SCENERY PAINTING FOR THE AMATEUR MUSICAL THEATRE and PANTOMIME

OKLAHOMA! The Mill Page two
Designer - Kate Jones
Built and painted by - Brian Willis
Performed by - The Mill Summer Youth Group
at the Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey, in August 2011

FLYING

Ever since I saw my first Pantomime, which was in the Bournemouth Pavilion (probably 1946) I was besotted with all things to do with the stage. I made scrap books and my father built me a beautiful model theatre. The first book I ever bought was an illustrated "Behind the Scenes (literally) at the Theatre" . One aspect which fascinated me was the Fly Tower and the ability to fly scenery up off the stage and out of sight in the grid above.

Now, for the first time ever, I've built and painted scenery for a theatre with the ability to fly. And here is a photo of it happening.


You can tell it's flying by noting the feet underneath on the left! Thanks Alan Clarke and his stage crew of the Theatre at the Mill... You've made an old man very happy!

The theatre has 47 separate counterweighted fly bars

Some of the props leaning against the cages holding the flying ropes. You can just make out some of the yellow counterweights at the bottom. I was rather taken aback when asked the weight of the scenery I was bringing. I've never been asked that before.
<< Return to Oklahoma! list  
<< Return to list of Stage Sets