HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen-Blyth Festival 2001, 2001-06-13, Page 34The Festival's technical crew works lona and hard to make the stage magic happen.
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PAGE 10. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2001.
Technical crew faces huge challenges with big season
By Mark Nonkes
Citizen staff
Backstage there is lots of work to
be done for the season.
Dave Saurette, the production
manager and Doug Morum, the
technical director are the team that
makes sure things are running well
behind the scenes. They are in
charge of seeing that sets, props,
costumes, lighting and sound work
perfectly for every show.
With The Outdoor Donnellys work
began at the ground up. Outdoor
platforms and stages had to be
created. Places to hang lights
needed to be made. A place to plug
electrical equipment was needed. A
spot for the audience to sit and
backstage areas for the actors all
needed to be built.
"All these things we take for
granted at the theatre," Saurette said.
For the Donnelly show there are
several different locations where the
show will take place, some indoors,
others outdoors, each with its own
set of requirements.
In a theatre setting there are
accoustics designed so actors are
heard by the whole audience.
Outdoors the actors have to compete
with lawn mowers, cars with bad
mufflers and the wind.
"Sound doesn't travel the same
way outdoors," Morum said.
An outdoor production has to be
secure from bad weather that could
ruin lighting insturments, the stage
and other equipment.
Neither of the men have worked
on such a large scale production.
"It's exciting because it's
challenging," Saurette said.
The shop is also building the set
for The Passion of Narcisse
Mondoux. Morum called the set for
this show a classic box, a set with
three walls and few special
requirements.
The crew already has the
preliminary designs for the next two
shows, Cruel Tears and Corner
Green, two sets that look fun to build
and see on stage. With Corner Green
there is a bed that magically appears
on stage.
Over the winter Saurette lived in
Montreal, where he has worked as a
carpenter at Centeur Theatre for the
past five years. After working for
the winter Saurette and his girlfriend
took a vacation at a resort in the
Domician Republic.
This is his second season in Blyth
and first as production manager. As
production manager he is
responsible to see that things run
smoothly in the shop where sets,
props and costumes are created and
constructed.
"Everybody comes to me with
their questions. I used to be the guy
asking the questions, now I'm the
guy answering them," Saurette said.
Morum worked at Factory Theatre
in Toronto over the winter as the
se technical director. This is his fifth
season in Blyth and second as
technical director.
Morum took to the backstage in
Grade 9 in high school in Oshawa.
Every year he worked on the
school's productions behind the
scenes.
"I never looked back," Morum
said.
In Grade 12 Morum stepped out
from backstage and onto the stage
as the Rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof.
He sang, acted did the whole bit but
never went back to the spotlight
after.
Morum started working in Blyth
1997 after he graduated from
Ryerson University with a degree in
technical theatre.
Saurette was always technically
inclined and thought he would one
day be an auto mechanic. In his
early 20s some of his friends invited
him to check out a theatre class. He
had no desire to be an actor so he
became a techie, started building
sets and continued from that day on.
The technical world of theatre is
great for socializing but still working
hard, Saurette said.
"It's the right place to be," Saurette
said.
Stage manager proves show must go on
Donnellys' rehearsal hall. would depend on the type of rain. If
One of those challenges is the it is just spitting the show will likely
(Pest IVishes to the 'Myth ,l'estiral
as they open their 27th season.
Cortgratttlatiolis!
A warm welcome to all our
summer visitors from
Blyth 523-9681 1-800-276-4163
after hours 523-4417
Brussels 887-9661 1-800-383-8749
after hours 887-6017
FARM AND la
INDUSTRIAL
PARTS LTD.
Salutes The
Festival Theatre in Blyth on
their 27th Season Opening
Megan Somerville
Stage manager Megan Somerville
is on crutches. She fell off a ladder
and broke her pelvic bone.
As stage manager for this
summer's largest show The Outdoor
Donnellys being on crutches is
difficult. Somerville will stage
manage a show that is on the move
and outdoors.
"I have to be walking by the time
we're in the show," Somerville said.
A spectacular show like The
Outdoor Donneflys doesn't happen
often. It is a show that faces many
challenges.
"There's a lot of stuff to deal with
that you usually don't in a traditional
theatre setting," Somerville said
during an interview in the
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weather. While the cast and crew is
praying it won't rain, Somerville, as
stage manager, makes-the decision if
a show will be cancelled due to
weather.
Somerville said cancellation
go on, as long as it is still safe. But
if the rain is heavy and the people in
the show or audience are in danger.
it will be cancelled. With rain,
patrons should call the theatrt first to
Continued on Pg. 12