Backstage Management

“What you don't see backstage is what really controls the show.” 

-Sarah Sutton

There are many people other than the actors / performers involved behind the stage. In theatre / annual day concerts, it is difficult to find people who are willing to give up their time for these jobs. However, without these people who are willing to support these roles, an event could not be staged.

Great deal of co-ordination takes place during the theatre or concerts. There are different roles often ignored in the lime light of the lead roles played by actress / actresses. The crew who makes it possible are the directors, the story writer, the stage manager, the make-up artists, the prop makers, the sound and the light coordinator etcetera.

The director has the overall responsibility, he works closely with the creative team, the performers and the music artists/sound and light coordinators.
Typical task of the director includes working with writers, adapting scripts breaking down the script to choose an artist, participants, taking auditions and making selection appropriately. Also, he/she has to prioritize his/her time for taking rehearsals, meeting prop designers, costume designers etcetera.

Story writer: “Story” is more or less what it sounds like: the plot, the characters, the settings and tone. Script is to be structured as a story telling through different approaches and different terminology.

Prop designer: He/she takes care of making realistic looking props as per the requirement of the stage show which are also cost effective.

Make-up artists and dress designers: Costume and Make-up crew prepares the dressing rooms, and checks the costumes before and after each rehearsal and performance, does minor repairs, laundry and pressing, and assists the actors in applying make-up. Responsibilities begin with costume move-in prior to Dress Parade, and continue throughout the dress rehearsal period and all performances.

Sound and light co-ordinators: This crew programs and runs the light control board and mike systems and  computer under the guidance of the Stage Manager.

A DAY AT THE ZOO ZOO ZOO!

Field trips are a great way to bring excitement and adventure to the learning process. Especially, it is more important for young children to be engaged in ways that deepen their understanding of their own experiences and environment.Our mission was to expose the children to the things that are typically not a part of their every-day environment. Oh! And not to forget to tag the FUN part to the mission. So, the idea of the zoo trip conceived. On a run up for children's day, we, the pre-primary group, chose to visit the Nehru zoological park in our very own hitech Hyderabad. Apart from our first field trip to the KBR park in Jubilee hills, this was the second and perhaps the best one. While in school, we engaged the kids in several pre-trip activities to get them prepared and to build up their excitement. We read books, played videos and sang songs and were ramping up for our visit to the zoo scheduled for Nov 7th, 2014. The count down to the big day started with the invitations sent out with their bring along check-lists.

The children eagerly waited for the day to arrive and bingo the attendance was in full. It was a bright sunny day. The bus rides were smooth and non-chaotic. Sure they enjoyed their morning snack on the way to the zoo singing along "We are going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.... How about you, you, you ????? You can come too, too, too. We bought the tickets and waited for our turn to step into the animal world. The children were given instructions to keep the premises clean and not to feed the animals. 

We trudged in with our various bags and booked ourselves to board the environment friendly battery operated vehicles in groups of approximately 15. We anxiously waited for our turn. Soon it was time to board the battery operated van, and we set off. Our first stop was at the charismatic elephants. Their enclosures were huge and the animals were sighted far from sight but never too far for the young and watchful eyes.We got to see the grizzly bears, Royal bengal tigers, white tigers, lions,leopards chimpanzees, rhinos, hippos,  peacocks and giraffe. There were plenty of deer, emus and birds. All along singing to the tunes of " There were monkeys in the zoo and there were nobody around......"

Walking on we saw crocodiles taking a sun bath and moved on to see the reptiles like snakes, iguanas. Most animals were kept in large outdoor enclosures or fenced enclosures while the birds were kept in cages and reptiles in glass cases. All the children thoroughly enjoyed watching all the animals. Some they watched in awe and some in trepidation. We clicked tons of pictures for memories. We had our lunch in a tree shade and packed up.

