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The Minotaur Shorts Festival is back with another 12 short plays written, directed and staring the talented members of our company. They’ve been rehearsing for the last few weeks, preparing for our 2014 spectacular run. With over 85 writers, directors, cast and crew this year’s shorts could be the biggest yet.
Stage Managing is one of the most challenging tasks during the festival. A dozen short plays mean an equal number of prop-lists, costumes and sets. Back at the start of October, the directors were sent an important document. It contained questions about their set, what lights they wanted on stage, any sound effects and lots of other questions… Once this was sent back to the Stage Manager, the shorts could really get underway.
Stage Management is, essentially, making the show look like how the director wants it. In the case of the Shorts, that can be quite a challenge. They’ll come to you with seemingly impossible tasks: I need to recreate 18th century Denmark, this is where we need ‘dream lights’ for the goblins to dance in or find space to fit all 26 letters of the alphabet on stage.
Another challenge facing the Stage Manager of the Short is, of course, trying to fit the plays in with each other. How big is the set? Do we have time to set it up in a switch over or do we need an interval? Can any of the shows share set or props? Only after a few hours of discussion, lots of rethinking and stress-filled realisations can a running order be finalised.
You can see the running order by clicking on the links below…
Rehearsals have been underway for a month or so and everything is coming together. Over the last two days, each short has been given their time to enter the Studio space to work in their set for the first time, programme the lighting board and set their sound levels. It’s a long and consuming process, but one that needs to happen. They only have a few days left to make any necessary changes before their final performance between the 6th and 8th of November this year!
If you haven’t decided which night you’d like to come and see the Shorts this year, have a read through the running order on the Shorts 2014 page. Once you’ve read them, book tickets to see them all anyway, because you definitely won’t want to miss out!