Asolo Rep's Silent Sky meets the Bishop Planetarium

Sometimes the stars just align. And so it was when the Bishop Planetarium partnered with Asolo Rep for a night of star gazing and conversation. The impetus for the evening was the Theatre's upcoming production of Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson. 

As you may know, Gunderson is consistently one of the most produced playwrights in the United States. Her work has a distinctly feminist slant as she tells the stories of strong (and fiesty) women, often with a nod to history. My personal favorite of her plays is The Revolutionists, a fictionalized account of the friendship of three very real women  -- and one composite character -- who come together to fight France's Reign on Terror. Venice Theatre put on a wonderful production of the show that I saw the weekend before Hurricane Ian did its best to put the theater out of business. But I digress.

Henrietta Leavitt as seen on the Planetarium screen

Silent Sky tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt, one of the human computers who worked at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s. (Hearing a person referred to as a "computer" was a bit of a jolt.) Her work laid the foundation for Hubble's discovery that the universe is expanding. Pretty impressive, especially once you learn that Leavitt wasn't allowed to use a telescope on the job. Yes, telescopes were off limits for the women working at the Observatory. They would have had to have been up way too late, and it could have been cold out, so the men in charge forbade it. So instead of making their discoveries by looking at the stars, the Harvard computers studied glass plates of photographic images taken through telescopes. As Silent Sky director Seema Sueko noted, these women looked down to see what was up in the sky. 

The Milky Way

The evening started with a viewing of the night skies that Leavitt and her colleagues would have seen over Cambridge. We then spun down to the skies over Peru where Harvard had a second research station. Our exploration was led by Dina Tigeleiro, planetarium manager at the Bishop. It seemed appropriate that a female astronomer facilitated our journey into the universe. 

Sueko then shared some tidbits from her preparation for directing Asolo Rep's production of Silent Sky. (Sueko previously directed a production of the show at Ford's Theatre in D.C., so we are definitely in good hands.) Her research included a conversation with Gunderson. Sueko learned that Leavitt had suffered a hearing loss and wore a hearing aid. She would sometimes take her hearing aid out while at work to enable her to focus more deeply. The playwright became interested in Leavitt's story after coming across a little book about the astronomer. Gunderson felt a connection with the woman. The science "stuff" spoke to her; she has a background in science and is married to a biologist. "Moments of scientific discovery are inherently dramatic," she has said. And Gunderson, like Leavitt, grew up in a religious family. She often substitutes science for religion in her plays. As a line in the play reads, "There's so much more beyond ourselves." 

For an article that explains a bit more about Leavitt's work, click here. It includes a picture of a photographic negative of the type Leavitt would have used in her research. For more on Gunderson, click here. And for tickets to Asolo Rep's production of Silent Sky, click here. The show runs from January 19-March 5 in repertory with The Three Musketeers and Chicken and Biscuits.  

Happy stargazing! 

 

Behind the Scenes at Asolo Rep with Costume Designer Alejo Vietti

Costume for Kit Kat Club dancer

Life is a cabaret, old chum. So you'd better dress the part. For Asolo Rep's production of "Cabaret," the Theatre turned to Alejo Vietti to make sure the characters did just that. I had a chance to hear from Vietti and costume shop manager David Covach about how it all came together. With 60+ costumes required, it was a gargantuan task. Having already seen the show, I'm happy to report that the team's hard work paid off. 

Vietti is a native Argentinian who went to New York with his family for a vacation and didn't get on the plane back home. He said he had no plan, no papers and didn't know a single person. What he did know was that his career would be launched there. His credits include everything from Broadway shows like "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" and "Holiday Inn" to productions for Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Radio City Rockettes and -- wait for it -- Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. His work has aptly been seen previously at Asolo Rep in the 2010 production of "Barnum." 

Costume for Emcee

Vietti explained that for him, costume design is not about beauty. Instead, it should present the symbiotic vision of the director and the designers. Each costume must reflect the character being portrayed and help advance the story. For "Cabaret," the consensus was that the feel of the costumes should be vaudeville/circus costumes from the 1920s. 

