A Little Night Music Under the Stars

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC UNDER THE STARS:

The Warner Produces a Magical Evening of Outdoor Theatre

TORRINGTON, CT - We all have points in our lives when we wish and hope that the planets might align to afford us a moment in time that will succeed beyond our wildest dreams.

Last Wednesday, at the Pleasant Valley Drive-In in Barkhamsted, not only did the planets line up together, the stars and moon and seemingly every celestial body convened in harmony as we witnessed a magical night of theatre of epic proportions.

The Warner, while closed due to the pandemic since March, produced a one-night-only, outdoor and socially distanced live production of Stephen Sondheim’s electrifying musical, ASSASSINS. The aim of this endeavor? To provide live theatre in a time where, for months, this unifying art form which feeds the hearts and minds of so many of us has been woefully absent.

With a skeletal staff working behind the scenes to make this event come to life, there were innumerable variables that could have made this ambitious project stall or soar. First and foremost, of paramount importance: Ensuring everyone’s safety. At the head of this extraordinary adventure, Warner Producing Artistic Director, Sharon W. Houk, says that this critical point factored heavily into the selection of the production title to be performed. It had to be a show that could afford its actors to be socially distanced at all times. Having produced ASSASSINS at the Warner’s Nancy Marine Studio once before, Houk and director Katherine Ray knew it could fit the bill.

With thanks to Donna McGrane and the Pleasant Valley Drive-In movie theater, once ASSASSINS was selected as the appropriate piece, there was now a suitable venue at which to present it. However, the technical needs that factor into any live theatre performance – let alone one as unique as this – also presented a major hurdle. “Getting all the technical elements into place in a venue outside the [Warner] was a huge challenge, especially with a very limited budget,” said Houk. With just one day prior to the actual live performance to nail down the complex set-up, equipment such as generators, sound and light implements, pick-up trucks as the set pieces on which the actors would perform, and countless other essential elements were transported to the venue and configured by only a handful of crew members.

In addition, the element of video projection was also a key component to ensure visibility for all audience members. “Knowing that [the actors] would need to be a great distance apart, the only option for this type of performance was [to] do it where the performers could be videoed live and projected so everyone in attendance could see and still be socially distanced,” said Houk. Fortunately, the technical talents of director Katherine Ray extend into this arena. Ray, in addition to directing this show alongside Music Director Dan Koch, orchestrated a seamless configuration of a live video feed projected on the giant Pleasant Valley screen. Pairing the video projection with sound transmitted through each car’s FM stereo, the result was an immersive yet safe experience for all.

The technical framework now in place, suddenly Wednesday - show time - had arrived. As the sun began to set over the field and cars filtered into the Pleasant Valley lot, there was a notable buzz in the air; a tangible feeling that something astounding was about to happen.

With the opening notes soaring into the night air, the actors, eerily lit on each of their performance “pods”, raised their voices in unison and magic took flight in front of our eyes.

As Joe Harding, cast member of ASSASSINS stated, “I was lucky enough to [have my performance pod] stationed by entranceway of the drive-in, where I could hear every carload of audience members being greeted by eager volunteers with nothing but delight. People who hadn’t seen each other in months ready to see the evening’s experience. And that’s what it was; an experience.”

The enchanting mood didn’t stop there, however. To everyone’s astonishment and delight, one of the cars in the audience contained ASSASSINS composer Stephen Sondheim himself. “I just sang Stephen Sondheim’s songs for Stephen Sondheim,” said awe-struck cast member Ian Diedrich after the show.

Yes, it was a magical evening in every regard. For just a couple of hours, from the comfort of their vehicles, audience members were able to share in a remarkable journey; a respite from the weight of existing circumstances. Faces aglow from the lights on the screen and set, spectators sat transfixed by the mesmerizing production unfolding in front of them. The actors, too, felt the resonating wonders of the evening. Cast member Tony Leone remarked, “I didn’t realize how much I needed something like our outdoor performance of ASSASSINS, especially in the midst of a bizarre pandemic. I will be forever grateful for this experience.”

Live theatre is a gift to us all: Whether we are spectators in the audience, performers on stage, or crew members helping set it all up behind the scenes, the power live theatre possesses to unify us for one brief yet enduring moment in time is a treasure like no other. As Joe Harding stated after Wednesday’s performance, “What I left with was the power of so many people convinced in the potential of a performance. Not only to entertain or even to promote a certain thought, but to bring people together. I was glad I was there.”

So were we. Thanks to all who helped make it happen.

(Photo credit: Mandi Martini)