|
SCR Gets Personal
Have you ever wanted to actually get up onstage at SCR and wander around the sets, go backstage, examine scenery and props up close, and learn trade secrets from the best theatre artisans in America? Or have you ever wished you could sit down and chat with some of our actors, find out about their lives and careers, and have the chance to ask them questions about absolutely anything?
Good news — you can do all of that and more nine times each season by being part of Inside the Season (ITS). One of SCR’s most popular audience enrichment programs, Inside the Season is a series of Saturday morning seminars designed for theatre-goers eager to learn more about the plays currently in production on SCR stages. Sessions are held from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, usually on the second Saturday after opening.
ITS was created by School & Community Programs Director Linda Sullivan Baity, who has moderated every session since its inception in 2004. "Inside the Season is one of the most joyous job responsibilities I can ever imagine!" Baity said. "Not only is it a way to shine a bright light on our staff artisans whose amazing accomplishments are admired by thousands but whose names and faces are largely unknown, it also is a way for audiences to get to spend some quality time with actors and get to know them as people as well as performers.
"I’m very deliberate about selecting guests. On the production side, I want each season to offer a wide variety of technical aspects. For instance, last season we talked about music direction, stage management, lighting design, carpentry, prop-making, electrics and sound, just to name a few. Occasionally guests will be repeated from year to year, but the content of the presentations differs because it’s always show specific."
|
|
Harry Groener and Lauren Kennedy in
Spamalot.
|
"The same principle holds true for selecting actors. I always wait until rehearsals are well underway before extending an invitation to a cast member. Actors are typically quite open to the idea of talking about themselves for an hour! But seriously, I need to be sure they’re friendly and open and forthcoming because that’s what our participants seem to prefer, and have come to expect. In five years, I’ve never had a guest that I later regretted inviting, and that’s a record I have every intention of continuing."
But Baity insists that the best part about Inside the Season for her is getting to know individual audience members who love theatre so much. "There’s a rabid corps of ITS die-hards who come to every single show SCR produces and can’t ever seem to get enough. (You know who you are!) But there are also new faces every month. Some school districts have even begun offering professional development credit to teachers and administrators who subscribe to one or both stages and attend Inside the Season, which I consider a wonderful endorsement of the program’s educational value."
Legendary Broadway performer Harry Groener will be one of Baity’s guests for the Putting It Together session of Inside the Season on September 26. Single tickets for Inside the Season cost $10 each if purchased as a subscription, or $12 each at the door.
2009-10 Inside the Season dates and tickets.
|
|
Inside the Season
Testimonials
"When was the last time a swordfight choreographer took a swing at you? I can honestly answer, 'two seasons ago' thanks to Inside the Season. Where else could you learn how to fall down a flight of stairs head first on your back without getting hurt? Inside the Season is great fun; I never miss it."
—Dan Bellmyer
|
|
Actor John Vickery and moderator Linda Baity speak about Nothing Sacred.
|
"Being a part of ITS makes me feel special. I feel like I am 'in with the in crowd.' Linda Baity always has the most interesting guests, and she does an amazing job of getting them to share their inner-most thoughts and secrets. After the interview and a quick visit to the set, I can hardly wait to see the performance. ITS personalizes the production and makes every act come alive. The only problem with ITS is that it has spoiled me for other venues. I now expect to be offered the insider information before any production that I see. Thank you SCR for making my theatre experience a very personal and special activity.”
—Bonnie Swann
"You get an insider's sense of what it takes to put on a play. It's almost like being invited to rehearsals. The interviews with actors are wonderfully relaxed and informal, like having them home in your living room. Next to seeing the play itself, it's by far the best event at SCR. Linda does a fabulous job."
—Don Jacobson
"For years I had wondered why theaters did not offer audiences a chance to learn about the backstage/technical aspect of theater. I was, therefore, delighted when SCR introduced Inside the Season, letting theater goers talk with stage managers, lighting designers, costumers, sound designers — the list goes on and on! And as icing on the cake there are members of the cast of the current play who spend an hour with us. What fun! And did I mention that you get to go backstage and actually on the stage? Marvelous!”
—Barbara Archer
"I have enjoyed many performances on the SCR stages but that enjoyment has been enhanced since I began attending Inside the Season sessions and hearing the behind-the-scenes specialists explain such things as how they create the sound design for a play, research and make the costumes, and instruct actors in how to 'fight' on stage. One of my favorite parts of each session is being able to go on stage and walk through the set. These are Saturday mornings well spent!"
—Judy Whitledge
|
