Dreams do become realities

It's been quite a while since my last post and needless to say, I've been a bit tied up with a few events that have taken my full attention.  I think my last post came from New York while I was wrapping up work on the Broadway musical, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Since then, quite a bit has changed. For starters, my book, Starting Your Career as a Theatrical Designer: Insights and Advice from Leading Broadway Designers is about to hit the shelves! It's already available in E book form and is sitting in the warehouse in New York as we speak ready to ship to your local book store. If you don't see it on the shelves, ask them to get it for you!!!  In addition to that, I will be in New York the first week of August to hopefully do a signing at the Drama Book Shop on 40th with at least one of the designers featured in the book. Could life be any better?  

My writing continues to expand as I was recently asked to contribute to a new book on teaching theatre design. As of this week I sent off the first draft of an essay on my pedagogical approach to teaching set design. It is slated to be published by USITT and release, hopefully, in time for a February 2013 release. I couldn't be more proud because in addition to my chapter, one of my current graduate students is also going to be included in the book to provide a "student's" perspective on set design training.  It's been an amazing 2 years and things look even brighter as I move forward.

I want to switch gears a bit. A long time ago I told myself that New York wasn't really an important goal of mine. I didn't have to work in New York to validate my worth as a designer. I was happy working in academia with the occasional professional gig out of town. Becoming a member of the Union was enough for me. I was content and more than fulfilled as an artist. That, for the most part is still true today. What has changed is my perspective on what it means to have worked in the greatest theatre city in the United States.  Sure, there are others; Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles (I guess. . .) to name a few, but our roots are in New York - it's sort of undeniable.

Upon returning home in November from working 4 weeks on Clear Day, I had a lot of time to reflect on what it actually meant to me. Not only did I get to work with some amazing individuals, I was able to be surrounded by an atmosphere of creativity and energy unlike anything I had ever experienced before.  It may be strange to say, but pounding the pavement that had also been pounded by some of the greatest designers, directors, actors, choreographers, conductors, musicians, dancers and singers did something to me. I don't know exactly what, but I now somehow feel part of my own industry in a way I hadn't before. It's strange, but it is similar to when, for so long, I had studied paintings by Picasso, and Reubens, and so many others with a great deal of appreciation. It wasn't until I saw them in person, inches from my face that I then began to really understand the importance of what they had done. I didn't fully get it when the information came from a slide, lecture, or text book. After seeing them for myself, I get it.  It's the same with theatre. Having sat in the St. James Theatre adjusting drafting, taking endless notes, discussing prop concerns with actors, and just enjoying a room filled with passion, heart, and love for this amazing art form has changed me forever. I get it.

I've found that, although I have always loved what I do at the University level, I've often wondered what else there was out there - at another level.  Unbelievably, I was able to find out. I am so happy to learn that what is being done on Broadway, at least with the team of artists I had the pleasure to work with, is exactly what we do at the university level - it's just that we don't do it with a 15 million dollar budget or the pressure of the public scrutiny that they do!  What we worry about on our University Theatre stage, is exactly what they worry about on the stage at the St. James. Will the audience take this ride with us?  Will they let go of their day with all of their concerns and problems to join us on this evening of theatre? Is our story being told in a way that will allow the audience the opportunity to escape, for just a couple of hours, into our world? Those were the questions being asked, day after day and night after night as we teched Clear Day.  If those questions can be answered with a "yes", then we've done our job.

I may or may not ever get another chance to work in New York again; I would love to, but if I don't, that's just fine with me. Today I look forward to my teaching and design opportunities with a new found passion and energy and hope that it is as infectious to my students and collegues as what I experienced this past year in New York.  Thank you Michael, Christine, Kevin, Joann and all.  It was a ride I will never, ever forget. . .