The American Conservatory Theater (ACT) announces a new feature on its website, www.act-sf.org, designed to take theatregoers behind the scenes of each Geary Theatre production. Beginning with The Constant Wife, at the Geary Theatre March 27 through April 27, Behind the Scenes will track the collaborative process involved in the creation of each production with images and text taken from design discussions, production meetings, and rehearsals.
Behind the Scenes is conceived to give theatregoers a better understanding of the step-by-step process involved in creating a stage production, similar to the way DVD extras enhance the viewer's appreciation of a film. Behind the Scenes also provides theatregoers with a sneak peak at what they will see on the Geary stage before they enter the theatre.
"We are always working toward new ways to engage our audience and make them an active part of our creative process," says ACT artistic director Carey Perloff. "As with our Audience Exchange discussions and our publication Words on Plays, we hope that the Behind the Scenes feature of the website further contributes to a theatregoer's multidimensional understanding and appreciation of each individual production."
Each Thursday, beginning one month before the opening night of the production, Behind the Scenes will feature a new stage in the production's progress toward completion. Behind the Scenes launched with set designs by The Constant Wife designer Kate Edmunds. In coming weeks, theatregoers will be able to access design images from costume designer Anna R. Oliver, as well as rehearsal and production photos. As the Behind the Scenes area of the website grows, ACT web administrators plan to investigate how sound and video clips may be incorporated to enhance the visitor's overall learning experience.