Explorin’

I just can't get over how honored I feel to be here!

Last week we had a lot of chances to explore, both this huge theatre that we’re spending so much time in, as well as the state we’re calling home for the next year. Rehearsals had yet to begin, and we had a few classes, but we still had plenty of time to settle in and continue getting acquainted with our new surroundings.

Last Thursday was a great day. We had a couple of classes in the morning, with a three hour break in the afternoon before an evening class. A few people headed off to grab something to eat or head home for a bit. JT, Ellie and I decided to try to do some more adventuring around the theatre.

I am proud to say that I think I’ve FINALLY gotten my bearings when it comes to this building! No more wandering aimlessly as I try to figure out whether I'm on the east or the west side. It doesn't feel like a maze anymore. Hallelujah.  

We headed down the stairwell that led to the area directly below the stage. It’s a huge basement-like room with a massive elevator in the middle. Some sets are stored in the wings, but there's not enough room for all of them. So they use the elevator to raise and lower certain pieces for use in the show. 

Fun fact about Jonah: almost all of the scene changes happen in full view of those watching, which helps to bring the audience into the story and give it a seamless feel. 

While we were down there we met the Technical Director, Glen.  Something that’s awesome about this place is how kind everyone is. No matter their position, they’re willing to talk to you. Even though he was on his way to a meeting, he took a few minutes to stop and talk to us, tell us about his job and how he got there. He also asked our stories and what brought us to Sight & Sound. We each felt honored that, despite his busy schedule, he took a few moments to stop and talk to three Conservatory students. That attitude isn’t a fluke, but rather a company-wide pattern. The CEO of the company spent half an hour with us in the break room earlier in the week, just chatting and getting to know us. We couldn’t feel more welcomed or wanted.

After talking with Glen for a bit, we made our way into the shops where all the super-secret set building happens. They’re massive. They have to be to store the 2 to 3 story tall sets that are being constructed. (Are you picking up on the theme? Everything here is HUGE.) Everyone was on lunch break, but one lady, Beth, was still working in the prop area. We introduced ourselves, and she promptly finished the email she was sending and offered us a tour or the prop storage room. We were more than happy to accept.

We left the shops, took a few turns and ended up in another building that we didn’t even know existed. (The place just keeps going. It's like Whit's End.) We opened a door and entered into a theatre kids’ dream. Shelves were stacked about seven feet high and covered in all manner of interesting things. Baskets, food, bundles, bags, flowers, trunks, crates, cages, shields, swords, daggers, dishes, spears, saddles, instruments, plus tons of random things that were hard to put into categories. Like this fake peacock. 

We spent a good 45 minutes in there, wandering up and down the aisles as Beth explained what some of the specialty props were, how they were made, and how they had been used in past shows. Almost all of the props are made in-house, meaning that the Sight & Sound shops designs and build them. If not built from the ground up, they’re at least modified in the shops to fit the design of the show. It’s pretty amazing.

We had to get back to class eventually, but not before thanking Beth for giving us her time. We also were able to stop by the special effects station and hear from those guys. They showed us a few of the tricks of the trade and the projects they're working on. By the time we returned to the classroom we felt that we'd had a very productive exploration time indeed. 

With our second week of classes complete, we had a weekend of in-between time to with as we wished. An amazing perk of working at Sight & Sound is that we get tons of deals and free tickets to shows and attractions in the area. One such attraction is Hershey’s Chocolate World, about a 40 minute drive from Lancaster. On Saturday we all loaded up and spent a few hours enjoying our free admission. Chocolate World is quite the operation and we had a blast. We got to build our own chocolate bars, become "palateers" by learning how to taste chocolate the "professional way", and watch a fun 4D show. All without cost. So that was kind of awesome. I’m really going to miss these perks when this year is over!

We did the Build Your Own Chocolate Bar experience at Hershey, which is why we're all in hair nets and aprons. We felt very official. 

The best part, without question, is that my wonderful boyfriend got to come and visit over the weekend. Because I’m a famous actress at Sight & Sound *cough* I also got a plus one into Hershey, so we definitely enjoyed our free date. He spent a couple of days here and got to meet all my new friends. I was able to give him a tour of backstage and everywhere else in the theatre. Having him in town was absolutely fantastic. 

Mitch and I met last summer when we were both on staff for Summit Ministries. We've been dating long distance since July, and he just moved to Colorado Springs a couple of months ago to work at the Broadmoor Hotel & Resort. Living in Colorado has been a dream of his for a long time, so it's been exciting to see that come true for him. But it's a long way from Pennsylvania and saying goodbye on Sunday evening was really hard. Long distance has a lot of unexpected blessings, but it’s difficult in many ways as well. Since I've started my time at the Conservatory, scheduling visits has become a bit more complicated. Not to get all sappy or anything, but dating him has been the best decision I've ever made. I miss him like crazy, but I've started my countdown until the next visit in March. He'll get to be here for opening weekend!

Speaking of opening, we've got a show to put on! Rehearsals for Jonah officially began yesterday, so you can look forward to the next installment of this blog recounting our first week of choreography, vocal work, and blocking. We open on March 11, so less than six weeks away. We're in for a wild ride and it's going to be amazing.