New Rep On Tour: Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story of universal and highly relatable themes. The characters persecution and redemption draw us into a world of austere artifice where real human impulses are hidden away under masks of propriety that characterized early colonial America. In terms of design, this time and society were characterized by modesty that not only stemmed from the church, but from the lawmakers themselves. Therefore, the fabrics that one could wear were literally restricted to certain classes. These strict rules make Hester’s scarlet ‘A’ all the more shocking as red dye in the 1600’s was a rare and costly luxury. Set against a background of gray, brown and black, it is easy to understand how “the scarlet letter” on her bodice would seem to ‘burn’.

As a Costume Designer, it is my job to illustrate the time and social station of the people of the play. Creating a definitive period silhouette and supporting it with appropriate details will bring period dramas to life. After digesting the script, my process invariably turns to period research first. This informs my drawings of the appropriate style lines and colors. From there, I infer artistic ideas on how best to serve the script and the

actors.

-Erik Teague, Costume Designer

Chillingworth Rendering (Above)

Dimmesdale Rendering (Above)

Hester Rendering (Above)

Pearl Rendering (Above)

All renderings by Erik Teague, Costume Designer for The Scarlet Letter

For more information about New Rep On Tour's production of The Scarlet Letter visit www.newrep.org/ontour.php



boom First Rehearsal

Today is the first day of rehearsal's for the the New England Premiere of boom! We just got back from the meet and greet and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you!

First, a little background: boom is by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, and it is a comedy about the end of the world. Peter went to Brown University and concentrated in theater and biology. He describes boom as "my way of figuring out why I majored in both." Read more about Peter and boom in the Brown Alumni Magazine.

boom will be performing in the Black Box Theater, and as you know it can be a little tricky to figure out how to make you world come to life in this small and intimate space. Here is Jarrod Bray (set designer) talking about his design concept for the show. (also in photo Zofia Gozynska, who play Jo)


Here is a closer look at the world Jarrod is creating:



And here is director Bridget Kathleen O'Leary talking to the cast and crew of boom about her vision (and excitement!) for this show.


Would you like to hear what Bridget has to say about boom? Listen to our New Rep Chats with Bridget and Artistic Director Kate Warner!

S.Robert Winer, a WWII Veteran, Tells Us His Story…

New Rep is calling on all active Service Members and Veterans to “Tell Us Your Story.” We want to hear how you, like Mister Roberts, showed bravery, honor, and grace in challenging times. Please e-mail your personal story to marketing@newrep.org.

In September 1941, before the war began, I went on active duty at Fort Devens, here in Massachusetts, where I was put in command of a heavy weapons platoon in H Company, second battalion, of the 26^th Infantry Regiment, part of the First Division, commonly known as the Big Red One. Our regimental commander was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Our battalion commander told us junior officers we were like toilet paper, i.e. expendable.

The following July, I was transferred to the Army Air Corps to be trained as a glider pilot. Training took place over several months and at many bases, and I got my wings in February 1943.

I should say, at this point, the gliders were not the pretty little sailplanes that one thinks of as gliders nowadays. They were large, with a wing spread of close to ninety feet, and could hold 13 troops, in addition to the pilot and co-pilot, or they could carry equipment, including a jeep (which we carried on our mission in Holland in September 1944).

A number of us shipped to England in March 1945, and I was assigned to a base at Aldermaston. On D-Day, at 1:30 a.m., the first wave of gliders were towed across the English Channel by a C-47 that flew at an altitude of 400 feet when we first crossed the French border. We were to land in a farm field about 10 miles inland from Utah Beach. In our glider, we carried an anti tank gun and its crew of three.

As we flew in, we took ground fire. I remember bullets shooting right through the floor of the glider, but luckily none of us got hit. We landed at 4:00 a.m. The first glider to land in our field hit the trees at the end of the field, killing Brigadier General Don Pratt and the co-pilot, and badly injuring the pilot and the general’s aide.

The second glider landed safely; however, our glider slammed into it due to the darkness. No one was hurt in the collision, but the second glider’s tail was damaged.

Army intelligence had informed us that the field we were to land in was surrounded by hedges, like ones that you would find in your yard. The hedges turned out to be 30-foot-tall poplars. Good old army intelligence. The hedgerows helped hide us from the Germans and their tanks on the road on the other side of the trees. The tanks’ engines were running, which helped mask the noise the gliders made on landing and the crash of the gliders.

For two days, I stayed at the nearby Château de Colombieres, an old château that was converted into the first American field hospital in Europe during the war. There we were given two missions: 1) burial patrol and 2) guarding German prisoners and the hospital. On the 8^th of June, the other glider pilots and I were transported back to England to be issued further orders.

I only flew one other mission - the invasion of Holland the following September. I was unable to fly in the last mission my squadron flew due to illness. The pilot who replaced me was killed during this operation.

Since WWII, I have been back to Normandy twice. Once in 1984, around the 40^th anniversary of D-day and the second time was five years ago to mark the 60^th anniversary. Each time I visited the family who owned the farm we landed on and the owners of the Château, and, of course, they were very hospitable. I was, indeed, very fortunate to come through those missions unscathed.

