New Video: The Music Man at FPAC!

Here's the promo video I just finished for the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory production of "The Music Man"!

Check out My Latest Episode of "STAGES"! Year 3!

Season 3 begins by letting viewers sit in on student auditions for the Fall musical "Titanic" with insight from a couple experienced students. Director Scott Plate uses some auditions as valuable teaching moments for young performers. Then Scott takes us on a tour of the brand new conservatory building, but not before he and Program Director Vicky Bussert look at some of the funny inconveniences the music theatre department endured in their temporary home waiting for construction to be complete.

JBP's Geoff Contributing to Mobile Beat Online Magazine

Geoff Short of Jerry Bruno Productions is proud to be a new contributing blogger for Mobile Beat Magazine online. Mobile Beat is a leading DJ industry publication and Geoff will be writing various articles about relating to the DJ business periodically. Here is a Geoff's latest Mobile Beat Blog entry:

All the (DJ's) World is a Stage: Why DJs could learn Lighting Lessons from the Theatre

Like many DJs, I have a varied entertainment background. Being a well-rounded performer can only help a DJ be a more effective entertainer. In addition to being a DJ, I'm a singer and currently the Band Leader of a 10-piece wedding band, but I have also spent a lifetime performing in live musical theatre productions and have directed them as well. So it's not surprising that I often look at the profession - and, indeed, the art - of DJing through the lens of other performing art forms, especially theatre which naturally has a lot in common with DJing - rehearsal, public speaking, interaction with a live audience and technical elements including live sound reinforcement and of course, creative lighting.

Typical DJ gigs don't involve curtain calls, but a look at some of the basic ways lighting is used in live theatre productions might get us closer to a standing ovation at the end of the night.

I was just reading a thread on one of the seemingly infinite online DJ forums. This particular discussion caught my attention because it posed a question I've thought a lot about lately. Whether or not modern DJs actually need tons of state-of-the-art gear many of us seem obsessed with to be truly great entertainers. I am still fairly new to the mobile DJ scene so it feels like I still have an objective point of view about the DJ profession. I've been amazed at how much focus there has been in the mobile DJ community on gear that doesn't actually make any music - specifically lighting.

I have a theory. We dig toys.

Just kidding. I mean, we do, but I think there really is something a bit more noble at play here than just keeping up with the Joneses or the simple (but costly) over-accumulation of shiny things that blink and strobe.

Modern mobile DJs are recognizing that "extra-audio" equipment like lighting is an important - dare I suggest, vital ingredient in the recipe for engineering events that thrill special event guests and have new clients clamoring for similar bells and whistles. Great examples of this can be found in the art of live theatre.

I've trod the boards of community and professional theatre since I was a kid so the importance of lighting to any production is practically part of my DNA. The most effective DJs are, in fact, artists and performers very similar to actors. The wedding receptions, Bar Mitzvahs, School Dances and other special events that DJs host are actually all mini musical productions. DJs are recognizing what theatre artists have always known. The impact of artfully executed lighting designs can make or break a production.

Examine a few of the ways* lighting helps tell the stories of theatrical stage plays and musicals:

• Mood - Lights are the most effective way to set the mood or tone for a play or for any given scene. For instance, natural light can give a sense of normalcy, while the use of gels in dark greens or purples can give a scene an unsettling, otherwordly feel.


• Special Effects - Lighting can be used to execute a variety of stage directions and special effects. These can range from weather (lightning, snow, rain, clouds) to fire to the illusion of explosions or gunfire.


• Focus - The absence of light can also be a useful tool. By darkening certain portions of the stage, the remaining illuminated areas become focal points, thus directing the attention of the audience.

