The Thrill of This Work...

is that it is constantly changing.

The past couple of weeks have been insane. It all started with the Prize Of Hope given to Tim Robbins and the Actors Gang, and is now wrapping up in the mayhem of our first big-scale production of the summer.

The Prize oh Hope was a blast. We had about 14 people from Denmark (where the prize was originated) here in order to give out the prize and be part of the ceremony (120 total. Tickets were about 150$ each). They were the drunkest the quickest and were the loudest the fastest... sounds like my family... They sang a song for Tim and The AG and made the night a bit more festive than it usually would have been... and better yet they actually can pronounce my name!

We had an incredible amount of volunteers in order to handle the serving of food, security, and the selling of alcohol. Everyone did 150% of their work and the whole night ran like a fine-tuned machine. There was one point when a couple of drunk guys slipped in without paying to give their movie to Tim Robbins thinking it was their "big chance" to become stars... but security took care of that in the blink of an eye.

The best part about the night for me was wearing a name tag that said Dell'Arte Staff Assistant T.D. It felt good to be finally in a position of some power at a professional space.

To see the live stream and speeches go to Dell'Arte's Website and here is a link to an article that sums up a lot about the event: http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=29042

Korbel opened last night to a crowd of 250 (almost sold-out) in our backstage amphitheater and it went AMAZING. The crowd was responsive and the actors were definitely on their game... I even backed a van into a fence at the opening of the show because I was so excited.

We finished the lights Wednesday night and they were decent for the show the next day... luckily none of that heat is on me because I didnt DESIGN the show. Although I did hang every single instrument and set up every lighting position ALL BY MYSELF. A ridiculous amount of work if you look at it in the pictures. Although, I found my SODAK rigging seminar already useful in putting up those trusses and hanging the GIANT scenery pieces ( i was the official "will this work?" answerer for those couple of days.





Outside of work I am finding how anxious I am to finally be designing with light again. In the past few years I have only designed a couple of little things and it is starting to drive me nuts... this hunger for designing is really starting to show me where I find a really good fulfillment in theatre. Aside from this hunger I am learning to use Vectorworks (an Computer Aided Drafting program) and Lightwright (a lighting design spreadsheet program)... all in all: I am dying to finally get started on becoming a educated designer.

My thirst for this world is quite shocking to me. No matter how much I want to hate it (because of people just not DOING THINGS and my brother and I just having to do them ourselves) I find myself just falling deeper and deeper in love with the theatrical world, and especially with the light that illuminates it.

All the Best,
Snort
(I was nicknamed Snort by a 2 year old girl, Cora, who couldnt pronounce Søren... cutest thing in the world probably.)

Workin' For a Higher Cause

(Picture 1-Set of Korbel)(Picture 2- Henry, a local, getting into the props)(Picture 3-View from my porch)

Well now that I have finally settled down I thought I would take sometime to go through some of the things I have been working on...

My main project is the production of Korbel. It involves a set of GIANT set pieces, including a very large nurse scantily clothed. The carpenters: Goatt and Jermey did amazing jobs putting all these pieces together but when it came to lifting EVERYONE had to help. It even included a trip to the roof with my brother and helping him repel off the roof of Dell'Arte by a grappling hook. By night I am in rehearsal with this show and am working with some pretty spectacular actors. My part is very functional, as in, I am on stage practically the whole time and the show slightly depends on myself and two other guys to keep it moving. I am sure I will post more pictures once everything is done and there are some people in costume up there.

My second biggest project right now is lighting. This includes hanging, striking, cleaning and overall anything that might have to do with lighting. I teched the graduation (with Spike, the current Lighting Designer) of the students here and that was pretty eventful... it included a very semi-formal beginning where the audience sang pomp and circumstance, and it even included a Gypsy band breaking through the wall to wish the professional development students good bye. It wasnt your common graduation. Up next is the Arcata ballet in the Carlo theatre and then Prize of Hope. Prize of Hope is an award ceremony started by denmark and was given to Dell'Arte and now they are in charge of the American POH. This year it is being given to Tim Robbins (shawshank redemption) and the Actors Gang... pretty exciting. The ceremony is on the 21st but already we are kicking it into high gear in order to host Mr. Robbins.

That is about it work-wise that is happening around here. My nights are filled with Rehearsal, Sword-Fighting, dinner at Tyler and Kate's (the fishbowl), 6 feet under, and people watching on my porch.

Blue Lake is an endlessly interesting place. You have stray cats and dogs everywhere (including under the amphitheater stage) that are always friendly and wanting to be petted. Additionally you have the guy who walks around with 3 donkeys and is dressed like something right out of a movie that sells pictures of himself and his animals. I also had the privilege of seeing The Rubberneckers live (a blue lake local band that i love!) and watched them get steadily more and more drunk throughout the show but somehow just get better musically: it was magic.

Thats all for now, but there will be much more to come.

All the best,
ø

F'riggin California

Over the past week I have spent 9 hours in a car, 4 on a plane, and 8 on a bus. My back is sore, my feet are antsy, and I am ready to work.

The rigging seminar was very enjoyable. I got to work with Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging and learned more than necessary in the areas of theatrical rigging systems. The week was full of good company, theatre tech bickering, and Chris Garcia's wonderful hospitality. As soon as I had left and went back, I left again... this time for a period quite a bit longer than 3 days.

With a brief stop in Minneapolis and a visit to close friends, I eventually jumped on the plane to take me off on this summer's real adventure: Dell'Arte.

I flew out to san fran and stayed with one of my brother's friends Adrian. I crashed on his couch, woke up, and had a great breakfast cooked by Adrian and his brother. As quickly as I had come I was off again. I lugged my way onto the greyhound with my two bags and sat down for the 8 hours of pure greyhound goodness. The trip was gorgeous heading up into northern California and ended with a crowd of people doing whip-it's in the back seat... I was glad the trip was over.

Tyler (my brother) and Kate (his fiance) picked me up at the Arcata greyhound station and drove me to blue lake last night. I am temporarily staying in a very nice apartment used for guest artists until some of the students move out of their places and I can take over their space. I got up this morning completely oblivious of what to do or where to go, a feeling I am afraid I will have to get used to for awhile.

I am excited to get started on the first show here, "Korbel": about a near by logging tow, and cant wait to meet all the exciting people that infest this community. Every step taken now is a great inch towards a summer of complete joy in this amazing small town where artists come to thrive in the splendor of the theatre.

I will find time to write sometime as soon as I get kicked off into the first projects...

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer, mine is only beginning.

Cheers!