The Scenery Department at Chicago Shakespeare Theater was going through a transitional period in May of 2014. One of two Assistant Technical Directors was leaving for another job. This left the Technical Director and remaining ATD shorthanded for what would be a labor-intensive scenic build.

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In the past, CST has used professional scene shops to build their scenery off-site. It is the responsibility of the Scenery Department to make sure the shops are on schedule and have all the necessary information, but structures are all designed and built by the shop and then installed by CST carpenters. As an experiment, the Scenery Department decided to try building the set for Summer 2014's Seussical using a rented warehouse space and their own tools and carpenters. This meant that the now short-handed Scenery Department would need to design all of the structural elements for the show, order all materials, bring staff and tools to the rented shop space in Chinatown from the theatre on Navy Pier, build and paint the entire set, and then transport and install it back on Navy Pier, as well as restore the rented shop space once the build was complete.

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This would be a big project for any theatre company and it was made more complicated by a shortened planning period. The set was originally to be built by an outside shop, but all of the bids came back too high. Necessity spurred the Scenery Department to mount this experiment. I was brought on as an Interim ATD because my planning and building skills were put to use for the company during my time as a House Carpenter there.

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The first day on the job, the outgoing ATD was able to bring me up to speed on the project. Basically, about 20% of the construction plans for the carpenters were completed and the carpenters were finishing projects as the ATDs finished drawings for the next item. This is not an ideal way to run a shop as there is little time to resolve mistakes and figure out ideal methods of construction. The items being built were quite large, mostly curved, and would not fit on a truck in one piece. This meant that items that needed to be quite strong and sturdy had to be split in multiple pieces and re-assembled in the theater, complicating the construction designs greatly.

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Though there were many obstacles during this project the final outcome was a set that pleased the designers, directors, and audience and came in at budget. The company now has a bench mark for considerations on attaining their own shop, and perhaps more importantly, faith in the Scenery Department to be able to handle difficult projects. As one of my final duties as Interim ATD, I had a discussion with the incoming ATD about the responsibilities and challenges of the job, ensuring a smooth transition for the Scenery Department.

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Performance Report from the Technical Director

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“Dan proved to be adept in this position, showing a maturity of thought and a willingness to consider the wider picture before committing to a specific course of action.  His ability to get others to follow his lead and to settle disputes also contributed to his success.  His attitude and approach to the work helped to coalesce the House Carpenters, a group of five people, into an effective and efficient unit. Dan has a natural talent and patience for helping others become more skilled in the craft of making theater.  He has a fierce commitment to the purpose of art in general, and theater in specific, and his curiosity and fascination with the intricacies of both technical and artistic elements is inspiring to those around him.  He understands what it is to lead by encouraging people to bring their best work, whether in a classroom, on a stage or elsewhere.”

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-Ed Leahy, Former Technical Director, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago, Illinois

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