Berkeley Rep Blog
From sketch to stage
posted by Cari Turley on Wed, May 4, 2011
in Costume shop , Our shows
This article first appeared in the Three Sisters program. The costume renderings are copyright of the artist.
Costume designer Ilona Somogyi and assistant designer Noah Marin discuss costume renderings for Three Sisters. Photo by Cheshire Isaacs.
Maggi Yule is unflappable. As the director of Berkeley Rep’s costume shop, she’s handled an eclectic season of all-day marathons, puppet orchestras, and solo shows without breaking a sweat. Her latest challenge was to pull together a staggering 43 costumes for Sarah Ruhl’s new version of Three Sisters, a coproduction between Berkeley Rep and Yale Repertory Theatre. For mere mortals, this would be a daunting endeavor. For Maggi and the Berkeley Rep costume shop, it’s just another Tuesday.
At 9am, the costume shop is already bustling with activity. Although it’s only been a couple of months since the shop moved to Berkeley Rep’s new Harrison Street campus, it already feels cozy. Sketches and reference photos cover a whole wall from floor to ceiling, a small crowd of headless dress-forms gather around the sewing machines, and handmade hats perch on every available surface. It’s still early, so Kathy Kellner Griffith, staff tailor and honorary DJ, keeps the music low until everyone wakes up. (Sometimes in the afternoon, when the volume goes up, the departments upstairs get to rock out with the shop.)
The role of Berkeley Rep’s costume shop is to turn abstract ideas into tangible products, and Maggi and her tight-knit staff pull it off with aplomb. Most of the team has been working together for so long that the shop runs like a well-oiled machine. In fact, between the two of them, Kathy and draper Kitty Muntzel have worked in the costume shop for more than 50 years. Together with Maggi, Costume Fellow Amy Bobeda, and backstage support from Wardrobe Supervisor Barbara Blair, they’re turning sketches by Yale Rep costume designer Ilona Somogyi into one of the most ambitious wardrobes of the season.
Rendering for Masha.
Les Waters, Berkeley Rep’s associate artistic director, is staging Three Sisters. He worked with Ilona to create a relaxed, timeless style that felt lived in, not formal. When Ilona’s gorgeous sketches arrived, Amy arranged them into the “bible” — an enormous reference book with contact sheets, headshots, and measurements for every actor, as well as costume sketches and research photos for every character in the show. Once that was done, Maggi looked at the designs and figured out where the costumes would come from: what we already had, what needed to be rented or purchased, what could be altered to work, and what we needed to make from scratch.
Rendering for Olga.
Maggi is so good that even a massive order like this one doesn’t rattle her. She has an answer ready for everything I throw at her. “Where are you going to find that fur coat?” Without even hesitating, she replies, “Oh, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival has one.” Maggi’s encyclopedic knowledge of past productions, both at Berkeley Rep and at other regional theatres, is amazing. And when she needs a little help, she need only look as far as her own staff. “If I need menswear, I look to Kathy,” she says. “Womenswear, I ask Kitty.” Maggi knows who has the best 1920s apparel, where to get turn-of-the-century Russian boots (“Dance supply stores have a really surprising selection”), and how to find the perfect sweater for a disaffected young woman in the Russian countryside: have Pat make it, of course.
Rendering for Vershinin.
Pat Wheeler is Maggi’s go-to knitter when Berkeley Rep needs a custom piece. Although not a theatre artist by trade, Pat has knitted pieces for several Berkeley Rep shows including Heartbreak House and Passing Strange, and now she’s creating sweaters for Three Sisters. She’s not the only outside contractor working for the shop; when it’s crunch time, Maggi brings in extra hands to cut and stitch. But for most of the process, it’s just Maggi, Kitty, Kathy, and Amy.
Rendering for Irina.
Start to finish, it only takes about six weeks for the costume shop to go from sketch to stage. After the bible is done, Kitty drapes the muslin (an inexpensive cloth used to make rough drafts), and then the real costume is made in fashion fabric. As someone who can barely hem a pair of pants in six weeks, I can’t help but be impressed that it’s enough time for the shop to assemble every piece of clothing — including every coat, necklace, belt, and boot — that you see on stage. But for Berkeley Rep’s costume shop, turning ideas into reality is all in a day’s work.
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A childhood dream -- achieved!
posted by Megan Wygant on Mon, May 2, 2011
in At the theatre
When I was in grade school, the school had a monthly assembly wherein class awards were presented. The most important of these was Student of the Month. One lucky child from each class was paraded up in front of the school for a handshake from the principal and the approbation of their peers. The lucky kids were also presented with a certificate, their picture in the administration office, and an invitation to the holiest of holies -- the chance to eat lunch with the principal the day after the assembly.
