The Great Hole of History

I've been working and building like crazy these past two weeks.  Plays and Players, where I am the technical director, has a show going into tech this weekend.  My intern, Rachel and I have been building and painting and hanging set pieces in the studio space. 

We have to build a giant hole in the floor so to do that in our 3rd floor space we must build up to go down.  Above you can see that we've placed what looks like stud walls along the floor.  These are gates which form the skeleton of the deck we are building. 

Here is the replica of the Great Hole of History.  We've placed fabric in the hole and put the deck boards in place.  Our designer wanted a rough hew look to the deck so I used 10" barn board to get the effect.

We painted the deck last night.  To get the affect of older hard wood we sprayed the boards down with water then Danielle (the Asst. SD) and I used two different colors of brown that we had watered down to about a 50/50 ratio.  We applied it with brushes and placed the paint next to each other in a random pattern.  Then Colin, the set designer used an old mop that we found to drag the colors over the boards to blend and distribute the paint over the deck.  We decided that the mop is a very useful painting tool.  That night Colin pointed out that a super soaker would come in handy when painting a set.  I told him that I may just have to get one.  

Tomorrow is the first day of tech and dirt.  More on the dirt next time.

Lighting Design, Self: Same

On of my favorite things, and one of the jobs I long and dream about is lighting design for theatre.  I use to do a show here and there, but in I haven't designed since 2009.  Wow, I actually didn't realize that my last design was that long ago.

I was lucky enough to have a directing student at one of the local schools here in Philly ask me to work on their senior project and I accepted.  Her project was a new work by an Irish play write who she met while she studied abroad for a semester.  The show is called Self: Same, it's a monologue play with three characters that takes place in two different bars one in America and one in Ireland.  I am really excited to get back to lighting design, it is perhaps one of my favorite things to do (next to knitting).  Here are some shots from the show.

Photos by Brey Ann Barrett

This show has gotten me excited about design again and I am itching to do some more.  I hope this will open up some doors to other design opportunities.  I also loved working with Brey the director and hope that we can work together again in the future.   

No Longer the Intern

320 masonite floor tiles. 

Remember when I was all stoked to be the Production Intern at Theatre Exile?  You remember I posted about my life as an intern.  I know it was mentioned in a recent post, but I am no longer the intern, but was hired to be the Assistant Production Manager for Theatre Exile's up coming production of The North Plan.  This week is load in week which means I have been and will be busy busy busy building a set, painting a set, focusing some lights and all anything else that Paul (he's the Production Manager) needs me to do.

One of the big projects for this show that I helped with was making a tiled floor.  Because of time and budget we couldn't get real tile for the stage and instead made our own tiles out of painted Masonite   Our painter Sherri painted the sheets of maso and then I cut them down into 1'x1' squares.  Sadly I kept track and after 3 hours off ripping and chopping I had 320 square tiles and a ton of maso dust.  Note to anyone who is going to cut maso, it makes a huge mess.

I was also in charge of installing the floor, so I feel I am an expert on laying maso floor tiles down.  This project has also solidified my love for the narrow crown stapler.  Next up on the load in schedule walls.

Did I mention that there are cages in this show?  

A Dress for an Opening

There will be a lot of dresses for openings this year and by this year I really mean this theatre season.  This season I will be going to at least 4 openings and maybe more who knows so I get to really hone my dress making skills.  I used my Anda pattern to make this dress with many many tweeks.

First off the Anda directions are silly.  Ok not all the directions, but the one where you finish the neckline and sleeves before attatching the front and the back of the dress together.  Now that is silly.  I also used french seams.  I figured why not there are only 4 seams on this entire dress I might as well make them nice and pretty.

Finished the sequence, and started the embroidery. 

The piece de resistance is the waist detail.  I dilagently sequenced and embroided myself.  Lets be honest the Anda can be a great dress, but it's just a sack for a dress till you give it a little something to add intrest.  It is also highly recomended that you wear this style with a belt or add the drawstring waist or a tie.  You need something to show you've got a waist in this thing.  Over all I find that the Anda is a great canvas for a wonderful fabric, a fun detail, or even to try a new technique.

