Do you want to know a secret?
Do you promise not to tell?
-The Beatles, 1963
Everyone loves to be in on the secret! Today, I’ll pull back the curtain on some lesser-known stories from the Reif Center stage.
Secret Scene Changes
There is real art to a great scene change! I love it when shows flow smoothly from one scene to another, and I hate when productions grind to a halt while they change sets. Big budget shows have amazing scenery changes using computer automation. Automation can control scenery tracking on, flying in or coming up through the stage floor!
I’ll let you in on a scene change technique that we rarely use now, but was frequently used before our 2015 renovations.
In Act I of The Nutcracker the story transitions from a Victorian living room, through a fantastical and dynamic battle scene and concludes in a snowy pine forest.
Before our renovation added a full fly loft, we could only partially fly backdrops out. It doesn’t really do for half the living room backdrop to still be visible during the forest scene! Back then the crew would have to “West Coast” the living room backdrop. We would close the mid-stage black traveler while a romantic dance continued downstage. Behind the curtain the living room drop would first fly out about 5 feet, then a half dozen older dancers would run out and line up under the drop with their arms held out in front of them. The drop would be lowered into the gathering arms of the dancers, the crew would run out to tie the bundled backdrop to the pipe, and the pipe would fly out, revealing the forest drop that was preset behind the living room drop.
“West Coasting” a backdrop is a method so secretive that I could not find any photos or diagrams of the process! But I did find a video that was smuggled across the border from Kansas to Colorado and then uploaded to YouTube! This shows the crew taking a scrim off the pipe instead of tying it up, but I think you’ll get the idea!
Now that the Reif Center has a full fly loft, we don’t have to close the mid-stage traveler anymore! There is just a brief light cue dimming the upstage area as the living room backdrop simply flies out to reveal the snow drop behind. I think the scene change that used to take 30 seconds is now done in 5 seconds!
Secret Injuries
Theaters are dangerous places! Scenery flying in and out, open orchestra pits, and frequent blackouts on stage. In a study by the UK-based Injury Prevention Consultancy they found that 82% of performers and 79% of crew reported being injured at work. I bet most of those injured kept going too, after all, the show must go on!
I vaguely remembered a story about someone, let’s call him “Steve,” who broke his leg during a Grand Rapids Players production of Oklahoma many years ago but carried on with the scene anyway. I figured if anyone knew the story it would be Susie Mogan who has been performing with the Players for 25 years. She remembered it well and told me the story.
“Yes! It wasn’t his leg..it was his collarbone! He was right in front of me having a fight with Curly. He was meant to land on these burlap bags that were filled with some kind of stuffing and die by falling on his knife. When he hit the ground, I heard the crack and “Steve” groaned and then lay silent. In character as Aunt Eller I said to the cowboys who were picking him up “Be careful, I think he’s really hurt.” They picked him up and hauled him off. A doctor in the cast went back to help him and wait for the ambulance. We finished the show without the audience knowing because his character, Jud, was supposed to have died. Luckily, it happened during our last show.”
Susie, thanks for setting the record straight! If you run into Susie, ask her about her 15 minutes of fame appearing on Family Feud! That’s another great story!
Secret Appearances
Regular readers of Behind the Scenes know Greg Johnson as the builder of amazing sets, but he has a secret, he has “performed” on stage many times, here are a few of them.
Human Stage Weight, 2015
In the Reif Dance production of The Jungle Book, Greg had to sit behind King Louie’s throne in the jungle ruins so it wouldn’t shift about as it was used.
Magician’s Assistant, 2017
Greg was very surprised when a magic show toured to the Reif Center and he found out during the load in that he would be in the show! Luckily it did not involve getting cut in half!
Flower, 2024
For the Reif Dance production of Thumbelina, Greg designed and built a beautiful flower whose petals would open to reveal Thumbelina! Greg and Buzz were the secret behind the scenes!
King Triton’s Anger, 2024
Another amazing set piece designed and built by Greg! Ariel’s grotto had to be destroyed by King Triton nightly, and Greg designed an intricate system that he and a couple of young performers pulled off.
Backing Vocalist, 2015
I’ll let Greg tell this story in his own words!
“After bein’ at the Reif for almost 20 years, I’ve got hundreds of stories. The one I tell about Kathy Mattea is one of my Top 20 memories I love to share!
Kathy Mattea first performed on the Reif stage about a dozen years ago. Durin’ the middle of the performance, all the crew were summoned backstage by her manager. We didn’t know why. We were then told that on his cue, we were to walk out on stage, turn and face the audience, then shout out a word at the end of a verse Kathy sang, then walk back off stage. Ever since then, I’ve always joked that bein’ a backup singer for Kathy Mattea was on my resume! Several months ago, Kathy was back for another performance at the Reif. I was chattin’ with her backstage before the show and mentioned about her “bein’ on my resume.” She got a chuckle out of it. Durin’ the first song of the show, she accidentally knocked over a glass of water on stage. When she was done with the song, her manager and I went out and cleaned it up. Later that night, when she was leaving, I mentioned that I was gonna change my resume to reflect that I performed on stage with Kathy Mattea a couple of times! We both laughed.”
Greg and I can’t figure out what song it was! I think I remember she would sing “motorcycle” and then the crew was to shout “motorcycle.” But I don’t think it was her hit Harley or a cover of Arlo Guthrie’s The Motorcycle Song. If you think you know, drop us a line!
Deliver’s Trouble (with a capital “T”), 2016
Greg had to act for this one even though he didn’t have any lines! He played one of the deliverymen who brings the troublesome pool table to River City in the Grand Rapids Player’s production of The Music Man!
Magic Carpet, 2016
Greg got to spend a lot of time on stage as he played the magic carpet in the Reif Dance production of Aladdin. He may get to reprise his role soon!
Watch carefully for Greg, Melanie or Buzz to make a secret, or not so secret appearance in any upcoming shows! The Grand Rapids Players open Fiddler on the Roof soon, maybe someone will “Break a Leg!” Reif Theater Arts present Wizard of OZ next month, please pay attention to our fabulous scene changes!