Once the concept had been agreed, Vietti created sketches of the costumes and sent them to Covach. They then talked about each piece. How does it fit into the narrative? How much can we buy versus build in-house? Is a particular fabric required?  

Covach called this costume for the Emcee the "Frankenstein" of the show since it was pieced together from so many places. When Covach showed Vietti some black and white striped bicycle shorts that could be purchased, Vietti said, "I think the audience would be confused by that choice." (He handily calls on the audience's perspective when he nixes an idea.) So Covach ended up buying fabric and creating the shorts (with some spanx underneath for good measure). Men's socks don't come in sheer fabric so women's socks were repurposed. The sleeves are made from fishnet stockings. Frankenstein indeed.  

Vietti costume drawings for Sally Bowles and the Emcee

Dressing the orchestra was a unique challenge for the Asolo Rep production of "Cabaret." Instead of sitting in the orchestra pit, the musicians are onstage in full view of the audience. While Vietti provided Covach with sketches of the costumes for each actor in the show, his only guidance concerning the musicians was that they should look right at home in the Kit Kat Club. Hmm. Covach's first thought was to dress them similarly to the dancers; i.e., not wearing very much. Once he saw the somewhat burly men slated to provide the musical accompaniment, that idea went out the window. And so he pivoted to 1930s style tuxes. To add to the challenge, of the eight original band members, only three remained in the production come opening night. 

Covach and Vietti with "the" dress

The costume that caused the most stress was the Klimt-esque dress for Sally Bowles shown in the drawing above and this picture. It was going to be so simple. Covach saw a dress online that was pricey ($800) but in the budget. He got Iris Beaumier's measurements and sent them off with the order. No problem -- except that the dress wouldn't be available until February, well after the musical had not only opened but closed. What to do? 

The team outsourced production of the costume to a dressmaker in India. (To make it in the US would have been cost prohibitive.) Covach and Vietti worked with the creator via email and WhatsApp every step of the way. It's handmade from tiny glass beads and weighs approximately 20 pounds. The dress shimmered all the way up to the mezzanine where I was seated. One audience member asked what happens if Beaumier is out sick for a show. Would the dress fit her understudy? "That's not going to happen," Vietti said with a confident smile (and a wish and a prayer). The guys neglected to tell us how much the costume ended up setting the design budget back. 

"Cabaret" can be seen at Asolo Rep through the end of the year. If you have time between holiday gatherings, catch a performance. For more information, click here. 

Designing "Murder on the Orient Express" at Asolo Rep

James Monaghan, Paul Tate dePoo III and Tracy Dorman

I'll admit it. I'm a theater junkie. I love sitting in a dark theater and watching a story unfold. But I also enjoy listening to people talk about the process of getting a show from the page to the stage. Whether it's a madcap comedy, a high kicking musical or an intense drama, it's the job of the designers to create the trappings of the alternative world in which the actors and the audience will immerse themselves. It's a big responsibility.

Twice a season, Asolo Repo provides avid theatergoers the opportunity to hear firsthand from designers how they make their magic happen. And so I found myself front and center when dramaturg James Monaghan chatted with scenic designer Paul Tate dePoo III and costume designer Tracy Dorman about their work on "Murder on the Orient Express." The show is a comedic adaptation by Ken Ludwig of the Agatha Christie mystery. As always, the talk was both fun and educational. 

DePoo and Dorman have clearly developed a great working relationship. Their conversation flowed easily, with each listening with interest to what the other had to say. For ease of sharing their thoughts, I'll break it down by designer. 

Dorman's work on "Murder on the Orient Express" is her seventh engagement at Asolo Rep. Most recently, she designed "The Crucible." It would be hard to imagine two more different aesthetics. The colors of the costumes in "The Crucible" were unrelenting shades of brown. Dorman explained she utilized the drab tones to convey how trapped these characters were in their small environment. 

The characters in "Murder,,,," on the other hand, are constantly in motion -- literally. The fabrics and colors and designs are luscious. Just check out these silk pajamas. As Dorman said, "Who would really wear these to bed?"  Those sleeves would be a serious nuisance. 

