Chitty Chitty Bang Bang First Work Day!
What went on at the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang first work day?
Our patrons have come to know and love our stage productions at Community Theatre of Clay County, but what they might not know about is all the work that goes into preparing to put on such shows. This past weekend the theatre saw a large undertaking that ended with amazing results for our next production: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang First Work Day Organization
Board member and production committee chair, Bryan Schroeder, organized a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang workday for Saturday morning. Members of the cast and crew, as well as their families, joined in to help both organize the theatre, and begin to bring the world of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to life!
Kevin McCrea was instrumental in designing and building a much needed storage unit for the theatre’s larger furniture pieces. Our second floor has never looked more organized!
Everyone present was delighted at the treats brought in by Terry and Sandy Gibbens, three dozen donuts, and several gallons of milk!
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang First Work Day Participation
T.J. Tincher, who plays male lead Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, said, “We built set pieces along with organizing our upstairs cast house. We also rehearsed music along with Dave.”
Tincher was speaking of Dave Lloyd. Lloyd is one of the rehearsal pianists that has joined our theatre family. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is his first show with the Community Theatre of Clay County, and we are delighted to have him!
Long-time CTCC theatre participant, and man playing a comedic spy in our upcoming musical, Kevin McCrea, said, “I would say we put most of the set together and moved most of the second floor furniture to the new storage platform. We also moved all of the flats away from the wall on the second floor in preparation for the flat storage area to be constructed. Those were the major accomplishments.”
Cameron Wunderlich, experienced stage hand, said it was, “A successful day of set construction with several in attendance. We were able to complete the majority of the set in just a few hours.” He even quoted one of the lyrics from the show, stating that, “Teamwork makes the Dream Work!”
Payton Kumpf, extremely talented actress, playing Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, shared that those in attendance, “…built a wall that will conceal & reveal Chitty & we also built Grandpa Potts’ shed! Since there was a lot of help, we also organized the furniture on the upper level of the theatre. Many of us were able to work with our pianist, Dave, on some of our individual songs. So on top of building a set, we got rehearsal time in, too!
Shaun Short, who plays Baron Bomburst in our production, was happy to share that, “We were able to “frame” the entire set. Built a shed for Grandpa and a movable wall that will double as Coggins’ Garage and the Potts Home. Painting and finishing details will still need to be done at a later date. We also finished building the furniture storage unit up on the second floor and began organizing the large furniture pieces in the prop library.”
Michelle McCrea, longtime theatre participant, and current secretary of the Board of Directors for CTCC, stated that, “They got the set built and ready for painting. They got the furniture under and on the new storage area on the second floor, and flats moved around so they can start building a storage area for them. There was some music rehearsal with Dave. There was plenty of help to get everything done.”
Another extremely accomplished, stagehand, Brandon, Wunderlich reported that, “Well, we accomplished a lot of set pieces. For example: got the wall up for the garage and house, closed in the room behind bookshelf, and getting ready to dress the set soon. Also, accomplished moving furniture onto a shelf to make space on the second floor. And moved flats away from the wall to make it easier for the builder to build the storage racks for the flats.”
Rusty Coley, playing Grandpa Potts in our upcoming production, said that those present did, “Basic set construction,… got ideas for colors in the scene areas, condensed, stacked, and uncluttered the mezzanine, and practiced music individually with Dave. (It was a) good bunch of fun, industrious people.
Dianna Baysinger, playing our Child Catcher in the upcoming musical, stated that the, “spies got some rehearsal time in, so did Truly on “Lovely, Lonely Man.” We moved a lot of furniture around upstairs to make room for the workspace, built Grandpa’s hut, I found my coat/jacket for Childcatcher, and we ate doughnuts.
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Work Day Contributors
Those who contributed to Saturday’s workday were:
Brandon Wunderlich
Cameron Wunderlich
Jennifer Wunderlich
T.J. Tincher
Shaun Short
Rusty Coley
Carl McKinney
Diane Parrish
Payton Kumpf
Lee Reberger
Michelle McCrea
Gilbert Clear
Gerry Gutierrez
Terry Gibbens
Sandy Gibbens
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Work Day Payoff!
Come enjoy the fruits of their labor by catching our production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on March 8, 9, or 10! Tickets are going fast, so don’t miss out! Get your tickets here, today!
