Behind the Scenes
/The Making of West Side Story
It’s opening night at Flat Rock Playhouse. As I sit in the theater waiting for the lights to dim and the show to begin, I am reading the playbill. Typically I give it only a cursory glance - checking out the cast of characters and description of scenes I’m about to see.
But not tonight. This night I am reading over the names of the artistic and theater production professionals who built tonight’s musical from the ground up. For the first time in many years of walking through the playhouse doors, I will truly understand what it takes to put together a show like West Side Story.
The lights dim and the melodious voice of long-time vagabond, Paige Posey, fills the room with an introductory announcement. “Welcome back to Flat Rock Playhouse and this performance of West Side Story! We’ve missed you. We would not be here today without you.”
Thanks to a gracious invitation by the playhouse to observe the full production process - while following all union-mandated COVID protocols - I now understand the magnitude of the theatrical iceberg that extends deep below Leiman Mainstage and its retinue of talented performers. During the preceding three weeks, I have been allowed to literally peek behind the curtains and see all that it takes to create 2.5 hours of pure theatrical magic. During that time, I have learned that the process is highly creative, surprisingly technical, and involves a complexity that is hard to imagine as you watch a production that flows so seamlessly that it appears almost effortless.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The purpose of this article, therefore, is to pull back the curtain and introduce you to a few of the dozens of talented professionals who make the magic happen at a place like FRP. This will take a little more space than my usual Flat Rock Together story, but I wanted to showcase several of these amazing folks as they are the beating heart and soul of the playhouse. They are uniformly talented and dedicated to their craft. And, with few exceptions, they are virtually unknown by the audiences they so routinely thrill, amaze, make laugh, and move to tears.
PHoto by Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One, Scene One; “Prologue”
Against the urban backdrop of chain link fences and graffiti, two rival gangs, The Sharks and Jets, meet on the streets of New York City and plan a rumble
Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2022 Season is Formally Announced
January 2022; Six Months to Open
In many ways, the FRP production of West Side Story started in 2020. The iconic musical featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics of a young Stephen Sondheim was to be the flagship production in a season poised to celebrate the Playhouse’s continued revival from recent challenges. The set was designed, the actors were cast, the choreography was in process, costumes designed … and then the plug was pulled. Like a viral switchblade, COVID-19 put an end to the 2020 season.
The dreams of Maria and Tony returning to the Leiman Mainstage, however, were never fully dashed by the pandemic. The decision to bring back WSS in 2022 was an easy one for FRP Producing Artistic Director, Lisa Bryant. A survey in 2019 revealed that a production of WSS was the #1 choice of Playhouse patrons and supporters. For Lisa and her staff, returning WSS to the 2022 season felt like delivering on a promise. It was symbolic of the Playhouse’s signature resilience and perseverance which has allowed it to survive all manner of challenges over the course of its 70-year history.
The decision to put on WSS set in motion a series of actions and events required of a producing theater such as FRP. Unlike presenting theaters, a production at FRP is literally built from the ground up. “We build everything,” explains Lisa. “We build the costumes. We build the sets. We build the props. We design the lights. We hire the actors. We rehearse it. Our shows are not trucked in from someplace else. We are extremely proud of that.”
Given the magnitude of this undertaking, planning for this year’s production started in earnest as soon as the 2022 season was announced. Adam Goodrum, Production Manager, sat down with Lisa and Dennis Maulden, Resident Scenic Designer, to get a sense of which professionals would need to be hired for this particular show to collaborate with the Playhouse’s resident staff to fill out the production team.
(L to R) Matthew Glover, Artistic Associate and Choreographer for WSS; Lisa Bryant, Artistic Producing Director and Director for WSS; and Adam Goodrum, Production Manager.
In February, Lisa and FRP Artistic Associate and Choreographer, Matthew Glover, spent two weeks in New York City running auditions for the entire 2022 season. They saw over 200 actors per day for 14 days. In the case of WSS, every role was offered to the actors originally cast in 2020. Not all actors were available post-pandemic, but ultimately a little over 50% of the 2020 cast was able to return in 2022.
With the season announced and the cast selected, the focus now shifted to actually moving WSS from ink on a page to the live production that would open on July 1, 2022.
The Playhouse was ready to rumble.