For whatever reason, as a kid in first through fifth grades, I thought that being Student of the Month was the coolest thing ever. I wanted it so bad. And every month, I’d head into that assembly full of hope that this was the month that I’d get to eat lunch with Principal Gregory.
Let’s cut to the chase: I was never student of the month. Not once. In five years. Never. And I wasn’t student of the month in junior high (where you got a lollipop and a hearty handshake), either.
Looking back, I should have realized that hoping to become Student of the Month was a losing proposition for me. That’s because, in the months where I was convinced it was in the bag -- the months where I turned in all my homework, didn’t get my name on the board once, was a veritable angel, in fact -- those were the months that I received the Most Improved Behavior award.
One of my favorite books from this era, Skinnybones, by Barbara Park, explains why this is a problem.
Every single year that I’ve played Little League, I’ve received the trophy for Most Improved Player.
Now, at first, you might think that means I sound pretty good…which is what I used to think, too. But over the past six years, I’ve noticed that none of the really outstanding players ever gets the Most Improved Player award. And the reason is simple. The outstanding players are already so outstanding they can’t improve much. Let’s face it, the only players on a team who can improve are the ones who reek to begin with.
Clearly, I was a delinquent in the making.
In later years, I also didn’t receive Swimmer of the Month, Resident Advisor of the Month, or “Regional OTM Coordinator Of the Month” (OTM, believe it or not, stands for “of the month.” Because, you see, part of my college job actually required me to name and recognize other “persons of the month” within a nationwide student-life organization. And I still never got anything.)
So, yeah, me and “of the months” aren’t on the best of terms.
Until today. Because you see, Berkeley Rep also has a Person of the Month -- an award I gave up on long ago, for obvious reasons. But, as you probably figured out by now, guess what?
I’m April’s PERSON OF THE MONTH!
It took over two decades, but it was totally worth it.
What did it take to (finally) earn this high honor?
A lot of elbow grease. A lot of sweat. A lot of going above and beyond... A lot of this theatre holding a starring role in my life in recent months. But here's the thing: every point in the past five years that we've gathered for the "of the month" thing, I would always spare a second to think "gee, it would be cool if I got it someday," at which point my brain would supply four or five folks who worked harder, put more on the line, and overcame bigger obstacles than I did in the past month (this time, I was convinced that my colleague, Margo Chilless, would be the honoree -- which she was, a few minutes later).
One of the things that makes Berkeley Rep such a fantastic place to work is that it's not "just" a nine-to-five job for any person here. Not for the actors, crew, front-of-house staff, box office team, or anyone you'd find in the artisanal shops or administrative departments. We do this work because we love it; because we're passionate about bringing live theatre to a stage where we can share it with an audience (and hopefully engage in dialogue about that work afterwards). As a team, we work together to create something that is ultimately greater than the sum of our parts. And when that something comes together in the right way...it's awe-inspiring.
On its own, it's a better reward than being named person of the month.
Every month, I'm proud to work alongside the folks who win "Person of the Month," and pleased when their efforts are recognized. But it was pretty darn awesome to be the lucky one for once...I must do it again sometime. (Hopefully with a little less of a wait, next time.)
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Apple of the day
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Apr 29, 2011
in Our shows
The Public Theater in New York announced its next season, which launches with Mike Daisey’s The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, which played here in January and February. This marks the 24th show Berkeley Rep has sent to New York in the past 24 years! Currently, The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is playing at Seattle Rep, which hosted a Steve Jobs look-a-like contest, with amusing results. While Mike was performing the show at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, he gave an interview on PBS’ NewsHour -- check it out!
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Candle, candle, burning bright
posted by Karen McKevitt on Fri, Apr 29, 2011
in Our shows , Prop shop
When you come to Three Sisters, you may eventually catch a slight whiff of a particular scent in the air. Yes, that’s the scent of a candle lit by a real flame. These days, flames are often faked with electric light, but director Les Waters and the creative team wanted the authenticity of a real candle flame, often carried by Emily Kitchens, who plays Natasha. But what does it take to have fire on stage?
Emily Kitchens in Three Sisters. Photo courtesy of mellopix.com.
Well, it usually depends on what fire effect the play demands, notes Berkeley Rep’s properties manager. For The Glass Menagerie in 2006, the props team had to cut the candles to size so they burned out by the end of a scene. This was no small feat as air currents and temperature in the theatre all affect the length of time it takes a candle to burn. But Three Sisters has no special burning-time requirement, so getting a flame on stage mostly came down to bureaucracy.
Whenever you use fire on stage you must get a permit from the city. Permits vary depending on the type of the fire effect. Pyrotechnics like in this season’s Great Game required a fire permit, hiring a specialist, and obtaining an additional license. But for Emily to carry a candle across stage in Three Sisters, we just needed to submit a ground plan that shows the movement and locations of the flame to the city of Berkeley and to pay a nominal fee once the city approved the plan. If the blocking changes -- as blocking often does in tech the week before previews -- an amendment needs to be filed.
