It’s been a pretty amazing (and overwhelming) two weeks since I last posted.  Two milestones:  We officially began curricular activity in the Mainstage and…wait for it….Chairs!

Here’s the understructure of the first bit of scenery to hit the theatre in almost a year.

Turn around and the first of the new chairs could be seen!Those large boxes at the top of the frame are full of chair parts.  At the time I took this picture, there were some 280 more just beyond that exit sign.  The lobby was a cardboard fort of chair boxes!

The students moved quickly on the set as the seating was being installed.

Over the course of three days, the seating filled in. 

On Tuesday, February 20th it looks like this:Carpeting is next.  I expect that will happen very soon and should tie the color scheme together.

I turned my attention to the sound system infrastructure.  The last of our reclaimed gear was returned from storage so we are finally getting the full picture of what we have and what we need.  My first order of business was to tackle the tangle of audio/video/com cables in the control booth.  When the cleaning crews pulled out all the sound equipment, they “bundled and bagged” the cables.  Nearly 50 years worth of cables were bunched together in this mess. 

With the help of intrepid recent graduate Kristian Wiborg, we got it sorted out.  As a bonus we removed most of the legacy cabling.  It’s not quite clean and mean yet, but a big step forward in organization.  Hooking all of it up to the various boxes with knobs and dials that make sound/coms/video happen is next.

And last but not least, I’ve been investing time in the assembly of the CNC milling machine whenever possible.  So far it’s been going well and I’ve only needed to search the internet 4 or 5 times for pictures to see what parts go where and how.

This picture is a bit out of date, actually.  I think I’m about half way through the assembly and have completed the hardware portion.  Wiring and calibration is coming up.

There’s been quite a bit of hub-bub about the rigging system going on.  We found out that one of our counterweight tracks was out of alignment and probably has been since its installation in the late 60’s.  This created an unwieldy situation with some minor safety concerns.  We worked with the Clearwing riggers to come up with a solution and actually have two attractive possibilities we can choose from.  We’re still weighing which we’ll go with.

Mike, one of the key riggers from Clearwing who installed the system graciously offered to do training for anyone interested.  I quickly jumped on that that offer and Mike took over two days of my Stagecraft course to give the students a master class in counterweight systems.  I love it when students benefit from our situation and will continue to leverage it whenever possible.

For now, it’s time to get our first show up!  We’ve got some very active (and likely somewhat stressful) days ahead of us but it’s also very exciting and satisfying to see it coming together.

 

I guess I kind of thought that the community connections that sprang up immediately following the fire would wane a bit during our year of remodeling, but in fact what has happened is that they are strengthening and deepening.  Working with Clearwing Productions  in particular (lighting and rigging refit) has been very rewarding.  Truth be told, I’ve been impressed several times in recent years by their work from a performer’s perspective – having been onstage as a musician several times at venues where they provide the sound system.  Their engineers are always thoughtful, collaborative and dedicated to providing the best experience possible for the audience.  The best on-stage sound (monitor systems for the musicians to hear what they are doing) I’ve ever experienced was at this past Summerfest.

So, yeah, I was a fan before the fire – but now from the backstage perspective it’s more than evident that these folks really understand what producing live events (and educating students interested in creating compelling live events) is all about.  The level of support, listening, concern and creative thinking they have displayed has been critical for the Theatre Dept. during this process.  I personally would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart and look forward to the things we might do together after this extraordinary circumstance – both in my freelance and research life and in developing new storytellers at UWM.

Clearwing recently published a lovely article about their process in rebuilding the Theatre Department’s infrastructure.  I was honored to participate.  The article can be found at Clearwing Helps UWM Rebuild The Peck School of the Arts Mainstage Theatre after Devastating Fire.

Their work is almost now completed.  The last item was the replacement fire curtain (a special fire resistant piece of fabric that automatically separates the stage from the audience in the event of a fire).  It’s rare to see one on the ground and that made for a great curricular experience for the students.

