It is amazing how quickly time runs by you when you are prepping a show, especially a big musical for broadway. There are so many little details that have to be considered, as well as keeping track of the big picture and making sure it is all coming together how you want it to. I have nothing but respect for all the people a I am working with on Memphis as everyone is making a heroic effort to get us ready to begin tech rehearsals. This is the first time I am seeing the entire operation from the perhaps pure view of a designer. In the past I have often doubled as the technician installing all the equipment and making sure everything is up to spec before I sit down and start putting the content up on the stage or monitors.
It can be a blessing and a curse at times, I often want to jump up and fix something my self but at the same time I can pass on a note and a quick run down of what needs to be fixed and keep concentrating on the big picture and the design. As all the little peices fall together the picture is becoming clear. The next two and a half weeks will really be crazy but I think we are up for the challenge and will be able to delivery something very exciting and dynamic from the projections end of things, and an amazing show all together.
A view from the back of the shubert taken from http://memphislivesinme.blogspot.com ( a fun little blog about memphis with some neat facts and inside glimpses ) you can see just how crazy it is going to be in there with tech tables manned with designers, assistants, interns and programmers, everyone working furiously on their peice of the puzzle. When people see something like this and make a comment about launching a shuttle or similar remark it reminds me just how far theater has come, and what technology does for us. I almost can not even imagine the days when tech in a broadway theater consisted of one or two tables, some phones and intercom. No laptops, no giant LCD monitors, just some paper and a way to talk to everyone.