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One, Scene Two; “Something’s Coming”
Riff, leader of the Jets, tries to convince Tony to return to the gang. Tony initially refuses but is ultimately convinced that something important is just around the corner.
Design Process
January, February, March; Three Months to Open
Scenic Design
In mid-March, Dennis C. Maulden, Resident Scenic Designer, presents his initial design concept to the creative team in charge of bringing WSS to life. He presents color renderings of a set designed to create the gritty urban feel of the poorer neighborhoods patrolled by the Sharks and the Jets.
Dennis first arrived at FRP in 1967 as an apprentice following his Freshman year at UNC-Chapel Hill. He returned to the Playhouse as Scenic Designer for its summer seasons beginning in 1985 and moved to Flat Rock permanently in 2000 as the theater transitioned from mostly summer to a year-round theater schedule.
The scene design features spare metal towers which represent a number of locations during the production, framed by an art installation of urban construction materials - brick, wood, wire and destroyed masonry. Dennis’s set design also provides a large open area on the back wall to accommodate a rear-projection system which will overlay his design with still images and video representing life in the big city.
The combination of physical elements, projected images, and lighting effects will immediately transport the Playhouse audience to the hardscrabble streets of NYC and provide the perfect backdrop for the actors on stage.
Dennis C. Maulden, Resident Scenic Designer
This is the fourth time Dennis has designed a set for West Side Story. Although the lines and lyrics have not changed over the years, the artistic interpretation of the musical continues to evolve. “In the 50s and 60s it was retelling the story of Romeo and Juliet,” explains Dennis. “Later on, it became less about the story and more about the virtuosity of the singers and dancers.” Today, the authentic feel of Dennis’s set design helps draws the audience back to the realities of the very real issues of discrimination and bigotry confronted by the people of 1950s New York City. But, this production of West Side Story also reflects and speaks to the world we are living in now.
Dennis’s original designs are hand-drafted and, in this instance, require that he understand period architecture and style to help recreate the world of mid-century NYC in the mind’s eye of the audience. The hand-drafted designs are eventually transferred to computer drawings and Dennis does paint elevations and renderings to communicate his vision to the rest of the creative team. Full design presentations are made at the end of March.
At FRP, Dennis is able to utilize the theater’s slip stages which slide onto the stage from either the left or right wings. For WSS, the slip stages will carry the metal structures designed by Dennis to represent Doc’s Diner, Maria’s balcony, and a dress shop where Maria works. “The set is dynamic,” he says. “It also moves because of lights and projections. It has the ability to go from claustrophobic and overwhelming to open and free.”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One, Scene Three; The Dance at the Gym
The Jets and Sharks are on neutral ground at a high school dance and they compete with athletic dance moves as the girls’ dresses twirl in a spectacular display of colors and textures.
Costume Design
Ashli Crump is the Costume Designer and has held that position since 2010. Her earliest experience with the Playhouse was in the 1990s as a high school student attending FRP’s Theater for Young People.
When asked about her job, Ashli laughs and replies, “I manage the chaos.” She manages the Costume and Wardrobe Department with staff that includes an assistant, stitchers, an intern, a wardrobe supervisor and two volunteers “who treat it like a full-time job.”
During the planning processes, Ashli develops wardrobe concepts in concert with the Director, Scenic Designer, and Choreographer. She prepares color renderings of her designs, and for this show, she and her crew will hand-make 22 different dresses for the women in the show. For the men, she will shop thrift stores, E-bay, and internet suppliers to purchase jeans, casual tops, and some suits.
For WSS, Ashli traveled to Atlanta to find the wide variety of fabrics needed to build the 22 dresses. Local fabric sources closed during the pandemic and sourcing materials is more of a challenge than ever. With fabric in hand, the Costume Department uses measurements provided in advance by actors and patterns developed from her concept drawings to cut out the fabrics and begin stitching together the dresses. When the actors finally arrive on campus - just three weeks before opening night - the pace of work goes into hyperdrive with multiple fitting sessions for every actor. Alterations are made and accessories are added. And the days get longer - up to 15 hours per day for the final two weeks of production.