With the holidays came a few manufacturing delays.  As anyone who has been involved with construction knows, missing one item can slow down the entire chain of events.  We had a few items that were a little stuck in the pipeline and progress slowed through the end of December and beginning of January.  But right around two weeks ago, the floodgates opened and now the place is different every day.

The changes are really tangible – not just heating systems or electrical wires inside walls, but really forward facing things.  The first big one was the installation of the “upper decks”.  These areas expand the footprint of the highest point in the seating bowl and were specifically designed for two purposes.

The first is to make our space more accessible for disabled patrons.  The Mainstage has seen many changes over the years to try to address the difficulty it had with these accommodations and while strides were made, we never really got to a place where we were comfortable.  These decks are spacious and, in my opinion, will be some of the best seats in the house.  They also create a really nice feeling of intimacy in the space.  When the theatre was designed, they needed it to also be a lecture hall.  Now any remnant of an 1960’s style auditorium classroom is gone.  At nearly 300 seats, we still have plenty of room for the space to have multipurpose applications but now it feels…well, cozy.

The second was to create a space for the audio mix engineers to properly hear what the audience hears.  The old audio position was above the catwalks and behind a glass wall.  The mix engineers had to basically make good guesses about what the audience was hearing – believe me, we set up all kinds of elaborates systems and protocols to make this happen successfully.  While this was a good technical exercise for the students, it didn’t allow them to focus on the most important part of operating an audio system – listening.

We’ll also use this area for sound and lighting designers to work from during rehearsals.  There is plenty of room for patrons of all kinds to join us on the deck.  I might be a little biased, but I enjoy being near the audio console during shows for a bunch of reasons and I know there are others who do too.

Along with the interior of the center deck (and it’s multiple electrical outlets – Yay!) the second photo shows the beginning of the installation of the new audience railings.  There have never been railings of any kind in the theatre prior to this and with the 15″ drop offs and irregular aisle stairs it has always been a point of contention.  Not only are they a critical part of the safety infrastructure, they are also quite handsome.  The crews installing the railings are amazingly speedy and quickly paving the way for carpeting.  If you look closely you can see the carpet nosing on each step, and the electrical boxes that feed the safety lights on each aisle seat.  And hey look at that – the new stage flooring is being painted with two coats of a high durability, yet paintable, black sealer.  That’s probably the first real “finishing touch” to happen.

Speaking of aisle lighting, I should mention that all of the new lighting and electrical systems, including much of the stage lighting system are extremely energy efficient.  The systems they are replacing date back decades and the technological advancements in the last few years of energy efficient products is astounding.  Just operating this space is going to be significantly greener and cheaper than it has been in the past.  This has real implications for the future viability of maintaining this space, increasing its frequency of use and diversifying access to it.

That’s a win/win. 

In other news, I received word this week that our last bit of major equipment for the scenic studio is on the truck, making its way across the states.  The CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machine will soon enter its new home and is the final piece of the puzzle to having modernized equipment for our students that matches what they will find out in the field (and at other University theatre departments).  Since CNC started to become common in light fabrication about 20 years ago I’ve made quite a few attempts to bring this technology to the Theatre Department – appealing to many funding sources and University committees without success.  We’ve been able to work with other schools and departments occasionally to use their CNC machines, but their applications are different enough that the equipment wasn’t really compatible with what we do.  It has been a long time coming.

Next week I’ll begin installing the sound system components.  This is the thing I’ve really been looking forward to since the refit began.  It’s another example of getting to really wipe the slate from what’s been drawn on over and over for 50 years and create something truly current and flexible.  It’s going to be awesome.  Let me know if you’d like to come and bask in the sound waves with me…

Chris

 

November has been a big month for the Theatre Department.  First off – we are about to open our last shows of the semester, Shaw’s MAJOR BARBARA (Directed by Rebecca Holderness) and BLUE LANTERN (directed by guest Fulbright scholar Tanya Weinstein).  We are very grateful to our friends in the Visual Art & Design Department for allowing us to invade the PSOA Gallery to produce Major Barb.  We’ve built a stage, installed sound, video and lighting systems, had seating risers and carpet installed and turned the surround support galleries into run rooms for props and wardrobe.  It’s been really refreshing to work in yet another space, but we’re looking forward to returning to the Mainstage.  Here’s a shot from my vantage point during the technical rehearsal I am currently engaged in.

