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Spring 2014

麻豆精品 S淭he Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby 麻豆精品 S� is a play that strikes fear into the hearts of performers. At 6 陆 hours in length with 150 characters and more than 10,000 lines of dialogue, the dramatic adaptation of Charles Dickens 麻豆精品 S� 19th-century novel is a theatrical challenge like no other. The story of a penniless youth who struggles to save his family from greed, lechery and corruption in Victorian England is so daunting a production that it has been performed professionally just seven times in the U.S. since its 1980 London premiere. Despite being the vehicle for many Laurence Olivier and Tony awards over the years, there are few theater companies willing to attempt it. But Theatre UCF and Orlando Shakespeare Theater saw opportunities in 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby, 麻豆精品 S� both to create a unique educational experience for students and faculty, and to stage a rare theatrical event to put their partnership on the national stage.聽

Photo courtesy Orlando Shakespeare Theater

How long does it take 10 actors to build a stagecoach out of dining room furniture and oddly shaped suitcases? Just 58 seconds 麻豆精品 S� if all goes according to plan.

Onstage at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater (OST), five performers are sharing breakfast when one stands and calls for action with a bellow: 麻豆精品 S淐ome on boys, let 麻豆精品 S檚 bustle! 麻豆精品 S�

In an instant, the group breaks rank and rushes the stools, benches and a table to the back of the set. Simultaneously, performers emerge from backstage lugging chairs, hatboxes, a steamer trunk and a door that they wrestle into a growing three-dimensional puzzle. The parts have been modified to fit together securely, because in a few seconds the actors will ride the ramshackle contraption offstage on a rotating platform.

As the pieces are worked into place, eight of the actors climb cautiously on board. The play 麻豆精品 S檚 scenic designer, three assistant stage managers and two directors 麻豆精品 S� hands on their hips 麻豆精品 S� move closer to inspect the construction. This is the first attempt to move it with people on board. It is the latest test in a yearlong series of challenges that Theatre UCF and OST have tackled in preparing this ambitious project. The scene onstage mirrors the production itself, corralling countless details into a precise, collaborative execution. And it 麻豆精品 S檚 crucial that they get it right, because there are precious few rehearsals remaining before opening night. So far the team of actors, directors, costumers, set builders and other crew have overcome each challenge 麻豆精品 S� from orchestrating a complex plan of attack to learning foreign dialects, creating hundreds of costumes, building an elaborate stage and surviving a grueling rehearsal schedule 麻豆精品 S� but a great deal of work remains.

麻豆精品 S淚s anyone else really nervous? 麻豆精品 S� one of the actors asks.聽 麻豆精品 S淜eep your hands and feet inside the coach at all times, 麻豆精品 S� another quips, trying to diffuse the tension.

麻豆精品 S淟adies and gentlemen, stand by for the revolve, 麻豆精品 S� announces the stage manager over the public address system. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e doing this without music, so if anyone needs to yell 麻豆精品 S楬old! 麻豆精品 S� we can hear them and hit the emergency stop. 麻豆精品 S�

Tense seconds pass before the coach begins to move 麻豆精品 S� without toppling.

麻豆精品 S淗ooray! 麻豆精品 S� someone shouts as applause rises.

OST Artistic Director Jim Helsinger smiles. This whole thing 麻豆精品 S� the 6 陆-hour performance and the unprecedented financial investment 麻豆精品 S� was his idea.

麻豆精品 S淵ou look like a kid in a candy store, 麻豆精品 S� jokes OST Stage Manager Stacy Renee Norwood.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 because a tremendous amount of planning went into this scene for more than a year, and now it 麻豆精品 S檚 paying off, 麻豆精品 S� he explains. 麻豆精品 S淣ow we have to figure out how to take it apart. 麻豆精品 S�

Planning a Monumental Partnership

“Nickleby” co-directors, Christopher Niess (left) and Jim Helsinger (right)

The inspiration for the Theatre UCF/OST production of 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby 麻豆精品 S� was in Helsinger 麻豆精品 S檚 mind since he first enjoyed the play on Broadway in 1981. 麻豆精品 S淚t was much more than an evening at the theater 麻豆精品 S� it was an event, 麻豆精品 S� he remembers. And one that left an impression. 麻豆精品 S淚t was the longest standing ovation I 麻豆精品 S檝e ever given to a show. 麻豆精品 S�

But it took more than three decades for the director and UCF visiting assistant professor to find the right opportunity to present it. And the partnership between OST and Theatre UCF 麻豆精品 S� a collaboration that is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year 麻豆精品 S� made it possible.

