The mechanics were spot-on in Grand Canyon University's production of "Ada and the Engine."
It's why the theatre program's presentation of the Lauren Gunderson play landed several honors at the recent Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 8 conference, including awards for three GCU students that advanced them to events in Washington, D.C., and Ohio.
College of Arts and Media students Jami Kratz and Aly Rika received awards for scenic design and sound that earned them spots in the national theatre competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in April. And Reese Tate won for props, which meant heading to the United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference and expo in Ohio in March.
“This was the best we’ve ever done at the festival,” theatre professor Michael Kary said of the event, which is part of a national theatre program involving 18,000 students annually from colleges and universities across the country. “It was wonderful to sit in the audience and watch them get acknowledged for all the hard work they did.”
Jami Kratz: National Finalist, Scenic Design;
Vectorworks Award
Senior Jami Kratz took her role as "Ada and the Engine" scenic designer seriously, producing stage sets and scenery that immersed the audience into the story and won her the National Finalist Award for Theatrical Excellence in Scenic Design.
A gear-shaped, rotating stage with antique furniture in the middle surrounded by colorful tapestry-covered walls and tall chalkboards packed with equations was meant to convey the beauty of math, art and mechanism, which dominated the life of the play's Ada Lovelace.
Lovelace was recognized as the world's first computer programmer who wrote the first algorithm intended for a computer. The play is inspired by her real-life story.
“There is symbolism in everything I design,” Kratz said. “Above all, the show is about Ada’s lack of freedom she has as a woman. She is trapped in her mind, and in a time without technology ... So, I came up with a ‘cage-free chicken’ concept."
The show follows the back-and-forth work of Ada (Cora Epton) and inventor Charles Babbage (Ben Sparling) on the Difference Engine. Ahead of her time, Ada never gets to see the fruition of her mathematical and engineering concepts, which would produce the first computer program.
Through her sets, Kratz thought to give Ada a small glimpse of freedom in her surroundings.
“Ada refers to herself a lot as a bird, and at some point, she is totally broken down and refers to herself as a flightless bird. So, the last scene, I designed the palace in white and crystal as a representation of her freedom.”
Reese Tate: Randy Lux Allied Design and Technology Award;
Student Choice Award for Properties Design
The most eye-catching and attention-drawing prop in the show was the Difference Engine, which in the GCU play featured multiple gears stacked on three 80x20 aluminum T-slot poles connected by cables and operated by motors.
Senior Reese Tate spent long hours in the campus’ engineering shops 3D-printing the engine parts and spray painting them to create a replica of the Difference Engine.
Tate learned new skills, such as welding, soldering, wiring and programming, in her quest for prop perfection. Most importantly, it led her to win the Randy Lux Allied Design and Technology Award and Student Choice Award for Properties Design at the regional conference.
“This was the heart of the show," Tate said. “Without the engine, Ada wouldn’t have become the first programmer. I was able to show who I was as a prop designer, artist and person in my presentation.”
Tate drew inspiration from Gunderson’s script, in which she gives instruction to actors filling Charles Babbage’s role. The actor is directed to gesture to a device offstage, unless someone could build a real working model to have onstage.
The word “unless” intrigued Tate and quickly persuaded her to put her prop skills to the test.
From May 2024 until play’s opening day in late September 2024, Tate spent every day engineering her biggest prop yet.
"At the first production meeting, I told Michael Kary right away that I am going to build that engine," Tate said. "I put so much work into something and then for it to come into fruition is so awesome. I put blood, sweat and tears into the engine. I was speechless when they announced my name for the award."
Aly Rika: National Finalist in Theatrical Excellence in Sound Design
All the components came together at the end of the production when the closing scene captured Ada and Babbage reciting their final engine translation on the revolving gear stage, while instrumentals followed their voices.
Emotions and repressed thoughts of the characters spilled onto the stage as senior Aly Rika’s music composition played in the background.
Bird chirps and the hushed sound of a river flowing are common soundscapes included in plays, but Rika intended to produce something original and eccentric that would create an emotional pull in the production.
“A lot of my research was trying to figure out what the notes would be because I have no music background at all. It was a lot of first steps,” Rika said. “There is a binary music player that exists online. Somebody had made a binary array and plugged in music notes to play in order of the binary code. I played around with that and realized notes on the piano can spell out the names ‘Ada’ and ‘Babbage.’ This is how it started.”
A piano, Pro Tools for mixing audio, digital plug-ins and late nights in the GCU Recording Studio led Rika to produce a song that would impress the festival judges, but most of all, impress herself, since she composed a song with no prior knowledge.
"I had an idea that was bigger than my current capabilities," Rika said. "I am super appreciative of all theatre professors and crew that have mentored me, supported me along the way and were eager to teach me a new thing."
Also recognized at the regionals:
Gracie Down: National level honorable mention in stage management
Sophie Ford and Jess Mangles: Musical Theatre Initiative Dance finalists
Jess Mangles: Musical Theatre Initiative Singing finalist
Anna Koth: Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship finalist
Hosie Adams: Best Performance in a 10-Minute Play
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at Izabela.Fogarasi@gcu.edu
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