Of course, additional safety procedures are in place. Even for an effect as small as a candle flame, someone is nearby (usually in the wings) with a fire extinguisher. If the matches are extinguished on stage, the props team puts gel activator in the ashtrays to ensure the match really goes out.
Sure, it’s easier to use a fake candle with an electric flame, but for me at least, the real candle enhances the setting and feel of the play. I may have only peripherally noticed both the organic movement of the real flame, as opposed to an oddly static electric flame, and the subtle scent of a real candle, but suddenly I felt as though I were really in that old house. After all, we often associate a place -- especially home -- with a specific scent, be it mom’s cooking or, in this case, the faint scent of wax and flame.
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An actor prepares: Firefighter makeup
posted by Amy Bobeda on Thu, Apr 28, 2011
in Costume shop , Our shows
In the fire, Fedotik loses everything. In reality, after they apply their firefighter makeup for the disastrous Act III of Three Sisters, actors David Abrams (Fedotik), Bruce McKenzie (Vershinin), Sam Breslin Wright (Solyony), and James Carpenter (Chebutykin) lose only the ability to perform simple tasks like opening pickle jars and answering text messages without a helping hand. So, for the folks back home, David and I have prepared a little behind-the-scenes, how-to Chekhovian firefighter makeup tutorial.
David prepares. The process is neither fast nor simple, so David downs a quick cup of water before we begin.
The secret to quick removal: stage soot can be a beast to wash off, especially in the short amount of time between exits in Act III and entrances in Act IV, so the men slather themselves in cocoa butter gel (found at your local CVS) that smells delightfully of German chocolate cake.
Sooting up. The soot is mixed from a top-secret formulation of powdered charcoal makeup and cocoa butter lotion, for easy, lung-friendly application. The actor strategically dabs it on and smears. David begins with his calves and works up.
The face, obviously, is the most important. A balance between too little and the inevitable Uncle Tom’s Cabin jokes is achieved through a gradient scale of light and dark smudges, and lots of room around the eyes for maximum expression.
Blood is key. Each man has a signature wound. Bruce loves his bleeding ear. Sam is committed to his forehead gash that resulted from Solyony saving a baby in the fire. Jim focuses on hands and knuckles, while David’s focus is on his calf gash and bloody nose. His theory is that when close to a fire for a prolonged period of time, one’s nose would most certainly dry up. Attention to detail is paid as they all trail fake blood from their wounds onto their clothing.
Sweat. While most would do anything they can to hide embarrassing pit stains, we enhance them for the audience’s viewing pleasure. A spray bottle full of water hits the pits, chest, and back, followed by a second coat of cocoa butter oil to the face for a sexy, glossy sheen, and a dousing and tousle of the hair to complete the look.
The finale. Smelling of cake, these hot messes of men are armed and ready to break hearts and (spoiler alert) clocks, just in time to ship off to Poland.
The new version of Three Sisters by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Les Waters, continues through May 22. Reserve your seats now.
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Taking the spotlight ONSTAGE
posted by Karen McKevitt on Wed, Apr 27, 2011
in Events
More than 360 Berkeley Rep supporters gathered at the Four Seasons San Francisco last Saturday night for ONSTAGE, a gala celebrating the Theatre's 43rd birthday. Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snicket, presided as master of ceremonies, and the evening raised $587,000 to support the Theatre, including $115K for our arts education outreach programs (see a video on how theatre changes lives). Here are some highlights from photographer Cheshire Isaacs:
Berkeley Rep's Managing Director Susan Medak with master of ceremonies Daniel Handler.
Development Director Lynn Eve Komaromi with Narsai David, Michael Yovino-Young, Venus David, and Jean Strunsky.
The legendary Rita Moreno sang selections from her upcoming show.
William Tucker and Deborah Romer meet the Honorable Willie Brown after scoring the winning bid on an exclusive dinner party with the former mayor of San Francisco.
Paul Wattis flashes his bidder card after winning a World Series commemorative bat signed by Tim Lincecum.
Cal Shakes' Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone with Berkeley Rep's Artistic Director Tony Taccone and MC Daniel Handler auctioning off the Ghost Light lot.
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Green Day rocks AI's final Broadway performance
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Apr 25, 2011
in Shows on tour
After 445 performances to more than half a million people, American Idiot, the Green Day musical that premiered here at Berkeley Rep in September 2009, rocked its final Broadway performance last night, and our very own Managing Director Susan Medak was in attendance.
"The evening is ending with the band singing," she says in a message. "The old cast and the new cast were all up on stage in a total love fest and now it's just the band. Awesome."
Check out MeghanSmo's video of the curtain call on YouTube (also above).