Dorman's favorite part of her work comes when collaborating with the actors in the fitting room. "The real joy," she said, "Is in helping them find their characters." Take, for instance, her time with Jim DeVita, who plays Hercule Poiret. The detective is a bit on the persnickety side. And so she and DeVita spent time talking about the costume details that the audience might not notice but that help build their characters' identities, like how his pocket watch should be placed and how his handkerchief would be folded. The finessing doesn't end until opening night. 

When asked about the importance of tech night, Dorman laughed and shared an incident that had taken place the previous evening. One of DeVita's wardrobe changes somehow didn't make it onto the schedule, and he ended up on the other wing of the stage from his clothes. It was pretty obvious something had gone awry when he appeared onstage half-dressed. That take is one for the blooper reel.

The Asolo's production of "Murder..." uses video to a number of ends, including providing the backstory for some of the characters. Dorman had been slightly apprehensive when she realized just how much video there would be. Her costumes are, after all, designed for the stage rather than the screen.

Having seen the final product, Dorman is a clear convert to the video component. She marveled at how much complexity it adds to the story. "I probably shouldn't say this, but the writing of the show almost doesn't deserve this level of beauty," Dorman opined. It's the perfect segue way to dePoo's scenic design. 

DePoo was just as charming as he was at the brunch when he discussed his scenic design for "The Sound of Music." When Michael Donald Edwards called him and said, "Dahling, Orient Express,,,,", dePoo had to give it some serious thought. Marked across his January and February calendar in bold print were the words "Make Sure It's Worth It." It's often difficult, he explained, for people to get back into the groove post-holidays. An opening scheduled for early January was fraught with opportunities for disaster. DePoo is very grateful he said yes. 

One factor that drove his decision was having seen the original production of Ken Ludwig's adaptation at a theater that will remain unnamed. It was terrible. The design included three separate train cars and left him feeling exhausted. He knew he could do better.

With a bit of chagrin, dePoo shared that his original idea for the scenic design was an abstract sense of a train. "If the curtain had risen and the audience just saw a bunch of lines, it would be pretty disappointing," he said with a laugh.

The final design -- more or less -- was the result of an all-nighter he pulled after the design team met with director Peter Amster back in May. While I haven't seen the show yet, word is the set is spectacular -- and about as diametrically opposed to an abstraction as you can imagine. DePoo said he had to apologize to the production team responsible for creating the train cars. They had breathed a sigh of relief when he originally told them no wood detail would be required. Oops!  And -- spoiler alert -- the elaborate set is on a turntable that allows both sides of the train car to be visible and creates a sense of motion.

DePoo is in awe of the final product created by Vic Meyrich and his team at the scenic studio. "It's insane what this company has built," he said. "It's ginormous." And let's not forget that the show will soon be in repertory with "The Lifespan of a Fact" and "Into the Breeches," so the set must be moved on and off the stage with great frequency. The logistics are daunting.

The pair were in agreement as to their favorite element of the show -- a scene that takes place on the Observation Deck of the train. In a show jam-packed with action and movement, it's a quiet moment when lights sparkle and a character turns and reveals the low-cut back of the dress shown above. Dorman said, "It's cinematic, but magic. And that's theater. That is why we go to the theater."

"Murder on the Orient Express" runs at Asolo Repertory Theatre through March 8.  Click here for more information.

Talking Scenic Design and Music for Asolo Rep's The Sound of Music

Scenic Designer Paul Tate dePoo III, Dramaturg &Literary

Manager James Monaghan & Music Supervisor Sinai Tabak 

"The Sound of Music? Really?" thought scenic designer Paul Tate dePoo III when Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Rep's Producing Artistic Director, called him about the gig. Despite his lack of immediate enthusiasm, he signed on for the project. Josh Rhodes was going to be directing after all, and their prior collaborations for Evita and Josephine had been both successful and creatively satisfying.

Having made this confession, it meant much more when dePoo told the Designer Brunch attendees, "I can't remember when I've been this excited about a production -- maybe never." In fact, he's so enthused that his mother is flying down from Boston to see the musical.

