Feature Friday: A Farewell to '14

It is almost impossible to believe that just ten weeks ago, we were preparing to begin the 2014 Nebraska Repertory Theatre season. Ten weeks! In the words of General Manager Julie Hagemeier, "We went from April to August just like that!" But, you know what they say: time flies when you're having fun. And when you're creating wonderful art.

Today's blog marks the end of the 2014 NRT Social Media season. Coincidentally, today's is also the 100th blog post of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre on Blogger. In the past two seasons, we have posted one hundred fabulous pieces highlighting the many different performances, events, programs, and deals that have passed through the Temple doors and lived on the Howell and Studio stages. With every sentence typed, photo pasted, and blog posted, we have established more personal relationships with our readers and our audiences. For that, we thank you.

On social media, there is a very popular trend known as "100 Happy Days." In this challenge, social media users are challenged to post one thing that makes them happy for one hundred days straight. It is something that is sweeping Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, making the internet a happier place to be. Although the Nebraska Rep doesn't have 100 Happy Days to share, we would like to take a moment to reflect and countdown our favorite kinds of "100 Happy Blogs"we have had in the past couple of years:

5. Countdowns

If you have been a follower of "Behind the Curtain" for two years or even just two days, you've probably noticed that we have a thing for countdowns. Whether we are counting reasons why audience members should see a show, things we have enjoyed throughout the summer, or lessons we have learned, we love counting the ways.

4. Company Members

Every season, we are proud to welcome company members new and old onto the blog. With headshots and bios abounding, we always make it a priority to make sure that our audiences get to know who is marketing the show, who is creating the show, and who is performing the show. Whether it is through Emma's "Get to Know the Cast" blogs or following them through our daily shenanigans, it is important to us that you know who the Nebraska Repertory Theatre is.

3. "Did you know?" Background Stories

At the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, it is important for our audience members to not only enjoy the productions, but also to understand every drop that is put into it. That is why we love writing blogs discussing behind-the-scenes work, writer and play histories, and themes that come into play within the show (tea-time etiquette for Mrs. Mannerly, anyone?). When an audience member sits down to see a show or takes a seat at their computer, we want them to enjoy and learn more about the theatre we create.

2. Interviews

The blog and newsletter alike seek out unique perspectives from our actors, designers, and managers. Our blog contributors take the time to sit down with company members and ask them questions that give audience members a personal point of view within the different creative processes that go on at the Nebraska Rep. Through interviews, you get to know the people of the NRT as well as learn and appreciate what they do a little more.

1. NRT Special Events

Theatre people love being social, and they love events that help them be so. Many of our blog posts have either promoted or reflected on the many promotional and social events that we attend or host throughout the summer: Jazz in June, Community Garden Concert Series, Fine Arts Fridays, and opening nights! The management team enjoys planning, promoting, attending, and hosting these events, and it is our pleasure to share them with you!

The writers and contributors to "Behind the Curtain" thank you for supporting 100 successful blog posts, whatever type they be, and we look forward to sharing many more with you! As the 2014 season comes to a close, we would like to thank you for reading, supporting, and enjoying the work and art that we have created for you this summer. As NRT winds down and we move forward into the academic year, we hope that your support and enthusiasm continues for all that the Johnny Carson Academic Theatre Season has to offer. Who knows which students you'll see on the Rep stage in Summer 2015!

The Nebraska Repertory Theatre appreciates all of the love and support it receives from its patrons, especially throughout our 2014 summer season. Thank you for the memories and the page views! 

See you next summer!

Desiree Bartels, Blog Editor

Making God Laugh Set

Yesterday was the opening of Making God Laugh, and it opened to a large, excited audience.  For me, one of my favorite parts of the show is the set, which feels incredibly nostalig, comfortable, and like a real family lives there.  So that you can see the process of the set being created, see the bare set, and then the set being decorated, here is a slideshow . . .

Thanks to all of the wonderful carpenters, technicians, and staff who helped build the Making God Laugh set.  It looks great!

Top Ten Reasons to See "Making God Laugh"

Tonight, the Nebraska Repertory Theatre opens its last show for the 2013 summer season, "Making God Laugh"! This is one you're not going to want to miss (though I don't think you'd want to miss "Mrs. Mannerly" or "Emma" either!) Without further ado, here is a countdown list of the top ten reasons you should come out to see Making God Laugh at Nebraska Rep!

