By Elizabeth Mandel

We all know that feeling of anticipation : The lights go down , the audience hushes , the curtain opens , and something magical begins .

The Season First , the research to determine the new season ’ s line-up of shows . South Valley Civic Theatre ( SVCT ) plans nine for the 2023-2024 season , including four plays at its Limelight venue at the Gilroy Center for the Arts and four musicals and one play at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse .

At Limelight , SVCT prides itself on high quality , thought-provoking plays in an intimate performance space . The Wolves , a slice-of-life view of a teenage girls ' soccer team and a Pulitzer Prize finalist , opens at Limelight in September .

At the Playhouse , youth and teen shows must appeal to those prospective cast members . Disney ' s Moana , Jr ., ( for youth , opening October 1 ), and The Lightning Thief : The Percy Jackson Musical ( for teens ) already have students excited . SVCT also wants plays that draw empathy from audience members . The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime , presents a mystery through the eyes of a young man with autism .

Wall projections surround the action , bringing the audience into the character ' s world .

An additional , pragmatic , consideration in play selection is to ensure a range of both set and costume cost and complexity . For example , since A Gentleman ' s Guide to Love and Murder , scheduled for May , has intricate period costumes , the company chose not to select a second show with similar costume demands .

The Staff

SVCT is a non-profit , all-volunteer organization . Bringing a show to life is a labor of love by volunteers , starting with members of the SVCT Board signing on to produce the upcoming shows . A producer is the project manager for a show . The producer then staffs their creative team . ( For a musical , the team includes director , stage manager , choreographer , music director , vocal director , set designer , lighting designer , and costumer .) The team holds auditions , and the show is cast !

The Warehouse : Rehearsals & Set Construction

Rehearsals kick off at SVCT ' s warehouse , six weeks before the show opens , with rehearsals typically held five evenings a week . This warehouse is a 7,000 square foot space also used for costume , prop , and building supply storage .

Michelle Griffin , SVCT ’ s lead costumer for over 15 years , emphasized how much costumes contribute to the audience experience , saying , “ Costumes help the audience piece a complicated plot together .”

Sets are constructed on a stage-sized space on weekends by cast and staff volunteers . Two weeks before show opening , the completed set is broken down into component parts and transported by truck and trailer to the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse .

The Playhouse

The final two weeks of rehearsals are intense . First , after the set is reassembled on stage , lights are set , then lighting and sound cues are programmed . Spotlights and projections may be added . If there is a live orchestra , this may be its first opportunity to rehearse first together , then with the cast .

Everyone works long hours , often painting or sewing far into the night . Actors run through the entire show , then do it without prompting , then they speed it up . Set changes get smoother and faster , lighting and microphones are tweaked , and final touches are made to costumes .

Meanwhile other pre-show activities proceed in parallel : box office , publicity , program design , and lobby design . All must be ready for opening night .

The Performance

Why do actors and staff make such a commitment to theater ? Like the audience , the actors feel the rush of a show coming alive .

Peter Mandel , who has worked with SVCT for over 30 years , reflected on why he performs , " The teamwork required to bring a show to the stage is extraordinary and immensely satisfying . And there is nothing like the thrill of being with your fellow actors in front of an audience , feeling and responding to their reaction ."

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