Finished waist detail. 

One thing I do LOVE about this dress pattern is that I only need a yard of 50" fabric to make one.  I am wearing mine to the opening of Theatre Exiles Edge of Our Bodies.  I'm only working the front of the house, but I'm going to look good doing it.

30 Before 30: August 2012 Update & Look Ahead

August is drawing to a close, which means that summer is coming to it's last days.  I haven't progress very much on my 30 before 30, but I'm still plugging away.  I am still trying to learn to duck dive, but soon that will have to wait till we travel to Oz.  There is a huge possibility that I will have health insurance soon.  Our apartment is becoming less and less cluttered at we purge the things we don't needs and find better solutions to storing what we do have.  I have been canning all summer and plan on continuing into the fall with tomatoes, peach butter, and apple butter.  My summer adventures will draw to a close with one last bang, a Bruce Springsteen concert in Philly.  

What I find truly exciting isn't accomplishing my list or even my first summer in Philly; tt is my return to working in theatre.  Has is been easy, no.  Has it been busy, yes.  Is it what I've been missing, yes.  In looking to the fall I expect to be busy, I expect to have long days, but I expect to be in my element and happy about those long hours.  This fall will be my trial by fire, a test I intend to pass.  It only took six years out of college for me to realize that I had made the right decision at 18 picking Theatre Arts as my major.  This is where I should be, and I expect there to be even more, even better things to come.  

Life as an Intern: Theatre Exile & The Edge of Our Bodies

In my plan to get back to what I love I took a position as an intern at Theatre Exile.  What I find exciting about working for Exile is that it is a small company that packs a punch.  The show they are producing for the Philly Fringe is and interesting piece written by Adam Rapp titled The Edge of Our Bodies.  I'm not going to try and describe the show or tell you about its significance to society or how if you are in Philly you should see it.  (You should see it if you are in Philly though.)  I will tell you that it deals with some sticky issues.  If you want to read more about the show you can check it out on Exile's Website.  

My involvement in this production is as the production intern.  What does that mean?  Well I'm the one who is working with the production manager to get the theater space ready for the show.  That entails loading in set pieces and hanging lights, building a booth and audience seating, helping Mel the SM tape out the set for rehearsals and all that jazz.  I also attend production meetings and other bits here and there.

Getting my hands dirty and working with new people has been a great change of pace; I am psyched to get back to something I love so much and haven't done in awhile.  I haven't been this busy, this happy and this sleepy at night in a long time.  Piecing my schedule together has been a bit crazy, but I love where I am right now, and I can handle biking all over Philly and staying up late to build audience seating.  I am so glad to be back doing what I love for an amazing company.

P.S.  With all the heavy lifting my arms and shoulders are starting to look jacked and I am perfectly happy with this result of hard work.

Ch-ch-changes!

I am now officially the Technical Director for Plays and Players!  Along with that I am also the Production Intern at Theatre Exile for their Fringe show.  I posted about having these two offers a little over a week ago in the post titles Life and Growing Up.  These are both amazing opportunity for me and that means there are going to be some changes in my life, changes that I am super psyched about.

Because of this I will have less free time.  I'm am looking forward to this because sitting on my butt for half the day everyday gets old really fast.  My life is going to get busy and this is awesome.  These changes may affect the amount of time I have to blog and I am going to back off on blog just a wee bit.  What does that mean?  I will be blogging 3 days a week for the rest of the summer to see how blogging will fit into my new schedule.  Unfortunately I will have to back off on dying yarn, and while I'll still continue to knit and design I'm sure it will be slow going till I settle into my new schedule.  

I do plan that this blog will stay the same a place where I will be sharing my knitting adventures and knowledge, my sewing escapades and fun things happening in my life.  This is a new super exciting adventure that I am grateful to be able to share with everyone.  

Procrastination and Speed Wrenches

The past few days have been busy here in Philly. First off I had a strike on Monday for a theatre in the city. I was extremly excited about it once I got there because I got to strike the electrics with the ME which has never happened before. Stage electrics is my actual trade and what I do. I almost didn't bring my speed wrench but I figured better safe that sorry and it was so true this time.

