Meet Our Scenic and Lighting Designer

Ben Oldham is the director of technical theatre at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts and is pleased to join the Illumination Opera family.  Ben has designed school and professional shows in Minnesota an Tennessee before moving to New England last year.  He has three degrees - bachelor in theatre arts and computer science, in addition to a B.F. (Bachelor of Fun) from Mooseburger Clown Camp, where he spent three sessions learning the ins an outs of circus clowning (he even has the big red shoes).  When he is not working on a show, Ben enjoys writing about himself in the third person.

Planning Next Season!!!

Although we are all in the middle of learning our roles for H&G, raising money, having design meetings, etc., etc., we have to plan what we do next.  We had a company meeting and the vote was to put up Die Fledermaus in English.  We are aiming for the first weekend in February 2010 to coincide with Chelmsford's WinterFest.  Just imagine if we got the whole town to come to the opera in black tie!!!  That would be a first, I am sure.  Now back to H&G...

Digging In

The cast is now in the middle of digging in and learning their parts.  Although it is July, October is just around the corner.  That is when our blocking rehearsals start and we should all be off book.   We have a condensed rehearsal schedule because the cost of renting the theatre is so great.  It would be wonderful to be able to have a long rehearsal period, but it is just impossible.  

I don't know how other singers feel when they are preparing a role, but I know the music is starting to get into my bones when I wake up with it in my head.  The lyrics pop into my mind even when I am not working on the music.  I'm still at the point where it is all random and I don't know exactly where the part that popped into my head falls, but I know it will all come together.   Better to be in that place in July than November!  

Most people probably think of H&G as something just for kids, but they are wrong.  This music is very Wagnerian and more difficult than one would think.  The more I study the score the most exciting it all becomes.  It seems the key changes every page, which is a complete challenge for the orchestrator.  

As I have said before, onward and upward!