Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2021 - 50

call of the spring semester in the Colwell
Playhouse, working through Zoom with
the on-site lighting designer and master
electrician. Tang will continue in this role
of a " virtual " assistant lighting designer
through the use of Zoom during technical
rehearsals for an upcoming production.
The lighting faculty are truly looking forward to this adventure, and we hope the
results of this Zoom endeavor will prove
fruitful for further flexibility in the future.

" During acting and technical rehearsals, having a dedicated
COVID-19 Rehearsal Monitor was one of the most brilliant
moves we made! This person oversees all areas, works with the
director and stage management crew, and keeps an eye on all
safety protocols and possible issues. Honestly, he made my job
and stage management's job a LOT easier, as we could rely on
him to oversee an entirely new facet of our working rehearsals,
keeping us safe, focused, and unworried. "
-Lisa Gaye Dixon, Professor of Theatre and Producer of Illinois
Theatre

Where do we go from here?

During an unprecedented academic year
and production season, the Krannert
Center team overcame many obstacles
and learned a number of lessons. For
example, many institutions are facing
reduced capacity according to local and/
or state guidelines. To keep track of capacity during technical rehearsals, the
stage management teams created QR
codes posted in key locations that each
incoming occupant would scan with their
smartphone. This data allowed the team
to keep track of individuals as they entered the theatre.
During technical rehearsals for

Psh*tter! A Drinking Song for the
Year of Our Lord 2020, two other key
learning lessons included COVID-19
company breaks and team member redundancy. After a thorough investigation of every theater and classroom by
Krannert Center's facility management
team, the protocol for working in the
Colwell Playhouse required a 15-minute
break after every 45 minutes of rehearsal. During this 15-minute break, all occupants were asked to leave the theater.
While this may seem like an inconvenience at first, it became extremely beneficial. The 45-minute rehearsal period

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focused the entire production staff on efficiently accomplishing what was needed
during that span of time. The 15-minute
break then allowed a release of tension
and some time when each team could
gather and re-strategize if needed. The
lighting team, for instance, found a quiet
spot in the lobby to go over notes, prepare for the next 45 minutes, or simply
relax and chat. It was an excellent way
to gather and socialize in a safe and controlled environment.
The fact that anyone could have
" Building Access Denied " status at any
point during the semester meant that
all of the production teams needed to
be on the same page throughout the entire process. Indeed, during the recording rehearsals for Psh*tter! A Drinking
Song for the Year of Our Lord 2020, our
student lighting designer was not able
to gain entry to the building on the final
night of filming. Having prepared for this
reality, all team members were included
on all communication. In this case, the
assistant lighting designer, junior Zack
Saunders, stepped in and completed
the evening seamlessly. It is worth noting that many of the " Building Access
Denied " statuses were the result of inconclusive test results, or preventative
measures of possible exposure based on
data from the SHIELD Contact Tracing
Program. While the faculty have always
reinforced the need to be prepared for all
contingencies in the past, the pandemic
has affirmed the need for solid communication and teamwork, which will continue to be a key facet of preparation in
the professional world.
To help mitigate the spread of
COVID-19 as the Fall break approached,
and have fewer personnel in the production space, we asked ourselves if advisors
need to be physically present in the space.
As yet another venture into the unknown,

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Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2021

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