Ultimately, every stitch of clothing seen (and unseen) on stage will come from Ashli’s wardrobe team. “We dress the actors from the skin out. We provide their underwear, tights, bras, - every single garment they have on their body.” Once the costume building is done and the show opens, Wardrobe Manager Amy Pavelka will spend the month-long run of WSS cleaning and maintaining each costume. All “skins” - garments that touch the actors’ bodies - are washed, folded, and/or pressed after every show. The department’s four washing machines will be in high gear throughout the show. A special arrangement with Miller’s Dry Cleaners in Hendersonville allows them to take costumes on their off day of Monday and get them back on Tuesday in time for the Wednesday matinee performance.
Ashli Crump (L) with Amy Pavelka, Wardrobe Manager
Concept drawing for one of the dresses worn my the character, Anita, in WSS.
The scope of work done by Ashli and her team is difficult to fathom. Beyond the dresses they are building, they handle jewelry, belts, bows, and shoes - lots and lots of very expensive shoes. “Our biggest expense is shoes. Sixty percent of the department budget goes to shoes. The actor’s union requires that they have brand new dance shoes which can cost between $150-200 each - and often actors have multiple shoes for multiple costumes.”
When her work is complete and the show is finally onstage, Ashli takes particular pride in her contribution to the success of the actors. “It is rewarding when the actors put on their costume for the first time and they say, ‘Oh! THIS is who the character is!’ They have a moment of realization that is joyous to watch. Their whole demeanor changes because they have found who that person is”.
Hair and Makeup
Jami Brooks, Hair/Makeup Designer
Collaborating with Ashli is Jami Brooks who is handling hair and makeup design for WSS. Jami started at the playhouse as an intern during her Junior and Senior years at Hendersonville High School. After school, she attended both the North Carolina School of the Arts and cosmetology school in Winston-Salem. WSS is her first show back at the playhouse since the 2019 season
Each of the female actors - with the exception of Maria - will be wearing a wig during the show. This is for the convenience of both Jami and the actors. “It makes it easier on the actors,” she says, “and it also makes it easier on me. I’ll style a wig about two days in advance of the show, and it should last about three days, so I don’t have to worry about them styling their own hair on show days. That takes up way too much time.” Styling each wig can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.
The hairstyles worn by the actors are an important element when setting the time period of the musical. For WSS, Jami has extensively researched 50s hairstyles - and how to pull them off. “Think Marilyn Monroe. A lot of victory rolls and smooth curls. A lot of shorter styles. It was all about how you roller set your hair - letting the hair curl on a curl.”
More than just recreating the style of the era, Jami wants to make sure her actors are comfortable and confident. “I know my job is complete when actors feel gorgeous.” And Jami takes her job very seriously. “Doing wigs is my art form. It is the way I express myself creatively.”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One, Scene Five; “Mambo”
At the dance, the energy and tension between the Jets and Sharks continues to build during an impromptu dance competition.
Building the Show
Production Meeting w/Final Set & Costume Designs
April 19th, 10 Weeks to Opening Night
Adam Goodrum, Production Manager, runs his first full production meeting in late March. By the second production meeting in mid-April, he has the final set design from Dennis and the final costume designs from Ashli. He has contracted with the designers who will be handling sound, light, and projection. He has the plans. He has the team in place. Construction of Maria and Tony’s hometown will begin in earnest at the end of April.
Adam graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 2005. He found his way to FRP in 2013 as Technical Director and in 2014 became the theatre’s Production Manager. His job and the work of the team he assembles is the part of the theatrical iceberg the audience never sees and seldom thinks about. “The biggest misconception about our theater is how much we actually do,” Adam explains. “People think we call up a company and they send us actors and set. We build from the ground up. Everything you see on stage is built in our shops by our team.”
Adam Goodrum, Production Manager. Flanked by (l-R) Amelia Driscoll, Asst. Stage Manager; Ben Hamann, Head of Lighting, and Troy Morelli, Lead Electrician.
Adam wears two hats at FRP and additionally serves as the Technical Director. As TD, he takes the designs from Dennis and turns them into engineered drawings that will guide the scene shop and painters as they build and finish the set. Adam is also the person who figures out how to convert the dreams of his designers into a reality that will fit the show’s budget. “I always tell my designers to shoot for the stars, but I have some creative license in steering them towards things that we can actually achieve within budget.
When I ask if it is hard to tell the designers “No” sometimes, Adam just grins. “Not at all. When your wife is the finance director for the Playhouse, it’s not hard to do.”
During the frantic run-up to the show, Adam will coordinate a team of 40-50 professionals working on scenery, sound, costumes, lights, props, and projection - all toiling behind the scenes to make the 27 actors on stage look great on opening night.
