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Load-in and build

Posted by DCA Theater on June 4, 2010 in January-June 2010 Season, Dead Letter Office

by John Blick, Managing Director of Dog&Pony Theatre Co. and Producer of Dead Letter Office

Load-in is the time in a production when the conceptual chatter from production meetings starts to become reality.  It is a time when the Tech Director (Paul Kastner, in our case) has the humble task of coordinating the design staff, carpenters, colleagues, friends, & roommates to get the lighting, sound, props, costumes, and set all in the same space in which the performances will be held (Thanks Nick Freed, Bill Paton, Dusty Wilson, and Jesse Ezra Bookman!).

Building the basement of a post office—building a dead letter office—is no small feat.  Between Tuesday June 2nd and Friday June 4th at 2:00am in the morning, there have been at least 400 man hours put in to get everything pulled together.  A labor of love—and it shows already!

How many platforms does it take to make a deck?  Ask scenic designer Bill Anderson (l) and technical director Paul Kastner (r)

Almost half way there (kind of. . . with the deck, at least)

The structure of the deck is complete.  Now it needs masonite, masking, paint, a nine foot tall staircase, furniture, props, actors, costumes, lights, sound and an audience.

Can’t believe the staircase is in the space! (l-r) Jesse Ezra Bookman, Paul Kastner, Bill Anderson, Bill Paton.  Nick Freed stands on high.

The ceiling is rigged with piping and a mail chute.  There’s more to come.  Promise.