The wedding scene for Asolo Rep's The Sound of Music --

scenic design by Paul Tate dePoo III

DePoo says Rhodes' vision for the show was to make it "different from what people expect without reinventing it." The pre-design discussions included a lot of talk about Maria being "over the walls of the abbey." DePoo built on that concept in his design, which features an ambiguous fresco wall that serves as the backdrop for the church, the abbey, the interior of the von Trapp home and the landscape. Coincidentally, dePoo has been studying Austrian architecture and design in advance of a project there next year. He said he appreciates the country's "more is more" approach. You might see a bit of that in The Sound of Music's scenic design.

When asked about projection design, dePoo shared that he had an "aha" moment when working at Asolo Rep on Josephine and video was laid over his set. His tool kit now includes this 21st century skill, which he calls an additional way to "render all these worlds." He considered the incorporation of projections for The Sound of Music but ultimately decided it wasn't necessary to create his artistic vision. To see more of dePoo's work, which includes a design for a Lady Gaga concert, click here.

Sinai Tabak

The designer brunch was a two-fer and also featured Music Supervisor Sinai Tabak. (Yes, he's very young looking. When I commented on it, he jokingly said he's understudying for the role of Gretl.)

Like dePoo, Tabak has worked on several productions at Asolo Rep, including Evita and Guys and Dolls. But he's previously been in the role of Music Director. We learned that's an entirely different job from serving as Music Supervisor.

A show's Music Director plays the piano, conducts the orchestra and teaches the musicians their parts. The director is on site from the first day of rehearsal to closing night.

As Music Supervisor for The Sound of Music, Tabak had the Herculean task of converting the orchestration from a work for a 30 piece orchestra to one containing a mere 10 members. As I understood it, this involves going through the music and identifying each note that each instrument plays. Tabak said -- with a smile -- that it took him eight-ten hours to arrange the 45 second "dance break" in "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." Wow.

Tabak explained that music directors often rely heavily on synthesizers when creating new arrangements. One keyboard might "play" as many as ten string instruments. But Tabak decided to go with a more acoustic approach for The Sound of Music. The audience will hear more guitar than usual as well as the piano, an instrument not in the original orchestration.

I couldn't resist including this picture of the adorable 

Cora Jane Messner (Gretl) and Allie McLaughlin (Marta). 

In sharp contrast to when serving as Music Director, Tabak's only time spent "in the room" for the show had been a couple of weeks earlier to rehearse with the orchestra. At that point, he made some changes to make the music consistent with the way he heard it in his head. Having sat in on the run-through the prior evening -- the first in which the orchestra joined the actors -- he was full of excitement.

"I'm always inspired by seeing what Josh Rhodes does," he said. Some tweaks were, however, required. He noted one moment during which he was struck by the way Maria looks at Captain von Trapp. A violin solo was clearly required. The change was incorporated in time for opening night.

I have to admit my initial reaction when learning The Sound of Music would open Asolo Rep's season was not unlike that of dePoo. But having heard dePoo and Tabak talk about the show -- and meeting some of the cast and crew at the Guild's potluck dinner -- I can't wait. The musical runs through December 28. It's a perfect show for the holiday season. Click here for more information and tickets. And if you want to get your behind-the-scenes info directly, join me at the Designer Brunch for Murder on the Orient Express on January 8. Click here for more info.

Touring Asolo Rep's Koski Production Center

On the set of "Noises Off"

Who wouldn't like to take a whirl on the set of a professional theater production?  I recently had the chance to do just that -- almost literally, as we watched the set for Asolo Rep's upcoming production of "Noises Off" revolve mere inches before us. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Ten years ago, Asolo Rep had the opportunity to purchase the nearly 37,000 square foot building that is now the Robert and Beverly Koski Production Center. Vic Meyrich, Production Manager and Head of Operations since 1969, said it was a dream come true. Renting a scenic design shop for the theater on a month-to-month basis was nerve wracking to say the least. But, as always, it came down to money.

