Child Wrangler Felicia Velasco is the guardian for a show's young cast members while they're at the theatre for performances and rehearsals. As a combined authority figure and assistant, she ensures the child actors are prepared, are kept safe, and helps to manage their downtime. Seen here working with the girls at "The People in the Picture", she compares it to previous wrangling assignments, and finds the upsides to a career as a child wrangler.

ATW - In The Wings

Child Wrangler - June, 2011

Associate Lighting Designer Caroline Chao takes care of all the details for a lighting designer, including handling the production schedule, helping to draft the lighting plot, and keeping track of notes, follow spots, and the cue list. She takes us through her role in the production process, and points out the advantages of being a lighting associate and assistant. Chao has worked on multiple shows at once with lighting designer Don Holder, and is seen here teching "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark".

Associate Lighting Designer - May, 2011

Theatrical Sculptor Nino Novellino specializes in creating sculpture and costume armor for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. Costume armor was first developed for the original production of "Man of La Mancha". Novellino talks about his work on the set of "Cats", "Sunset Boulevard", and the Green Goblin costume in "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark". From the sculpting shop, he explains the different processes used to recreate items in plastic for use onstage.

Theatrical Sculptor - April, 2011

Special Effects Designer Gregory Meeh uses a vast array of technologies to build illusions for live stage productions. He has created pyrotechnic explosions and atmospheric effects such as rain, fire, and fog for "Spamalot", "Women on the Verge", and "110 in the Shade" on Broadway. A special effect event like "The Phantom of the Opera" chandelier is comprised of many elements. Seen here are "Treasure Island"'s simple yet creative effects, as well as Meeh's expertise with firearms ("Les Miserables", "Miss Saigon").

Special Effects Designer - April, 2011

Director of Community Engagement Anita Maynard-Losh leads all education and outreach programs at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. Her extensive background in arts education began with acting, directing, then teaching at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and throughout Alaska. As director, her job is not only administrative and hands-on education, it's an important part of Arena's artistic strategy and mission to enrich their community through theatre. Voices of Now and the DC Ticket Partnership are two of Arena Stage's programs that add to students' arts education.

Director of Community Engagement - April, 2011

Costume Shop Manager Carol Hammond works closely with the costume designer, and deals with all of the logistics of costuming. She oversees costumes being shopped and built, fittings, budgeting, and hiring and managing an extensive staff. At Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, Hammond and her core staff work on multiple shows at once during their annual season of ten productions. Hammond gives a tour of the Alliance Theatre's costume shop, craftshop, wardrobe, wig area, and storage.

Costume Shop Manager - March, 2011

Technical Director Mike Cristaldi supervises the installation and engineering of the physical production of a show. At Philadelphia Theatre Company, he coordinates all the technical elements, such as scenery, lighting, sound, wardrobe, props, and video, between each of PTC's departments and a show's designers. He talks about how the new Suzanne Roberts Theatre space increases PTC's technical capabilities, and how it has broadened his role as well.

Technical Director - March, 2011

Theatrical Milliner Lynne Mackey makes customized hats for stage productions. Theatrical hats are created for a specific show, character, and costume design, fitted for each individual actor including their wig and microphone pack. Mackey must make adjustments for the needs of the sound designer, lighting designer, and choreographer to not impede their work. Seen here are dozens of hats, including large handmade ones from Mackey's favorite show "The Color Purple".

Theatrical Milliner - February, 2011

Prop Manager Desiree Maurer scouts for props, as one of her many responsibilities in furnishing and filling a play's set. At Playwrights Horizons, Maurer manages the timeline prior to rehearsals, working with a show's designers, formulating a budget, shopping for props, ordering materials, reupholstering furniture and repurposing items.

Prop Manager - January, 2011

Theatrical Shoe Designer Phil LaDuca worked as a Broadway dancer, choreographer and dance teacher before creating LaDuca dance shoes. He has created character shoes with the needed flexibility to be danceable, as well as the support and security for singers and actors. He works with costume designers, and handles the process from sketches through manufacturing in Italy to the finished products that end up on Broadway, national tours, and films. LaDuca shows how customized shoes are created for actresses such as Kristin Chenoweth in "Promises, Promises" and Bebe Neuwirth in "The Addams Family".

Shoe Designer - September, 2010

Theatrical dialect coach Stephen Gabis talks about his craft and how he started by listening to his Irish-Lithuanian family and early television; why he describes "The 39 Steps" as "an aerobic dialect event"; Gabis works with actor Eric Hissom on multiple characters; and how a knowledge of phonetics provides a basis for individual styles of speech.

Dialect Coach - December, 2009

Greg Graham, Dance Captain of "Billy Elliot", talks about the ongoing task of maintaining the choreography of the show; how one becomes a dance captain; the mix of civilian movement and tradition dance styles in this production. He is seen here teaching a tricky tap routine to new cast member David Hibbard.

Dance Captain - November, 2009

Make Up Designer Angelina Avallone outlines her design process; the research that goes into a design; how desinging the "no-make up" look can be much more of a challenge than chaacter make up - we see some of her designs from "Rock of Ages", "Little Mermaid" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", as well as her work with actors Constantine Maroulis and James Carpinello from "Rock of Ages" and Rogelio Douglas, Jr. from "Little Mermaid".

Make Up Designer - November, 2009

Dramaturg Anne Cattaneo explains her primary responsibilities, and likens her job to an acquisitions editor in a publishing house. Cattaneo has developed an extensive knowledge of languages, culture, and theatre history. In-depth research is often required for productions with complex timelines such as "The Coast of Utopia" trilogy. The current production of "The Grand Manner" seen here utilized historical documents found at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Dramaturg - June, 2010

Theatrical Wig Maker Paul Huntley explains the multitude of advantages of using wigs on stage; how he started his career in theatre; his preference for a natural look; working on the long-running musical "Cats"; and his ability to be a prolific designer. Huntley demonstrates tying hair to create a new wig; and shows how a wig helps transform an actor into character.

Wig Maker - July, 2010

Focusing on the people who are almost never in the news but who are essential to the making of the shows we all see and love, In The Wings explores the talents and stories behind the scenes, from the costume and scenic shops to the rehearsal room to the stage itself, with designers, artisans and craftspeople explaining their unique contributions to theatrical art in their own words. These short videos shine the spotlight on disciplines you may not even realize are a part of theatrical production and celebrate the full diversity of talent that contribute to bringing a show to the stage.

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ATW - In The Wings

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