Antelope Valley Thespians » infrastructure

Plans for Theatre Space

Nalin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:57:22 +0000

We have done some trade-off analyses on moving out to external space versus staying in my garage. While we agree that we would like to move out eventually, for the time being it makes more sense to stay where we are. In my garage we have full control of the space, do not pay rent or deposits, and can make modifications. The current plan is that, at least for the 2010 Season, we will remain in my garage. The only thing that could foul this up is some potential legal and liability issues, which we are currently looking into.

While this study is ongoing, the Tech Team and I are planning some serious upgrades to the infrastructure. We have reconfigured the garage for “Crime and Punishment” to accommodate 30-seats and a slightly wider stage area. We will also be painting the entire interior black, rigging additional curtains, upgrading to a fifteen-piece lighting system with overheads (up from the nine used for “Voices”), hanging a sound system, and providing additional airflow and ventilation. The new configuration will also now provide easier access to the bathroom and “lobby” for this longer show.

Rest assured that when we do move out, I plan to maintain the “garage theatre” ambiance… close spacing, small audiences, simple sets, etc. The goal is to be moved out and operational in our own small, commercial, blackbox space in Quartz Hill by 2011.

T – 5 days…

Nalin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:04:42 +0000

Jeremy and I just rigged the curtain today, looks good though it still needs some pins or clamps to keep the panels together. We also tested out the evap cooler and the lighting heat output. Further, a smoke detector with emergency lighting system has been installed.

The set is about 85% complete. IT LOOKS AWESOME!!! Lucas did an amazing job on that while I was away. He’s built a decrepit, bombed, and shot-at wall using broken cinder blocks and spray paint. The dirt he laid out plus the plastic foliage that Jeremy and I just put in makes it look very much like forest ruins. Still left to do on the set is the church wall, I think Jeremy and Lucas plan to finish that Thursday afternoon… a taller ruined wall of posterboard over an old entertainment center, complete with stained glass windows (can we say, electric candle light effect?!) and a cross.

Costumes are GO, thanks Anna!

Sound is in process, being mixed. The music selection is perfect, and we’ve timed it out for all the cues.

Makeup is GO.

Lighting is close… 95%. Maybe a couple more gels, we’re not quite sure yet, and some placement issues, but nearly there.

1 rehearsal left tomorrow before entering tech on Thursday. We will be going over the final, nitpicky, touches of posture, body language, and movement, especially getting used to the space. Courtney may post an update from the last rehearsal as well, I’m not sure.

Still on my list: finish front landscaping, clean the master suite for use as the dressing room, and acquire the Bordeaux, cider, and hors d’oevres for Saturday. Oh yeah and direct a rehearsal, photograph tech, finalize/print the playbill, and flame-protect the curtain material. Ah, the hell of tech week….

Fire Safety

Nalin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:28:05 +0000

A few people have raised concerns about fire safety. We are looking into how the California Fire Code affects us particularly, and will post updates as we find out new information. I will also be contacting the local fire marshall and explaining our project.

Since we are a) not charging any entrance fee, b) not actually a non-profit or other registered entity, and c) hosting the show at a private residence that is not open to the public, my contention is that this is equivalent to any private party that I might hold at my house; there just happens to be some really good entertainment!

If you’d like to do some research yourself, see Division 12 of the California Health and Safety Code. If you know any information about this sort of thing, please send me an email (nalin AT avthespians DOT org).

The following measures pertaining to fire safety have been or will be taken:

All electrical equipment is standalone (no direct modification to the building structure or electrical wiring has been made), and designed for interior use (e.g. interior lamp stands have been fitted with 50W PAR30 bulbs, and heat tested). Further heat testing with gels on will be conducted prior to tech rehearsal.
Electrical current draw on any one outlet or power strip has been calculated to be well under stated power strip and extension cord limits, by a factor of 100x in some cases.
Two battery-powered smoke detectors will be installed in the garage (backstage and audience)
A fire extinguisher will be present.
In the event of an emergency, an entire wall of the theatre space (the garage door, in automatic or emergency manual mode) opens to the outside. In addition there is the garage side door to the outside. Audience will be reminded of these exits prior to each show.
I will attempt to get some flame retardant spray from Lowes for the curtain.
Unlike a “normal” theatre space, there is no electrical equipment near the curtain or in the backstage area.
Smoking will not be permitted.