10. Holiday Music
Making God Laugh is composed of four different scenes, each taking place during a different holiday gathering. The holidays displayed in the show include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Easter. Accompanying these holidays is some great holiday music. Of course we have your classic Christmas tunes, but our sound designer, Michael Smith, has also compiled music relating to each of the other holidays.

9. The Set
Scenic Designer Jeff Stander has designed a beautiful family's living room that may make you nostalgic for your mother's house, or whatever house you normally gathered at for family holidays. Knick knacks and mismatched furniture decorate the living room of Bill and Ruthie.

A "work in progress" shot of the Making God Laugh set

8. Artistic Director of NRT: Virginia Smith
Yes, our very own Virginia Smith is the director for this show. Virginia has been the Artistic Director for the Nebraska Repertory Theatre for nine years. Her other Rep directing credits include God of Carnage, Church Basement Ladies, Vino Veritas, Santaland Diaries, Souvenir: A Fantasia Life of Florence Foster Jenkins, Metamorphoses, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, Omnium Gatherum, Crimes of the Heart, and Dinnertime.

Virginia Smith
Artistic Director of NRT

7. Four Decades
This play takes place over the course of four decades, giving the audience a chance to really see the characters grow and evolve. We start in Thanksgiving 1980 followed by Christmas 1990 before moving to New Year's Eve 2000 and concluding with Easter 2010.

6. Becky Key Boesen and Melissa Epp
These Lincoln actresses are something special. In Making God Laugh they play a mother and daughter who quarrel often, Maddie and Ruthie. Becky just finished directing Much Ado About Nothing for Flatwater Shakespeare this June, and Melissa has been gradually overcoming a problem with losing her voice two years ago. To learn more about what Melissa has overcome, click here to read Jeff Korbelik's feature article on her. They are two talented and hard working women whose performances are not to be missed!

Melissa Epp and Becky Key Boesen as Ruthie and Maddie
Thanks to Becky for the photo!

5. Three Equity Actors
All of our out-of-town Actors' Equity Association members are in this show, which essentially means they are professionally working actors. They include Alan Knoll as the father of the family, Bill, Mark McCarthy as the eldest son, Richard, and Dan Rodden as the youngest son, Thomas. All three are a delight to work with and a hoot to see onstage!

4. A Dramedy
Sean Grennan's play can be identified as a "dramedy", a "drama" and "comedy" in one. There are several comedic bits in the script that are quick-witted, but ultimately, the show tells the story of a family that is struggling to stay together. You'll get your humor and catharsis fix with this show.

3. Holiday Wear
We all have a grandmother or mother or aunt or sister who dons a very, shall we say, festive attire for each holiday gathering. Regardless of how legitimately fashionable their attire may be, it's always enjoyable to see and it often brightens the mood of the holiday. There is plenty of festive holiday wear in Making God Laugh, especially in Ruthie's apron sequence!

Ruthie's aprons for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter

2. Fantasia Cheese Dip
The mother of the family, Ruthie, has a running joke in the show with her famous Fantasia Cheese Dip. She thinks the kids love it and she makes it for every holiday dinner, but in reality, the kids and her husband can't stand the dip. They just continually say they enjoy it to please her. Erica King, Props Mistress for NRT, has developed a truly disgusting recipe for this dip that you'll have to see to believe.

1. A Real Portrayal of Family Holidays
The number one reason you should see Making God Laugh, however, doesn't have anything to do with sets or costumes or props; it has to do with the story. The story of Bill, Ruthie, Richard, Maddie, and Thomas's family is one everyone can relate to, because it provides a real portrayal of families and the time they spend together during the holidays. The show doesn't create a fluffy, idealistic, and perfect family with zero problems. It shows a real family with real problems. And this family takes you, as audience members, on the journey to fix their problems. It's a story worth seeing.

Making God Laugh opens tonight, July 24th at 7:30pm on Nebraska Repertory Theatre's Howell stage. It also performs July 25, 27 and August 2, 7, 8 at 7:30pm and August 11 at 2:00pm. 

To secure tickets, visit unl.edu/rep or call 402-472-4747, 800-432-3231

Costumes for Mrs. Mannerly

A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Sharon Sobel, who designed the costumes for Mrs. Mannerly and Making God Laugh.  I'll keep what she told me about Making God Laugh for next week, but thought you might enjoy hearing about upcoming costumes in Mannerly (because it opens tomorrow night!).

