We’re by no means theater experts, but from what we understand, it usually take quite a while to get a performance ready for the main stage.
We’re talking weeks and months, not hours and days. But the latter is all the crew involved with the RB Productions Summer Youth Theatre program have to prepare for their annual summer shows. Think of it as summer stock for children’s theater, but using a crazy condensed approach.
“What we do here is probably a little different than most production companies, especially for children’s theater,” said Clint Klose, artistic director, producer and sound designer for RB.
It all begins in January when returning members of the summer camp can sign up for this year’s plays, and then if there are any remaining spots open, anybody can sign up – assuming they fit within the age range for the show, which is usually ages 9 to 19.
Auditions, which are not to be in the show but rather to determine what role each child actor or actress will play, were held for all five shows on June 4. Within a week of the tryouts, the directors for each show will send out their track list – which is industry lingo for the cast selection.
From there, it’s up to the actors and actresses to start learning their lines, dances and songs. Because like we said before, the cast is only together for less than five days before dress rehearsal and opening night, which happen on the same day. Talk about pressure for a quick turnaround.
“Any show can be put together in any amount of time,” Klose said. “It’s about how willing they are to do their work.”
They rely on family members and friends to help with lines. Skylar Mathews, who plays Mufasa, immediately highlighted her lines once receiving her part and read the script once a night for a week to get familiar with not only her part, but what others would be doing during scenes.
And as luck would have it, her younger brother Tristan was cast as Scar, who just so happens to be Mufasa’s younger brother.
So in the Mathews household, it was a bit of give and take over the last month-plus.
“Sometimes we work on my lines and scenes and other times we work on his,” Mathews said.
For Thuy Schmitz, this is her third year in the program and was given the role of Timon the meerkat.
“This is the role I wanted,” Schmitz said. “I was bouncing off the walls.”
It took her about a week and half to learn her lines.
“I have a lot of funny parts, so they’re easy to learn,” Schmitz said.
In terms of the songs, she would listen to them, sing along to the lyrics and then just have the music going to work on remembering her lyrics.
“The songs are actually easier because you get them stuck in your head,” Schmitz said. “The dialogue is harder for me.”
The difficult task for both was knowing exactly how others in the show were going to approach their parts.
“It’s hard to tell how fast someone is going to do something – or how slow,” Schmitz said.
Last week’s performance was The Lion King, Jr., which is the second of the summer after Annie, Jr. was done in late June.
Rehearsals were every day, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there’s a lot to go through.
Once the kids arrive on Monday, it’s all about getting everyone on the same page and immediately tackling the music, figuring out what scenes to block (where the actors/actresses stand on stage) and working on choreography.
“It’s way different becaise I’m more used to doing a lot more formal rehearsals,” Mathews said.
There is work done in smaller groups to maximize the time, but there also needs to be instances when the entire cast is together inorder to work through certain scenes and how the flow of the show will go.
“This is a real show for me,” Mathews said. “I’m here to get better. I’m here to learn.”
By the afternoon on Tuesday, the entire cast was on stage about to work through the show from the top. By no means was it supposed to be a finished product, but more of a way for the directors to see where everyone stood.
The goal is to have everyone ready for a strong run through by Thursday with the dress rehearsal set for Friday afternoon – that’s less than six hours before the first of three audiences will sit in the seats of Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts to see the show for real.
“Even in Friday’s dress rehearsal, people are still learning,” Klose said.
All of RB Productions summer plays are held at the Capitol Center, which graciously provides the use of the space.
Unfortunately, The Lion King, Jr. is in the rearview mirror for RB, but don’t fret because starting this Friday, you’ll be able to see the performances of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jr. So as you can see, there’s quite the turn around.
Some of the performers take part in multiple shows, while others are there for just one week. Some, like Mathews, have been a part of other more traditional plays during her time in the Concord High drama program, while Schmitz has only acted in the summer program.
And when they age out of the program, quite a few come back to help as interns and paid staff – like GraceAnn Kontak.
Kontak is the understudy coordinator, so she works with all of the participants in the show. Because if someone is in the ensemble, which is basically the characters outside of the starring roles, they are also an understudy to one of those main parts.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to do that, having to learn all those other lines,” Kontak said.
So Kontak, who joined RB as a sixth grader, has to make sure all the understudys are learning their own lines, but that of the main roles as well. She also has to make sure the “stars” are giving their understudy guidance and time to work through any issues they may be having.
“It’s hard because they’re definitely concentrating on their role first and foremost,” Kontak said.
And each Saturday of show weeks, there’s an understudy showcase for families and friends, so it’s not just like they’re learning the lines and won’t ever need to recite them.
“At Concord High we have time to prepare, but here it’s a whirlwind,” Kontak said. “It’s definitely thrown together, but it has a magical essence to it.”
In addition to Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jr. this weekend, RB Productions will also perform 101 Dalmatians, Kids with actors ages 5-9, on Friday at noon for $5, and Beauty and the Beast, Jr. July 28-29.
Tickets for main stage productions are $15 for general admission, $12 for students and seniors. Shows are held Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m.
For more info, visit rb-productions.com/ index.php/summer-theatre/2017-productions. For tickets, visit ccanh.com/series/upcomingevents.
