Heidi McCurdy: Properties
Tell me a bit about what you do at CLT. What does managing props entail?
I am currently a Property Co-Master with my daughter, Riley. Managing the props at CLT means that we are the people who maintain the various prop rooms at the theater. We may not be mastering props for each production at the theater, however, we are the people to come to when a props person is looking for specific items. We also manage prop rentals to other theaters, school districts, and community organizations.
What first got you interested in theatrical props?
My daughter has been involved in theater since she was very small. I initially volunteered to help out with those productions she was a part of with whatever tasks were needed. Eventually directors and producers began to ask me to run props for their shows, which led to my current position as property co-master for the Community Little Theatre production board.
How did you come to be at Community Little Theatre?
I have had season tickets forever, well, for over twenty years. But I really began to get involved once my daughter became a part of the CLT family.
Where are you when you aren’t at CLT?
I am currently the librarian at Edward Little High School. When I'm not there, I like to visit my daughter in college and spend time with my girlfriends and my husband. During the summer, I like to hang out with my family, spend time on the golf course, and relax at my family's camp.
I hear that you’ve been in the process of cataloging CLT’s prop inventory for quite some time. Can you tell me a little about that process?
Yes! And it has been for quite some time. My initial idea was to have a digital inventory of all props. This will include photos of all items as well as a description of each. I envision a link to the inventory on the CLT webpage. Organizations who would like to rent/borrow props from the theater will be able to not only have an inventory of everything available, but also have a photo and description of all items. For prop masters, it is really important to not only see items, but also have descriptions containing size and other attributes. Directors are most often looking for specific props to fit their show, so having all of this information available makes it much easier for the prop masters to pick and choose items for a particular production. For the last two years, CLT has teamed up with Edward Little for the high school's annual Community Service Day. Approximately fifteen students from the high school spend the school day volunteering in the prop room at CLT. This has helped the work of the digital inventory immensely.
You must have come across some strange and intriguing pieces in your time at the theater. What are some of your favorites?
These all seem to be about birds - three in particular. My daughter and I once made a papermaché turkey for the first production we worked on as prop masters, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It was also the first time we used papermaché for anything. It came out great and was used it in multiple shows after that until it mysteriously disappeared! With help from set decor, we also made a hen who laid a golden egg for Into the Woods. Both the hen and egg were giant sized. The hen was made from a huge yoga ball. Most of my budget for that show went towards covering the hen with feathers! The third was another bird we created for Wednesday in Addams Family. The audience laughed every night when she walked onto the stage with the bird she had just killed for dinner!
What are some prop items that the theater is in need of? Conversely, what are some that the theater has in abundance?
I'm not sure that the theater is in need of any specific props. Every show is so different, which requires props to change for each show. We may need period vintage pieces for one show, and all modern items for the next, so it's pretty hard to predict. Having said this, we do take donations and as long as we have the room, we are grateful to the community for helping us with the props inventory. What do we have in abundance? Drinking glasses! Too many glasses! It seems to me that after every production or even each time I enter the prop room for that matter, more drinking glasses appear. It's like they multiply overnight!
Which shows that CLT has produced have required the most interesting assortment of props?
Addams Family had some interesting props due to the unique nature of the family as well as all the ancestor scenes. From Wednesday's bow and arrow to the individual props needed for each ancestor (each ancestor required individual period props, plus all props required a coat of white paint), this show was very detailed in the props department. It has also been one of my favorite shows to run props for and to be a part of.
What are some of the challenges involved in your duties at the theater?
The prop rooms at CLT need time. I think most departments at CLT would say the same about their spaces. There are multiple rooms at CLT full to the brim with props. Managing the variety of items can be extremely time-consuming. Also, with so many shows and with so many different people working props for each show, it is sometimes difficult to keep the rooms organized. You have to be okay with a little disorganization from time to time, knowing that eventually the rooms will become orderly once again.
Why do you think it is important to have theater in our communities?
I can't imagine not having theater in our community. I look at what it has done for my daughter and all the students at the high school who have been involved in theater, and I truly believe that the arts can make one of the most positive impacts in a person's life. It's a form of expression, a way to learn new skills, and an opportunity to work with some of the most dedicated and passionate people in our community. It's also a lifelong activity. The sense of community between CLT and other local theaters, high schools, and organizations is proof that it is both important and essential to continue to support the arts at every level.
Beth Morrison, a CLT Alumni is making it big in NYC producing Opera-Theater from her two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. Many will remember Beth Morrison from a variety of roles at CLT, including but not limited to Tuptim in the King And I, Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street, Christine in A Chorus Line and many more.