Paint
Steph Charaska, Scenic Charge Artist
One of those backstage artists is Steph Charaska who is Scenic Charge Artist for WSS. She has 20 years of theater experience and arrived at FRP in April to work through the season.
Steph is a middle man of sorts, trying to bring the vision of Dennis to life while still working with the realities of Adam’s construction and budget guidelines.
Employing an array of materials, Steph and her crew breathe life into the WSS scenery through a combination of paint, joint compound, glue, wire, and additives to give the applied materials additional texture. But when the job is done well, she is confident that her contributions to the project will make a real difference in the show. “The scenery is the unheard character in a play. It gets the audience in the proper frame of mind without saying a word.”
Props
Rebecca Xhajanka and Sam Gainer, Props Department
Sam Gainer and Rebecca Xhajanka have read the WSS script from cover to cover and made notations of every item mentioned during the musical or noted in the scene descriptions. Having compiled a list of props, they then embark on a journey to find everything that is needed to add the finishing touches to each scene. “Our job is world-building,” explains Props Manager, Sam Gainer. “We fill out the world that is being created on stage.” For WSS, there are several weapons used in the production. A baseball bat is constructed of a fiberglass core and surrounded by foam before being painted to look like a wooden bat. Prop switchblades are procured that have dull edges and rounded points. Guns, although non-functioning with solid barrels and no way to fire live ammunition, are kept under lock and key.
Props managers have to be both resourceful and adept at building things. For WSS, one of the scenes is set in a 1950s era diner. Purchasing retro furniture would have been too expensive, so Sam and Rebecca found an old dining room set online for $75. It was the wrong color and the vinyl seats were ripped. They completely disassembled the set, repaired the seats, and painted the vinyl a turquoise green in the style of the times.
Albert S Gooch Scene Design Shop
Build Begins of Set and Costumes,
May 25th, 6 Weeks to Opening
Actors arrive
Music and dance rehearsals begin
June 10th, Three Weeks to Opening
Million Dollar Quartet Closes
The First elements of the WSS set are moved onstage
June 18th, Two Weeks to Opening
Tech Week
Act One Scene Four; “Maria”
Tony has become infatuated with the girl he just met at the dance and seems to float above the cityscape as he sings of his love for her.
Tech Week
26 -30; One week to Opening
Projection Design
In Acts Four and Five, the full potential of modern technology meets the timeless Romeo and Juliet storyline of West Side Story. As Tony sings “Maria” during Act Four, video projection transports the actor - and his audience - high above the New York nightscape. As Tony’s voice soars with his newfound passion for Maria, we are carried with him by both his voice and the imagery on stage.
The man behind this powerful imagery is Patrick Lord, a freelance Projection Designer from Washington, DC. Hired by Adam for this one show, Patrick has come to Flat Rock to complement Dennis Maulden’s Scenic Design with still and video images that change throughout the performance and provide moments that alternate between the vividly real and the artistically abstract.
Patrick has been in theater for 13 years and earned an MFA in Projection Design from the University of Texas. He grew up in both Tokyo and New York City, so this project fit his life experience perfectly. “In this show, we’ve used video to create a “love letter” to city life. I love capturing the feel of a big city and it brings a really interesting element to the production.”
Patrick Lord, Projection Designer
His is a relatively new and rapidly growing field in theatrical production. Although still images have been used for decades, the rapid advances in computer and production technology in the last decade have made his art form increasingly mainstream in theatrical productions. Using both front and rear projections, Patrick collaborates with Lisa, Dennis and the Lighting Designer to add a powerful visual accent to the already powerful story. “It is a different language,” says Patrick. “And it helps put the audience in the appropriate frame of mind for the scene.”
Patrick’s work requires a variety of skills. “I am a graphic designer, video editor, and animator. It’s not just stills.” He also enjoys breaking new ground in theater. “Projection design is a really exciting bridge between so many theater disciplines. We are involved in scenic design and lighting design. We are a middle ground new art form.”
One of the goals for FRP in this production of WSS was to bring a fresh perspective to a classic tale. Patrick and his team are an integral part of that effort. “When we do a classic show like WSS, I get to bring a very new perspective and update. No one who comes to this production will say, ‘Oh, that was just like the show we saw on Broadway.’”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One, Scene Five; “Tonight”
Tony finds Maria's building and serenades her outside her bedroom on a balcony. Together for only a few moments, they confess their love for one another.
