THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605180093
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY PHYLLIS SPEIDELL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 136 lines
TANYA JONES AND Wesley Jack barely had time to peek from the wings as the overture began, the curtain rose and spotlights focused on a stage full of young dancers joyously tapping through the intricate choreography of the musical comedy ``42nd Street.''
The Wells Theatre was the setting last week for the Governor's School for the Arts' spring production, a song-and-dance extravaganza that put more than 60 aspiring theater and performing arts students on stage, behind stage and in the orchestra pit.
For the young performers, the last seconds backstage flew by with a few practice tap steps, a final costume check and at least one fast but heartfelt prayer for divine assistance onstage.
For Tanya and Wesley, part of the show's wardrobe crew, the last seconds before curtain were the calm before chaos, the last time the pair would stand still for the next two and one-half hours.
Their job was to make sure three dozen performers survived eight costume changes in the first act alone and that nobody dashed onstage unzipped or in an argyle sweater when the rest of the company was in tuxedos and gowns.
Tanya, 16, a junior at Southampton High School, and Wesley, 15, a freshman at Nansemond River High School, were among seven Western Tidewater students who were part of ``42nd Street,'' the Governor's School's most ambitious and complex stage production.
Dressed in black and wearing sneakers (to move invisibly and silently around the wings and back stage areas), the backstagers were a sharp contrast to the brilliantly costumed performers, but they were no less serious about their roles.
``We have the power positions,'' Heather Anderson, a props person, said with a grin. ``We are in charge back here and need to know where everything is in case someone has an emergency and we need to help them out.''
Heather, 17, is a junior at Smithfield High School.
Belvey Russ, and Mandy Stallings, both from Smithfield High School, and Franklin High's Michael Bryant also worked in backstage positions. Terrance Bynum of Smithfield High was a chorus member.
``It is fairly common for the kids from Western Tidewater to take to the backstage roles because it is harder for them to make all the onstage rehearsals over here in Norfolk,'' Mike Tick said. Tick has been chairperson of the Governor's School for the Arts Theatre Program since 1987.
For this year's crew, however, choosing backstage roles was more of a preference than a convenience.
Wesley had been associated with a theater company in Charleston, S.C., where he lived until his family's recent move to the Driver area of Suffolk. ``This is the first time I have had the opportunity to be back stage in a show, although I have always wanted to be,'' he said.
Assigned to dress the show's three female leads, Wesley peered through yards of flowing chiffon and ostrich feathers as he explained that stars, even at a young age, can be pretty picky about their costuming. ``It is not as much fun as it sounds,'' he said.
Because the show is set in 1933, when fashionable women wore their hair short and curled, all but one of the young actresses had to wear wigs over their own longer hair. ``The wigs were a mess,'' Wesley said, adding that some of the cast had to make wig, as well as costume, changes. The changes were further complicated by tiny microphones concealed in each wig.
Halfway through the first act, Tanya was crawling through a backstage piece of scenery, helping Terrance find a stray jazz dance shoe. While she searched, Terrence was underdressing - layering three costumes, a tuxedo, topped by a gold and silver dance costume, topped by a casual shirt, sweater and slacks.
Swift costume changes do not allow performers time to completely change clothes. By underdressing, they can quickly strip off the top layer and reappear on stage, in a whole new look - and somewhat slimmer - within seconds. Terrance admitted to nightmares about running onstage in the wrong outfit, a mishap that has occurred occasionally to other cast members. ``But if I did, I would just play it off and act like I was supposed to be wearing that,'' he said.
``If the audience could see what goes on backstage, they would really appreciate the show,'' he added.
While Wesley and Tanya were zipping, buttoning and Velcroing the cast into the right costumes, Mandy and Heather were silently arranging props on stage, moving carefully behind scenery drops while the performers danced and sang downstage.
``It can be very stressful backstage, with everything so dark, crazy and crowded,'' Heather said. ``You have got to keep everything organized and people calmed down. But I would rather be backstage because I am a very responsible person and I like to be depended on.''
Tanya, who is in her third year of the Governor's School theater department, agreed. ``I love the stage, but I like the environment behind it,'' she said. ``Back stage, you are a mother hen, and I like working with people.''
While the others toiled backstage, Michael was busy ushering the audience to their seats. ``I would much rather be up there, but I can't dance,'' he said, nodding to the stage. ``The program at the Governor's School helps you find what you love, and you have to come into it with an open mind and try new things.''
Michael soon learned that ushering was not as easy as it looked, especially during the morning performances, when the audience was primarily school children on field trips. ``I am like Rodney Dangerfield,'' he quipped. ``I get no respect.''
The experience reinforced Michael's career goal of becoming a drama teacher, working with middle school students.
``I would like to expose them to the arts when they are young so that, as they get older, they will come into a theater and know how to conduct themselves and what to expect,'' he said.
Intermission focused the spotlight on Belvey, one of the show's house managers. As crowds swarmed the concession stand, it was Belvey who was selling candy bars and cold drinks from behind the counter. She has been taking theater courses for two years at the Governor's School and hopes for a career in screen writing. ``I really try to get away from acting and help out backstage,'' she said.
The Governor's School for the Arts, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education, offers intensive programs in dance, performing arts, music, theater and visual arts for talented students who are eager to develop their artistic potential. Public high schools students from Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Isle of Wight County, Franklin and Southampton County are eligible to audition for the program.
Because the students take academic classes at their home schools in the morning and then journey to Norfolk each afternoon for their Governor's School classes, most of the youngsters put in a very long school day, often from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
``It is all worth it to get the variety of classes that I can take here where we are treated like professionals all day,'' Terrence said.
``Here I can be myself because I am with people who understand me, people who have the same passion,'' Heather added.
Both Heather and Terrance willingly gave up their spring proms to participate in the ``42nd Street'' production. ``I had the dress, the shoes and the date, but I had to tell him, ``No, I have got to do my show,'' Heather said.
Tick noted that the students who specialize in the technical, backstage work may not be in the spotlight now, but they are often the ones who earn the biggest scholarships to college theater programs. by CNB