Paging Aslan! In a fascinating video from 360 Theatre, Head Puppetmaker Max Humphries demonstrates the challenges of creating Aslan for 360's new production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Humphries shows the step by step creation of the beautiful life-size Aslan puppet for the production, which was created from designs (featured in the video) by talented scenic designer Tom Scott.

Puppet Aslan is a thing of beauty when he's brought to life, once again demonstrating how powerful puppetry can be as a theatrical element, with the hard work of Humphries and Scott truly worth the effort (even more so now that the theatre recently announced that Aslan will be voiced by actor David Suchet). Check it out -- it's a fascinating glimpse into the dedication required to meet a theatrical challenge, and -- as with the much-loved War Horse production currently playing in London and New York -- to turn that challenge into the opportunity for unforgettable art.

Adored by all ages, this major new production of the classic C. S. Lewis story has been created by an award-winning team, combining live theatre with Threesixty's ground-breaking surround video and enchanting puppetry performed in a state-of-the art theatre tent (set against the backdrop of Kensington Palace itself). The show has also provided provided a wonderful inside look at the scenic designs by Tom Scutt. Enjoy -- both videos are a must!

_{Acclaimed actor David Suchet with an earlier incarnation of puppet Aslan, in the upcoming production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Image courtesy of 360 Theatre. Photo by Alastair Muir.}

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On Monday, May 14, 2012, the League of Professional Theatre Women celebrated the female pioneers who led the way in producing for the American stage, in its presentation of The Legacy Project at the Martin E. Segal Theatre in New York City.

The Legacy Project considers the legacy of those female producers who first forged the way for women in theatre, and who first dedicated themselves to expanding the rolese of women in the commercial theatre. These vital efforts by women who were in many cases also working in multiple roles as actresses, directors, playwrights, producers, and more, helped to create the very bedrock of today's theatrical accomplishments from the regional level, to Broadway and Off-Broadway, from nonprofit, to for-profit.

The Legacy Project was curated by Susan Jonas, who is a co-founder of 50/50 in 2020, and produced by The League of Professional Theatre Women's Ludovica Villar-Hauser.

It's a common refrain from me, but the performing arts is at its most effective when it represents and mirrors the audiences it serves. A lack of female producers, directors and playwrights isn't just sad, it's not representative of the huge numbers of women who often drive a show's successes as loyal audience members, and may very well be impacting ticket sales and audience numbers as a whole. Women need to be leading productions, sparking conversations, and helming just as many production efforts and creative projects as men. Let's make it happen.

Read more about The Legacy Project and the recent awards ceremony from the League of Professional Theatre Women here. You go, girl.

_{Photo courtesy of © Flickr user B Rosen (From Becky's New Car, Lighting Design by Bryan Rosengrant)}

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So you're going to run a light board, but maybe you need a little help or reassurance? Running a board and actually handling the step by step changes in stage lighting can be a rewarding and exhilarating experience -- all you need is a little preparation, organization, and practice. If you're going to be working as a light board operator (or "LBO") for an upcoming production, here are some easy steps to help you learn and handle your duties in everything from running a light board, to handling the cues, and acting with professionalism during the lifespan of a show's run. Have fun -- and if you're an experienced LBO yourself, don't forget to share your own tips in our comments and forums!

_{© Flickr user B Rosen}

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Far too often, stage managers do jobs that are quietly competent, yet rarely (publicly) rewarded. They don't really win awards or take bows. They're just there -- omnipresent, capable, and fabulous. That's why it was heartening to see TheatreFace's charming and heartfelt "Love Letter to Stage Managers." Posted by M. Yichau, it's basically a list of everything you ever wanted to say, to the best stage managers you've ever worked with, signed with a flourish.

The whole thing has a great stream-of-consciousness feel to it, and there's also some real insight and appreciation, as here:

...you rarely get the love you deserve, because when you're good, you're invisible, quietly smoothing the spinning wheels and cogs.

It's funny, because your job often isn't even defined by any one codified set of guidelines! Expectations of you shift and wobble from gig to gig, from theater to theater. In any relationship, that's not fair--but you take in stride. Actors are there to act, directors are there to direct, and you, you're there doing everything else.

It's not a total lovefest -- Yichau does scold those stage managers with drama queen tendencies (and you know who you are), but the overall impression is of genuine appreciation. Besides, it's not hard to love a sentiment that sums it all up with: "The secret is, although the director seems like the captain of the ship, you're the one who's firing the coal and steering the whole dang kaboodle" (at which point, stage managers reading the post will no doubt nod privately to themselves).

Check it out, and share the love!

_{© Flickr user Rob Lee}

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