Yesterday I had a deadline and well I procrastinated, a lot. The only thing I knew about my knitting submission is that it was going to be a modular knitting project. After about four hours of research, swatching, sketching, filling in forms, taking photos, and two cups of coffee I had a finished submission. The last design that got accepted came into being much as this one. As much as I like to be prepared and have things done early I am starting to think I do my best work under some pressure. Well see what happens.

fruits of my labor

Yesterday's Surf Report

The waves at Ocean City were awesome yesterday. They were the cleanest waves I've seen there although they were closing out for the most part. I got some great rides in and spent almost two hours in the water surfing. It was a good day.

Simon even got one good picture of me surfing. Although I can't find my connector cord for my camera so I will have to post them later when it turns up.

I'm off to brunch with a friend and then off to a focus call at one of the theaters here in philly so my day is packed.

Footloose

Show weekend!
Cut Footloose! whoa whoa Cut Footloose!
Or my fav
I need a hero, I'm holdin' out for a hero to the end of the night.

Be back on Sunday for more blogging fun!

Unproductive

So last week I was super productive and this week I seem to not be. I have been really good about checking my email and updating this here blog and my fan page. I found some great teal and gray vintage fabric from the 80's at the thrift store. It's amazing. I even designed a new bag and then in the process of sewing it realized I would need zippers and have been at a stand still since. Since I have nothing new to post and no new product, I feel as though I have been unproductive.

Also I am designing a teen production of Footloose and well that has eaten up two afternoons and evenings I could of been sewing. I do love to design and will have fun with this show. The director, I have difficulties with. She has given me creative license with the show, but what bothers me is that all her and her staff do is yell at these kids. They get no encouraging words, no advice or direction, and are told to "shut up" two words I hate to hear used. The kids shut down and the director and her assistants are loosing the kids. It's sad, because I don't blame the kids and a lot of these kids have a ton of talent. Oh well all I can do is do my job well and tell the cast they are working hard and doing well.

Enough of that. I started a new Clapotis, only this time it has lace in it and is made with a bamboo silk blend. I will take some pics soon.

Weekly Plans

I have been super busy these past three days. Well Saturday and Sunday were spent working and Monday was kind of a day off. I went to brunch with Antea and then we went pattern and fabric shopping. I bought some great sersucker to make a dress with, and I also bought some sale fabric to sew more linings with. I'll take some pics when I have more time. Then when we got back from Jersey I had to go to work in Old City, a light focus which took half the time we were alloted for it and we had 6 people at the call a bit over kill, but I still get paid.

It looks like I will be designing a show this month. I'm excited, but a little worried as I have no idea what is going on and they want to tech on the 16th. I will have to work fast on this one, but it should be a fun show to do. Who doesn't love Footlose.

The weather has been crappy all weekend and looks like it will be that way all week. I really need to get out and take some photos of my new stuff. I can whip out this new bag design in about an hour or two it's pretty awesome. I plan to be sewing more this week. Tomorrow looks goo for sewing and it's not suppose to rain till later, so maybe a photo or two.

My goals for my etsy shop this week are:
*to sew at least one more bag
*take photos
*list at least one new item

All while working my day job, designing a musical, and starting a major spring clean in the apartment.

Just a quick word

I am at home right now for all of 30 min before i have to run out into the never ending rain and go to a light focus in Old City. Today has been busy, which is nice, but I have gotten nothing on my to do list today except sitting down right now and typing a few lines.

I might be designing a musical at the end of the month too, which would be great and a lot of fun, but I would have to push back going home to see the family till later, or earlier, or i don't even know at this point.

Well I must be off to shovel for food in my mouth and make some coffee.
TTFN

HOT

I feel like I am going to melt. It isn't as hot as yesterday, but I spent the majority of yesterday inside with AC. (One of the perks of working when its hot out.) I feel so unmotivated, and don't want to do a thing, and I had grand plans of sewing and getting work done. I did go to the thrift store and found some wonderful things to make more bags with. But as for the actual creating and sewing, I can't bring myself to do it. All I want to do is sit in a tub of cool water while drinking iced tea.