For Mrs. Mannerly, Sharon's main costume inspiration was pictures of Kay Thompson, specifically Kay Thompson in Funny Face. Sharon also said that she saw Mannerly as a woman who is "secluded by Manners." Although Mrs. Mannerly is set in the 60's among lots of cultural and political turmoil,  none of that really seems to exist.  Instead, Mannerly's world is still all manners and etiquette and creates an interesting mindset for her.

In theory, Jeffrey is slightly trickier to costume because the same actor that plays Jeffrey also plays the four other children in the manners class.  In theory, you could do quick changes or alter part of the costume to help with those changes; instead, Mark McCarthy, who plays Jeffrey, changes his body language and voice for each of the kids while maintaining the same costume.  Jeffrey, himself, is a very mature 10-year-old, and his costumes reflect that.  He gets those trendy 1960's hush puppy shoes, a sweater vest, and a rather sharp suite for his big manners test at the climax of the play.  He, like Mrs. Mannerly, is also a character that uses manners and appearance to create an outer character that is more polished and "mannered" then his inner self, and Jeffrey's costumes do a great job of showing his more formal outer self.

If you want to see the costumes in person, well then you will just have to come see the performance! 

Costumes for Emma

My day-to-day schedule as the summer intern at the Nebraska Repertory Theatre is never the same. One day I’ll be running errands and hanging posters; the next I’ll be working with social media or sewing in the costume shop.

Costume Shop Hard at Work

A highlight of my summer has been interacting with the actors. The opportunity came about when I got the chance to take pictures of costume fittings before the opening night of Emma (which is July 11th).  It was such a joy to see the first drawings of the costumes become a beautiful reality.  With each character came a new pallet of color with festive patterns to help you feel like you went back in time. It was fun to hear which gown or coat they liked best or see if they needed an adjustment here or there. I also enjoyed seeing how each garment fit them in completely different ways, bringing out the true beauty of the English 19^th century and its glorious style.

I want to thank the designers and selected actors for letting me take photos and show the public a sneak peek a couple days before opening night. If you'd like to see all of the pictures, click here. 

I hope all of you enjoy the NRT production of Emma and its exquisite costumes. See you at the show!

Thanks to all the wonderful women in the costume shop: +Katie Davis, Kayla Klammer, Rachel Owings, +Mallory Prucha, Janice Stauffer, and Ann Watson.

Costume Fitting Collages:

Setting the Stage for Emma

For about a month, the carpenters and crew have been hard at work on the set of Emma.   Below, you can see a collage of the set in its many stages.

Thanks to Trip Snyder, Greg Rishoi, Michael Fortkamp, +Vicki Halverson, Erica King, A.J. Lowery, Quentin Robb, Morgan Robertson, Patrick Stayer, Chris Stepanek, Forrest Teske, +Clay Van winkle, Jeff Stander, Steven Grair, and Brad Buffum

Scene Design for Mrs. Mannerly

Last week, I sat down with Laurel Shoemaker, who is the scenic designer for Mrs. Mannerly.  What is really exciting and fascinating about this production is that it utilizes very little set design, and instead relies on projections, which Laurel has been creating and photo-shopping.

The director for Mrs. Mannerly, Rob Urbinati is interested in creating sets out of found spaces.   So, in the Spring, Laurel took pictures of the Studio Theatre to help give him ideas about how to use the space.  What they decided was to put the production in the back, right corner and use minimal sets.  The set is the outline of a basketball court, a basketball net, a chandelier that will drop down for the bar scene, and then props and furniture Mrs. Mannerly will arrange during the performance.  In the collage below, you can see Laurel's picture of the Studio and then her design for the set.

With a minimal set, a lot of the stage story is going to be told by projections.  For the projections, Laurel brought in lots of images from the internet, photo-shopped to create what she needed, or with the help of a former grad student, created original drawings.  Here is just a smattering of different types of projections you'll see in the show.

School Pictures:
In the production, Jeffrey and the other kids in the manners class are all played by one actor, Mark McCarthy.  Laurel created a class of five students using old photos and photoshop.  There are couple of different pictures of the class, but here is one that shows them all together.

