Hope you’re having a fun and festive holiday season! Our Cherry Orchardcast and crew enjoyed some much-deserved time off with their friends and families at Christmas, but they get extra bonus points for working hard these past weeks to prepare for the first performance on January 8th. Here are some fun tidbits from behind the scenes to whet your appetite:
At the first rehearsal on December 16th, the designers presented their concepts to the cast before the first script read-through. Below, costume designer Arthur Oliver shares his drawings and explains his visions for characterization through costuming.
Brynna Bloomfield brought in her scale model set design. A few elements:
A proscenium arch, a first for the Central Square Theater mainstage, adds a classical, elegant air to the play’s four acts.
The beautifully painted floor will feature a varied palette of colors. As you can imagine, we have to reserve a good amount of time in the technical schedule to focus just on the floor, changing it from the Alice and Einstein’s Dreams purple-blue-green gradiation to this new design.
One cannot possibly properly prepare for one’s role in The Cherry Orchard without a little kvass to wet the whistle – it’s even in the script! Actor Robert Bonotto, who plays Epihodov, brought in this non-alcoholic kvass soda to share at rehearsal. It has a strong aroma, but reports are it’s easier on the palate than the nose.
Finally, a tender moment between Madame Ranyevskaya (Annette Miller) and Trofimov (Doug Lockwood) during last night’s rehearsal. Once the set is in and costumes are on, the scene will truly transform into 1904 Russia, in all its grandeur and turmoil.
Coming Soon to Front & CENTRAL: An introduction to Voices in Conflict, a production by Underground Railway Theater’s youth group, Youth Underground. Join the young actors for an online dialogue about war and politics as they prepare to present the true experiences of soldiers in their own words.