After walking around for the entire day and seeing so many animals and birds, we were very tired, but were equally excited and happy. On their ride back, most of them dozed off tired from a day filled with fun and excitement. All the children had the best possible experience they could have. We had a wonderful trip visiting the zoo and we would cherish the nice time we spent there.So what we are going to dream about next is perhaps a petting zoo in line.

Kamala Manda

On a Field trip

As a teacher working in a school, I get to go where the kids go on a learning trip usually called a field trip. The field trip (also a school trip or an excursion), as we all are aware, is a trip made by students to gain firsthand knowledge away from the classroom. These trips emphasize the fact that learning cannot be confined to one place or environment. I quote - “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

Definitely a field trip is meant for the school children to gather some glimpses into the “real world” however I too have immensely benefitted from these outings. When I had to plan or decide upon such a trip for my learners, I drew upon memories of my childhood, my experiences when I was growing up and what saw and learnt when I touched different shores of land for living.

While I was a homeroom teacher for third grade learners, I had a thought of taking them to see the water purification plant. I remember vividly my visit to one in K.G.F town of Kolar district, Karnataka during summer vacations when I went to visit my aunt. I still remember the use of word “Alum” for sedimentation process and the strong scent of chlorine while disinfecting the water. It was not a huge facility but was being used efficiently to supply water to some parts of Bangalore too. I searched to find a purification plant in Hyderabad with a wish to give them the same experience I have had, but I was thoroughly disappointed to see none that matched my expectations. Though I found small one managed by Hyderabad Municipal water works department, it wasn’t the one that can be showcased to little learners at all. I did understand clearly then why even the water in wash rooms is drinkable in developed countries while the water in kitchen faucets is filtered again to make it potable in India.

My next thought moved on to a milk processing plant. Yes, I could find one plant in Lalapet managed by AP Dairy Development Cooperative and the products are available in market under the brand name ‘Vijaya’. We had a field trip to that plant and had an excellent experience. The children not only got to see the pasteurization tanks but also the supply lines to various units where several milk products were made like paneer, khoya and flavoured milk. They even saw the packing section and the huge supply vans. The officials were very enthusiastic and were urging teachers to educate children about the career prospects with Dairy industry with B tech and M tech degrees in Dairy Technology. It brought to me the memory of seeing a simple and routine “Meet and Greet” programme that ran in my daughter’s elementary school where she gushed about meeting a fire fighter, a police officer, a US senator or an attorney. I did feel that there is an immense need for school students to be exposed to various careers and schools can play a role in that.

I had also been with my learners to Mrugavani National park at Chilkur on a nature expedition. My two cents on this had been that these kinds of trips should come after some learning happening in the class rooms to arouse their interest in the topic. A trip to a super market or a bazaar makes sense only after we talk about either handling money or learning about being an informed shopper (interpreting the nutritional labels on the package).

My recent field trip was a visit to an Army Unit that dealt with Artillery and heavy firing machines. It started out with an excellent presentation by one young army officer. The young man completely sold to the audience - the ethics and the values, Indian Army stands by. It was very impressive and it struck me that the defending forces of any country are thought always as forces of strength and aggression; however what I saw that day was strength of character built by moral values aggressively inculcated within them.

We moved out and saw a display of tankers equipped with grenade rifles and Anti-aircraft guns. Another officer explained the physics of this equipment and the need and use too. But I must admit that I was very impressed with the ambulance tanker that was on display there. The meticulous and resourceful planning that went in, to design the vehicle to carry back the wounded soldiers from the battle field where only tanker can reach, was incredible. It is no exaggeration when I say the trash bin was given due importance in the design as an oxygen cylinder and mask. No detail is small detail when you plan and a contingency is the most important aspect of planning.

There are many more such memories that have lead to my learning. I am sure you all will agree that one could learn from a dog too, if willing to. Like John Grogan, the author of Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog  says “A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.” 

I completely agree with Mr. Albert Einstein - “The only source of Knowledge is Experience” and “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” I hope you do too. Happy learning anyway, anytime!