麻豆精品 S淭he relationship with UCF was invaluable, 麻豆精品 S� says Helsinger. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S楴ickleby 麻豆精品 S� required a massive cast and crew put together with professionals, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and interns. We couldn 麻豆精品 S檛 have done it without them. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淭his mammoth production was a real marker both for a professional theater company and for an academic unit, 麻豆精品 S� says Theatre UCF Chair Christopher Niess, who co-directed the play with Helsinger. 麻豆精品 S淥f course it will be judged by the final product, but it puts you at a certain level [of notoriety], and what 麻豆精品 S檚 important for both of our companies is the fact that we 麻豆精品 S檝e done it through a partnership. 麻豆精品 S�

Including the 27 actors needed to play 150 parts, the company of designers, artists, craftspeople and crew members numbered more than 100 麻豆精品 S� plus two directors to finesse every detail and bring them all together. 麻豆精品 S淒irecting is like being an air traffic controller, 麻豆精品 S� Niess explains. 麻豆精品 S淵ou have all of these talented people doing great work, and it 麻豆精品 S檚 how you coordinate them all to tell a story. 麻豆精品 S�

Planning for the show, which ran from Jan. 22 through March 9 at OST 麻豆精品 S檚 Margeson Theater, began two years before production. To tackle the 332-page script that weaves two storylines through a hundred scenes, Helsinger and Niess each took one plot and worked closely to achieve cohesion during weekly meetings.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 the most complex thing I 麻豆精品 S檝e undertaken, 麻豆精品 S� says Helsinger, who created a giant spreadsheet to coordinate all of the actors, characters and props through each scene.

麻豆精品 S淚n those early conversations, we had a meeting of minds, 麻豆精品 S� says Niess. 麻豆精品 S淲e always had our focus on telling the story. 麻豆精品 S�

On the line for both groups were reputations and an unprecedented financial investment. To fund this venture, OST raised an additional $100,000.

麻豆精品 S淭he first thing I asked when I saw the announcement was, 麻豆精品 S楬ow? 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� says Orlando Sentinel theater critic Matt Palm. 麻豆精品 S淚 was excited because very few theatergoers in this country will ever have the chance to see this production. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a gamble to do something this big in Central Florida, 麻豆精品 S� Helsinger says. 麻豆精品 S淐an we get the community to come to a show that is not well-known 麻豆精品 S� that is not 麻豆精品 S榃est Side Story 麻豆精品 S� or 麻豆精品 S楲es Mis茅rables 麻豆精品 S� or 麻豆精品 S楥ats 麻豆精品 S�? 麻豆精品 S�

According to Niess, 麻豆精品 S淵ou have to be a little crazy when you are pushing the bar to capture people 麻豆精品 S檚 imagination. 麻豆精品 S�

Discovering the Characters

For an actor, creating a believable character is a process of layering details until the role comes to life. Speech, mannerisms and movements are only a few of the myriad particulars they must assimilate. With 150 characters in 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby, 麻豆精品 S� each cast member was tasked with three, five or even eight roles, each with their own personalities, costumes and accents, including proper British, cockney, Yorkshire and Welsh.

