In 2013, Arlington-based Synetic Theater took their signature cinematic style to a new level when they flooded the stage with water for a production of The Tempest.
The physical theater company, well known for their wordless productions of Shakespeare plays, had previously created a water stage for their 2010 production of King Arthur. Known for their creative use of mixed media, Synetic Theater utilized the water to add an extra layer of magical realism to that production.
The Tempest was Synetic’s 9th Wordless Shakespeare adaptation and Founding Artistic Director Paata Tsikurishvili was inspired to use a water stage by the way in which water is closely tied to the plot.
“The exiled Prospero is sent to an island, surrounded and inundated by water,” Tsikurshvili said. “His power and magic grows from it, and even the inciting action is created by water when Prospero uses a storm to bring his enemies to him.”
Water is a versatile theatrical element, conveying a variety of emotions and feelings. Water can be at once dramatic, comical, magical, and lyrical. Additionally, the hypnotic combination of water and physical theater captivated audiences’ imaginations in a totally new way.
Once Tsikurishvili decided on the watery world his Tempest would be set in, he tapped Synetic’s Resident Stage Manager Marley Giggey and Technical Director Phil Charlwood as they figured out the logistics of getting water into a pool onstage. “It was the strangest combination of terror and excitement I have ever experienced,” Giggey said of her first meeting about working on a water stage.
When Technical Director Phil Charlwood had worked on King Arthur three years prior, and this time he strove to improve circumstances for the actors. The biggest challenge was keeping the water warm enough so that actors remained comfortable. By using large heaters Charlwood was able to keep the water warm during performances.
Charlwood also used his innovative design and building techniques to create one of the most compelling elements of the production, a piano fountain that served as an important piece of the set.
Filling the pools and keeping the water clean and safe fell to Giggey. “The water came from several hoses running from two sinks in the laundry room backstage and in the lobby,” she said. “The drain was a series of PVC pipes that connected together and went to a hose. We would bring out all the pipes and connect them – going out the loading dock door and leading to a floor drain in the parking garage that could accommodate all that water! Before each performance I would do a half drain and fill.
“We would drain about half of the pool and then fill it back up to show levels with hot water. On Fridays and Sundays we did a total drain of the pool and a very through scrub and clean. Then we let it dry for at least 12 hours before refilling. It was a time consuming process, but keeping the pool safe and clean was key.”
Once the water was on stage, Giggey was faced with more challenges. The stage lights made it difficult for the actors to consistently see the spike marks. This problem was solved with a grid system that allowed the actors to line themselves up with the left and downstage points.
The actors movement in the pool created a lot of splashing into the audience. Synetic offered branded ponchos to patrons in this “splash zone” and those seats became the most popular for the production.
Lighting designer Andrew Griffin enjoyed working with water and overcoming the challenge the water gave him in designing a light plot for the show.
“The light would reflect and refract because the water floor was reminiscent of a mirror,” he said. Griffin used several low-angled sidelights to exploit the angles of light that would scrape across the floor, rendering less of a reflected impact on the architecture of the space. This effect made it seem as though the water was dancing along with the characters. “Through a lot of careful planning, we created some pretty great effects,” said Griffin.
When working with water, there was also the question of mold and mildew – particularly concerning costumes. The costumes were all treated with camp spray to help waterproof them. “Cleaning the costumes was very tricky,” Giggey said. “They had to be thoroughly washed so we turned the back room of the theater into a ‘dry room’ with fans blowing from all directions and drip buckets to catch all the water. The last thing any actor wanted was to put on damp costumes or shoes when they came in the next day.”
Working with water required Synetic’s creative team to master a free-flowing element that is not easy to control consistently. Synetic was able to overcome many obstacles and use the water to their advantage with the help of various theatrical elements, all while taking the necessary steps to protect their performers.
The hours of maintenance required to keep the pool clean and functional and the additional challenges of working with water in a theatrical setting paid off. “It was a moment that was so immersive and dramatic that it was difficult to believe it was happening live in front of you,” Giggey said. “The energy in the theater as the actors were jumping, spinning, and splashing was electric!”
