The current production – opening this evening – at Rochester Civic Theatre is the musical How I Became a Pirate. I attended the final dress rehearsal without an audience the other night to shoot the show photos.
It’s a fun and very fast-paced show. The energy of the cast is contagious, and the songs are catchy as well. While I was focused on taking photos, I still enjoyed it a lot. Somehow, it’s a nice counterpoint to the snowy and very cold weather we’ve been dealing with this winter.
From a photographer’s point of view, there are some arrangements of the actors that I love to see. I know they will provide a great composition. This show had tons of them. The costumes are not vivid colors like some shows, but they worked well against the set and the splashes of red are nice. There are also several scenes with fun lighting.
As I culled through my shots, I found there were many that I really like. I have to give props to the director and choreographer for the blocking that worked so well.
It was also fun to see Mari, who has worked at the theatre for quite some time finally up on stage. She was great as a singing and dancing pirate!
Except for Logan, who plays Jeremy Jacob, the cast is adults and young adults. But Logan is the center of attention, all the action surrounding him. And, he does a wonderful job in the role. I can’t possibly imagine having his confidence and abilities at this age.
This is a show I’d not heard of before the RCT season was announced, and I didn’t have much idea what to expect. Generally, musicals provide more photo opportunities than a straight play. There’s that singing and dancing thing – usually a lot of movement, a lot going on, and not a lot of just sitting and talking. But I didn’t know if that’s what this show would be like.
It was quite so. I took a ton of shots, and there was always something else going on now or soon. It keeps me on my toes, for sure.
As I’ve become more of a theatre geek, I’m slowly growing my knowledge of shows. There are so many, of course. Part of the problem of producing live theatre is a public who shy away from shows they don’t know or haven’t heard of. I guess that happens with motion pictures, too – witness the plethora of sequels. But, it’s very worthwhile to go see new shows. They can be fun, they can make you laugh or cry, they can make you think. And we all need to exercise that bundle of nerves in our heads.
How I Became a Pirate opens tonight at RCT. We’ll be there for the opening performance. It’s a terrific way to spend a Friday evening.
Meanwhile, I have now shot my first show of 2014! Hopefully, many more to come.