The building was in foreclosure at a listing price of $2.4 million. Thanks to some expert negotiation, the purchase price was reduced to $1.6 million -- with the caveat that the transaction be closed by year end, a mere ten days away. Asolo Rep conjured up the "big magic of the community" and got the deal done. Today, the state of the art facility builds sets for Asolo Rep and for other arts organizations, including the Sarasota Opera, the Straz and Universal.

Our first stop on the tour was the props department. (Why I've never figured out that "props" is short for "properties" is beyond me.)  The Asolo boasts 8,000 square feet of storage space for the props that have been accumulated over the last 60 years. To find what you're looking for in the double decker area seems more than a little daunting. But despite the lack of a precise inventory system, it somehow works out.

You might expect that in a space that size, the theater would have pretty much every prop it needs for a production. Nope. Each show has unique needs for props to be located, purchased, made or borrowed. These suitcases, for instance, were made by the carpentry department for the summer production of "Around the World in 80 Days." The barber chair for "Sweeney Todd" will come from a previous production of the show at Theatre Latte Da, director Peter Rothstein's home base.

The front of the set for "Noises Off"

While the entire tour was fascinating, the star was the set for "Noises Off." The show is a play-within-a-play about a less than finely tune acting troupe putting on a sex farce. As expected, there are lots of moving parts, complete with many entrances and exits through slamming doors. The trick to the play, though, is that the audience also sees what's happening backstage.

In a typical production, scenic designers only have to worry about one side of the set. Here, both sides of the "theater" will be on view for the audience. Our guide David Ferguson, who serves as the Theatre's Technical Director when not giving tours, noted this essentially converts the set into a sculpture. The set sits on a 26' revolve, and we got a preview of how smoothly it operates.

The back of the set for "Noises Off"

The repertory nature of Asolo Rep makes this already complicated set even more complex. With minor exceptions, each performance of "Noises Off" will be preceded or followed by another show on the same day. As a result, there will be many set changeovers during the course of the show's run.

"Will the set fit into the allocated backstage space?" one savvy theatergoer asked. "We don't know yet," Ferguson responded with a laugh. But he assured us this contingency had been planned for by the team. A portion of the floor of the set can be taken up if need be.

The rehearsal process is also a bit more complicated than usual for "Noises Off." For most shows, the actors rehearse in the studio adjacent to the production area. But the set is such an integral part of "Noises Off" that rehearsals in the faux theater are required. I'm not sure how they're handling the noise factor; it was difficult to hear some of Ferguson's explanations with drills and power saws at work all around us. But I'm confident they've figured out a work-around.

And speaking of rehearsals, fundraising is ongoing for a new state of the art rehearsal complex. One challenge of the current space is the ceiling height. Take, for instance, rehearsals for "Evita." Ana Isabelle/Eva climbing those amazing stairs to sing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" was an incredible moment in the show. Not so much during rehearsals, though, when Ana had to crouch at the top of the stairs and belt out the number.

As always, getting a peek behind the scenes at what's involved in bringing a show from the page to the stage was great fun. "Noises Off" will run from March 22 through April 20. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.  I can't wait.

Designing A Doll's House, Part 2

When Robert Perdziola was a child, he loved playing with dolls. He'd often draw clothing for them and sometimes even made their outfits. This pastime was not well-received in the blue collar neighborhood of Pittsburgh in which he was raised.

Perdziola was welcomed, though, into Carnegie Mellon's Drama Department. (The Fine Arts Department appreciated his talent, but suggested he get in touch with reality when he showed them his portfolio with drawings of Liza Minelli and Barbra Streisand.) He had found a home -- and a place where his talent was nurtured and grew. His resume includes costume and set designs for the Metropolitan Opera, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Perdziola's resume also includes multiple stints at Asolo Rep, where he designed "Living for Love" and "Rhinoceros." His designs appear this season in "A Doll's House, Part 2." Perdziola recently spoke at a Designer Brunch at the theater, and I was front and center.

