When talking about the "Theatre", most would imagine the glitz and glam of the actors on stage reciting wonderfully written lines, beautifully choreographed movements and perfectly timed and directed staging. But imagine now, a stage that is bare with not one iota of music, lighting nor props, would that take away the magic? It is the people behind the scenes who have the power to create magic onstage even though you rarely hear compliments on “how wonderfully set up the stage was” or “how the lighting really enhances the mood,” but without these elements the show would never be the same.
Which is why Taylor’s University and The Actors Studio (TUTAS) created a series of chats with some of these passionate souls behind the curtains, to understand their work and hopefully provide acknowledgement that we see you. Recently, we took the opportunity to speak with Siti Farah Abdullah, Actor, Producer & Costume Concept Designer; and, Steven Sunny, Professional Make-up Artist & Stylist to gain insights on what it takes to become a part of a production. Technical Theatre sets the tone for a performance, informing the audience the location of where they are, and helping the audience establish all the necessities to help us enjoy a quality performance. It provides an opportunity for artists and technicians to express something that is fantastic and magical.
Siti Farah encapsulated it with, “I want the audience to have just one entire pleasurable experience. Theatre should be a full immersive experience.” Behind every costume, light, and set piece created for a theatre production is a passionate person. When asked about how one gets into the backstage, Steven Sunny concludes with ‘Passion’ - “if you are not passionate, and you are just doing it for the sake of doing the intention is wrong.” Above all, theatre is a collaborative effort. It takes a team to develop creative ideas and implement them in a practical manner. Hence, we need to start acknowledging the importance of those behind the drawn curtains just as much as the ones standing in the limelight we need to start talking about…Technical Theatre.
The full interviews link: https://youtu.be/mUZeCtVaXl8 & https://youtu.be/0teM1gUjPJo and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tutasconservatory,
