EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third story in the "Behind the Curtain" series, a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a theatre production to the stage, from auditions to opening night. Read Part 1, which focused on auditions, and Part 2, which focused on costumes and set design.
Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow
The orchestra musicians raise their instruments, lights flash and illuminate the stage, and the theatre cast steps into the spotlight.
From the Technology Building's recording studio to the soundboards at Ethington Theatre, it takes a village to bring the music of Grand Canyon University’s “Beauty and the Beast" to life.
“It is like a conglomeration of a lot of things,” Music Director Mark Fearey said. “The play director (Cynthia Calhoun), choreographer (Madison Strider) and myself, we are all working together at the same time, and the three of us make sure all the bases are covered.”
The cast spent two months in rehearsals leading up to opening night, and each day, students perfected their pitch, harmonies and memorization of the musical's classic tunes, such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Be Our Guest” and “Gaston.”
“A lot of it is just breathing,” said freshman Carter Giannetti, playing the role of Lumiere. “You've got to make sure you are breathing right, getting enough sleep, enough food in the day, all that stuff so you have energy to spare.”
A frenzy of high-kicks, split-jumps, twirls and tangos enlivened the stage as Giannetti led the cast in high-energy number “Be Our Guest.”
The number starts out with a simple back-and-forth dialogue between characters Lumiere and Belle and quickly progresses into roughly 20 cast members packing the stage, personifying dancing kitchenware, napkins, utensils and the like.
“We practiced this number so many times that, at this point, it's become second nature,” said Giannetti. “Once it is to that point, it’s really just a mental state. We are turning everything up to 11, and you've just got to lock in.”
The production challenged the cast to sing notes they might have never hit before or execute dance moves they might have never tried. Some auditioned to land the role of a specific character and walked out with a different role.
“The high notes and dancing were all new to me,” said freshman Benjamin Aviles, who's the musical's Lefou. “I have never sung tenor before, and that is what Lefou sings. Singing this was insane, but working with Fearey helped me get it down.”
Underscore music for each scene kept the cast prepared for what's next and helped them follow the carefully planned-out timeline with a balanced pace.
Five years ago, the theatre department began using the Technology Building’s recording studio for live orchestra performances. Unlike traditional orchestra pits alongside a stage, Fearey and a 10-member orchestra supported “Beauty and the Beast” with live music piped in from the recording studio, which connects to Ethington Theatre through underground fiberoptic cables.
The recording studio resembled a Broadway setup of wind and string instruments, with the orchestra made up of trumpet, French horn, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, English horn, base, cello, violin and drums.
“When I was asked to be in the orchestra, I was excited because it felt like I was moving up in the musician ranks at this school,” trumpet player Kaleigh Perez said. “It is a great opportunity because it is different from what I normally play.”
Each instrumentalist wears a set of headphones so they can hear one other and the cast in Ethington while watching the show on a screen in front of them. On the other end, the cast can see Fearey for queues and musical instruction on a screen set up above the stage.
“I feel it is very effective and efficient,” oboist Sophia Bagley said. “With how good the orchestra players are, people don’t really believe it’s not a track at first.”
The real magic happens when sound designer and mixer Andy Zulla shuffles through a 48-track mix, incorporating 24 tracks from the orchestra and 24 microphone inputs from the stage.
The 2005 Grammy and Emmy Award winner relies on 16 channels of wireless microphones shared between actors to control sound all around the theatre. He turns the volume up and down based off who is speaking, and when musical pieces begin, he raises the level of the orchestra with the level of singing to create a powerful and emotional pull for the audience.
“In the studio, you have the luxury of restarting,” said Zulla. “But here, you have that pressure of a live performance. You have to roll with the punches and do the best job you can.”
As the sound moves around the stage, so does the lighting. A musical number only can function with its appropriate spotlight.
Under the direction of lighting designer Nick Hutchinson, junior Alex Pearson ensures lights are patched correctly, the right colors are in use and all the lighting queues are lined up based on the scene order.
“I like the pressure of the fast pace,” Pearson said. “It’s challenging me to learn quickly. Nick Hutchinson has the vision; I am here to help finish that vision."
Fearey begins conducting, Zulla turns up the volume, instrumental underscoring spills into the theatre, and Lumiere begins, “Be… our… guest, be our guest. Put our servers to the test!”
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
IF YOU GO
What: "Beauty and the Beast"
Where: Ethington Theatre, Grand Canyon University
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: Click here.
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