MYSTERIES OF MARIA; Inside Artes de la Rosa's Maria De Buenos Aires - BLOG 9 - ILLUMINATING DISCOVERIES

Today we blog with Lighting Designer Michael Cole. Michael is not new to ADLR having served as Assistant Lighting Designer on our production of A View From The Bridge. Michael is a creative beast as an Artist and is bringing his own special brand of en-lightning Illumination to Maria de Buenos Aires... Opening Night is just around the corner...www.artesdelarosa.org

ILLUMINATING DISCOVERIES

Adam first approached me about designing the lighting for Maria de Buenos Aires while I was on tour with a production of My Fair Lady. We had been having conversations concerning different philosophies of art and how art is influenced by life and how it affects life.

One day out of the blue, Adam sends me an e-mail telling me about a production he would be working on called Maria des Buenos Aires. Apparently the original lighting designer had taken another job in New York and would be unable to commit to the project. Being out of college for a year, looking for new experiences, I gladly accepted the project.

In the following weeks our conversations about art transformed slowly into me asking a lot of questions: what was it about? Why was it written? What in the world is an Operita?! Adam was able to send me what I can only describe as a research book. Filled with inspirational imagery, detailed history of the production, synopsis, libretto, pages of character descriptions, author biographies, etc. It was…thoroughly…researched.

Normally, my design process would begin with the script as it is the “blueprint” of the production. As this production is based on the tango, however, it was more appropriate to begin with the music. The music itself was a joy to listen to. I could hear the colors of the production very succinctly in the dynamics and melody. After reading the script, I went back to the music to make notes and drawings that I felt captured the style.

The next step was to ascertain the tools that I had to work with. In working with the technical director/scene designer, we compiled an inventory of the lighting gear available. To do this, it was necessary to remove every light from the stage. Something that had not been done in years. The entire lighting system will be reconfigured for Maria... to suit her needs.

In this production, the lighting will paint every scene to help evoke the spirit of the story. Strong theatrical looks, not limited by the confines of realistic lighting, will sculpt every segment of the story. Heavy use of color and angle will add to the tango drama that is Maria. You won’t want to miss this.

A View of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE with actor Abel Flores Jr.

In today's blog, actor Abel Flores Jr., who last appeared on the Artes de la Rosa stage as Father Tooker in last years Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, talks about the relevancy of the story and the importance of seeing ourselves in this story. Abel returns to ADLR as the young, romantic (and illegal) immigrant, Rudolpho. As a special treat, he's included some photos from rehearsals thus far!

When I read plays, I often find myself empathizing with one or two characters. Finding the relationship between yourself and a character in a story is important when studying a script or being cast in a role. What’s so powerful about the story and characters in A View from the Bridge is that not only is every character relatable but every element of the story is too. This play is one important story with many different sides to it. I’ve read this script multiple times and I find myself hoping for each character to achieve what they so desperately want each time. Real people exist in this story. The issues brought to light by this show and how our director, Adam Adolfo, transforms them through Latin eyes, makes them local, relevant, and applicable to where we as a community find ourselves today. Artes de la Rosa’s production of A View from the Bridge is an ambitious and important one; with the consistent dedication and hard work that each member of the company gives, it is a story worth telling and listening to.