Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Sights and Sounds of TADW...

...It's the Magic that Permeates the Walls

by Hailey Graves

We are three days into the 2011 Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) and that wonderful hum is already rumbling through the building. I’m not simply being metaphorical here; there is a literal humming. It’s not just the singing that comes from the two musicals we are doing this year (although I must say both already sound phenomenal) every single room has its own unique magical sound track, and there is only a handful of us who are lucky enough to get hear all of it!

Beth Lasky, managing director of TADW, pointed it out today at a meeting, “Someone needs to get a camera because there are so many wonderful things happening, just listen.” Being without a camera, I decided to put pencil to paper instead.

On entering Nordhoff Hall, the first room you hit is the costume shop. It is organized in a beautiful chaos of floral patterns, jungle masks, elephant trunks, delicate flowing dresses and manly waistcoats and trousers circa early 1900’s - all of which are being made to the beat of the sewing machines and laughs. Directly across the hall (where The Jungle Book is being rehearsed), a mysterious drumming noise comes from behind the doors, along with the hiss of a snake, and the shrieking laughs of monkeys.

A little further down the hall lies the scene shop. The smell of fresh cut wood, glue, and new paint perfume the air. There is also a harmonious buzz of drills, saws, hammers, whistles, and jokes, as these talented people slowly start to bring imaginary worlds to life. To the left and one door down in the green room we find Chris, our acting teacher working with the young Devon who will play Baloo in Jungle Book. Both are laughing and saying nonsense sentences, as they work on perfecting their deep baritone papa bear voices.

Up the stairs and straight ahead, the rhythmic thumps of dancing feet float from the dance room, along with the voice of dance instructor Candy calling out, "and one and two and three" and so on. Outside the room is Ray, director of Music Man. He skillfully and gently critiques and perfects a scene with his talented young actors.

Tomorrow I’ll remember my camera.

Hailey Graves is a student intern for TADW. She starts her sophomore year at CSUN this fall. She is also a TADW alum.

2 comments:

  1. this gives a great deal of imagery! well done.

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  2. Wow - The Halls of TADW beautifully described. I was there, too. Hearing the sounds of joyfully voices, followed by "Keep it down!"... Then the excitement would just crescendo again... Small countries could run on the electricity in the hall.

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