Overall, the creative team, crew, actors and audiences appreciated and valued this rare experience. The professionalism, ingenuity, and talent of the production crew, actors, and artistic team helped to make The Tempest Synetic’s highest grossing show to date.
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Here is a link to their production’s trailer. The use of lights, movement, and water truly is amazing. http://youtu.be/LNqz286K7Yo
In response to the question, “Do you have any suggestions on talking to doctors about pain? I’m going to see my doctor in a few days so I could use some tips and getting my point across.”
Anybody who’s ever tried to explain their experience of bodily pain to someone else knows that it’s difficult. Pain is subjective to each person, and absolutely nobody can feel our physical pain but us. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to communicate to others that we are having a life-changing problem, though; this just means that we should learn how to communicate about it effectively in order to receive the most empathy, compassion, and appropriate treatment(s) possible. How do we do that?
Figure out if your pain is acute or chronic Acute pain is short-term and often intense. Chronic pain lasts for longer than 3 months and can be just as intense, if not more so. Try to journal and see if you can list all you know about your own pain’s history, and go into your appointment with this list (as well as a list of your questions and concerns) so that you feel confident and don’t forget anything important to you. How long has it lasted? Is it the result of a specific event that you can pinpoint?
Find vivid phrases to describe what your pain feels like When I was first going in to see a doctor for chronic hip pain, I found the phrase, “I feel like I just slammed my hip against a table.” Easy to understand, as well as almost feel yourself, right? Make it clear that this is something that needs and deserves treatment. Women often get taken less seriously than men when seeking pain treatment, as do racial minorities. Advocate for yourself as best you can.
Learn the typical words that describe pain (as well as what parts of the body are affected by it) Sometimes, in dealing with pain, you’ll be experiencing different types of pain in different places. Read this page in order to understand what people actually mean when they say they’re having a “dull” pain, as well as other terms like “raw”, “stiff”, and so on. In addition, find a nice picture of the human body on Google, if you’re struggling to figure out the name of the approximate region where you’re hurting. I like this one because it has both the Latin and the English words, as well as the front and back of the body.
List which everyday activities are compromised by your pain Certain pain syndromes, if it turns out that you have a more widespread chronic pain disorder rather than an acute pain, have life activities that are known to be affected in most people who have it. Journal about them. You’re often required to list these on patient intake forms, anyway, so this will speed up your process of filling out that paperwork.
If you’re science-y, read up on pain This is mainly for the anatomy and physiology nerds out there. Two very readable articles from WebMD: Pain basics (1 page) | Pain classifications (3 pages)
List every single symptom you’re experiencing (even the ones that you think can’t possibly be connected to each other) Think about every part of the body. Is anything going on that didn’t in the past? I know that this can be hard, and even distressing, because it can give us a reason to grieve, but as much as you can, push through your discomfort with it. What makes them worse? Better? Bring this list with you to your appointment so that you can’t possibly forget any of them when you’re on the spot. The more your practitioner knows, the better.
Go into your appointment with a pain scale of your choosing (because not all pain scales are created equally, nor do they necessarily mean the same thing to different people) What is your pain on good days? What is it on bad days? I personally like the Mankoski Pain Scale because it talks about the daily life impacts of your pain, as well as the kind of medication that might help. Of course, it will be up to you and your practitioner ultimately to decide what kind of treatment you will get, but knowing, for example, that you’ve tried ibuprofen and it hasn’t worked is a helpful piece of information.
I wish you the absolute best in your appointments, friends. Know that you’ve even got an entire community behind you here on Tumblr! We’ve got your back and understand you more than you could possibly know. We’re called spoonies (people who have chronic illnesses that limit our energy). Here’s a masterpost of spoonie community-related stuff, (and how about another?), and a world map of spoonies to remind you that you are never alone! And, if you get diagnosed with something in particular, here’s a list of Tumblr bloggers that identify with particular diagnoses (and, chances are, there are others out there just like you)! Be well, and please ask any questions you need to.
Kimchi and Justice 