Technical theater artists at Brown might not be visible on stage, but the final product of their labor is anything but invisible. These students are responsible for sets, sound, design, costume, props, lighting, stage managing and much more. Technical artists say it is logical that their work should occur in the background, because they aim not to highlight their own technical work but to use that work to illuminate the director's vision for the show.
Adam Immerwahr '05, who has been involved in numerous projects, including directing, stage managing and acting, said that the better behind-the-scenes work is, the less the audience will notice it.
"If we do this great, no one is ever going to think about how we did all this," he said. "They're going to think, wow, you couldn't have done that any other way. Our goal is transparency, to make everything seem natural."
There are many different types of technical artist - each show typically has a lighting designer, costume designer, sound designer, set designer, scenic artists, stage managers and production managers. Production managers have more of an administrative job that requires them to attend meetings and monitor the budget, among other tasks. As a show nears its opening, more crew members are needed to put into effect what other artists have worked on for months.
In the months leading up to a show, technical artists are an indispensible part of the process. Todd Lipcon '07, the light designer for Brownbrokers' upcoming production of "Psyche" and sound designer for the mainstage production of "Measure for Measure," has an elaborate computerized lighting plan detailing the roughly 150 lights that he plans to hang next week for "Psyche," which opens Dec. 2. The light plan includes an image representing each individual light with its own unit number, its size, color and position. In addition to sample light colors, Lipcon has a board of costume samples to guide him in his choices.
He explained that it is essential to coordinate these aspects of the production because lighting is "a response to the scene. ... It's artsy." He said lighting requires plenty of trial and error before the lights can complement and enhance what is on stage. Lipcon also said that for "Psyche," which requires a challenging set design, "we don't have the budget to make an entire underworld, so it's pretty much up to the lighting to change it from Olympus to the underworld to Athens."
Erica Rotstein '06, who is currently serving as co-stage manager for "Psyche," spends six days a week, four hours each day at rehearsals, a time commitment not even required of all actors. In addition to that rehearsal time, the stage manager is also responsible for coming early to set up, locking up at night, attending meetings and handling any unforeseen problems that arise. In the week before a show goes up, Rotstein said, "I basically live in the theater."
For a director, Rotstein said, the time commitment cannot be quantified because the "director is literally thinking about this 24 hours a day."
Immerwahr said that as a stage manager, he would expect to be at rehearsal from 7 to 11 p.m. every night except Saturday and put in an additional hour of work outside of that scheduled time.
Rebecca Mintz '08, who has been helping out with the set and lights for "Psyche," estimated that she spends 6-8 hours a week on the work.
The artists don't seem to mind the time commitment, though. "I love being at rehearsal every night," Rotstein said, adding, "It is stressful - I never know what's going to come at me on a given evening." Rotstein said she particularly enjoys the opportunity to see the evolution and "ins and outs" of a production. "I love watching it happen from this end," she said.
Students involved in technical theater said shows are always in need of more technical staff - even those with no experience. "It's so easy to get involved," Immerwahr said. "People are begging you." He pointed to the "sheer amount of shows" each year - estimates range from 40 to 80, including productions by Sock and Buskin, Production Workshop, Musical Forum and other groups. In many cases, students with no prior experience can be trained as they go along, he said. Production Workshop offers support in the form of assistant positions, apprenticeships and mentors, he added.
Technical theater artists at Brown appreciate the opportunity to shift back and forth between different positions, experiencing time both on stage and behind it. "Brown is extraordinary at teaching people how to become well-rounded theater artists, not just actors," Immerwahr said. He said actors with experience in technical theater have an advantage when they enter the theater world outside Brown - when working as actors, they are able to communicate more effectively with crew members, and when not acting, they still have a wide range of options for careers in theater.