That moment is getting closer every day.  The remodeling itself slowed a bit early on in the month, but the behind the scenes work continued furiously.  We made decisions on everything from audience seating color schemes to acoustical sheeting to line-set schedules to quantities of dimmer modules.  There were many days when I went to work with a list of things to accomplish that got completely back-burnered in order to coordinate and consult on the minutia of the refit.  It’s exhausting, but also pretty fun.

Then…one day, the crew from Clearwing arrived with many large boxes full of the heavy hardware required to rebuild the rigging system.  All new counterweight arbors, headblocks, loft sheaves and lots and lots of wire rope cable.  All of it featuring a satin black powder coat.

I have never seen rigging hardware so clean!  Usually much of this stuff is 50′ up in the air and rarely seen.  When you do see it, it’s covered in the dust that collects over the years in these not-oft-traveled spaces.  We all took turns giving the new sheaves a spin and remarking on how quiet they are.

At this point they have installed over half of the hardware.  Soon they will start stringing cable and hanging the battens!

The first bits of the lighting system have also arrived.  Two big boxes holding the dimmer racks are waiting to be uncrated and lifted to the platform where they reside.  Folks tell me we there is a groovy sound dampening system worked out to reduce the noise the cooling fans on these racks make.  Should be interesting.

The control booths for the Mainstage have also been completed.  We’ve started moving the gear back in and will soon get to the rebuilding and reconfiguration of the sound system.  It’s going to be a big job, but hooking up sound gear is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve already had a couple of students ask to help!  Onward.

We are nearing completion of our first production, Othello: Deployed with Feast of Crispian.  It’s great to see the scenery studio back in full swing!

It’s hard to believe that many of these students had no experience creating scenery prior to this semester.  It’s always inspiring how they rise to the occasion.  Here’s a shot of two of our newest student using saber saws for the first time after training.

As for an update on the shop – new doors and window glass have been installed, increasing the security for our students and equipment.  The HVAC crews completed connections between the dust collection system and the major stationary tools.  We’re still waiting on a fair amount of equipment to come in, but we are ready for it.

Focus is turning toward getting the auditorium up and running.  The acoustical panels are coming along nicely and the resurfacing of the proscenium arch looks great.  We expect in the next week or so, installation of the lighting and rigging systems will begin.  We’ve also chosen new seating (very comfortable!) and are looking at carpet samples daily.

It’s also time to get the audio and video systems backing into place – and that’s my job.  Most of the equipment has arrived (there is a dressing room full of boxes and I can barely move in my office) and I’m looking forward to digging in with a few students to rebuild the racks, install the speakers and run ethernet lines.  Here’s a shot of Brody and Ron helping me bring over some of the new racks from where they were delivered.  Yes – they are heavy!

On to Major Barbara and more refitting of our facility!

Chris

Just a quick update – the scenic studio is coming along nicely.  The photo above is from my Scenic Special Effects class.  Students were tasked with prototyping scaled versions of articulated effects (think trap doors, elevators, revolves, etc.).  Our new work surfaces and tools are a pleasure to work with.

Here’s a pic from the introductory Stagecraft course – a class that all Theatre majors are required to take.  They are just beginning to engage in a precision layout exercise with the goal of creating a perfect rectangle (+/-  1/16 of an inch over 8 feet).  It might sound simple, but this is very difficult to achieve and requires patience, care and a good deal of critical thinking problem solving.  Once you master it, though, you can build anything.