Photo Credit: Robert Winer and his squadron are shown in 1944. Winer is standing third from the right.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090606/NEWS01/306069956

Steppin Up and Moving On

On Thursday, July 30th, the Studio students gave a fabulous performance to an enthusiastic audience of friends, family, New Rep staff, and even some Summer Studio alumni! As I watched the performance from the back row with Wendy, what struck me most was the growth and commitment I saw in each student's performance. One student confessed earlier in the week that she had never had a solo in a performance before -- ever! What a leap, in four short weeks, to command a stage in a solo piece and to do so convincingly. Ben, Chris, Wendy and I were very proud of all the students! Thanks to Rachael Donnelly, who instructed the group on make-up application, the students had wide-awake eyes and looked really good under the lights. I hear there are some great production photos taken by our own Todd Michael Hall, so stay tuned to the New Rep website....

It's been a while since my last post, so I also wanted to mention highlights of the Theatre Tastes programming that occurred in the last two weeks. Chris Webb gave an introduction to Viewpoints (the actor training program made popular by Tina Landau and Anne Bogart), in which the group explored the viewpoint of Tempo in depth. The group remarked on the wildly different experience of thinking of one's own body as elements of space and shape and tempo. It was inspiring to see the sense of release and depth of articulation this type of training brings to actors! Sign me up!

Speaking of inspiring, last week New Rep Artistic Director Kate Warner led an illuminating discussion about the work of a director. To have a director's work demystified was, in my opinion, important for young people who sometimes don't see themselves in any other role but that of performer. Kate also had some great answers for their most dreaded audition questions! Though there was a lot of laughter, and the group was drawn to Kate's welcoming presence, they all took away some good information about a life working in the theatre.

We're having a good last day together, giving audition tips, learning music and choreography "just for fun," and playing Theatre Sports-style acting games. I'll miss this bunch of enthusiastic students, but know they'll see future success!

Happy August!
Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team

The Last Word

March 13th

Well, it had to happen some time, the last words, the last words on this particular blog about this particular production. Who knows, it might be the last time I get asked to write a blog for New Rep, who knows and God forbid, but it might be the last time I ever work for New Rep. If life has taught me one thing, never expect anything, never assume, never predict and never take anything for granted.

I don't mean that negatively, really I don't, as I was saying to a friend of Will's, sorry Mr. Lyman, last night, I mentioned that the play makes you think about all that has happened in the past. To be honest, it also makes you think of what may and will come. It's a play of emotion, passion, all that matters, and all that doesn't matter.

There were a couple of things that happened last night, which whoever is reading this, may find interesting, and if you don't, well sorry about that. Still, I will try to give one last little insight to our goings on, for you our little stage junkie.

Last night, Will, or rather the character he plays André, was half way through his first speech as Oedipus, and there I was sitting in the chair happily listening to him, when all of a sudden it dawned on me, 'I never get tired of listening to this speech’, and yet I hated studying Oedipus at school. Perhaps it is because of a really rather dull teacher I had, but then again I'd seen the RSC do the play, and I was bored stiff with that. However, there I was thinking, 'I never get tired of Andre's Oedipus', and then I thought, 'I better start listening for my cue, otherwise I'll stuff it up and then I'll be mad for the rest of the show'.

The second thing, last night in the scene when I'm telling André about my new play, I was thinking, 'who the heck is talking, whose voice is it? It's coming out of me, but who is it?'

Was I 'in the moment'? I don't think so, after all I've been 'in the moment' before, when emotionally I am fully involved and present in the situation. But last night, it was the first time that the character was all there, and I felt possessed. I wasn't having to be conscious of my accent and inflection. It was all just coming out, a South African voice coming from my mouth, and I couldn't control it. Or as Mr. Lyman, put it, the characters are now in charge.

Finally, it's not because I want my own little 'Oscar' moment, but I just want to say thank you to the individuals I have worked with on Exits and Entrances. For they all deserve a mention.

Thank you for reading my blog. Thanks to Will Lyman (André), Chris Jorie (Director), Amy Weissenstein (Stage Manager), Candice Mongellow (Assist Stage Manager, Danielle Kellerman (Assistant Director), John Malinowski (Lighting Designer), Eric Propp (Costume Designer), Patrick Lynch (Scenic Designer), Basia Goszczynska (Prop Mistress), Dave Wilson (Sound Designer), and Ben Bryant, (The Lighting Dude)! What a team!

Also, my thanks to: Harriet Sheets (Managing Director) , Bridget O'Leary (Artistic Associate), Gia Podobinski (PR & Marketing Manger), Alison Anderson (General Manager), Mark Soucy (Development Manager), Desiree Pedrami (Development & Marketing Asst.), Christopher Webb (Education Associate), Becca Solomont (Cultivation Coordinator), Todd Michael Hall (Audience Services Manager), Rachael Donnelly (Box Office Associate), and of course Joseph O'Dea (Production Manager), (you may like the Yankees, but you are okay with me). The New Rep team! Thank you, and thank you!

Finally, to the House Managers: Dawn, Alison, Anna, Desiree and the new girls. Thank you. Oh and of course, my thanks to all the Ushers, you do a grand job and you are most appreciated.

Well that's it! Good day, God Bless, and hopefully till the next time. If there isn't one, well c'est la vie, and so adieu!

Ross