On my way to the first day of tech bundled against the HELLACIOUS winter wind and armed with a giant green smoothie and some hot Puerh tea to start the day! Here we GO!
Amanda A. Lederer
First morning of tech! The cast and crew met at Manhattan Mini Storage to get our entire set, as well as props and puppets, and transport it to the theater. The strange looks we got as we marched down the Upper East Side in the freezing cold with large puppet limbs and numerous suitcases were priceless.
Amanda A. Lederer
Munchkin clothes (plus a few coats that snuck in there too…) just waiting to be worn as we head into our first preview performance!
Amanda A. Lederer
Smiley socks! No one else will see them...but I’ll know that my feet are happy ALL DAY for the third day of tech ;)
Amanda A. Lederer
Practicing our sad, dirty, oppressed munchkin faces backstage after our third day of tech and before our second night of previews!
Amanda A. Lederer
Before every preview, and now before every performance, we all circle up for some group togetherness. This was my (er...rather...James’, since he’s the tallest) attempt at capturing that moment for you to see!
Amanda A. Lederer
This is quote in one of James’ many Oz books that resonates for me in working with the Witch. The great thing is, we had added this to her character without knowing that the quote actually existed...and then James showed it to me the last night of tech. Perfection.
Amanda A. Lederer
May I introduce to you one of my personas during this show: Penelope the Tinker. She’s a lady you really wanna know.
Amanda A. Lederer
We found a giant bag of candy from the candy fairies (opened, but still pretty full) waiting for us in the dressing room on the first day of Tech. Obviously, we were grateful, because tech wasn’t even over and it was pretty low…
Amanda A. Lederer
As you walk into the theatre, there’s now an AWESOME gallery wall filled with old-timey photos some of the cast and crew copied onto wood with just some water, glue, and a bit of patience -- it’s a pretty great touch. And here it is being hung up!
Amanda A. Lederer
There was a lot of branch artistry done for this show. Don’t worry, though - we inhaled all the allergens that came along with the trees before opening. It was greeeeaaat for our throats…
Amanda A. Lederer
Ben Bass is my absolute favorite to watch work the enchanted axe. And therefore the reason I’m always on time for fight call.
Amanda A. Lederer
So many moments of laughter, despite the late nights and early mornings. Candid joy was my favorite thing to capture this week. And Ma & Pa Chopper have two of the most genuine, lovely laughs.
Amanda A. Lederer
The mason jars are hung!! Rustic lighting is a GO!
Amanda A. Lederer
Three of the lovely ladies I have the honor of getting ready, creating, and performing this show with. They are even more amazing than this photo makes them out to be. And I’m of the opinion that it’s a pretty rad photo.
Amanda A. Lederer
The most important piece of my attire each evening...and the most complicated. I’m ALWAYS the last one ready. But it’s worth it. You’ll see.
Amanda A. Lederer
And this, my friends, is my hair once that wig comes off and the bobby pins are taken out. You’re welcome.
Amanda A. Lederer
My view from behind the Kalidah while we worked the fight sequence -- Apparently, the butt half wasn’t especially enthusiastic at the moment.
Amanda A. Lederer
An actor at rest. I love this of Sophia because it’s so HER. Snagged it during a “Hold, please!” moment while she waited for whatever we were told to do next…
Amanda A. Lederer
We’re all onstage the entire show. So, when certain moments were being worked on during tech, there was a lot of watching and views from behind. Like this one of Will and James working out some chopping wood issues!
Amanda A. Lederer
Ok, so this is obviously NOT from my perspective, because I’m IN the photo (our fabulous SM Natalie actually took it), but it’s one of my favorite bits so I wanted to include it -- It’s the Tinkers working out some new hijinks during the transformation sequence of the Tin Man!
Amanda A. Lederer
This might not be an interesting picture...unless you know the conversation they were having during it. It started off with the question, “If you could change the color of your beard to any color at will, besides your natural hair color, what would it be?” Needless to say, there’s a lot of conversation surrounding body hair in this cast…
Amanda A. Lederer
Sophia and I spent some hours during tech giving the Kalidah a new hairdo...and swapping secrets, naturally (Another picture taken by our SM Natalie Price!).
Amanda A. Lederer
This was an attempt at taking a picture of Ben hanging some lights...but turned into me catching him taking a picture of me instead!
