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Awards for Those Behind the Scenes in Terror Related Play

February 26, 2015
We won’t be getting any Oscars for Three Testaments: Shalom, Peace, Salam, but while watching the Academy Awards last week I realized the true import of all those expressions of thanks as actors and writers recognize their editors, directors, cutting room crew and a long list of others. I have been benefiting from an hour or two in phone in biweekly conversations with play director Arthur Strimling as we discuss his ideas for the staging of the June premiere. Staging concerns are not the same as literary concerns … and I went through a series of editorial revisions on that score with Ellen Frankel last year. Once Arthur gets here from NYC in a few weeks for auditions in Upstate New York and Southern Ontario, he and I will begin to fine tune production issues with the producer, Jim Flood. I realize again the truth of the saying that “A book is finished when it is published while a play gets created again for every performance.” Meanwhile the Artistic Director, Cheryl Wood-Thomas has begun to meet with the Stage Manager, Alison Miculan, on matters like props and with Jeanette Heasley, who is hard at work on costumes. I have not touched on publicity, ticket sales, bus bookings for the Canadian visiting groups, the opening day Terror Conference, integrating the film crew, security arrangements for this particular play, the extensive food services through rehearsals and performances, or other things I am just learning about. It will all come together for auditions, rehearsals and performances, and all these people are more expert than I in their areas of responsibility, but who knew this much waqs involved in putting a play on stage. However, the deteriorating world situation makes the production of this drama all the more urgent as we strive to perceive the issues through theological and scriptural lenses. Your students will be able to see the play in a full length YouTube production for assignments or even in class.
Posted by: Brian Arthur Brown