I am doing some laundry, but that's more because I have to than want to. I must venture back out in the heat at 6pm for an interview up in north Philly. I'm excited to have the interview, but not about the walk to the subway station or the subway ride. Hopefully when it's done the sun will have started to go down and it may be slightly cooler than right now.

Done and Dusted

The show I was on closed this Sunday and yesterday I helped strike the set. I am a little sad, I loved working on that show the cast was great and I loved hang out with the crew.

Yesterday, we took the set down and pulled it apart and helped the Technical Director and the Master Carpenter get ready to load in the next show. It will be nice to have more time to myself before camp starts as I return to my day job and nanny job. I won't be walking to Old City every morning or waking up at 7 am. (I do not like getting up in the mornings.) But I won't be working on a show till the fall it looks like.

I will also have more time for my etsy shop that has been sitting and getting little attention from me lately. I have a few new items I need to take photos of and list, also my sewing achine has been neglected these past two months.

With all of this said I'm back.

Day Off Snow Day

Yesterday was my day off and I slept for most of it. I was so tired, I guess that's what happens when you work 9am to 10:30pm and use coffee to keep you going. Simon had a snow day so when I did finallydid wake up we went to breakfast or brunch and spent the day together.

I must admit though I like sitting in the cat walks and watching the show come together, and when I get tired of that I knit. I knit a lot durring techs as I have a lot of time where I'm not needed, but need to be in the cats waiting. The great thing about this, other than it's what I love doing, I have been able to get two hats done and hope to get a third done in the next two days. I also need to go pick up some Banana Silk, today may be the only day I will be able to do that for a the week.

Things are starting to come together, and I've applied for some small shows.

Today I am off to the theatre, the show is absolutly adorable. The costumes are great and the set is really neat. I can't wait to see an audience full of kids see the show.

Just so You Know

I started my theatre gig for the spring, which is why there have been no new posts. I've been waking up at the crack of dawn and then I'm off to the theatre, then returning to my home at about 11 at night.

Tomorrow is my day off I will post something, and hopfully with pictures.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Home, I love my apartment. I say this only because last night I stayed over to watch the boys I nanny as dad is on a bussiness trip. I like staying at my parents place when I visit, and Camp in the summer is my second home, but other than that I love my apartment.

This said I don't stay in my apartment and never go out. Although when it's cold out I would much rather stay in and cook and bake and of course knit. I sometimes think I am overly domestic. Simon does do the dishes and the laundry as those are two thinks I hate doing.

I start at a theatre gig in a few days, I can't wait. Techs are a lot of hurry up and do nothing, so I should be able to get a good chunk of my knitting for the spring done. I have a little over a month ot get my items made and photographed. My deadline for release is fast approaching, March 27th, but I should have lots of down time here and there up in the cat walks and in the green room. Perfect for knitting!

Opening Night

Sorry that I haven't posted in a couple of days. I have been working, working, working, and the weather has been unseasonable nice out.

The past few days, or nights I should say, I have been in rehearsals for a show I've ben designing. It's called 5 By 6 and it's five one act plays preformed by six actors. It's at the Subin Theatre between 5th and 4th st on Bainbridge. It opens tonight at 8pm.

It's a small space with a low grid and only 14 lighting instruments and 8 circuts. The instruments are all par 38 and should be par 56 for the space. When I was focusing my them i kept getting dark seams were the lights were just not spreading enough. I refocused 5 different times 3 different ways and finally just hung the only spare instrument I had. This seemed to remedy the problem.

I'll have to post my pics to flikr.

8x14

I worked today on the show I'm designing. It was the first rehearsal in the space. I went in and hung and focused the lights. We cued the show tonight. I can't tell what I think about the show as all we did was lighting tonight.

It's five one acts and I like most of them. There are one or two I could do with out, but Marc the director is really nice and easy to work with. I'm excited to be doing a design. The space is small and limited. I only have 8 circuts and 14 lighting instruments. My college black box had more than that and we were ghetto and poor!