Production Shop Supervisor Denis and the student crews have been busy organizing and building support systems.  The students are using their new stagecraft skills to create fabrication shop infrastructure, like shelving and sawhorses.  They are also getting a crash course in hardware and tool specifications.  Replacement equipment, fasteners, actuators, and many other items we use in the creation of our art arrive daily.  Next week we move full bore into construction of the scenic elements for The Feast of Crispian’s upcoming production of OTHELLO: DEPLOYED.  Our other big show of the semester, MAJOR BARBARA, will be close on it’s heels.  Back to business as usual!

In other news, the stage floor installation has begun!  This is the next big step in getting the Mainstage auditorium up and running for next semester.  As soon as it’s complete, the lighting and rigging system re-installs can go ahead.

Production Manager Jessica Berlin-Krivsky, lighting and design faculty Steve White and I spent a few hours at the reclamation companies’ backlot, organizing the return of the remaining items that were packed up and removed from the building.  We opened a couple of hundred of boxes, double checked the contents and prioritized their delivery time/location.  The picture below shows the first batch of items scheduled to return this week.

This is a significant milestone as it gave us a first hand look at the light at the end of the tunnel.  The hard work, nimble actions and out-of-the-box thinking that we’ve been doing since April is paying off in making the restoration process manageable.  Believe me, that’s a good feeling to have.  Much more to do, but we can see the finish line.

Chris

A few days ago, the painters, electricians and carpenters who have been working in the Scenic Studio packed up their tools, gave the floor a good cleaning and turned the space over to us for full time operation.  The resurrection is rather spectacular.  Think of the bionic man – we will rebuild it.  Stronger.  Faster.  In this case…cleaner!

Denis, the shop manager and the students quickly got busy installing the stationary power tools, assembling shelving and storing extension cords.  

I know I’ve said it here before, but the exercise of setting up a production facility (and later this semester, a performance venue) is a rare opportunity for students.  Looking back on my own undergraduate education I did much the same thing, though on a smaller scale.  I remember those experiences as being some of the most valuable I had and I’m confident that these young artists will feel much the same way 30 years later.

There is a special vibrancy in our new students this year.  It might have something to do with their quantity (more than ever before), but I’d like to think that they understand the relevance and uniqueness of their situation and are embracing it with vigor.

Along with the Scenic Studio, we are also getting ready to move back into the Mainstage support spaces.  Areas like the lighting and sound maintenance and supply rooms are nearly finished.  Boxes and boxes of reclaimed equipment are being opened and organized.  Several audio/video-centric students and I cataloged all the cables, amps, patch-bays and other devices with lights and dials that process audio and video.

Much of it will get re-racked and moved upstairs into the Art Center Gallery for our December production of Major Barbara, but the crews are estimating the control area of the Mainstage will be ready for us in only a few days.  I have some decisions to make about the distribution of equipment!

By the way, the preliminary design work for Major Barbara has been completed and I really think we are on to something special…

Chris

 

The day has arrived.  This is the 21st time I’ve walked into the building to start the yearly process of teaching, exploring and crafting with what is always a unique and diverse group of people.  Summer is always kind of rough for me – lack of routine and waiting for information needed to proceed is challenging.  This day comes as a relief and this year, despite the extraordinary circumstances, is no different.

And of course, as with any major project, delays are something to be expected, planned for and worked with.  I’ve said on many occasions during the renovation process to whoever will listen that we [the UWM Theatre Faculty and Staff] can work with a variety of possible situations and it is more important that renovations get done safely with a focus on quality than be totally finished on this day.  I’m happy to find time solutions if it means the end result will be the best it can.  So, yeah – above is one of our main teaching spaces, the Theatre Department’s Scenic Studio.   Students will arrive there at 11am this morning for class and there are probably a couple of weeks worth of co-existance with the renovation crews ahead.

