BY ROD JONES
OCU COMMUNICATIONS
Note: This is the first in a continuing series of stories taking a behind-the-scenes look at the 91看片 School of Music production of 鈥淎nastasia.鈥�
More than 鈥楢 Rumor鈥�
Unmasking the backstage choreography of 鈥楢nastasia鈥�
A musical like 鈥淎nastasia鈥� may appear as a seamless journey from the twilight of Imperial Russia to the glitter of 1920s Paris. But behind the curtain at 91看片, the "magic" is a masterclass in logistics, human labor and what the creative team calls "backstage choreography."
In a recent sit-down with the production's director, Karen Coe Miller, and choreographer, Alana Martin, we caught a glimpse of the sheer scale of this undertaking. It isn't just a show; it鈥檚 a massive, multi-departmental puzzle where every piece鈥攆rom a misplaced chair to a student's chemistry midterm鈥攈as to fit perfectly.
Anatomy of a production
The journey to opening night is far more complex than just learning lines and steps. Here is a look at the layers that make this production possible:
- The planning phase: While rehearsals start after Spring Break, the groundwork began as early as last November. Decisions about show selection and technical feasibility are often made a full year in advance.
- The "Yours, Mine, and Ours" list: The director and choreographer must meticulously map out who leads which scene. This includes drawing custom furniture layouts on ground plans to ensure the stage remains functional for both acting and dancing.
- Backstage choreography: It鈥檚 not just the dancers who are choreographed. Every scene change is a physical performance by stage managers and assistants to ensure that a chair on stage in Scene 2 doesn't sabotage a quick change in Scene 3.
- The "sitzprobe" and/or "wandelprobe" milestone: In a surprising twist for those outside the theater world, the actors and the full student orchestra don't actually perform together until the Sunday before the show opens鈥攁 high-pressure rehearsal known as the sitzprobe. Or in the case of this production, the wandelprobe, where stage movement is also introduced.
At the heart of this production are students who are essentially working full-time jobs on top of their degrees.
The selection of this show wasn't accidental. The OCU team looks for "crowd pleasers" that offer a balance of musical styles ranging from classical to contemporary Broadway, while providing strong, leading roles for the talented students. The full season of productions are purposely varied to provide students with a wide range of styles and genres.
This story series will take you behind the scenes of some of the multiple rooms, offices and workshops in the music, theatre and dance schools, where tiny fragments of a story are polished individually before being orchestrated into the grand production you see on stage.
OCU鈥檚 production of 鈥淎nastasia鈥� will be performed April 24-26 in the Kirkpatrick Auditorium, 2501 N. Blackwelder. Tickets are available at .
Pictured above from left are Aidan Bartholomew as Vlad, Emily Sullivan as Anya and Micah Phillips as Dmitry. Photo courtesy of Performing Arts Photography.