It's not a leap of faith to envision mobile DJs enjoying the same benefits in their own "theatres" like reception halls and ballrooms. A DJ's "scenes" are the songs he or she plays, balancing the romantic feel of a ballad with the thrill of the latest uptempo chart topper. The formal elements of the events we are charged with producing are also like scenes in a play. Shouldn't there be a different mood created for the bridal first dance than the garter toss? A pin spot or artfully placed par can can certainly put focus on the wedding cake or the head table. As far asspecial effects go, throw a couple Chauvet Intimidators onto a dance floor and a DJ's "production" is heading for a standing ovation and rave reviews.

The fact of the matter is that we are being called upon to create events that go beyond audio-centric experiences. Today's special event clients want more for their money so we must have the tools to give it to them. And it doesn't have to take multi-million dollar Broadway budgets. With a little creativity and an even smaller budget, I've managed to create some really cool effects using my Chauvet 4-Bar/4-Play combination system controlled with an Obey 10 controller along with a Mini 4-Bar light rig.

Speaking of Chauvet, that company's mission is built around the theory of "V.I.P" - Value, Innovation and Performance. I think successful contemporary DJs (and theatre artists) should focus on the same things. Creating value for clients and audiences, and being innovative in producing events culminating in well-rehearsed and flawlessly executed performances.

Of course more toys can't replace inherent talent and the ability to guide an event smoothly through it's timeline and entertain guests. Without raw talent, audiences could very well be watching a killer light show with a bomb of a performance. Nothing can replace talent and experience.

But kick-ass lighting can sure make it look better.
So take your bows.

*from Why Lighting Is Important to the Theatre by Tucker Cummings, E-How Contributor

STAGES #22: Passing Strange at Baldwin-Wallace

As we approach the 3rd season of "STAGES" with the new school year - here's a look back at the regional premiere of this amazing show! Stew drops in on rehearsal!

This episode takes a look behind the scenes of the regional premiere of "Passing Strange" produced by Baldwin-Wallace College and Playhouse Square.

Produced by Geoff Short (www.geoffreyshort.com)

Video Promo for "Big, The Musical" at FPAC!

My latest video promo! This one for Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory's production of "Big, The Musical"!

Video Promo by Geoff Short (www.geoffreyshort.com)

Fairmount Center for the Arts presents
"Big the Musical"
at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory
August 11-21, 2011

Book by John Weidman
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby,Jr.

Based on the motion picture 'Big,' written by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg
Produced by Twentieth Century Fox

Director - Carol Pribble (CP)
Music Director - John Krol
Choreographer - Bebe Weinberg Katz
Set Design - Ron Newell
Light Design - Ben Gantose
Sound Design - Carlton Guc
Costume Design - Craig Tucker
Stage Manager - Sarah Lynne Nicholas
Technical Director - Keith Newman

to be presented August 11 - 21, 2011
at Mayfield Village Civic Center, 6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield Village

TICKETS
can be purchased online at www.fairmountcenter.com
or by calling 440-338-3171.

My Latest Video Project: "COMPANY" at FPAC!

My latest video project:
A look at the FPAC (www.fairmountcenter.org) Production of
"COMPANY"

Video Produced by Geoff Short (www.geoffshort.com)

New Video & Website for a Great Theatre Artist!

Check out the new website and video I put together for the amazing Director & Choreographer Martín Céspedes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTe3FKPp--M

My new Vid for FPAC's Pride & Prejudice!

Another video preview I produced for the amazing Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory! This time for Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"!



Produced By Geoff Short
http://www.geoffreyshort.com

CORRECTION: The actor credited as Ryan Stafford is actually Amnon Carmi as "George Wickham"

Pride & Prejudice at Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory (FPAC)
August 12-15, 2010
440-782-4087

original adaptation by James Maxwell
revised by Alan Stanford

Novel by Jane Austen

Director - Mitchell B. Fields
Set & Lighting Design -- Ben Needham
Costume Design - Craig Tucker
Sound Design - Carlton Guc
Stage Manager -- Mandalyn Stevens
Assistant Stage Manager - Kayla Spira
Assistant Director - Anthony Ritosa

All productions are performed at Mayfield Village Civic Center,
6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield Village (just off the I-271 / Wilson Mills exit)

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!

