A Note From the Director…
The shows you are about to see feature our upperclassmen, mostly young artists who plan to pursue the entertainment industry arts in college and beyond. As the Phils never back down from a challenge, we also decided to do two shows in repertory, a feat we had not performed since I have been director. I chose two great classic comedies and cast both shows without auditioning the actors, choosing who I thought might best play whom. The actors then had the chance to read the scripts and accept or decline. Some re-casting had to be done, but that is just another experience in the “professional world” we are trying to prepare for here. A month out, the actors received the scripts, did a table read as a cast, and began their own preparations, studying the text, making character choices, and learning their lines. We got together to begin blocking and shaping the performances just after “44 Plays for 44 Presidents” closed and college applications were due. But we all knew what we were in for, and by keeping to our schedule and balancing our time and resources wisely, we achieved our goals.
One of the toughest challenges for performing in repertory is space. The set used has to fulfill the needs of each production. This technique is often seen at Shakespeare Festivals, where a minimal set is enhanced by props and costumes to designate one show form another. This set was designed to serve as both an apartment and the living area of a psychiatric facility. Using a computer program called Sketch Up, our very talented senior crew chief and stage manager, Jamal Jordan, designed it. Under Mr. Ron Goldberg’s tutelage, Jamal began working with the program over the summer, creating a layout of his own home and other small projects to get familiar with the tools. The tech crew then used the plans generated to complete the build, figuring out angles and cuts, and making changes on the fly as necessary. This is the second set built this season already and it was a massive undertaking as you can imagine. Our crew are very committed to their craft, working long hours after school and on Saturdays to create the magic you see on stage. They are proud of their black uniforms and their “hustle” to get the job done. Do us a favor, when you see Jamal and our other tech crew members, please acknowledge them for their tremendous work behind the scenes.
The Phils are celebrating 100 years under our name, the Jesuit Philelectic Society, and 50 years of female actors in our midst. Before every show, we circle up, and the following prayer is included in our ritual: Your talent is your gift from God, what you do with that talent is your gift back to God; the theatre is magic, there is magic in the theatre, blessed are those who create that magic. It is my hope that these wonderful young people continue to share their talents with the world as “men and women of faith and men and women for others.” A+M+D+G+
I am so proud to be a Jesuit Phil! Thanks for supporting the arts at Jesuit!
Kate Arthurs-Goldberg, MA.