Lighting Design
CJ Barnwell, the Lighting Designer for WSS, uses over 400 lights during the production and likes to think of himself as a painter of sorts. “A Scenic Designer gets to paint the stage one time and I get to paint the stage hundreds of times over the course of the show.”
The lights employed by CJ and his team provide a seemingly endless number of options with regard to color, intensity, and placement. Computers are used to control the color and intensity of LED lights as well as the movement of those lights as they sweep across the set and draw the audience’s eye to the most important element on stage at any given moment. All his technological wizardry is then complemented by two crew members operating handheld spotlights to make sure the actors are always properly seen as they move rapidly around the stage.
CJ particularly loves the combination of artistic interpretation and technology demanded by his job. “There are a lot of computers involved, so this is an area where artistry and technology intersect.” Indeed, during tech week the bank of computers, control boards, and monitors operated by CJ and Ben Hamann, Head of Lighting for FRP, creates the feel of mission control for a space odyssey to the moon and back.
CJ Barnwell, LIghting Designer
He also loves that his craft can be so integral to the story telling. “This show is moving and touching and heartbreaking - so my job is to make those moments bigger. To use lighting to get people even more emotionally involved in the story.” Indeed, as Tony and Maria sing their duet on the balcony, the expanse of the stage is condensed by light that brings the actors and audience into a very personal relationship. “I can help make an intimate moment feel intimate to someone sitting 70 feet away.”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act One Scene Six; “America”
Surrounded by the sights and the ambient sounds of their Puerto Rican neighborhood, the Shark girls debate the merits of living in their home country vs New York.
Sound Design
Throughout the musical, the ambient sounds of life in the big city wash over the audience. In the background, as the actors recite their lines and lyrics, we hear the sounds of car horns, people chatting on their stoops, construction in the distance, and radios playing through open windows high above. Theater goers don’t just see the city, they experience it with their ears as well - thanks to Allen Sanders, Sound Designer, and his team
Allen Sanders was introduced to FRP as an intern just out of college. He was hired by current FRP Production Stage Manager, Billy Muñoz, and is happy to be back at The Rock working with his old friend. He also served as Resident Sound Designer at FRP in 2010 and 2011 and today is a Sound Design Instructor at Virginia Tech University. Adam has hired him specifically to do sound design for WSS.
Sound design, according to Allen, can be divided into three primary areas. The first is sound effects that support the narrative of the musical - horns, doorbells, guns, sirens, etc. The second is “sound reinforcement” of the actors and the live band that is playing behind the stage. Each of the actors is mic’d, and Allen’s team ensures that their levels are appropriate during the show. The final element of sound design is overseeing the audio and video communication systems that connect the various artistic and production departments during the performance. These systems allow the stage manager to communicate with the light and sound board operators as well as the Music Director. Allen’s goal with sound design is to enhance the communication link between artist and audience. A solid link is critical to the performance and the quality of the theater experience for the audience.
For West Side Story, Allen has researched the sounds that the Jets and Sharks might have heard in NYC ca. 1950. “I build the ambient sounds associated with the city neighborhoods,” he explains. “If you listen very closely during the scenes set in the Sharks’ neighborhood you will hear period Puerto Rican music drift in and out of the background sounds.”
The theater is fitted with 20-25 speakers that surround the audience on all four sides. Allen and his mic wrangler also have to monitor and modulate the 28 mic packs that the actors wear during the production. There are also 7 musicians high above the theater in the music loft that have to be mic’d and piped into the theater. On top of this, the soundboard operator will be cued by the Production Stage Manager to play approximately 50 different sound effects during the course of the musical.
Despite the scope of his responsibilities, Allen acknowledges that not being noticed by the patrons is often a sign of success. “Sound is one of the least noticed parts of the technical side of a production, “Whenever someone writes a review about a play or a musical, if they don’t mention sound, it is the best review we can get.”
Allen Sanders, Sound Designer
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act Two, Scene One; “I Feel Pretty”
Still experiencing the high of her newfound love, Maria sings one of Leonard Bernstein’s most memorable melodies from West Side Story.
