This weekend we have the first dress rehearsals for La Bohème! The Power Center for the Performing Arts is just packed and the orchestra is not even here yet. There are so many moving parts, but after last night's dress with the Thursday/Saturday cast (the principles are doubled), we are all feeling pretty good. There are notes of course...there are always notes, but there was only one page of them and a bunch will be solved by a quick trip to the shop. Tonight is our second first dress for the Friday/Sunday cast so we'll catch a few more. Many of the notes are very small details- a slip that was peeking out, pulling some jewelry, replacing some suspenders, etc...; some were basic repairs that are revealed once the performers are moving- a missing button, shoe rubber that started to come off, a hat missing its horsehair to pin it on, etc...; there are several dying notes to tone down things that are too bright under the stage lights, and then as the designer, while I want to avoid implementing any major visual changes at this last minute, one of my jobs is to make it the very best it can be with all the resources we have. After watching last night, I feel like Musetta's Act 3 look is unfinished somehow. She is in trousers and while the pants we pulled fit her well, they are not moving well. It's subtle. She is angry in this scene and storms off and there's only so much we could discover in the fitting room, so my hope is another pair of pants we have that are cut with a wider leg will fit and help with this character's narrative. We also want to give her some kind of wrap she's grabbed on her way out the door with the hope that the drape of the fabric will provide a punctuation mark to her actions.
It truly takes a village. The beautiful wigs are designed by Rin Schwob; she is backstage with two crew members helping her. We also have the drapers here at the first dress rehearsals checking in with each of the performers they fit. The wardrobe crew of eight students has their hands full keeping track of all the pieces. Each night they check in every single item, making sure its where it needs to be, and then they start laundering items once the Kids Chorus & Banda get out of costume at the end of Act 2, followed by the Chorus at the end of Act 3. The Power Center is sprawling- the wardrobe room (trap room) is shared with the orchestra and is adjacent to the two large Chorus dressing rooms. Just off stage right are the wig room, and three principle dressing rooms on two levels. The Kids are tucked into a conference room on the other side of the scene shop with a dedicated wardrobe crew (in fact the same costumer who assisted me with their fittings, so it's a familiar face) along with two "child wranglers" whose job it is to shepherd the ten kids to wherever they need to be.
Of course this is just our department. There are massive amounts of scenery and props as well as moving electrics all led by an exceptional stage management team. It is exciting to see it all shaping up for opening night on Thursday!
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