Manner's Book Illustrations
One of the other projections in the show are original pictures illustrated by David Tousley, a former UNL graduate student.  Laurel had found pictures in old manners books, and David created pictures modeled after some of the images.  Here is an example of two of them:

Different Inspirations for the Gym:

Although not part of the projection series, before the production Laurel researched older style gyms and pulled a couple of pictures that she shared with me.  My favorite one was the picture of the dance in the gym.  In Mrs. Mannerly, the gym doubles as a manners classroom, so I thought it was neat to see all the ways gyms get to perform multiple functions and create many types of settings.   

There is lots of other things that Laurel talked to me about, but the rest of it is up on our Pinterest page, in the board called "NRT's Production of Mrs. Mannerly."  While you are there, you can also check out Pinterest board for "NRT's Production of Emma."  

Meet the Cast of Making God Laugh

The last show the Nebraska Rep will open this season is Making God Laugh.  Here is the cast for this show.

Virginia Smith - Director

This is my 9th year as the Artistic Director of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre. As I've so often said, I have the best job in the midwest! And it's wonderful to be able to bring these five terrific new plays to you this summer! My Rep directing credits include God of Carnage, Church Basement Ladies, Vino Veritas, Santaland Diaries, Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins, Metamorphoses, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, Omnium Gatherum, Crimes of the Heart and Dinnertime which was performed at the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Theatre Festival in New York City and in Krakow, Poland. Other favorite productions include The Voice of the Prairie at the Podium Festival in Moscow, Romeo and Juliet for Oak Park Festival Theatre, and Ride Down Mount Morgan, Hamlet, Judevine, and Marisol for Equity Library Theatre. My work directing for Still Point Theatre Collective, a touring company based in Chicago, has been seen across Europe and the U.S. I'm the Head of Graduate and Undergraduate Directing at UNL, and run our M.F.A. Program in Directing for Stage and Screen. My musical adaptation of Local Wonders, former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser's book by the same name, had a successful run in Chicago 2011 and the Lied Center in 2012.

Melissa Epps -- Ruthie

Melissa Critchfield Epp – Is returning for her 8^th NRT season.  A graduate of UNL Theater department it was on this stage that Melissa began her professional journey.  Some of her favorite roles include Meredith from STEAMBATH, Flo in PICNIC and Nancy Twinkle in LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE.  She also loved being on stage with fellow alums as Sister Woman in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.  As a former member of SAG and Equity, her career has ranged from coast to coast including, recording, commercial, voice over work and film.  She had a starring role in Ted Lange’s award winning Indie film FOR LOVE OF AMY and is featured in the UNL’s film departments project DIGS directed by Donald Petrie.  For several years she and husband Mark produced children’s music, television and film projects.

Their two kids Ryan, a Chef and Ashley, an aspiring actress/singer are currently pursuing their own arts in New York City and the world.  A special thanks to her mom, Joyce, who continues to shine and help guide her artistic expression, to her loving soul mate Mark, and to the two best kids in the world.  Oh yeah, and their dog Bailey!  

Alan Knoll - Bill

Alan Knoll is a St Louis-based actor, and he's thrilled to return for another season at the Nebraska Rep; last year he was seen as Jeeves in Jeeves Intervenes and Phillipe in Heroes.  Other favorite roles include George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Riverfront Times 2010 Best Actor),  Max in Laughter on the 23rd Floor,  Graham in A Chip in the Sugar,  and all the residents of Bedford Falls in This Wonderful Life, named St Louis' best one-man show in 2011. Thanks to Virginia for the chance to return to Lincoln, and to his wonderful wife Laurie McConnell for her love and support.

Becky Key Boesen - Maddie

Becky is an actor, director and playwright.   Becky’s most recent play, What the Wind Taught Me was commissioned and debuted at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in March 2013 and will tour the state of Nebraska through the Lied Center’s Arts Across Nebraska program in the fall.   Becky recently directed Much Ado About Nothing for Flatwater Shakespeare and is looking forward to directing Nocturne for the Rep’s Destination Series.  She is a recipient of a Mayor’s Arts Award and was selected as one of Lincoln’s 2013 “Top 20 Under 40” for her leadership in the arts community.  Becky teaches acting and playwriting at Doane College and is currently writing her first full-length screenplay, titled Celia Skates.  Becky is overjoyed to return to Nebraska Repertory Theatre this summer – she last appeared on the NRT stage as Becky Foster in Becky’s New Car.   Thanks for supporting live theatre!