Amanda A. Lederer
There were many times during the creation and rehearsal where words failed us and physical motion was the only way to communicate our ideas (which makes sense, considering we don’t talk in the show…). This was one of those times. I have no idea what the conversation here was -- only that it seems it was a productive one.
Amanda A. Lederer
There was a lot of waiting onstage as lights get set, since we never leave the stage during the actual performance. Here we have the lovely Eliza and Sophia, who seems to be showing a bit of leg today…
Amanda A. Lederer
Lighting cues make everything magical!! This was part of the process of creating the sunlight that Nimmee sees through the window in the Witch’s house.
Amanda A. Lederer
Sometimes, after a long day of tech leading into a night of performing, we get so hungry that we do tricks for our treats. Case in point: Lauren Nordvig.
Amanda A. Lederer
She has her music playlist, she has her tea, she has her snacks, she has her cough drops. Lauren Nordvig is tech READY.
Amanda A. Lederer
And then, sometimes, you need a dance break in the dressing room. Especially when “Trumpets” by Jason Derulo comes on that iPod shuffle.
Amanda A. Lederer
My lovely partner in so many things (Witch operations and Kalidah hair-styling to name a few…), Sophia Zukowski, ladies and gents. Oh, and the Kalidah head. This was right before we transformed Kalidah’s roots into the fierce mane she currently has!
Amanda A. Lederer
More lights! So many lights!
Amanda A. Lederer
Lots of stick and twig and branch lifting was had during tech...also lots of splinters…
Amanda A. Lederer
Lovely ladies creating the artwork that now makes up our portrait gallery wall going into the theatre!!
Amanda A. Lederer
And the painting of the Kalidah hair begins!
Amanda A. Lederer
Watching from onstage as Eliza and James work out shadow puppets with our makeshift fire, created by a work light and some snapping fingers!
Amanda A. Lederer
Empty theatre waiting for what ended up being a SOLD OUT HOUSE the last night of tech and previews!!
Amanda A. Lederer
Tech is OVER! Hurray for starting the run of the show!!!
Amanda A. Lederer
The crazy that’s inside of all of us by the end of Tech week, demonstrated here by Jason Ralph. No more caption necessary.
Amanda A. Lederer
This official map of the Land of Oz, colored in by our own James Ortiz with the colors that are native to each section and people, hangs in our dressing room. And -- here’s a big insider secret, so get ready -- I’ve created this self-ritual of touching the Woodsman’s castle every night before going onstage. Look closely at Winkie Country -- you’ll see it!
Amanda A. Lederer
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59E59 Theaters and Strangemen & Co., in association with Robb Nanus and Rachel Sussman, present the return engagement, which continues through Feb. 22.
Directed by James Ortiz and Claire Karpen, with associate direction by Devin Dunne Cannon, The Woodsman features music by Edward W. Hardy and lyrics by Jennifer Loring. The cast of nine includes Ben Bass, Will Gallacher, Alex J. Gould, Amanda A. Lederer, Lauren Nordvig, James Ortiz, Eliza Simpson, Meghan St. Thomas and Sophia Zukoski, who are accompanied by composer-violinist Edward W. Hardy.
The Woodsman, according to press notes, "is the untold story of Oz's Tin Woodsman, the woman he loved, and the witch that would stop at nothing to keep them apart. A lonely woodsman from the Land of Oz must embark on a harrowing journey to protect the love of his life from her evil guardian, the Wicked Witch of the East. Through puppetry, movement, and song, Strangemen & Co. presents a hauntingly beautiful and ultimately heartbreaking twist on the forgotten writings of L. Frank Baum."
The Woodsman has scenic design by Liz Lundberg, costume design by Molly Seidel, lighting design by Catherine Clark, sound design by Adam Salberg and set and puppet design by James Ortiz. It is associate-produced by Rebecca Black.
The Woodsman, a recipient of the 2014 Jim Henson Foundation Grant, premiered at Brooklyn’s Standard Toykraft in 2012 followed by a production at the Ars Nova Ant Fest in 2013. It transferred to 59E59 Theaters in January 2014 for a three-week, sold-out run. The Woodsman is one of the only shows in the theatre's history to make a return engagement.
59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59 Street between Park and Madison Avenues. For more information, visit TheWoodsmanPlay.com or StrangemenCompany.com.