As one (Blue) Door closes, another opens...and so another theater adventure begins as my next directing project begins. This time it's the musical "Gypsy" at Brecksville Theater on the Square (BTOTS). I love this historic theater because it's a smallspace which forces you to be very creative with staging. I prefer smaller casts anyhow and we will have 20 people in this cast. We've gotten through auditions and the cast is amazing, starring the only person I could envision in this role- the incomparable Monica Olejko as Rose. Meet the cast at: http://geoffreyshort.com/Geoff_Short/Gypsy_CAST.html

GYPSY
APRIL 30TH-MAY 16TH, 2010
Reserve your tickets now by calling (440) 526-6436 440•526•6436 440•526•6436

Book by Arthur Laurents Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee

DIRECTED BY GEOFFREY SHORT
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY GEORGIANN BODLE
CHOREOGRAPHY BY KIM BUSH
COSTUMES BY DAVID GLOWE

STARRING MONICA OLEJKO AS ROSE

with
ROB GIBB as Herbie

BRIDGET CHEBO as Louise
KATIE O'CONNOR as June
TIA KARAPLIS as Baby Louise
EMILY TABAR as Baby June
KIM BUSH as Tessie Tura
HEATHER HERSH as Mazeppa
JEANETTE LULI as Electra
SHANE SINISCALCHI as Tulsa
LUKE SCATTERGOOD as L.A.
DEBBIE LENARZ as Angie
NICK ROYAK as Yonkers
THERESA PEDONE as Marjorie May/Miss Cratchitt
BOB KENDERES as Pop/Goldstone/Cigar
MICHAEL PITT as Jocko/Weber/Kringlein/Pastey
JOEY STEFANKO as Young Tulsa
JORDAN STEFANKO as Young Yonkers
MEGHAN JOYCE as Young Angie
CAROLINA MANFREDI as Young Yonkers

NEW "STAGES" EPISODE - PT.13: Broadway Star Comes Back Home!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 13: Broadway star and Baldwin-Wallace Music Theater Graduate Steel Burkhardt (currently starring in "HAIR" on Broadway) comes back to campus for a visit with current MT students.

Produced by Geoff Short (www.geoffreyshort.com)

A "Blue Door" Closes...But so many have opened!

Thanks so much to everyone at Dobama Theater for the wonderful experience of "Blue Door". We closed the show last weekend and doing a show like this can be a really life changing experience. I learned so much from our Director Scott Plate and from my amazing co-star Rod Ingram, a performer over 20 years my junior but one taught me so much about depending on just one other actor on a stage. Of course we couldn't have done any of it without our incredible Stage Manager Sarah Nicholas - our "3rd cast member"! This truly was the most challenging theater experience of my life and one I'm definitely so grateful for.




Here's a cool audio recording of a scene from "Blue Door" heard on WCPN's Around Noon with Dee Perry - Scene starts at 26:22: http://bit.ly/c9oNfe

NEW "STAGES" EPISODE - PT.12: Call-Backs for "CHESS"!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 12: A look at the Call-Backs for the Spring musical "Chess", including observations about the show from Conservatory Director Peter Landgren.

NEW STAGES EPISODE!!!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 11: "Breaking the Fourth Wall: Performing Off-Campus". In this episode, go on the road with BW music theater students as they perform at venues outside of Baldwin-Wallace, including a benefit for a local community theater and a play Directed by Asst. Professor & Dept.Chair Scott Plate.

Check Out "STAGES" Part 8!

Enjoy Pt. 8 - A behind the scenes look at the Junior Class Songwriter's Showcase of new music called "First Takes" both at Baldwin-Wallace and as the class takes the show on the road to Night Town in Cleveland Heights.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

Welcome to my new video documentary series "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program"!