Dress Rehearsal
June 30; 24 hours to Opening
Music Director
During the intermission between Act One and Act Two, I met a friend from Charlotte outside the theater. He was profuse in his praise for the show and was “blown away” by the quality of the production, the singing, and the dancing he’d just seen. When I mentioned that the music was also being performed live, he gave me a quizzical expression. “You mean,” he asked, “it’s not piped in?” I assured him it was not. He just shook his head. “That’s amazing.”’
‘Amazing’ is a good word to describe the work of FRP Music Director Ethan Andersen. Ethan is young for a person with such a key position at a theater the quality of FRP. He was an apprentice actor at the Playhouse just 10 years ago.
Ethan is particularly excited about doing WSS at the Playhouse. “West Side Story is a bucket list show for a Music Director because it’s one of the best scores written for musical theater,” he explains. “To be able to cross that show off my list and feel really good about it is really rewarding. I’m also excited for everyone to hear my new orchestrations.”
Prior to the arrival in Flat Rock of the actors, Ethan re-orchestrated a score that was originally written for a 23-piece orchestra on Broadway. Without the budget or the space for an ensemble that large, Ethan rewrote the entire score for the seven musicians who sit high above and behind the main stage for every performance in a separate room dubbed “the music loft”.
The miniature orchestra consists of Ethan on piano and highly trained and incredibly talented regional musicians on drums, violin, saxophone, bass, trombone, and trumpet/woodwinds. It is a testament to their virtuosity that (a) they can pull off such a major production with such a small group of musicians and (b) that patrons routinely assume that all the music is pre-recorded in a multi-million dollar studio somewhere. To echo the words of my friend, “That’s amazing.”
During the performance, Ethan has two video monitors that allow him to see what is happening on stage, and he is connected by audio with the Stage Production Manager who is calling out cues for the sound, stage, and lighting changes during the performance. There are also two larger monitors suspended from the ceiling of the theater and facing the stage. Through these monitors, the actors (but not the audience) can always see Ethan and pick up visual cues from him as needed.
More than just a band leader, Ethan is also charged with teaching and rehearsing all the musical numbers with the actors - a part of his job that he loves since he himself was once primarily an actor. “Many Music Directors come from a classical music background, whereas I come from an acting background,” he says. “One of my strengths is my understanding of the actors’ perspectives. I know what they are going through. I know what they are looking for in a Music Director.”
Ethan Andersen, Music Director
Music loft. Musicians for West Side Story are Paul Babelay, Sara Nichols, Mariya Potapova, Misty Theisen, Chris Imhoff, Linda Davis, and Joseph DeLage.
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act Two, Scene One; “Ballet Sequence”
Tony and Maria plan to run away together. As the walls of Maria's bedroom disappear, they find themselves in a dreamlike world of peace.
Choreographer
FRP Choreographer, Matthew Glover started at FRP in the Theater for Young People Program in 1997 at the age of 10. He was cast in his first Playhouse production at age 11 in 1998 and played Kurt in the Sound of Music. In 2017, he came back from New York at the invitation of Lisa Bryant and directed and choreographed five shows. He also created the first FRP Christmas Show which has now become an annual event. He was hired full-time in 2018 and now serves as Artistic Associate for FRP.
Like Ethan, Matthew is particularly excited about WSS. “It was actually the first show I did when I was in college.” He’s also excited to finally finish what was begun in 2020. “We were supposed to do the show in 2020, so basically I’ve been working on the show for three years.” The dancers in this production bring an exceptional level of technical skill and athletic ability to the stage. And it shows in every single dance number. “It’s a fresh take on this story,” says Matthew. “When this show was produced on Broadway in 1957, the style of dance was very different. Dancers were not as highly trained as they are now.”
Even with his fresh take, Matthew does not forget the man who first choreographed the show in 1957. “It’s contemporized, but we give homage to the original choreographer Jerome Roberts.” Two of the dance numbers do indeed utilize the original choreography, but the rest have been created and taught to the actors by Matthew, all accomplished within a period of only three weeks.
When asked about the challenges of preparing for this show, Matthew is quick with his answer, “The amount of choreography!” Indeed, there is more than one scene during WSS that has 20+ dancers on the stage at one time. But given the talent of the dancers, Mathew and the actors pulled together their incredible performance in a very short time frame. He is particularly proud of the dream-like “Ballet Sequence” he choreographed for the show that depicts a world where everyone - even Sharks and Jets - can live together in peace and harmony, and all people can feel accepted and included.
