
Sandra Bullocle is wonderful to watch':
14,.s Lyons. SNEAK PREVIEWS Ark 'FORM ) NEWS NOT
"A 10 1 " %NINO: N a SSICS
"ABSOLUTELY ENCHANTING!
SANDRA BULLOCK BILL PULLMAN