I'm always so grateful when anyone takes the time to watch my "Call-Back" videos documenting the process of producing live theater. I'm even more grateful when someone notices and hires me to do more of it! That was the case earlier this year when Vicky Bussert, the head of the Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theater program asked me to produce a brand new series for them that we call "STAGES:Stories from the BW Music Theater Program ".

The "STAGES" series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

A new episode will be posted to YouTube every Friday. I will post them here as well.

Here's episode 1. In this first episode, the MT students from freshman to seniors meet for the first time as a complete group. They learn some about some of the philosophies of the program from its teachers and they learn some interesting things about each other as well.

Technology and Art Can Make Directors Jacks of All Trades

The marriage of technology, social media and theater is truly awesome and makes the possibilities for creating amazing theater endless. This stuff really turns me on! For a bigger-than-life example of this visit Cleveland this July for the third annual Ingenuity Fest. In the meantime,here are a few of my ramblings about some of the ways I use technology and social media in directing. I think doing things like this and so much more can really increase your value as a Director to hiring theaters and immeasurably help your production staffs.

I recently wrote about improving our chances for media coverage for our shows by doing all the press legwork ourselves so budget-strapped and understaffed print and electronic media outlets don't have to. WE have to take the photos, find and write the stories and deliver them in a nice, neat package to local news outlets. WE become the reporters, photographers and editors. Since I'm currently smack-dab in the middle of directing a community theater production of Oklahoma and pulling the requisite hairs from my head in the process, it occurs to me that the tao of "do-it-yourself" also holds true to an extent for our roles as directors in guiding a show from read-thru to opening.

The modern director really needs to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of as many as possible. Producing theaters are just as (if not more) cash-strapped as the media outlets are. Theaters are always looking to get the most bang for their buck and need to contract people for gigs who truly can do it all - or at least have enough knowledge in as many areas of theater production to make facilitating processes as painless, organized and cost-efficient as possible for the other theater artists handling specific production duties. This becomes even more important as the marriage of technology, new media and art becomes increasingly pronounced. It's not enough to only be concerned with the script and action on stage and leave all the other elements to other artists and technicians. I'm not talking about taking away work from other very qualified designers and technicians. Indeed any production would be doomed without experts specifically proficient in lighting, sound, set design, costuming, P.R. and promotion and more. Just because a guy may be familiar with concepts of flight doesn't mean I want him i the cockpit during a dogfight! But how much more valuable is a leader of a production who has enough working knowledge and hands-on experience with these production elements that they can not only effectively communicate ideas to techs, designers and builders but also roll up their sleeves and do much of the preliminary legwork themselves? This effectively creates the same chances of success as delivering complete press packages to the news media discussed earlier. Directors need to be proficient in multi-media design, video and audio production, media relations, editing software and more. With that in mind, I've been compiling the following list of ways I've tried to incorporate these elements into directing with suggestions for other directors as well:

Set Design - Every director has a mental image of what they want the sets to look like for their productions. But it's amazing how many can't effectively communicate their ideas to tech directors or worse, throw a script at a designer and say "Whatever you think", then invariably complain when the set is built. Delivering thorough concepts and illustrations of those concepts to designers can make their lives so much easier. When the designer has a clear idea of what you're thinking they can then easily add their own ideas to the design rather than starting from scratch and shooting in the dark. First, it's important to know the space. Measurements, wing space, fly space, etc. Then the brainstorming can begin within the realm of reality. There is some user-friendly , cheap (or free) software that makes it easier than ever. I will often use Photoshop to create visual layers of design elements that I can share with designers. Exporting those images also makes it easy to email them back and forth to further facilitate discussion. I also use Google's Sketch-Up - a free 3-D animation application that helps translate ideas into concrete 3-d computer models. Here's an example of my latest Sketch-Up design for Oklahoma:



