In my ongoing quest for compelling blogs about the world of theatre, I discovered the National Ballet’s blog. It’s a group blog, apparently written by everybody from the stage manager to principal dancers. Here’s a recent entry from the former:
There are three video monitors that are a part of the console, which allow me to see the whole stage from the front (as the audience sees it), see the Conductor in the pit and also (with an infrared camera) see the stage during blackouts to keep track of moving scenery and dancers. Underneath the large monitor in the top of the console, there is a set of cue lights that I can use to signal various elements, such as the Conductor, carpenters, or electricians.
He refers to their recent production of The West Side Story Suite. I’m not really much for the ol’ ballet, but this video makes it look pretty compelling.
hi – you may like to know that the link to the National Ballet blog isn’t! (although the recent entry is!)
Whoops–copied and pasted the wrong thing. That’s fixed.
Dear Darren,
Thanks so much for noticing this blog. I am delighted as I am a dance fan but not of the dying swan type. Read this and you might just change your mind about ballet and dance.
Alex Waterhouse-Hayward
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/features/passiondance/