An Interview with Bob Greenwald, MDTC's Tech Director, Stage Manager & Operations Manager
When dancers in Mosaic Dance Theater Company
hear the word “Places!” they know that all (!) they have to worry about are
their dances and their costume changes. Someone else has to worry about all the
other details: are the dancers ready, music
cues, light cues, sound levels, props on and off, and the list goes on. That lucky someone is Bob Greenwald, MDTC’s
TD, SM, and wearer of many hats. To make
things run as smoothly as they do, Bob is the guy who plans the travel route
for a tour show, secures a parking spot, loads the cargo, drives the van, maintains
the website, builds the props, etc. And now, here’s Bob!
How did you become involved in
technical theater?
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| Bob Greenwald wearing one of his many hats |
In high school and college I performed on
stage and also worked back stage. After graduation and starting a full time job
I did not have the blocks of free time needed to learn and perform a role. Also
the local and community theaters always had trouble finding enough qualified
people to handle the technical duties, so I got to try my hand at lots of
different jobs, from running a follow-spot, to recording sound effects, to
re-wiring lighting instruments, and more.
What drew you to making set pieces and
props?
Traditionally, dance will have very
little beyond the dancers, choreography, costumes, music, and lights. But
Mosaic’s acclaimed story-theater presentations add a realm of narrative and
fantasy. You never know if the next production will need a golden throne, an
Egyptian Sarcophagus, or a pavilion for musicians to perform in. The larger
pieces are very complicated to design. They need to be sturdy enough to be
fully functional, yet light enough to move on stage, and be easy to dissemble
and transport to a performance. The smaller props can be just as challenging.
Whether it is a 5-foot golden harpoon, a headpiece for a canopic priestess, or
a cooked chicken, it needs to look correct and detailed to an audience member
who may be sitting 15 or 50 feet away. But, it also needs to be light enough,
balanced, and comfortable to dance with. You never know what the next item
needed will be.
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| Clockwise from upper left: the golden throne (Ubar the Lost City of Brass); the sarcophagus (Land of the Pharaohs); the canopic goddesses (Land of The Pharaohs); the musicians' pavilion. (Photos by Gary Heller; video capture by Bob Greenwald.) |
Can you note any differences working
with Dance Theater vs. theater?
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| Tech rehearsal. |
Is there any piece in Mosaic’s
repertory that has particular meaning for you, and why?
 |
| Land of The Pharaohs. (Photo by Gary Heller.) |
I very much enjoy the story-theater
pieces. The additional narrative, story, and plot added to the dance, costumes,
music and lighting, creates a vastly richer and more complex presentation. I
think my particular favorite piece is Land of The Pharaohs. Everyone is
familiar with many of the iconic images that are thousands of years old, including
King Tut and the pyramids. There are also many elements most people do not know
about, such as the story of Isis and Osiris.
The paintings and temple reliefs provide a wealth of visual elements to
build on.
What are the challenges (for you) of
working in technical theater?
Trying to figure out how to create and design
the next set piece or prop. And then figure out how to construct it so it looks
and functions correctly, but still is comfortable enough to dance with.
How has your time with Mosaic changed
or enhanced your experience in technical theater?
It is always growing and developing. The
company continues to explore additional dance styles and new stories from the
lands around the Mediterranean. In the past few years we are doing more with
projections which adds an additional dimension and atmosphere to the stage. It
is also an entirely new technology to research and learn.
from Enheduanna. (Video by Bob Greenwald.)
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