Sound Design - When I started in theater in the dark ages, there were no body mics or digital anything. Now sound design is an art and more important than ever. Since I've been in bands or in a recording studio since I was a kid I've spent a lifetime plugging in amps, coiling cords and pushing buttons on a mixing board. Software apps like Garage Band or Audacity (which is free) make it easy to record and mix sound cues and effects. Sites like SoundBoard.com offer free libraries of different effects as well. If you do a lot of this recording yourself far in advance of tech week, you not only have a better chance of getting the exact effects you want right away, but you also free up the Sound Designer for bigger projects like mixing mics, orchestra monitors and general house P.A. In the last production of City of Angels I directed earlier this year, I recorded all the sound (and video) cues before we even started rehearsals. Then I just handed the tech a cue sheet and a CD and we were off and running. I talk about that briefly in the intro to this "Call-Back" episode:

Video Design - Video elements in theater productions are more prevalent than ever. Sometimes, they are superfluous and can distract from the action. Other times they can really help facilitate sense of time and place or create a desired mood for a scene. If you're using video, you should try to become as proficient in shooting and editing video as possible. Apps like iMovie are really user-friendly and can turn simple footage shot with a consumer grade camcorder into some pretty cool video cues. Of course you can subscribe to video sites like iStockphoto or Fotosearch to pay for professionally produced still photos and video clips that you can purchase and then edit into cues as you see fit. Of course, tasteful, elegant and simple slideshows are always a snap with user-friendly programs like iPhoto, Keynote or Powerpoint. Lest anyone think I'm a shill for Apple, many PC based apps can do the same stuff. Just so happens, I'm a Mac guy. Again, if you do the legwork and shoot and edit this stuff into organized cues way ahead of time for a board op., life will be much easier.

Here's an example of kind of an abstract video cue I produced using the actor playing "Father" in a production of "Violet" I directed a couple years ago. We shot this in Winter a few months before rehearsals even began. The original recording heard on this video was used for editing purposes only as the music was performed live with the video. I use Final Cut now, but used iMovie back then. This was a case of having the challenge of telling the back story of this musical before the action on stage even began. The challenge was how to depict the horrible accident that happens to Violet without actually doing it on stage. I felt it was important for the audience to see what happened to this girl to set the tone for the rest of the story:

Costuming - I'm definitely not an expert here, but I do try to provide a detailed spreadsheet of each character and what they're wearing in each scene to the person who is the costumer. It's also important to provide them with enough time to provide some simple costume pieces for publicity photos if necessary early in the process.

Lighting - This is a highly specialized art and specialty (not that the others aren't) and definitely should be left to the experts, but any director should know the basics of focus, mood, color (gels), gobos, follow spots, shin busters, etc. Most of my hands-on lighting experience comes from lighting bands, not theater productions, but it does allow me enough knowledge to provide a detailed cue to cue spreadsheet to the lighting designer and effectively communicate what I'm trying to accomplish in each scene.

Publicity & Promotion - That's what "Call-Back" is all about! A video documentary series I started a few years ago that has caught on in this market that is meant to document the process of putting shows on from beginning to end. A lot of theater groups are getting into the video game and that's great. There are so many great ideas to promote shows (see this post). I've already addressed getting shows covered in the press in a previous blog post. The point is the Director who brings these portfolios and ideas to the table is invaluable to a hiring theater board. I always take publicity photos and edit them early in the rehearsal process. Rebecca Coleman has some great tips for publicity photos in her blog. And there's a pretty hilarious blog about what not to do with photos at "...In a Production Of". Here are some of the latest photos I took and edited for Oklahoma. But there are lots of other ways to create buzz. I always tell my casts that if they're waiting for the producing theater to promote and advertise their shows then they're in trouble. Ad budgets are virtually non-existent and volunteers are stretched thin with the bigger pictures of a whole season, not just one show. With social media exploding, it's easier than ever to self-promote online. I always encourage my casts to take pictures and post them on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Tweet (positive) updates from rehearsals, create Facebook event pages and invitations. Here's the latest event page I put together for Oklahoma. At one point recently, the Cassidy Theatre had three different shows being buzzed about at the same time on Facebook. It's free and it helps create a "must-see" type of environment. One other thing I always do is create simple websites for each of my shows. Again programs like iWeb make putting together sites easy.