麻豆精品 S淲e all think we can do [a British accent] because we 麻豆精品 S檝e watched Monty Python or Ricky Gervais, but it is hard to make it seem natural, 麻豆精品 S� says Associate Professor Katherine Ingram, the dialect coach for 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby. 麻豆精品 S� She continues, 麻豆精品 S淭hen the actors run off stage and while they are changing costumes, they have to change their dialect. 麻豆精品 S�

For a month before rehearsals began, Ingram helped the actors develop and fine-tune their accents. From past experience and shared advice, each actor found methods to overcome the difficulties of speaking 麻豆精品 S� and thinking 麻豆精品 S� in an uncommon tongue.

M.F.A. graduate student Anna Carol, who plays five roles in three dialects, was careful to memorize the dialogue of each character with the correct accent. 麻豆精品 S淗ow the sounds come out in each voice is as much about muscle memory as it is literal memory, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭he dialect is such a huge part of the character that it wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 feel right to play each without their accent. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淭he challenge of this piece is really in memorizing the different physicalities and vocal tones of each character, 麻豆精品 S� says Tara Snyder, 麻豆精品 S�07, an assistant professor who plays five roles. 麻豆精品 S淪uccess comes from repetition and practice. 麻豆精品 S�

Telling a Story Without Words

As a period piece set in Victorian England, costumes were essential in creating the 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby 麻豆精品 S� world. And with the actors rotating through multiple roles 麻豆精品 S� often in the same scene 麻豆精品 S� each character needed a strong visual identity. The solution was a design scheme that layered identifying accessories onto basic garments.

麻豆精品 S淓ach look had something that put its stamp on the character 麻豆精品 S� like a feather boa, a blue cravat or a tattered schoolboy uniform, 麻豆精品 S� says Carol. 麻豆精品 S淭he [costume] changes provided clear meaning to the character being portrayed. 麻豆精品 S�

To create more than 250 dresses, smocks, corsets, coats and other accessories was an undertaking too great for a single costume shop to accomplish. 麻豆精品 S淭he partnership [between OST and Theatre UCF] enabled us to do something that very few companies have attempted because it is such a massive job, 麻豆精品 S� says Dan Jones, manager of the Theatre UCF costume shop.

Working from an oversized binder containing hundreds of hand-colored drawings by costume designer Jack Smith, Jones, shop supervisor Kyla Kazuschyk, 麻豆精品 S�03, and their student crew began building pieces in the summer of 2013.

麻豆精品 S淎t the base level, theater is about telling a story, 麻豆精品 S� Jones says, 麻豆精品 S渁nd costumes help tell the story without words. 麻豆精品 S�

Building the Perfect Playground

The story of 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby 麻豆精品 S� covers a great deal of ground 麻豆精品 S� both figuratively and literally. There are 40 location changes and many happen in a matter of seconds. A special set had to be created to accommodate these transitions, plus the troupe of 27 actors who at times simultaneously occupy the stage.

麻豆精品 S淭he solution was a large, flexible set with many entrances, exits and acting levels, 麻豆精品 S� says scenic designer Bert Scott, an associate professor at Theatre UCF. But the execution of Scott 麻豆精品 S檚 vision required more space and labor than OST could supply, so a portion of the construction duties were delegated to Theatre UCF. Scott contends, 麻豆精品 S淚t was an exciting project for the department and a great opportunity for our students to work on a professional-level production. 麻豆精品 S�

From brainstorming sessions with Niess and Helsinger, Scott created a design that extended into the audience and incorporated a large portion of the space typically considered backstage. The set, which was the largest ever installed in the OST 麻豆精品 S檚 324-seat Margeson Theater, incorporated three levels with flanking staircases that led to an elevated bridge, plus a computer-controlled, rotating turntable built into the floor. Constructed at UCF, 麻豆精品 S渢he doughnut 麻豆精品 S� enabled furniture and actors to be moved offstage quickly and efficiently.

