Of Serpents & Sea Spray by Rachel Bublitz (This Is Water Theatre, 2017)

Regional Premiere

My Roles:
Artistic Director, Director, Producer, Technical Director, Lighting Designer

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - JACQUELINE KANA
STAGE MANGER - JESSICA COOPER
SCENIC DESIGNER - NATE KROGEL
SCENIC CHARGE ARTIST - HANNAH HILGENDORF
COSTUME DESIGNER - RAYNA DEXTER
SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER - DAVID PAUL
ASSISTANT SOUND DESIGNER - ELIZABETH NELSON

Lessons Learned

This show was absolutely delightful to produce. It was our third production where we were lucky enough to have the playwright in attendance for dress rehearsals and opening night, and Rachel's presence confirmed for me yet again the power of collaboration, even at such a late stage in the production process. There is just nothing that compares to having colleagues that you trust.

Why this show?

When I read this script, my heart leaped out of my chest. It was at once deeply whimsical and incredibly real, telling the story of a girl who has experienced a horrific trauma as she fights to find healing and peace using her imagination as a shield against the world. This struggle, to learn how to remain committed to our imagination but not hide from the world inside of it, is one I (and many people I know) face every single day.

Concept

I knew the moment that I read this script that I wanted everything about this world to be created in front of the audience. I didn't want to hide the stagecraft, but use it like a paintbrush. Props were produced from trunks, trunks became carts and tables and horses, stationary platforms became fast-moving trains, and a blank ceiling was transformed into a night sky.

The choice to stage this in an alley-style configuration of the audience was also intentional; I wanted the audience to see each other experiencing this story, making the audience itself part of the world. Finally, I worked with our sound design team as they crafted an original score for the show.