Cortland Repertory Theatre

Cortland Repertory Theatre May-August 2019

Cortland, NY

Technical Director

During the summer of 2019, I was in charge of build for the six mainstage and one children show for their summer season. At the beginning of the season, the production manager & I decided allow the assistant technical director to lead one of the six mainstage shows, while I became the ATD & advisor. I was responsible for budget tracking, tool and theatre maintenance, communication with other departments, drafting scenic elements for building, ordering material for the shop, and maintaining a safe working environment. During the four day changeover process, I led the crew from striking one show to opening the next show, changing my crew schedule into working evening shifts while I sat in tech and collected notes. Scenic designers were also the scenic charges, so I worked very closely with them.

Production Photos taken by: Eric Behnke

End of Act 1

"Ohmigod You Guys"

Harvard Gate, Tracking Wall, & Salon

End of Act 1

1/10

Legally Blonde

Director - Trey Compton

Choreographer - Matthew Couvillon

Music Director - Jacob Carll

Stage Manager - Timothy James

Scenic Designer - Shelley Barish

Lighting Designer - Eric Behnke

Costume Designer - Jennifer Dasher

Sound Designer - Cory Kosman

Props Designer - Andrew Carney

This show was large and very tough. The enormous amount of set pieces took its toll on the crew. The light boxes had to be framed out and covered with bleached muslin; the tracking walls were double sided and had to rotate; the salon had four independent wagons; the trailer needed to slide onstage and then stand by itself. The show tested myself and the crew and we passed.

Finale

Band Back Together

Greek Skyline

Finale

1/10

Mamma Mia

Director - Kerby Thompson

Choreographer - Bryan Knowlton

Music Director - Shoshana Seid-Green

Stage Manager - Kate Gulden

Scenic Designer - Nicholas Schwartz

Lighting Designer - Matthew Webb

Costume Designer - Katharine Tarkulich

Sound Designer - Cory Kosman

Props Designer - Andrew Carney

We started this show behind schedule because our original scenic designer ghosted us. When we got the new design, we were able to catch up very quickly. We carved the rocks out of homosote. We make a custom ground row of the greek architecture, custom shutter-style walls, and rigged lights to fly in without a fly system. For the nightmare scene, we also helped the designer paint blacklight paint on the show deck.

Act 3 Fight Scene

Act 1 Card Game

Reconstructed Column

Act 3 Fight Scene

1/5

Born Yesterday

Director - Mark Reynolds

Stage Manager - Timothy James

Scenic Designer - Jeremy Hollis

Lighting Designer - Mary Lana Rice

Costume Designer - Orli Nativ

Sound Designer - Seth Asa Sengel

Props Designer - Andrew Carney

This show tested me as a technical director and my ability to say "no". when I first looked at the design, I knew it was over budget, and we had numerous emails about getting the set into budget. On final meeting about it, I knew I was going over $200 and after the show, I was over $200. the show covered a lot of the stage in custom flats. The doors were all pulled and modified. The molding cost a lot and we custom carved appliques that we put up after photo call.

Cast Photo

"I Hear You Knocking"

Sun Sign Top

Cast Photo

1/9

Million Dollar Quartet

Co-Director - Todd Meredith

Co-Director - Kerby Thompson

Scenic Designer - Caitlynn Barrett

Lighting Designer - Eric Behnke

Costume Designer - Colin Bradley Meyer

Sound Designer - Seth Asa Sengel

Season Props Designer - Andrew Carney

Like Born Yesterday, this show went through many changes in the design process. One of the best changes was removing the walls for the studio to open it for rock show style ending. The back wall, with sound dampening titles and an old rockwool panel, tracked offstage and the two angles walls pivoted upstage to reveal the rain curtain and LED lights. The "SUN" sign was a custom build to house color-changing LEDs of each letter independently.