Sunday, May 31, 2009

Hello from the costume shop!

Hi, I'm Courtney and I am the Costume Design intern in Cal Shakes' 2009 Professional Immersion Program.

A lot has happened in the first two weeks of starting the program ,and I am finally able to get into the flow of what is going on at Cal Shakes.

As a design intern, I will be doing a lot—going here, there, and everywhere in a couple of weeks' time. I will be shadowing and assisting the Private Lives costume designer in their creative process from concept to reality. I will also be designing the Five-Week Conservatory production, I believe, and that will be loads of fun. I am hoping to update more in the future about all of my experiences, so you can have a better idea of what happens in the costume department.

So far, the ladies in the shop are wonderful and so helpful, allowing myself and Kimberley, the costume shop intern, to become comfortable with where things are. I was also able to attend a tech rehearsal with costumes used for the first time for Romeo and Juliet last Sunday. It was great all this week to see how the shop crew, wardrobe crew, Naomi the shop supervisor, and Raquel, the designer, all work together to solve "blood" challenges with the costumes. It was truly a team effort to make the blood believable, and the shop and crew make it occur effortlessly show after show.

Most recently I helped out with a majority of the other interns for the Opening Night party, which went very well! Lots of cake, champagne, mingling...everyone had a good time during and after the show. As I was passing out champagne, I had many audience members tell me how they loved the show, and offer congratulations to Cal Shakes and their 35th anniversary! Cheers!

I am hoping the week to come has some more great learning experiences...so here's to a new week!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

First PIP blog of 2009! (Or, blood packs)

...And thus begins all Cal Shakes summer blogging!

I guess I should start with an introduction: I am Carrie, Artistic Learning intern extraordinaire and lover of brightly colored tennis shoes. Two weeks ago, I boarded a plane out of the great city of Baltimore (Go O's!) to the Bay Area where I began what will be my three month stint as an intern at Cal Shakes. I, like seven of the other interns, am living in the intern house, which we have nicknamed Real World: Oakland (except that we are never at home, and we all get along). But this stuff all seems boring compared with the subject I want to discuss today.

Blood packs.

Yup, I said it. Blood packs. Romeo and Juliet is one gory show. I mean, this ancient grudge leads to some seriously bloody mutiny. It is AWESOME. But here's the thing about live theater: Every show is different. Sometimes, Juliet will put that happy dagger in that sheath and... nope, nothing. This may be, in large part, due to the fact that her blood pack somehow landed under Romeo's legs. Or Tybalt will just keep stabbing Mercutio until we can suddenly see a scratch—just a scratch.

Over the course of a tech, blood packs stop flying across the stage, blood finally reaches a realistic thickness, and everything comes together as it always should. Tech leads into previews which finally leads us to one of the most magical times in all of theater, Opening Night.

Tonight that magic begins. The Bruns will be filled and everything will be perfect. Especially, the Opening Night Party music mix. Just wait... it's worth it.

Okay, that's all for now. Go see Romeo and Juliet!!!!!!!!!