Highlights

Campus News

Wildcat Weekly Minute for Nov. 17, 2011

A look at what's happening on campus this week.

Faith

Cleansed through the Cross

Dr. Quarles speaks on the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice at weekly chapel

Sports

LC hoops teams wrap up homestand with pair of wins

Off to Ozarks, UT-Dallas next

Organizations

LC media student give to Toys for Tots

More than 100 toys will help local charity

Campus Life

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

Stay healthy and 'God Red'

Culture

All the Shakespeare you could laugh at… and more!

tlc's adaptation of 'Shakespeare Abridged' pulls out all the stops

Special Coverage

LC brings another successful ‘Follow the Star’

'Christmas on the Hill' and 'Gala' add to festive weekend

Vincent manages cast, crew

by Nicole Richmond

Phillip Vincent, LC senior and stage manager, led the cast and crew as they prepared for 'Christmas Letters from War.'

“How does this look now, Phillip?”

“… Umm, well … Can we move it up a little bit, please?”

Although the list of things to do the week of “Christmas Letters from War” ran long and required hours of work, stage manager Phillip Vincent tried to be as much of a perfectionist as time would allow.

Early in the week, the preparations for the play seemed endless and overwhelming. On Monday, for instance, costumes were being fitted and props for the show were being arranged.

Although the preparations might have seemed slightly chaotic to outsiders, Vincent never seemed to lose sight of the final goal and what needed to be done in order to accomplish it. As stage manager, he knew a great deal of responsibility lay on his shoulders and he fully intended to ensure that load did not suffer on his account.

On Saturday morning, while most students on campus were still sleeping after a taxing week of classes and an exciting snowfall, Vincent arrived in Guinn Auditorium at 10 a.m.

Upon arrival, Vincent took stock of recently completed work and noted tasks that still remained to be done. Two student volunteers from writer/director Dr. Pete Richardson’s theatre appreciation class, Ashley Duplantis and Bridgett Foreman, joined Vincent to continue painting and constructing props for that night’s show.

Vincent continued to work on minor details throughout the morning hoping to be as prepared as possible for the dress rehearsal that afternoon.

After a lunch break and a little more work, students began trickling in for the rehearsal. Soon, Guinn was filled with Chorale students, actors, stagehands and media communication students who buzzed around the auditorium trying to prepare for the execution of their own responsibilities.

As the dress rehearsal progressed, Vincent rarely left his post, a spot just out of the audience’s view of the edge of the stage, unless he had a specific goal to accomplish. In this same spot he took mental notes of things to fix, solved unexpected problems and reminded actors and stagehands of their cues and the proper positions of themselves and their props.

After the play concluded, Richardson gave notes of adjustments to be made before the play to the cast and crew and then released them for an hour's break.

Despite everything going on before and during the dress rehearsal, Vincent never stopped thanking people for the work they were doing. When the prop girls finished redecorating the bunkers the troops would hide behind on stage, for instance, he heartily thanked both of them and sent them on their way, reminding them to be back at 5 p.m. to make final preparations for the show at 6.

Vincent took advantage of this time to take a short break for himself before the busy night reached its climax.

Upon returning to Guinn, Vincent confidently resumed his role as stage manager. He answered last minute questions and concerns, found workers to escort attendees to their seat and ran through a mental checklist, making sure everything noted at the dress rehearsal had been fixed and was ready for the real show.

As the open of the show drew near, Vincent once again took his place just off the edge of the stage and waited eagerly for the show to begin. Very few details were left to be taken care of, all the actors knew their places and all the stagehands knew their jobs. But, as the clock counted down to the beginning of the play, the anticipation continued to grow until the show began and the results of all of Vincent's hard work were seen.

“Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to ‘Christmas Letters from War…’

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