There has been significant progress in the Mainstage Theatre itself.  New ventilation and acoustic treatments are nearing completion.  It won’t be long before we start to see the more forward facing components going in, such as seating, lighting and rigging systems.  As this ramps up, I promise to document the process with more frequency.  The improvements in functionality are significant.  We are extremely anxious to get in there and make some art – the new possibilities are, well – it’s sort of like going from having two flavors of ice cream to thirty.

Maybe the public (and perhaps many of the students) will just see a dust pile when looking at the above photo.  I see not only an amazing blank canvas waiting to be carefully and deliberately painted on, but a rare teaching opportunity.  We have entire modules in the curriculum about how to create a performing arts facility, but until now the exercise could only be theoretical.  This time, we are doing it for real – and the students will be with us every step of the way.  What we are doing is setting up the future for the next 50 years.  It is a hugely daunting task, but very, very exciting.

Theatre Artists pride themselves on embracing the unknown – solving the problem that hasn’t come up before.  We thought we were pretty good at it (and we are :).  But what we have found out about ourselves since April is that we have only scratched the surface of that skill set.  We are going to come out of this with a new perspective.

I think it’s going to be a groundbreaking, life-changing, forward-thinking year that will break barriers, demolish silos of thought and expand the definition of our craft.  It will be hard – of that I am sure.  We will want to default to years of tradition and expectation, but I and my colleagues know that establishing new expectations and traditions is critical for our art-form’s growth.  Indeed it is critical for art as a whole.  It’s critical for our mission of researching and understanding the human condition.

It’s also critical for our students to thrive in our world.

Sure it’s really only a building.  But much like theatre is a solid foundation for all the art forms in the world that explore what it means to be human, the spaces and environments we create in are, quite literally, foundational.  It’s our body and we are its soul.

And then there is this – replacement equipment for the Scenic Studio has started to arrive!  There’s nothing quite as satisfying as un-crating a new tool.  I’m looking forward to sharing the experience with the students.

Chris

 

I returned from a European vacation to find quite a bit of progress being made on the Scenic Studio!

All the surfaces had been cleaned and painted and the electricians and HVAC contractors were ready to install all the power, pneumatic, water and dust collection systems.  I was immediately put to work specifying where each outlet and lighting fixture was/should be.  If you have ever gone through this process when building a house or outfitting a fabrication space, then you know this can be an extensive job.  After many hours of creating diagrams and drafting, I think we are retaining the best of what previously existed and shifted many components to vastly improve the functionality of the space.

Once the infrastructure work is done, the floor will be sealed with a tinted epoxy resin.  The place looks great.  The paint color gives it an open and welcoming feel and I think the floor treatment is going to preserve some historical context of the room while updating the look and making maintenance considerably easier.

After consulting extensively with Shop Supervisor Denis Kavanagh, I set to work specifying all the storage needs and drafting the eight interlocking 5′ x 10′ rolling tables that will create the majority of our work surfaces.  The work table system is based on the set up I saw in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s Scene Shop during the mounting of Arcadia in April and May.  I think their concept is pretty inspired and am excited to put it into action.  The last bit of drafting I have is the main cross cut saw run that will live on the left wall in the image above.

Also heavy in process is the specifying and purchasing of all the replacement equipment.  According to the inventory, there are about 350 items to be replaced – so this is a huge job.  Everything has to be coordinated with the insurance company and each piece evaluated for relevance in our modern world – some of the tools were 30+, 40+ years old and an equivalent is no longer made.  Denis and I will be focusing on getting everything up to speed for the start of the fall semester, but I’m sure there is going to be un-crating and installation happening for some time.  It should be exciting!

Ever wonder what the support structure of a “sprung” dance floor from the 1960’s looks like?  Here’s the current state of the T7 Rehearsal Hall:

The construction/engineering guy in me finds this fascinating, but the floor isn’t the big story this week.  Check out the walls!  Fresh paint!  And not only in T7, but everywhere.

In fact, a 20 foot Sherwin-Williams panel truck was stationed at the loading dock when I arrived on campus.  Some exploring revealed that painting of the hallways, offices and public areas was not only well underway, but nearing completion.  Add the baseboards and give the floor a good clean/polish and the place will look amazing.

