Green Theatre?

Theatre, by nature, is creating a set that is its own character on stage, that represents the artistic vision of its creators, and that must be convincing to the audience's eye and aids in the storytelling - but in terms of becoming a "green theatre," you have to admit, it can be wasteful. Think about it - we create temporary scenery on a stage for the entertainment of an audience, tell our story, then rip it all down to make room for the next story.

Many materials, like lumber, get pitched to the dumpster because they are too small to get reused, too damaged, or too specific to a show to have a use again.

While theatres like Trustus try to be more "green," especially because we are on tight budgets, it can be very challenging. 

We make every attempt to reuse materials. One example of this is employing the use of "stock" flats. A flat is a structure that is a theatre wall, masking, painting or other surface in a set. By using a standard size of 4'x8', frequently the flats can be reused in future shows - a way to save costs and prevent waste. 

Often times, when we reuse flats, it's like taking a trip down memory lane. Like in this picture, when a flat from a production of Hand To God meets a flat from a production of Barbecue to make up the set of our upcoming Evil Dead, The Musical. They will, of course, be repainted for the scene, making them virtually unrecognizable as their originals.

The reuse of items from sets often creates what we call "Easter Eggs" - little, hidden aspects of the show the audience or the cast/crew might see if they're looking hard enough. Originates from the the 1975 movie "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," when the cast had an Easter Egg hunt but most of the eggs went unfound. They can be seen throughout the film in various locations (such as under Frank N. Furter's throne).

The audience isn't always the intended viewer of these Easter eggs, though. For example, when I was working on the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the backside of the several flats had these little treats:

 

These are cutouts from the original show posters - fun little memory trips visible only to actors and crew.

Sometimes, though, the Easter Eggs are a little more lo-fi:

(SIDE NOTE on Easter Eggs: they're not always visual: take the musical, Hamilton, for example. Some  noteworthy easter eggs include “The Ten Duel Commandments,” which is a nod to Notorious B.I.G. with his song “The Ten Crack Commandments.” “Helpless” has a subtle similarity to Beyoncé’s “Countdown,” with Eliza evoking the pop diva’s vocal style and riffs. Then there’s “Meet Me Inside,” which has notes of DMX’s “Party Up (In Here).")

The point is, there's more to theatre than meets the eye, and recycling materials can be fun, too! We may never be truly "green", unless we make the conversion to more eco-friendly systems and practices.

Want some examples? 

A) Modern LED technology in stage lighting is one example of reducing our environmental impact - our current incandescent lighting at Trustus Theatre still requires a stagehand to be locked in a sub-basement shoveling coal into a furnace and shouting Trump-epitaphs - whereas the LED equivalent would result in huge reductions in electricity from both the lighting and from the cooling bill.

B) Paperless ticketing, the wave of the future, is not yet finessed at Trustus and many other theatres, either - a patron can show their ticket on their mobile device to our house manager and be seated without a physical ticket - but many of our patrons opt for more traditional methods.

C) Trustus is currently campaigning to raise money for replacing our roof and AC systems - both of which are bleeding money, and heat, out through the cracks. Both date back to the early 80's and were not designed with economy in mind. Never mind that when it rains, we have to strategically place buckets throughout the building. You can help - donate through our website at http://trustus.org/donate/

In conclusion, becoming a "green" theatre is hard work, and costly. But leave it to theatre folks to find the fun in it!

Building the prison

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It always amazes me that simplicity in a set can really impress audiences. A clock, a few security cameras, a two-way mirror, and a watercooler- and a cinder block wall - and the audience sees a prison. More accurately, an interrogation room within a prison, but you see my point.

The set is Building The Wall, a future-set play that follows the logical and scary timeline of our current anti-immigration agenda by that moron of a President, Donald Trump. More about the play at Trustus Theatre here: http://trustus.org/event/building-the-wall/

How? That cinder block wall is insulation foam - sheets of it, approximately 3/4" thick by 4'x8' - not gonna keep anyone in that really wants to get out... However, we've got a good record of no escape attempts in this prison...

The technique is to add texture to the smooth foam surface by using a paddle with exposed staples - beating the hell out of the surface, leaving numerous holes to give that cinder block texture. Then, using a hot soldering iron tip, outlining the brick pattern by melting deep trenches that mimic the mortar line. A paint treatment of water and latex paint - spray water first, to allow the paint to penetrate the holes created by the paddling. Then, a second coat to insure the awful green color doesn't bleed through. Tip: use the blank side of the foam, not the printed side.