Perdziola was quite frank that what appealed to him about designing the show was the complicated issues of marriage it raises rather than the costume design opportunity. After all, the show has only four characters and no costume changes. (By way of contrast, "The Music Man," Asolo Rep's season opener, required more than 80 costumes for its large cast.)

The show takes place in the 1890s. Nora has just returned home after a 15 year absence from her home and family. She is a successful writer whose life has radically changed. So has the life of her daughter Emmy, who is now a grown woman. Perdziola walked us through his designs for these characters.

Perdziola confessed that his design for Nora's dress is a "straight up steal" from the House of Worth. The couturier was established in Paris in 1858, and women traveled from around the world to purchase their dresses there. Perdziola reminded us this was a time well before ready wear existed.

Perdziola didn't select this design in a vacuum, though. When developing his costumes, he becomes familiar with the people who will wear them. He creates sketches and watercolors of his ideas. His initial instinct was to dress Nora in black. Director Peter Amster vetoed this choice because he felt black would be too severe given the play's comedic elements. So instead, Nora wears a rich maroon.

Perdizola noted that the original House of Worth design included a petticoat, which he has eliminated. "It doesn't change the way the story comes out," he said with a laugh. Kate Hampton/Nora will, however, wear a corset. Perdziola was quite funny when he talked about this component of costume design. "You have to figure where the excess 'skin' will come out," he said. It's a dilemma with which any woman who's worn Spanx is familiar. (I suspect it's not an issue for Hampton.)

Perdziola and Amster also had slightly different views about how to portray Emmy. To Perdziola, Emmy is a free thinker; Amster considers her a bit old-fashioned. Perdziola's challenge was to design a dress that would bridge this gap.

Perdziola turned to the House of Paquin, another French fashion house established in the 19th century. (As an aside, according to Wikipedia, Jeanne Paquin was the first major female couturier and set the stage for the modern fashion business. You can read more about her by clicking here.) Olivia Osol, who plays Emmy, is not burdened with either petticoat or corset.

It is worth noting that while Perdziola's designs were inspired by the Houses of Worth and Paquin, respectively, the dresses were built in-house at Asolo Rep.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Perdziola also designed the minimalist set for the show. Playwright Lucas Hnath has said he envisions the set as more a forum where a battle will take place than a genteel living room. Building off this concept, Perdziola has created a sparse design whose curved lines mimic those of a Roman forum.

As always, getting the inside scoop on the design of a show will enhance my viewing pleasure. While not a design issue, I'm also fascinated by the fact that David Breitbarth and Kate Hampton, who play Torvald and Nora, are spouses in real life. I'm betting their relationship will bring an exciting depth to the characters. Unfortunately, I have to wait until late March to find out.

To get tickets to see "A Doll's House, Part 2" (or any of the other shows in Asolo Rep's season), click here.

Designing Asolo Rep's "The Music Man" with Tobin Ost

Tobin Ost

Tobin Ost grew up with dreams of a future in architecture. But when Tobin approached the lone architect in his hometown with a request to shadow him, he was shown the door. Tobin wandered across the street to a small theater. Would they happen to have use for his eager young mind?

Architecture's loss quickly became theater's gain. By the time Tobin headed off to college, he had already fully designed both theater and opera productions.

In college, Tobin studied art history and theater with a plan to pursue a career in set design. He said he soon realized, "Costume design is just a different form of architecture." And doing both set and costume design for a production made sense to him. "It's the same eyes looking at both," he noted.

Happily for Asolo Rep and its audience, the multi-talented Ost is a member of the creative team for "The Music Man," the theatre's season opener. Ost shared his insights -- and his enthusiasm -- about the design process with theater lovers at a Designer Brunch.

Tobin brought a truly fresh set of eyes to the design process for the show. Somehow, he had never seen either the movie or a theatrical production of "The Music Man."

As Ost and director Jeff Calhoun began going through the script, a vision formed. He recalled the Victorian architecture of his hometown of Adrian, Michigan. While the set design plays with this idea, it's actually fairly minimal. Cleverly, Ost relies on the ornateness of the Mertz Theater itself as part of the design. And the red and gold band uniforms echo the colors of the theater, making the audience an extension of the production.

