The Drawer Boy - Day 1 of the hang

Well, I just arrived back home from the Montgomery Theater, where Brian and I started to hang our design for The Drawer Boy. If you would have walked onto the mainstage this evening, this is what you would have found...


A model of the set.


Brian figuring things out.


Brian struggling with a stuck fresnel.


Brian standing stumped.


And Gregio who would have looked more in focus had you been there

More updates will be coming. I hope to see you all at the show!

Until next time,

Gregio

Opening the Purchase Envelope


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Les Misérables
Touring Production 2006
Review

Attention theatre lovers nationwide: A great show is soon to be over and should not be missed. The national touring cast of Les Mis will end it's rotation in St. Louis Missouri for a final touring performance at the Fox Theatre. The production will then be returning to Broadway as a revival (only been closed for 3 years and there's already a revival; can we say crazy?).

The following review is specifically regarding the Saturday matinee on March 18th at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. All opinions are strictly my own, and comments are welcome.

Les Mis, a multithemed show dealing with the French revolution, justice, and of course romance is not an easy one to put up. That being said, the Marius Touring Group did a phenomenal job. The show opened well with superb vocals by Randal Keith (Valjean) who has a way with music that can be very spine chilling. His alternations between low and high, soft, and powerful are what truly define Valjean's character. Of course, vocals are not everything, and Keith delivered Valjean with enough fatherly persona to make audiences fall in love.

Javert, played by Robert Hunt, gave a strikingly moving performance. His vocals and acting ability were both exceedingly well polished. From his opening numbers to "Stars" to eventually his suicide, Hunt captivated audiences with his strong baritone voice and unfortunate character. The parallels between his debt and the debt of Valjean were well portrayed.

Joan Almedilla delivered a decent performance as Fantine. Her acting was overall strong, although some of it could be over the top should one sit too close, and her vocals were mostly strong with small frailty.

Cosette and Eponine, played by Leslie Henstock and Melissa Lyons, both gave strong portrayals. Cosette's love for Marius and Eponine's jealousy both evoked strong emotions from the audience.

Adam Jacobs did a wonderful job as the romantic figure Marius. His glowing voice and moving portrayal developed the plot strongly.

Gavroche (Anthony Skillman) also did a great job. His beautiful childish voice contrasting with his strong, brave attitude gave audiences a moment of dear sorrow upon witnessing his death. (I jumped 5 feet out of my seat.)


All other performers were strong, and the ensemble was incredible.

Staging was also well done. Production Designer John Napier's set served the story perfectly. Its flawless fluid motion allowed the show to flow seamlessly. David Hersey's lighting design pulled the entire show together. I could not imagine Les Mis without lights. Hersey used his equipment to point out themes, highlight plot points, evoke emotions, and of course deliver Victor Hugo's story in a most compelling form. Costumes by Andreane Neofitou and sound by Andrew Brude were both strong, though at times some of the performers were a bit hard to hear over the chorus or orchestra, which was quite wonderful.

Overall, the touring production of Les Misérables is one not to be missed. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy an emotional rollercoaster and a daytime escape from reality.

Until next time,

Gregio

Dear Reader,

Congratulations! In your search for good reading, you have managed to skip past all of the professional blogs with fancy advertisements and have stumbled upon something a bit different: a theatre blog. Now you may be asking what is so unique about this particular theatre blog. Well, I'm here to answer that question.

First, consider your young and humble author, Gregio. Like you, I am also a student of theatre. Whether you are a hobbyist or a working professional, we all have something to share each other. Personally, I am a high school student, soon to be attending either North Carolina School of the Arts or SUNY Purchase College for a BFA degree in Theatre Design / Technology, specifically Lighting Design. My experiences range from acting to electrics to stage management to design in a multitude of theatre environments, including school, community, professional, and equity.

Through my experiences, I have developed a theatrical outlook of my own. There are many arguments regarding what is good theatre. Some will try to justify that special effects add to good theatre, and perhaps with reasonable explanation. Others will say that little intrusion by the equipment and the most realism through the actors is the best method. I suppose I fall somewhere in between. I feel that theatre, throughout its history, has always been used for one purpose, to tell a story. Now whether the story should be used to spark a movement or simply to evoke emotions, it is all the same, and I feel that every element in the production should be used to deliver the message.

Now that you know a little about me, take a deep breath, and brace yourself. Content on this site will be posted in the forms of videos, images, and of course dialogue. You are about to enter the experiences of Gregio.

Welcome! I hope that I can share content half as intriguing as what I hope to discover from all of you.

Respectfully,

Gregio