Matthew Glover, Choreographer for WSS
Matthew is also proud of the authenticity that FRP is bringing to this production of WSS. During auditions, he and Lisa cast actors with Latino heritage in every role as a Shark or Shark Girl. He also collaborated with Hector Flores, Associate Choreographer, who helped him introduced Latin dance moves that were not part of the original musical.
As choreographer, there are moments when Matthew gives exact steps for a dance number. Other times he works with the actors to discover what steps make sense for them and there are parts that can be improvised by the actors. “There is a lot of play in rehearsal which is fun. But once opening night happens, the dance has to be what was developed during rehearsals. We have to keep the show safe for everyone.”
Mathew also understands the importance of knowing the abilities and limitations of the dancers. “I don’t want to force choreography on people. I want them to feel comfortable with what their body can do.”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
Act 2 Two, Scene Six, “Finale”
The audience learns the fate of Tony and Maria and the Jets and Sharks come together one last time in the production's climactic moments.
Opening Night
July 1, 8 pm
Box Office
In the hour before the show finally opens, patrons are already milling around the FRP campus. Many of them are walking up to the box office to ask questions or pick up “Will Call” tickets. There to greet them is Jessica Ritchie, Box Office Manager, and her team. There are four people in the department and their goal is to provide the best possible guest experience from the time you call to order tickets until you are leaving the theater after a performance. They frequently act as a concierge of sorts for out-of-town guests who have questions about the area before the visit.
Jessica Ritchie, Box Office Manager
Jessica also manages about a dozen volunteer ushers and house managers per show who are pulled from a pool of about 100 volunteers. Jessica is direct in describing the primary role of the Box Office. “We assist our guests from the time they are booking their tickets until the time they are leaving the show.”
Billy Muñoz, Production Stage Manager and Fight Choreographer
Production Stage Manager
As the action intensifies and the audience moves closer and closer to the edge of their seats, there is a man in the booth at the back of the theater who is calmly directing everything. Quietly calling out cue signals and flipping on cue lights, Billy Muñoz, Production Stage Manager is unseen by the patrons riveted to the action on stage-which is exactly the way he prefers it to be.
Billy first served as an apprentice at FRP in 1985 while a student at Eckerd College. He later served as Stage Manager from 1994 until 2012. For 10 years of that time, he also acted as the Production Manager. Then, after stepping away for about three years, he was lured back to FRP by Lisa in 2015. Also an actor, Billy performed in an earlier production of WSS at the Playhouse.
In his role, Billy acts as the liaison between all the artistic and production elements of the show. “I don’t have to make many decisions, but I have to make sure that all the departments are talking to one another so we are all on the same page.” During the rehearsal process, he notates all the blocking and scenic moves.
During the rehearsal, Billy largely takes a back seat to the director and choreographer. He makes sure rehearsals are running on schedule. He is also logging all the cues for lighting, scene changes, and sound effects. Then during the performance, he calls out the cues from his control booth. When I ask how many cues he has to give during a performance, he just laughs. “I really never count the number of cues I have to give during the performance. That would be exhausting. It’s several hundred.”
Starting on Opening Night, Billy assumes the mantel of the captain of the USS WSS. It will be his job over the course of the next month of performances to maintain the integrity of the show as conceived by the Director and the various designers. After opening night, their jobs are done and it is left in Billy’s capable hands to steer the ship with the help of a soundboard operator, a light board operator, and the stagehands behind the scenes.
Billy is also a professionally trained fight coordinator and played a key role in preparing actors for the scenes in WSS that involve physical confrontations between actors - especially during the rumble at the end of Act One. “We are doing steps that make it look like we are fighting when actually we are keeping each other safe.” Then he adds with a smile, “Ironically, I am such a peaceful person.”
Volunteers welcome patrons to Opening Night
Anticipation
As the show opens, there is a mixture of excitement and some nerves for the people who’ve spent months leading up to this moment.
Adam Goodrum is working through a full spectrum of emotions. “I’m excited, nervous, worried, relieved. I know where the kinks are. I know where the sharp turns are. I know where things could go wrong so I’m on the edge of my seat for each of those moments and its either ‘whew’ or I’ll make a note.”
