Work on the Stage

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• We are continuing to maintain and enhance the stage and the Meadow Amphitheater.   This column in the Shakespearean Journal will focus on the work to be done and other related items.

• I expect to put a slide show here which will show you the progress of the stage from concept to form.  So look for that to appear in the future.

• We determined to paint the backdrops so that the stage looks better for the 5th of July performances this year. Since we have decided to have performances after the parade, we want to have the best face we can for the folks that decide to come over to the barbecue and watch some Shakespearean stuff going on.

• So, we are most thankful to Mike and Cindy Lally of Southampton for getting excited about what we are doing and coming over to help with the painting.  Here are some photographs of what we were doing over the Memorial Day weekend.

Here's the stage with the curtains installed.  The burlap represents "inside looking out". We need to solve the wrinkle problem with the side curtains. I think they need to be stored "hung up", but our storage space in the barn at the Park may be too damp for that.  Below you can see the drill side of the drops, where we are painting them to look like stone.

We are going to put facing up at about knee height along the backdrop frame.  If you imagine a facing that matches the facing on the front of the stage running across the back, you would not be able to see Mike and Cindy's legs from about the knee down.  I think that will improve the overall look of the stage when the curtains are up.

 It's a good thing we suddenly thought to take a few snapshots

It's hard to see, but the stone Cindy is drawing looks great! I can't wait until it's painted.  The whole back-drop will look like a castle... perfect for some to the historical pieces that the Bard wrote.

• We want to offer a big thanks to MAB Paints in Southampton for contributing the paint for this project. They have been so very inspiring by being excited with what we are doing.  They also provided the paint for the stone surface on the stage which everyone seems to be very impressed with.  It's great to see local artists coming together to do this and MAB has been instrumental in making that happen.

• We also are going to paint a number of scenic backdrops which we can use for our programs and anyone else who would like to come over to help is most welcomed.  It's a lot of fun to think that we are creating something of value for our community and we get to meet people who also live nearby and have a love for expressing themselves in art and theatre. So if you care to, please join us in our efforts.