Hot New Show - Music Man!

We're busy working on the sets for our upcoming show, Music Man! It's going to be an awesome show, and if you live in the Houston area, you DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT! Shows will be November 5,6 and 7, and November 13 and 14. For ticket information, check out www.cythouston.org.

Here are some pictures of me and my students working on the sets. We're currently working on the bookshelves for the library scene. Already, the bookshelves have four layers on them, a base layer, and two brushed on textured layers to make them look like wooden shelves, and then the dark 'shelves' background color, which will peek between the books-to-come.

Tonight I taught my students how to use a chalk line, which they loved. I think they would have enjoyed thwacking out nice, straight blue lines all night long. After that came the tape so we could have beautiful, straight shelves. It was entertaining watching a bunch of young artists figuring the math measurements. They got it, though, and did very well. Yes, even artists have to do a lot of MATH! I learned the importance of that many years ago when I made a stained glass window that was too big for the window! Turned out well, though, because we had a deep, backlit frame built for it, and have been able to bring it with us wherever we move! Even now, it imparts a cheery glow over our bed. :) I think that's the only math mistake I've ever made that turned out well!

Here you can see that we're finally adding books. I had each student choose his or her own color, and paint books on all the various shelves. The next step will be for each one to write down his chosen book titles on the books. Then I'll do some final touches of highlights and lowlights for shadows and light.

We've got two colors of benches going - one set for the gymnasium, which are presently yellow and will have a light layer of teal ragged on. I'm going to have them do it with a few plastic Walmart bags. The drop that we have for the gym is yellow with turquoise highlights, so they'll go well. The darker benches will be antiqued, likely with black.

I have my students take inventory of all the paints we have at the beginning of each session. They're categorized and shelved according to color, and I give them some lessons on color. Every now and then one of the paint cans has gone bad. EVERYONE knows when one of these is opened because the smell is HORRENDOUS, and it's quickly disposed of! One of the things I show the kids is to use an awl and hammer out about ten holes on the inside rim of each paint can. This way, the paint drains down through the holes instead of clogging the opening, which sometimes eternally seals the paint inside! Try it, you'll like it! All in all, we've been having a lot of fun and at the same time have been getting a lot of work done. The sets are going to look great!