As we go forward with this project, we will certainly have to more carefully assess issues like safety and liability. Thank you to those of you who expressed concern, and we will post further updates as we get new information.

Infrastructure almost complete…

Nalin — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:43:05 +0000

Just cleaned out two Target stores of the folding steel chairs they had in stock. Also picked up four TV tables, one each for the Production Stage Manager, Lighting, and Sound, and another for the Technical Director and the Director to share. Jeremy has installed the curtain rigging already, and is out hunting for the fabric as I type.

Running tab, $949.43…

“Voices” going extremely well!

Nalin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:24:52 +0000

WOW, excellent rehearsal last night. These ladies have definitely been spending the time and effort outside of rehearsal to delve into the characters and the beautiful, beautiful language in “Voices”. With the exception of minor stumbles in two or three places, judging by acting alone I would have put what I saw tonight on a stage… well done actors! This leaves us with two more rehearsals to really hone the nitpicky things that get us as close to perfection as we can go, and then two tech rehearsals and we’re live!

The music and costumes that the tech team have selected are brilliant; the lighting concept is great, but yet to be tested, as the equipment is not quite finished (it has been expanded to a 9-piece setup instead of 6). We just mounted the rope line that will carry the curtain fabric, and measurements have confirmed a 25-seat house. We also purchased an evap cooler for these summer evenings… it’s a bit loud to leave on during the show, but I plan to start it up an hour and a half or so before curtain and let it cool the place down.

I had expected that about $500.00 would get us to our first opening night, and that it would level off a bit after that, as the infrastructure (lights, etc) would be mostly done. Well, we are well over budget, at $742.95 spent so far… and the curtain fabric and any remaining chairs we need after begging/borrowing still have to be purchased. Ooof! I can’t help but be even more committed however when I see how far this crazy idea has come, and the beauty of the art we are creating. WELL DONE, TEAM!!!

T – 15 days and counting to opening night…

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Mid-Production Update for “Voices”

Nalin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:21:34 +0000

The following is copied from an update on the Antelope Valley Thespians web forums, April 6th 2009.

I thought I’d take my lunch and post an update on what’s been going on with this. Our first production is well underway. We have successfully cast “Voices” by Hortense Flexner, and so far have had one rehearsal… target performance date is June 20th. I’ve been very impressed so far with my two actresses, and appreciate their eagerness to delve into the characters and research the history behind them (WWI & Joan of Arc).

I would be totally lost without Courtney (the PSM) and Jeremy (the TD). That about sums it up there. Thanks you two!!!

We have moved the “stage” from inside my greatroom to out in the garage. This allows us more stage room, and actually adds 5 seats to the house capacity (to an estimated total of 30, plus stations in the back for the director, TD, PSM, lighting, and sound). Also, I’m much more comfortable drilling into my garage walls than my living room!

Together with the Technical Director and the Lighting Designer, we all made a trip to Lowes last weekend to start the lighting construction. So far we have two indoor lamps with three sockets each that we have modified with dimming controls we can place in a central location. A powerstrip will be the master switch. The standard bulbs have been replaced with 50-Watt PAR30 floods. Makeshift gels are being made with layered colored cellophane, which will be mounted in front of the lights with wire. Barndoors of aluminum foil will also be mounted with wire. The main problem we are running into is that the PAR bulbs get hot, and due to their diameter, there is less room for circulation in the shroud… we intend to rig clamp fans to the back to increase circulation. Pending further testing, we may also decide to add a third rig for additional intensity and coverage. The rigs will be placed on cinder block stacks to get the appropriate height.

Sound/music selection and editing is underway, Courtney bought ProTools for her laptop and Juliana is working with her on that.

Set, props, and costume are also underway, though I am sans latest update on that at the moment.

Total expenditure so far on scripts for preview and equipment for the garage theater itself is about $325.00. These are direct capital expenses and do not include any production expenses for “Voices” itself yet. I am estimating another $175.00 in equipment and around $75.00 for Voices. I am working on some ways to formalize and encourage external sponsorship of future productions, that plan should be complete in the next couple of weeks.

Overall, things are moving very well, and I’m excited to see where this goes. Probably we will stick to just “Voices” for this first production, to make sure we can do this. Then I hope to have another, larger show in the fall, with possibly a short original opener by a local playwright.

Other production team members are welcome to post their thoughts and additional information. And of course, feedback and suggestions from everyone else are welcome too!