Yep, even though Billie Joe performed the show twice that day, the band and cast did an encore sing-along of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" and then Green Day offered up an hour-long concert of 10 songs. David Fricke of Rolling Stone provides a detailed report of the concert.
But it's not the end of the road for American Idiot -- it's just the beginning. The national tour kicks off from the Ahmanson Theatre in LA in March, and there's word that Universal is in negotiations to pick up the screen rights and hired Michael Mayer, who helmed the musical, as the director.
Susan wrapped up the final performance: "Such a gas of an evening. Loved seeing everyone. The original cast thinks of Berkeley as some kind of Valhalla."
Update, April 26: New tour dates have been announced -- it starts earlier than reported above. Here they are as of today:
Dec. 28-Jan. 15, 2012 Toronto, ON – Toronto Centre for the Arts
Jan. 17-22 Detroit, MI – Opera House
Jan. 24-29 Boston, MA – Opera House
Jan. 31-Feb. 5 Raleigh, NC – Memorial Auditorium
Feb. 21-26 Minneapolis, MN – Orpheum Theatre
Feb. 28-29 State College, PA – Eisenhower Auditorium
March 2-4 St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House
March 13-April 22 Los Angeles, CA – Ahmanson Theatre
April 24-29 Tempe, AZ – ASU Gammage
May 8-20 Dallas, TX – AT&T PAC
May 29-June 3 Costa Mesa, CA – Segerstrom Center
June 5-10 Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
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Teenagers and Chekhov
posted by Karen McKevitt on Thu, Apr 21, 2011
in Our shows
Think teenagers and Chekhov don’t mix? Well, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking so -- truth be told, most of us probably thought the same.
And then there was that teenager who came to Three Sisters last week. We spotted him before the show, hoodie pulled up completely over his face, with all the body language of someone who just lost a big fight over where they would be going that night. (Or, over the fact that he had to go out with his parents at all.)
Well, he did emerge from the hoodie at the top of the show. And after the first 10 minutes he was sitting forward in his seat completely engrossed. He appeared to thoroughly enjoy the entire show. Was it Sarah Ruhl’s more colloquial version? The superb acting? The exquisite design? Or, did he really like Chekhov all along?
In any case, it’s been proven once again: Never underestimate teenaged audience members.
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Kimberly sends us fan art
posted by Karen McKevitt on Tue, Apr 19, 2011
in School of Theatre
Aww! Kimberly really enjoyed one of the School of Theatre's arts education programs. And, the Alex she mentions is the same Alex Moggridge now appearing in Three Sisters.
Thanks for the artwork, Kimberly!
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Critics love our Three Sisters
posted by Karen McKevitt on Mon, Apr 18, 2011
in News , Our shows
Sarah Ruhl's new version of Chekhov's Three Sisters, exquisitely staged by Les Waters, earns rave reviews and the Chronicle's highest Little Man rating! Read some excerpts and then reserve your seats!
“Luminous! Working with a crisp, breezy new English version by Sarah Ruhl (based on a literal translation), Waters' sterling cast brings Chekhov's masterpiece to life as if it were taking place today. And 110 years ago. The action is as firmly grounded in 1901 by the actors' behavior as by Ilona Somogyi's provincial Russian gowns and Annie Smart's exquisitely detailed doll's house of a set… This is Chekhov orchestrated with the immediacy of Waters' stagings of Ruhl's Eurydice or In the Next Room. Its fierce beauty suffuses every moment and reaches for immortality.” -- San Francisco Chronicle
Exhilarating! Ruhl doesn't call attention to herself here. Instead she lets the play breathe with a simple, unmannered approach to the drama that makes it seem shockingly contemporary. She's faithful to the master dramatist, but she also opens the play up so that these "Three Sisters" speak to us as directly as if they lived next door. Waters' production is remarkable for its lack of artifice. The ensemble brings a freshness to each moment, a sense of discovery that lets us hear the play anew. There's a naturalness to the way the drama unfolds, the ebb and flow of the emotional outbursts, that leaves you breathless.” -- San Jose Mercury News / Contra Costa Times
“Magnificent… Held the audience suspended in the liminal space between hope and despair; love and utter ambivalence as well as a bit of humor. Directed with consummate skill by Les Waters and performed by a splendid ensemble cast, Berkeley Rep's Three Sisters is a powerful adaptation of Chekhov's classic that captures the lyricism and ennui of his work in an accessible and compelling production that is sure to be talked about for years to come.” -- Broadway World
“Beautifully staged, deeply compassionate... When you walk into the Thrust and drink in Annie Smart’s gorgeous set, it’s the first indication that we’re in good hands… Waters’ production pulls you in from the beginning and doesn’t let you go.” -- Chad Jones’ Theater Dogs
“In Berkeley Rep fashion, it is a sensational dramatic presentation… classic drama at its very best.” -- KGO AM