Dan Rodden - Tom

Dan happily returns to Lincoln for his second season, where NRT audiences will recall his performances as Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps and Steve in Becky's New Car.  His career has allowed him to perform for theaters across the U.S. and Canada.  Last fall, he had the honor of playing the iconic role of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird at Cardinal Stage Company in Bloomington, IN.  Other selected credits: Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha (Guest Artist - Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN); Felix, The Odd Couple (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Antipholus of Syracuse, The Comedy of Errors (Oak Park Festival Theatre); Dr. Adams, Marrying Terry (Nightingale Group); Charles, Blithe Spirit; Mortimer, Arsenic And Old Lace; Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol (New American Theater), IO Chicago; Texas Shakespeare Festival, and Cidermill Playhouse. Back home in Chicago, he performs frequently with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago in numerous classical staged readings, including Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing and Antonio in The Duchess Of Malfi.  Dan resides with his talented wife, actress Gail Rastorfer, whom he met a number of years ago while touring with the Nebraska Theatre Caravan.

Mark McCarthy -- Rick

Mark McCarthy is proud to make his Nebraska Rep debut.  

Previous Roles: 

• Hampton Theatre Company: How the Other Half Loves
• Shadowland Theatre Company: Dangers, Of Electric Lighting,The Seafarer
• International Mystery Writers’ Festival: Sherlock Holmes: the Final Toast (Dr. Watson)
• Illinois Theatre Center: Moonlight and Magnolias 
• Mercury Theatre (Chicago): King O' the Moon 
• Denver Center Theatre Company: The Rivals 
• Portland Center Stage: The Rivals, Macbeth, As You Like It
• Notre Dame Shakespeare: Tamking of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing 
• Heart of America Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream 
• Kansas City Rep: Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Tempest,The Deputy, Julius Caesar, The Imaginary Invalid.  

Mark has played hapless people in several cheesy TV movies and independent films. He voices over a

hundred characters in the audio book version of Alan Brennert’s new novel Palisades Park. He’s also a

stage combat choreographer and published playwright. He lives just outside New York City with his wife,

the brilliant and talented Hollis McCarthy. 

Costuming Emma

Last week, I talked with one of the costumers, +Katie Davis, who worked on researching 19th century fashion and the fashion of Jane Austen.  In talking with her, I found out a lot about the inspirations for the show and about how the costumes connect to the characters.

Regency Era:

The costumes for Emma are drawn from the Regency Era.  The Regency Era ran from 1795-1830 and the dress of the time is one marked by "simplistic elegance."  You can see this in the sense of line, color, and silhouette.  Katie created a Pinterest Board of the Regency Era and there are of Regency Boards that you can peruse on Pinterest.    I also just made a Pinterest Board to start collecting images either from our production or that inspired the production, and that incorporated some of Katie's Pinterest collection.  

Corsets:  

Since I was able to see the stages of making a corset on my last trip to the costume shop, I asked Katie more about what are the characteristics of the corsets in the early 19th century.  She said that for one, it raises the bust line so that the bust is in a higher range.  The style also has slightly less rigid boning and is a longer length, covering the hips instead of just stopping at the top of the hips.  The effect of this style of corset is the way it creates a sense of formality because of how straight the corsets makes the wearer stand.  For the female performers in Emma, the corsets ended up really helping the performer create a certain movement and almost enforce a particular way they will have to hold their bodies and move around.  

Colors in the Shows:  

In order to give insights into each character, the main characters all have their own color palette.  I loved this idea because whenever I read a book, I think about what color I would associate with this person.  Here are some examples:

• Emma wears pink and lavender 
• Mrs. Elton wears stripes and jarring colors (to match her personality).  
• Harriet ends up wearing costumes in cotton since she isn't as wealthy as the other characters.  The cotton makes her clothes lay a little differently which will also show her difference in status.  

My favorite pairing, though, is one that I wouldn't have thought of, but that made perfect sense.  For Jane Fairfax, the costumers put her in blues because she has been a little depressed.  

Funny Tidbit:  

One thing that Katie found in her research is that men would wear flats during dances.  However, that style of flats is really hard to find in men's shoes.  So, most of the flats in the show are just really large sizes of women's shoes.

Coming up in a couple of weeks, Emma Gruhl is doing a podcast interview with the head costume designer, Janice.  So, stay tuned to hear about what insights she gives into the costumes.