麻豆精品 S淭he turntable was fantastic because it allowed the actors to shift time and place rapidly, 麻豆精品 S� says Niess. 麻豆精品 S淚t worked like a dream. 麻豆精品 S�

And just as accents and costumes assisted the actors 麻豆精品 S� characterizations, so did the elaborate set. Quentin Earl Darrington, an M.F.A. graduate student, found inspiration in the options it presented.聽 麻豆精品 S淭here were so many different levels to play on that it gave us even more freedom to develop the story, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚t was the perfect playground that added another dimension to the production. 麻豆精品 S�

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Creating Everything Out of Nothing

After two years of planning and preparation, 麻豆精品 S淣ickleby 麻豆精品 S� rehearsals began in mid-December, when the cast and crew gathered six days a week to work out the details. The number of scenes and interweaving plotlines required separate sessions to run concurrently by the directors in different spaces.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 like hiring two chefs to run one restaurant, 麻豆精品 S� says Niess. 麻豆精品 S淚t became complex as scenes evolved separately, so we were constantly refining our navigation. 麻豆精品 S�

In small rooms colored tape on the floor outlined set levels and elements, requiring the actors to imagine their way around obstacles. During the first sessions, the directors worked out the complex choreography needed to guide the performers through fast-moving scenes without collision.

麻豆精品 S淭he play can never die, 麻豆精品 S� Helsinger explains. 麻豆精品 S淚t has to keep going all the time, so we have to work out the traffic beforehand. 麻豆精品 S�

The long days often ran from 1 p.m. to past 11 p.m., and many of the UCF actors were teaching and attending classes in the mornings. In addition to memorizing their lines, maintaining their health and stamina became a necessity.

麻豆精品 S淚t was a huge undertaking that took a toll on my body, 麻豆精品 S� Darrington says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut it 麻豆精品 S檚 also a high point on my r茅sum茅 and a huge advancement for my career. 麻豆精品 S�

Two weeks before opening night, rehearsals moved onto the recently completed set, and quick costume change tactics became a main focus. Many of the actors had less than a minute to transform characters, and if the process wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 seamless, the performance would stall.

For Carol, the keys to success were organization, calm and costume assistants with quick hands. 麻豆精品 S淭he makeup and wig changes were more stressful than clothes [changes], 麻豆精品 S� she says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut when there 麻豆精品 S檚 a system, it 麻豆精品 S檚 true theater magic. 麻豆精品 S�

As opening night approached, the pressure mounted. 麻豆精品 S淭he things I was most excited for were the things I was most nervous about, 麻豆精品 S� says Olivia Grace Murphy, the only UCF undergraduate in the cast. 麻豆精品 S淭he play is an epic, so if it 麻豆精品 S檚 not an amazing production you 麻豆精品 S檙e going to feel all 6 陆 hours. 麻豆精品 S�

Niess was confident, however, as his expectations had been exceeded. 麻豆精品 S淭here were several points where I got emotional over what was happening because it really is magical when everything comes together, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淵ou watch people have a moment and it 麻豆精品 S檚 like, 麻豆精品 S極h my goodness. That came out of nothing. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

In the final days leading up to opening night, dress rehearsals combine all the elements, from costuming to lighting, music, props and choreography.聽

Reaching the Finish Line 麻豆精品 S� Opening Night

On a Friday evening in January, all 27 actors 麻豆精品 S� fully coifed, costumed and in character 麻豆精品 S� roam the audience inside the Margeson Theater, welcoming patrons before the show. It might seem like this is the finish line, but for most everyone involved in the landmark endeavor, this performance is only the beginning.

麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 a lot more work to be done, tweaks to be made and moments to refine, 麻豆精品 S� says Darrington. 麻豆精品 S淚 don 麻豆精品 S檛 believe the process will be done until the last show. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淎 play develops as it goes through the run, 麻豆精品 S� Niess says. 麻豆精品 S淎s we work with it, nuances shift and change the flavor of the production. 麻豆精品 S�

Suddenly, the lights dim above the audience and grow brighter on the stage. Music signals the actors to gather on set. Latecomers fill the remaining seats as the packed house quiets.

Hours later, the cast crowds the stage to take their closing bow. Gathered tightly together, some performers wear triumphant smiles while others simply look relieved. In the darkness, the audience rises from their seats 麻豆精品 S� one by one 麻豆精品 S� and applause erupts.