Both Ost and Calhoun favor letting the costumes play a significant role. "Multiple iterations of the same costume can become a set," Ost explained. This concept came to life with the costumes for the Pick-a-Little ladies. In fact, the team added two women to the original cast to make this group more fulsome. Their silhouettes, aided by some fabulous hats, command the stage.

As always, learning about the costume design process was fascinating. The period in which the play takes place was a transitional one as women's fashions shifted from morning glory cuts to corseting with bustles.

For the Pick-a-Little ladies, Ost used a 1908 Hobble skirt design. The style was inspired by a bit of practicality employed by Edith Berg, the first female American to fly as a passenger in a plane. Before taking to the sky with the Wright Brothers at a demonstration of their aircraft, she tied a rope around the bottom of the skirt so it wouldn't blow up during the flight. When they landed and she hobbled away from the plane with her skirt still securely in place, a French designer at the event took note and replicated the style. Not surprisingly, its popularity was short-lived. But it works for the Pick-a-Little ladies, who don't have to dance in the show. (Ost adopted the more comfortable morning glory style for the female cast members who twirl around the stage.)

And then there are the hats. The blue hat above includes eight different fabrics and was built by a millinery expert who previously worked at the Asolo. The flowers for all the hats were created by a shop in New York that's been in existence for over 100 years. The cabbage roses shown here are exquisite and, absent discounts, would run $70 per bloom.

The costumes worn by the men in the production might be less flashy than the womenswear, but they were no easier to make. For Professor Harold Hill and the other traveling salesmen, Ost chose a Norfolk style jacket. David Covach, Asolo Rep's costume shop manager, brought in a master tailor to hone the skills of his staff to enable them to make the suits.

In total, the production required an astonishing 110 costumes, at least 80 of which were built in-house at the Asolo under Tobin's watchful gaze. The hard work and countless hours that went into creating Ost's designs paid off. As planned, the costumes set the stage for this joyful production.

"The Music Man" runs at Asolo Rep through December 29. Click here for more information. It's a great outing for friends and family this holiday season. A word of warning if you go, though. You might find yourself randomly breaking into a rousing rendition of  "Seventy-Six Trombones" instead of the more seasonal "Jingle Bells."

Ragtime at Asolo Rep, Part II

Next up at Asolo Rep is the musical Ragtime based on E.L. Doctorow's book of the same name. The Broadway production 20 years ago had a cast of more than 50 actors and a full orchestra. Director Peter Rothstein had the vision--and the chutzpah--to scale the show down to a manageable size for regional theaters. At a recent panel discussion featuring Rothstein, choreographer Kelli Foster Warder, Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and playwright Terrence McNally, Rothstein talked about his approach. (Check out Part I of this blog for McNally's recollections of how the original production of Ragtime came to the stage by clicking here.)

Rothstein characterizes his re-imagining of the musical as the equivalent of a "chamber setting." The musical has been pared down to three interconnected stories of a Jewish immigrant coming to America, an African-American musician living in Harlem and an affluent white woman from New Rochelle. The tale is set in the early 20th century. Responsibility for bringing these stories to life falls to 13 adult actors, four child actors and nine musicians.

"Responsibility" is the key word here. In this version of the show, the chorus has been eliminated. Instead, the actors seamlessly move from performing a lead role to being a member of the supporting cast.

Kelli Foster Wardell, Peter Rothstein and Terrence McNally

"Everyone is responsible for each other's narrative," Rothstein commented. "It's a level of democracy befitting of the story."

Upon hearing this, McNally commented he was "getting goosebumps." He later said he felt this version of the show was going to "teach me what is in my own work."

The choreography is an integral part of the story rather than a "dance break." And so Warder and Rothstein have worked hand in hand since the show's initial production at Theatre Latte Da in Minneapolis. (Rothstein and Warder also brought the musical to 5th Avenue in Seattle.)

McNally shared this collaborative approach was also adopted in the original production, with director Frank Galati and choreographer Graciele Daniele working in tandem. He noted that rehearsals for musicals are often conducted in two rooms -- one for the actors/singers and another for the dancers. At Asolo Rep, as on Broadway, those rehearsals have been combined.