Here's a screen shot from my latest site and you

can check it out at: www.oklahoma.com and

check out the others with the links in my

sidebar:

There is so much cool technology and so many

brilliant artists out there that it really does make

my head swim! I frequently find that spending so much time editing video and photos and writing and posting about my shows actually makes me a better director because I end up studying the show from every angle. I catch things I wouldn't in rehearsal and am inspired by other things I find in a picture or by creating a website. Very cool. So roll up your sleeves and dive in, explore - but most importantly, don't wait for other people to do the work. I could write forever, but alas rehearsal beckons soon which means it's time to put some of this stuff to work!

Which is it?

Can we please decide on how to spell Theater? Is is Theatre? Theater? Annoying already! I have a theat-ER friend laughing at me because whenever I use a Twitter hashtag for a theat...-screw it..."performing arts"-related tweet, I'm hashing twice...#theatre and #theater. She prefers theat-ER saying she thinks theat-RE is pretentious to which I replied "kinda like spelling "Jeff" "G-E-O-F-F"!! Any preference?

Finding an Audience's Pain

In my media sales career, I learned a long time ago that every client or customer has some sort of "pain" - a need they have to fill, a challenge they need a solution to. Unless we as sales people can uncover that pain, and provide the solution to it, there is no sale. The trick is to find what that pain is. Every customer has it, but unless their ceiling is falling in or they're up to their knees in water, few customers willingly tell you what their pain is. In the sometimes vague world of marketing and advertising (and certainly entertainment) they often don't know they even have pain. Sometimes we have to point out that they do in fact have a need. Something their competition has that they don't and didn't know about, until you, their trusted consultant told them about it. Often the "need" isn't a need at all. Maybe it's just a "want". In any case, you want to be the one to provide it. Only through gaining their trust and convincingly explaining how your products and services can help do you have a chance of uncovering what the pain is. And it's only when we take the focus off our own needs and focus on the client's needs - their pain - and healing it, that success happens.

I've been thinking about how this applies to theatre audiences. What is it that a theatre ticket buyer wants or needs? Certainly to be entertained. Perhaps they need an escape from their everyday troubles into a colorful, fanciful world of a musical. Theatre is also a communal experience, so maybe a ticket buyer is tired of the isolation of their living room staring at a computer screen or a DVD on a big flat screen TV ("flat" is the key word there as opposed to the 3-D real life of live theatre). I would think this last one would apply to an audience segment that tends to be community theatre's biggest and most loyal - senior citizens. They may also have a nostalgic need to relive some of the grand plays and musicals that were the main form of entertainment in their youth.

One of the most challenging audience segments whose pain is hard to identify is also we one community theatres rely a lot on - family members of the cast. They are hard to figure out because probably the biggest reason they are in the seats is to support their kids or spouses - which is directly contradictory to the pain identification theory. These people are focused on the needs of the cast (supporting them) as opposed to the production focusing on the audience's needs.

Here's a stunning revelation - we theatre artists tend to be a little self-centered and narcissistic. Just putting on shows to provide vehicles for us to hear applause will quickly lead to a very quiet house. We need to meet the needs of our customers.

So how do you identify the needs of the audience? Ask. Then ask again and keep asking in any ways you can - through surveys, face to face meetings, etc. Until you really get a sense of the audience's pain. Then put a band aid on it.

Call-Back: Dog Sees God - Pt. 1

Thanks for checking out the latest episode of Call-Back! This episode kicks off another new theatre series..this time the show is "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" at Fourth Wall Productions in Cleveland. This is a challenging play that deals with important issues like sexual identity, friendship and life and death. The show runs from July 17 through 27th and tickets are available by emailing tickets@fourthwallproductions.com or by calling (330)283-2442. Enjoy!