She also participated in All Student Theater Projdct, appearing in the title role of Evita. Beth was known for her beautiful voice and extensive range. A graduate if Edwaed Little HS, she went to college to study vocal performance. However, while workjng at vocal performance, Beth found that she haf a passion for developing new work - and so entered into the production side of theater/opera, ultImately forming BMP Productions. Proud father Chip Morrison has shared some materials sbout Beth and her amazing career.
Beth has been featured on NPR: click here for the story and in Opera News magazine: click here to read the article (PDF).
Way to go Beth, we're so proud of you!
Tom Anderson: Sound Engineer
What initially got you interested in running sound?
I started running some sound equipment in high school for graduations when I was a sophomore. When I went to college, I stumbled into a job that was sound, lights, power, etc. That job is how I learned it all, really. I started pushing boxes, and they trained their staff from the ground up. We were trained to do all sizes of jobs - from a podium and microphone in the corner at the coffee house, to rock shows for 10,000, to multiple stage venues with remote viewing and live broadcasting.
How did you come to be involved at CLT?
My wife was in 9-5 and at the last minute the sound tech for the show was unavailable. I think the question was asked, "Does anyone know a sound guy?" My wife's response was, "Yeah, I'm married to one . . ."
Tell me a bit about your duties at the theater. What does sound tech entail?
My duties are to maintain the equipment and support all productions and sound requirements of the theater. What that actually means is - I make sure that all the equipment is functioning properly for each show, repair any damaged equipment, and make sure that there is tech staff and support required for that particular production. I design and run many of our shows, but there are also many shows that I do not. In those cases, I either help find the proper personnel or check in with the director and sound tech for that show and make sure that they are all set.
Sound tech starts with setting up the board with the proper number of channels needed for mics, sound effect inputs, and orchestra. Then the orchestra pit must be wired, monitors set up, and levels set. After that, the wireless mics must be set up and checked to make sure there is no interference or cross-talk between each microphone. Once that is done, the system can be rung-out or EQ'd to make sure there will be no feedback. After all of that, the mics can then be placed on the actors. This process usually takes 1-1.5 hours the first time around because we have to identify where the transmitter will be placed/hidden in the actor’s costume and what will work best for them based on their movements/dancing/acrobatics that they will need to perform during the show. Once the entire cast is mic'd up, we do one final sound check all together to make sure there is no feedback. It usually only takes 30-45 minutes to mic up a cast and do sound check.
During the show, it is the sound board operator's job to make sure that all the actors/actresses are audible during the show. Typically a cue sheet is used to help the operator. Sometimes there is an assistant to help cue the board operator for particularly complex shows. The operator must also have a good ear to be able to mix all the actors/actresses, orchestra, and sound effects properly and get a good balance between them all. This is typically one of the hardest parts as a good tech is usually adjusting minor things all the time to make the show sound exactly how they want it to.
How much time goes into making a sound effects sheet?
Effect sheets can take time, especially due to the creative nature of our shows. Typically the list of effects needed at the beginning of the show is quite different at the end because the shows tend to evolve. In general sound effects are one of those things that depend on how much experience, creativity, technical knowledge, and time you have available, can be very quick or can take a long time.
Do you have any previous productions that you ran sound for that were personal favorites?
I have done many excellent productions here at CLT, but I think my favorites were Addams Family the musical and Chicago.
When you're not at the theater, where could I find you?
Likely in my garage, working on one of my trucks or welding something together.
If you HAD to be an actor for a day, what show would you perform in?
Probably Guys and Dolls. I was Lt. Brannigan back in 2004 (not at CLT) and that show is one of my favorites.
What are some of the challenges involved in your duties at CLT?
Making sure we have enough skilled people on the tech side is one of the major challenges we wrestle with all the time. We are always looking for more people to help out on the tech side and are more than happy to teach those wanting to learn.
Are there any projects coming up at CLT that you're especially excited about?
Well, I am still excited about a project we already did! Last summer we were able to get a new digital mixing board, and so far it has been performing exceptionally! It has made a huge impact in the sound of our shows and greatly increased the control and flexibility we have with our sound.
We have been discussing possibly rearranging the booth to improve how it functions during the shows. This would also allow for a video station in the booth when recording is done or when we need space for laptops and video equipment if we need to use projection during the show.
Why do you think it is important to have theater in our communities?
Theater opens a person up to many different opportunities. There are so many aspects to it - acting, singing, dancing, tech, props, stage crew, set construction . . . During the majority of our shows, the cast and crew are involved in many different ways. All of these are opportunities to learn and apply new skills. Because of this, I feel that my job is not just to run the sound, but also to share my experience and knowledge with anyone who is interested. I know there are many others who feel similarly at the theater.