Maybe even bigger news is that the Paul Davis reclamation folks told me that anticipated date for opening up the basement level of the Theatre building is July 6!  Of course, the Mainstage and Scene Shop remain exceptions but it does include the Costume Shop and Prop Shop.  It also includes the faculty offices on that level (mine included, yay!).

Chris

Hello blogosphere! A couple of weeks ago I was asked to regularly post a few words (and pictures and video and whatever else I might think of) regarding the restoration of the facilities that this website is dedicated to. Why me? Well, for 20 years the Theatre Department has been not only my place of employment, but my place of exploration and creation.  The scene shop (where the fire was located), Mainstage and my nearby studio/office are my safe places and my refuge. It’s my second home.  Too be sure, I am certainly not alone in these sentiments and will endeavor to share news from my many colleagues.

By the way, and for the record, a couple of days following the fire, we (the PSOA Theatre Department) held an all faculty/all student meeting to update everyone, grieve a little and talk about the path forward. It was during this session that a student remarked, “We should rename ourselves the Phoenix Theatre Company.” That observation encapsulated our resolve and as you can see above, has become the over-arching title of all things related to the rebuilding efforts.

I won’t lie, the fire was emotionally devastating.  I didn’t sleep until exhaustion took over three days later. While there were certainly moments of delirium, most of the time I felt highly focused and driven. My colleagues all tell a similar story.  One thing you can say of theatre folks is that we are a solution oriented bunch; solving problems is something we take great pride in.  We had working scenarios to produce the final show of the season within about 12 hours after the fire trucks left.

But the Theatre Department was just a part of the snap to action. Water from fire suppression systems and smoke had caused much more extensive damage than what actual flame had done. The number of affected areas was vast. PSOA Administration, Development and Marketing mobilized with a speed and efficiency that was mind boggling.  Restoration began almost immediately and the curriculum was back online in a remarkably short period of time.  I wish I had taken a picture of what I came to call “the war room”.  A room in the basement of the Zelazo building, across the street from the main PSOA complex, had been transformed into something that resembled what I envision secret rooms in the basement of the Pentagon look like – complete with a wall size projection screen displaying the current state of classes and room assignments.  Around a large array of folding tables pushed together to make one massive table, the Dean, the Department Chairs and administrative staff worked their magic.  There were more laptops than humans. 

And then there was the sudden and massive influx of offers to help. Every arts organization in Milwaukee called and asked “how can we assist?”.  Alumni called offering to help clean up.  Theatre and production companies from all over the country (and a few outside of the country) sent messages of support. I can’t tell you how much this meant to us.  Knowing we were not alone was critical for our perseverance.  Thank you to everyone from bottom of our hearts.  

You know, one of my favorite things about the arts community in Milwaukee is that it has always been very mutually supportive.  It’s a trait that is not always typical and we should never take it for granted.  A big silver lining to this whole thing was the re-affirmation that we are ultimately one community and believe strongly in working together for the good of all.

So here we are just over two months after April 8th, 2017.  In the next few days, I’ll post some of the nitty-gritty on the renovation efforts.  I have to say, it is an extremely exciting time.  Although the circumstances are obviously less than ideal, we now have the opportunity to make some much needed improvements to a 50 year old facility.  As dear as the spaces are to our hearts, they were very long in the tooth, so to speak.  Of course there are layers upon layers upon layers of coordination with restoration crew issues, efficiency and cost, insurance adjustments, and about 100 other components to work through.  Rest assured, they are being worked through with amazing speed.  

One thing is for sure, out of the ashes something special is rising.  Above is a current photo from the theater catwalk looking out over the plywood and scaffold subfloor the restoration company built over the seating in order to work on the auditorium ceiling.  It looks to me like a great place to stage a play!

Christopher Guse, Associate Professor
UWM PSOA Department of Theatre