As to the timeliness of the show, Rothstein said he has often been asked whether the show has been updated.

"Sadly," he said, "there is no need." He noted--spoiler alert--that the character of Sarah is killed by the police at the end of Act I. When rehearsals began at Theatre Latte Da, Philandro Castile had been shot by a Minneapolis police officer just two weeks earlier. One can only imagine the impact that event had on both the performers and the audience.

Rothstein returned to the idea of responsibility, broadening it to the obligations of the citizenry at large. "We are all responsible for each other and our stories," he said. "Our responsibility as artists is to remind people of this."

Ragtime will run from May 1 - May 27 at Asolo Rep. Click here to see a sneak preview of the show and hear from Rothstein and some of the actors.  I cannot wait.

Ragtime at Asolo Rep, Part I: Terrence McNally

My last outing to Sarasota as a non-resident was a doozy -- Terrence McNally headed up a panel discussion about Asolo Rep's upcoming production of Ragtime. I have associated McNally with shows like Love! Valour! Compassion! and Lips Together, Teeth Apart. But his list of credits is extensive and also includes Kiss of the Spider Woman,Master Class and, yes, Ragtime. 

Dramaturg Paul Adolphsen moderated the discussion by the accomplished panel that also featured Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards, director Peter Rothstein and choreographer Kelli Foster Warder. Not surprisingly, Adolphsen's first question was directed to McNally. "How did 'Ragtime' come to be?" he asked. And with that we were off and running. 

More than 20 years ago, producer Garth Drabinsky approached McNally about adapting E.L. Doctorow's classic novel into a musical. McNally was intrigued, but he wanted to read the book again before committing. It only took one night.

"Ragtime is one of the easiest reading great books," he said. "And it's one of the most musical novels I've ever read.  It cried out to be made into a musical." 

McNally told Drabinsky he was in on one condition. He would write a treatment outlining his vision for the show. If Doctorow signed off on it, great. If not, he would wish Drabinsky luck and move on to something else. 

Doctorow approved McNally's 60 page treatment in short order. The project was on. 

McNally said he realized how important it was to get the right director and composer for the show. Many musicals are put together based on resumes. But combining people based on the number of Tony Awards on their mantels doesn't necessarily create good theater.

It wasn't a difficult decision to bring in Frank Galati as the director. Galati had made a name for himself as an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre and an associate director at the Goodman Theatre. Edwards commented that Galati was a "remote iconic figure" to him at the time. Today, he is well-known to Sarasota audiences for his direction of shows at Asolo Rep, including this season's Rhinoceros.

Terrence McNally and Michael Donald Edwards

McNally proposed something a bit unique for finding the composer and lyricist -- a blind audition. They received seven cassette tapes (it was the '90s after all). Tape D--submitted by composer Stephen Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens--was the unanimous winner. In fact, four of the five songs on the tape ended up in the show, including "Wheels of a Dream." As an aside, McNally noted some of the submissions were from pretty big names at the time. But their identities won't be revealed until McNally's archives at the University of Texas are made public after his death.

"It was an unusual birth of a musical," McNally noted. But it worked. 

The production -- with a cast of 50+ actors and a full orchestra -- opened in 1998. The show received 12 Tony nominations and won in four categories, with statuettes going to McNally for best book of a musical, Flaherty and Ahrens for best original score, Audra McDonald for best actress in a musical and William David Brohn for best orchestration. McNally shared that, despite the musical's success, its investors didn't quite make back their money.

As to whether Ragtime will resonate in today's world, McNally commented that its themes of racism and xenophobia are more relevant than ever. But the novel -- and, presumably, the musical -- don't leave you with a feeling of despair.

"The nature of the novel makes you aspire to be a better person," he said, "And proud to be an American."

In Part II of this blog, I'll share Rothstein's approach to paring down the musical to a manageable size without being reductive. McNally said he is excited to see this re-envisioning of Ragtime. That makes two of us.