For Dennis Maulden, it is an emotional time, and he, as is his wont, will probably shed a tear or two before the night ends. “I cry at card tricks,” he says with a laugh “But sharing an audience with all the people who are working towards the same goal makes me feel really positive about what I do and about our industry. I love that there are so many people that feel the same way about theater that I do and share this journey with me.”
Ashli Crump is ready for a good night’s sleep. After weeks of frantically making, fitting, and adjusting costumes, she is tired. “Honestly, it keeps me awake at night. The challenge is to turn it off and not think about what pants Bernardo is going to wear when you are lying in bed at 4 in the morning.”
Scott Treadway, Treadshots.com
After Party
11 pm until ….
Spilling out into a warm summer night in Flat Rock, the happy and dazzled patrons disperse to their homes, hotels, and Air BnBs. As they move on with their lives, the troupe lingers behind to relive the moment. To celebrate. To revel in the monument to the creative spirit they have created - together.
As a collective, they have opened the theater doors to our inherent human desire to create, to share, and to connect through the arts. As the final scene fades to black, there is adrenaline, there is relief, there is the joy of having built an incredible complex enterprise that was nothing more than ink on paper just a handful of months ago.
When you ask the staff at FRP what they love about their job, this is a common theme to their answers. They love the community they have created.
For Matthew, it’s the community at FRP he loves. “We always say ‘We Grow our Own’ and I am a genuine product of that philosophy. I love the playhouse and I love giving back to the community.”
Ethan echoes that sentiment. “The Playhouse has been an artistic home for me. We love to use the term ‘Growing Our Own’ and I certainly fit that mold. I grew up at the Playhouse and it always feels like home.”
CJ enjoys the camaraderie. “I feel like I am making theater with friends here. That is really my favorite part.”
For her part, Producing Artistic Director and WSS Director Lisa Bryant understands and is grateful for all the work that is done behind the scenes. “Many patrons don’t understand the army of dedicated individuals behind the scenes that prop up those actors and make them look so fabulous. That is their life and that is their service to the world. They live an extremely challenging lifestyle to pursue their passion.”
And then she adds, “The irony of their job is that it looks like the actors just showed up and knew all the songs and all the dance steps. When we are doing our job well, the audience is not thinking about all the production elements that go into a production.”
Epilogue
July 2, 10 am
My three weeks of watching the making of West Side Story ultimately taught me three important things:
As theater-goers, we are seeing just the tip of the iceberg on stage.
The true impact of Flat Rock Playhouse cannot be measured in dollars alone - although that is a sizable number indeed estimated at $10-14 million of economic benefit to our community. Rather, we should measure the value of the Playhouse in the currency of our hearts and souls. The arts give meaning and vibrancy to our life. The arts add color and texture to our existence. The Playhouse shares with us a gift that neither words nor dollars can adequately articulate.
Flat Rock is more than amazing entertainment happening here in our village. It is also a vital incubator for future artists and the future of the theater industry. When we support FRP, we are in fact, supporting theater all over the country – both now and in the future when apprentices, interns, and young performers create their own shows and delight our future selves.
The men and women behind the scenes who make professional theater possible in a tiny village in the mountains of western North Carolina will probably never directly experience a standing ovation or hear shouts of “Bravo” directed to specifically to them, and they understand and accept that fact.
After three weeks of being among them, interviewing them, and watching them work deep into the summer night, I am here to act as their witness. They are craftsmen They are professionals. They are artisans. They are as dedicated and as professional as anyone you will ever see on any stage. Live theater in Flat Rock would not exist without them. Our lives are richer for their efforts. Our community is stronger because of their commitment.
Thank you to everyone at Flat Rock Playhouse.
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Read full bios of the creative and production team members here.
Credits
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Lisa Bryant who gave the green light for this project despite my lack of true professional credentials. I am grateful for her trust and for her strong and capable stewardship of one of the true jewels of our region.
Thank you also to all the men and women of the Playhouse that stepped away from their many responsibilities and looming deadlines to spend time answering my questions and helping me understand how Flat Rock Playhouse works. They were, to a person, gracious and generous with their time.
Finally, great thanks to the very accommodating Adam Goodrum who fielded a raft of emails, text messages, and phone calls from me as I researched this article - despite being up to his ears in a million other details. Adam also shepherded me around from department to department and made sure I followed all COVID protocols. He did all this with good humor and patience as I tried to comprehend all that happens behind the scenes. Thank you, Adam.
