Two weeks ago, we shared production photography for Idle Muse Theatre Company’s production of The Three Musketeers, adapted by Robert Kauzlaric, directed by Evan Jackson.
Since then, Distant Era returned to the Edge Off Broadway theater to photograph the archival session for The Three Musketeers, and that session is the subject of this week’s edition of The All Worlds Traveller.
Archival Photography with Idle Muse Theatre Company
When we create the press and production photography for an Idle Muse show, we usually have an hour during tech week. Over the past several years, Idle Muse has become a more technically advanced storefront theatre company, earning nominations and awards for sound, lighting, costumes, and wigs, and recognition for stage management. The actors typically begin working in the space a week prior to the show’s opening, thus all of the technical elements need to fall into place within that week. And the show needs to be photographed to look like it’s supposed to look onstage.
Nevertheless, depending on the day we’re scheduled to photograph, certain elements may not be completed or coordinated. Costume pieces may not be finished; projections may not be ready. Lighting cues may not be completely configured. In the limited time we have, Distant Era (that’s me) works with the stage manager to shoot a list of moments from the show in order to get some killer promotional images. In that mad rush, we’ve made it happen year after year. These days, we’re running like a well-oiled machine. That’s how a production photography with a one-hour photo call goes.
Archival Session Goals
By contrast, at an archival session, Distant Era returns to the space, and we capture key elements from the show with all the elements in place. The show’s artists—performers and creative team alike—submit requests for scenes and elements from the production that they’d like to have photographed, and we work through that list to document the production. This way, the show’s artists gain curated photographs for their websites and portfolio. In addition, the earlier we photograph an archival session, the more useful the resulting photos are for promoting the show during the remainder of its run. Usually, if the theatre company releases the photos to the performers and creative team, the artists share their work to their networks and, in theory, audience interest/attendance increases.
These are some of the elements we focus on in our archival sessions:
Lighting
Idle Muse Theatre Company’s lighting designer Laura J. Wiley masterfully creates ambiance with her designs. She sets a mood with each scene and each show she works on. The Three Musketeers contains a multitude of interesting lighting cues. Here are a few favorites.
Scene
Idle Muse’s scenic painter Breezy Synder colors every set in texture and color, transforming it from raw materials into a work of art. I always make sure to take some wide shots for Breezy that contain the whole set, usually under different lighting cues.
Action
Last but not least, we capture onstage scenes to serve the actors, director, fight choreographers, intimacy designers, and actors.
Costume
Costume designer Victoria Jablonski returns to Idle Muse after her work on The School for Scandal last year, outdoing herself yet again.
I have made portraits of each of Vicki’s costumes, which also serve as actor portraits to promote themselves and add to their portfolio.
We even got a light test image with director Evan Jackson.
Ultimately, an archival session creates a visual memory and tangible record of the artists’ and company’s hard work in creating a production.
Cast and Creative Teams
Thanks to Idle Muse’s cast and creative team, and special thanks to director Evan Jackson and to company manager Kati Lechner for organizing this archival session. Tickets and showtimes for The Three Musketeers are available here.
Here is the full list of cast and creative team for The Three Musketeers as it appears on Idle Muse Theatre Company’s website as of this writing.
CAST: Troy Schaeflein (D’Artagnan), Jack Sharkey (Athos) Boomer Lusink (Porthos), Xavier Lagunas (Aramis), Jennifer Mohr (Milady), Joel Thompson (Rochefort), Eric Duhon (Richelieu), Benjamin Jouras (Louis XIII/Buckingham), Erik Schnitger (Treville), Vanessa Copeland (Jane Felton/Bonacieux), Brendan Hutt (Laporte), Sam Neel (Combat Ensemble), Jamie Redwood (Constance), Caty Gordon (Queen Anne), Ian Saderholm (u/s D’Artagnan) Elise Soeder (u/s Milady), Emily Pfriem (u/s Constance, u/s Jane Felton), Emely Cuestas (u/s Queen Anne); Alex George (u/s Porthos), Malachi Marrero (u/s Rochefort), Rick Adams (u/s Combat Ensemble), Derek Preston Ray (u/s Louis XIII/Buckingham), and Alex Hultman (u/s Laporte, u/s Aramis)
CREATIVE: Robert Kauzlaric (playwright), Evan Jackson (director), Kati Lechner (production manager, health and safety officer), Lindsey Chidester (stage manager), Libby Beyreis (assistant director, violence director), Brendan Hutt (violence director), Erin Alys (intimacy director), Jeremiah Barr (technical director, master carpenter), Tristan Brandon (health and safety officer, props designer), Becky Warner (props designer), Beth Bruins (assistant stage manager); Emma Rund (dramaturg), Laura J. Wiley (lighting designer), L.J. Luthringer (sound designer and composer), Vicki Jablonski (costume designer), Breezy Snyder (scenic painter), Mara Kovacevic (house manager), Mario Mazzetti (dialect and voice direction), Elizabeth Macdougald (rehearsal fight coach), Caty Gordon (marketing & social media), and Michael Dalberg (literary director)
