Okay, so we will take another run at this "blogging" thing. Admittedly this has so far not been a very frequent report of goings-on in the Da Vinci Theatre Program, which we now refer to as the Mighty Dragon Theatre Company. But this does not mean that nothing has been happening. So before I tell you about our results for UIL One-Act play for 2018, let's talk about a few things that have come about for our program.
After our initial year competing in U.I.L. One Act Play, we began to undertake steps that would help to ensure that our program would be able to continue to build into a first-class top caliber Theatre Arts program. One of the first steps we took was to secure for Da Vinci, our very first U.I.L. Unit Set., The Basic Unit Set is 28 pieces of generic scenery, consisting of platforms, ramps, step units, pylons, and stage flats, that are standardized at each contest site, and made available to all schools equally. Schools have 7 minutes to set up their set, 40 minutes to perform, and 7 minutes to take down their set and return the set pieces to the designated area. Not having our own unit set upon which to practice, put us at a marked disadvantage to other schools. This addition helped us a great deal. In the next few school years, we will order some of the larger pieces, which include door, window, and French Door units, which will make our ability to put together complete interior sets complete. Phase two of the improvement of our performance capability will begin this summer with the increase of the area of our stage by extending the front of our stage to the front of the area that is currently carpeted with the green carpeting. This would effectively double the total area of our existing stage, which had only originally been configured for the worship center of the Harvest Christian Center that preceded Da Vinci at this site. Gone will be the carpeted stairs, wheelchair elevator, and portable parquet dance floor, The entire stage floor will be covered with actual materials more commensurate with the space's new duties as a Performing Arts venue. In addition, a Proscenium arch will be constructed, to "frame" the stage space, and provide performance groups with off-stage areas from which they may enter, unseen to the audience. Phase three will be the addition of theatrical lighting, and a lighting control board, as well as integration of the sound equipment obtained by Mr. Hamilton into our Light and Sound Booth, so that our students will be able to present the highest quality theatrical productions, as well as musical performances, concerts, and other school presentations. Having theses things will also help our technical theatre students be able to practice running lights for a production, rather than having their only exposure to a lighting board be the one hour rehearsal before Da Vinci competes, and the performance itself. It is my hope, as it is the hope of all of the other Fine Arts teachers here at Da Vinci, that when these initial steps are taken, that we will be able to produce a 3-4 show season of Theatre at Da Vinci each school year, with at least one of these shows each year being a musical that would incorporate all branches of Da Vinci Fine Arts-Theatre, Choir, Music, Dance, and Art-into one production that showcases the hard work and talent of our students each year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorJust me, Wayne Davidson, your average, run-of-the-mill Da Vinci Theatre Arts Teacher Archives
April 2018
Categories |