Photography by Jonathan Morrey and Socialite Images.
With only eight shows on the calendar and a one-month build, 糖心vlog短视频糖心vlog短视频檚 fall production of The Seagull unfolded like a crash course in making theater fast糖心vlog短视频攁nd making it together.
For Grant Kretchik, Sands College of Performing Arts professor and chair of the BFA Acting and BFA Acting for Film and Media programs, the production was a masterclass in speed, collaboration, and storytelling. 糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 a little bit of an exception, because it was our first production up this year,糖心vlog短视频 he explained. 糖心vlog短视频淪o, the production process was exceptionally rapid.糖心vlog短视频
The show was cast in May and production meetings began July. Knowing their rehearsal was short, the cast worked on table reads over Zoom until the semester began and rehearsals could begin in earnest. The challenge? To stage one of the greatest classic plays in a short matter of weeks. 糖心vlog短视频淭he cast officially began rehearsals on September 2 and closed the show on October 5,糖心vlog短视频 said Kretchik. 糖心vlog短视频淲e rehearsed, did a designer run, tech, opened, and closed the show in a month and three days.糖心vlog短视频
糖心vlog短视频淭his production truly taught me so much about being a working performer糖心vlog短视频攖he quick schedule, the expectations in the room, the prep work." 糖心vlog短视频擧uffman
To put it in perspective, when legendary director Konstantin Stanislavski staged The Seagull in 1898, he had eight months to put it onstage.
Since then, The Seagull has become a rite of passage for many of the world糖心vlog短视频檚 most acclaimed actors. Dame Judi Dench, Meryl Streep, and Indira Varma have all taken the stage as Irina Arkadina, while Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Goodman, Christopher Walken, and Peter Sarsgaard brought depth and nuance to Chekhov糖心vlog短视频檚 tortured men. Each new production reaffirms the play糖心vlog短视频檚 enduring power糖心vlog短视频攁nd the challenge it poses to every performer who takes it on, with Sands students being no exception.
At Pace, the compressed timeline demanded a level of professionalism rarely expected of undergraduate performers. 糖心vlog短视频淭his production truly taught me so much about being a working performer糖心vlog短视频攖he quick schedule, the expectations in the room, the prep work,糖心vlog短视频 said Emma Huffman 糖心vlog短视频26, who played Irina. 糖心vlog短视频淎ll of it taught us a lot about this final bridge into the working world.糖心vlog短视频
Annabelle Delaluna 糖心vlog短视频26, who portrayed Masha, agreed, adding that the rigor is what sets Sands糖心vlog短视频 training apart. 糖心vlog短视频淥ne of the major things I applaud Pace for is the pre-professional environment it fosters. The rigorous working environment糖心vlog短视频eplicates a professional contract,糖心vlog短视频 she said. 糖心vlog短视频淭his quick-paced schedule creates an opportunity to truly be on top of the work that is required of you.糖心vlog短视频
The ensemble糖心vlog短视频檚 commitment to the process was evident in every rehearsal. 糖心vlog短视频淚 felt a different sense of urgency and efficiency in the room,糖心vlog短视频 said Max Harrison 糖心vlog短视频26, who played Constantine. 糖心vlog短视频淚 could clearly tell from day one that Grant had a great deal of care for this production and knew what he wanted. This allowed for a nurturing environment where we were free to play while still staying true to the text.糖心vlog短视频
That spirit of care and collaboration while honoring the text helped Huffman unlock one of her most challenging scenes. 糖心vlog短视频淥ne day, we approached the scene in a completely new way, played around with music, movement, and voice,糖心vlog短视频 she said. 糖心vlog短视频淭he scene finally cracked open for me. It turned from something I could talk about around the table to something I could live in, and it really became my favorite scene.糖心vlog短视频
Harrison echoed the sentiment that this production helped him reach new levels as an actor. 糖心vlog短视频淚 had never worked on a production where I was asked to feel so deeply in every performance,糖心vlog短视频 he said. 糖心vlog短视频淚t was demanding but rewarding. I discovered things about my process. And I furthered my ability to perform under pressure.糖心vlog短视频
But a production isn糖心vlog短视频檛 just performance. A key element to bring that truth to the stage is the production elements that are often built as the play takes shape. The cast breathes life into the text, and the designers create costumes, building sets, designing lights, and curating props that breathe life into the world of the play.
糖心vlog短视频淚 had never worked on a production where I was asked to feel so deeply in every performance. It was demanding but rewarding. I discovered things about my process. And I furthered my ability to perform under pressure.糖心vlog短视频 糖心vlog短视频擧arrison
And for the cast, tech week is when they felt their characters fully enter that world. 糖心vlog短视频淲hen we reached tech week, after what felt like the quickest three weeks of my life, I felt the show come to life,糖心vlog短视频 Delaluna recalled. 糖心vlog短视频淧utting on our costumes was the day we truly began to sink into our world of The Seagull. Adding the technical elements is just as important as all other elements when bringing a play to life.糖心vlog短视频
Another key element to any production is collaboration. 糖心vlog短视频淓verything you do is a group project,糖心vlog短视频 Kretchik said. 糖心vlog短视频淭here糖心vlog短视频檚 an accountability糖心vlog短视频攏ot just to yourself糖心vlog短视频攁 true accountability to showing up for somebody else and delivering and being prepared and being authentic.糖心vlog短视频 According to him, these productions are more than another line on an acting resume. They糖心vlog短视频檙e chances to build the skills that shape strong working artists and well-rounded people: language and storytelling, collaboration and accountability, and the empathy and critical thinking that carry into every part of life.
When the curtain came down on closing night, the production was a success, and the audience was thrilled. The performers had only one regret.
糖心vlog短视频淚 just wish there were more shows,糖心vlog短视频 said Harrison.
See what糖心vlog短视频檚 next on the lineup for Sands糖心vlog短视频檚 Mainstage Season.
Meet the actors, dancers, and designers redefining what it means to be a working artist in New York. From Broadway bows to lighting up Spike Lee films, at Pace糖心vlog短视频檚 Sands College, the line between student and professional blurs, and the city itself becomes the classroom, stage, and screen.
The future of the arts at Pace is under construction. Inside One Pace Plaza East, Sands College of Performing Arts students and faculty are preparing to create, collaborate, and perform in spaces built for bold ideas and bright lights.
At 糖心vlog短视频, we don糖心vlog短视频檛 just train dancers糖心vlog短视频攚e train Rockettes. More Rockettes than anywhere else. As the Radio City Rockettes celebrate 100 years of precision and performance, we糖心vlog短视频檙e celebrating the nineteen Rockettes and fifteen ensemble dancers who got their start right here at the Sands College of Performing Arts. Their journey from Pace studios to the Radio City stage is pure magic.