The world of each theater production is far more intricate than meets the eye on the night of a performance. A key part of what makes each play tick, lies beyond the realm of the stage itself. The talented David Samba, Megan Turner, and Evan Williams have taken on the positions of sound designer, costume designer, and stage manager, respectively, in this summer’s dark and moving ‘One Flea Spare’. The DePaulia had the opportunity to speak with all three DePaul graduates about their experience with the production and their navigation of careers within the world of theater.
The DePaulia: Can you tell me a little bit about your position in this production and what responsibilities you have taken on?
David Samba: For this show, the director really wanted to establish an inside and outside of the play while also touching on a lot of the illusionistic qualities of the play. It’s really surreal in a way, the way that we’ve done it the sound quality is supernatural. So we wanted to keep it mystical while also establishing what time of day it was. Lights and sound really need to work together to establish the setting of what’s going on while also keeping that eerie feel to it.
Megan Turner: As the costume designer, it is my job to make sure that I have all the garments, all the costume pieces for each actor, make sure they know what they are wearing at which time. It is my job to pull all of the pieces and manage a budget as well as fit the actors and do all of the alterations and make any special pieces that are necessary for the show. Especially for this production because we did in period so I had to make and kind of improvise a few special things but it worked out well.
Evan Williams: As a stage manager, your priorities and things that you are responsible for are to document things during the process from the very beginning from meeting one another to rehearsals to show time. I document when people show up, what happens throughout rehearsal, plans of the set and the sound, costumes, things like that.
The DePaulia: Can you tell me a little bit about your career in the world of theater this far, and where you see it going from here?
David Samba: I did a lot of theater in high school. The theater program there was small, but extensive. I decided I wanted to do sound design after freshman year of high school so that fact that I was able to figure it out so early, I think, has really helped me today. Now, I have had almost in sound design and not many people can say that because it is such a new major. So that has really helped me. I have a lot of material to pull from and reflect on because I’ve done so many shows in high school. This is the first time I have ever done outside work, outside of my school environment. Last summer I worked in the Theatre School but I had never really designed in Chicago on my own. I’m trying to expand the way that I am approaching it and trying to see what my limits are in the free time that I have this summer. I’m just trying to meet new people and have a good time.
Megan Turner: In the Theatre School, there are costume designer majors and then costume technology majors and, sometimes, people can be a dual major between the two. Basically, for the first two years, all of us are together kind of doing the same classes. I kind of took a little bit of a different route in the sense that I did a dual major but I was really interested in the design part so I completed all of the classes and I actually got the chance to design two shows. All of my jobs now that I’m outside of school are actually all costume design jobs which is interesting because that’s really not the path that I wanted to go but I really have been enjoying what I’m doing. Since I am the sole designer and costume technician on each show that I’m doing, I do all the alterations myself, I do all the sewing myself which is the side I like. It’s kind of a balance of both, what I can find outside of school since design jobs are mostly stipend paid, at least the jobs I’m doing now, whereas costume tech jobs would be more working nine to five part time or full time which is my ideal. It takes a while to come by those and have enough experience. So right now I have lined up a few other costume design things with a few other theater companies. I’m just kind of seeing where my theater career takes me.
Evan Williams: So far, I haven’t done any outside work. I was mainly trying to get my foot in the door with just being around the theater and getting accustomed to it. Now I’ve been offered a couple of jobs, like this one, outside of school. Once I graduate, I plan to find a couple of jobs in the city and, if not, find a couple of jobs out of the area and do those, maybe do some internships. I have a couple of options I’m just not completely sure yet where I’m trying to fit in.
The DePaulia: If you had to use only one word to describe this production, what would it be?
David Samba: If I had to put it in one word I would say it’s “refreshing”. Like I said, it’s my first design show outside of the Theatre School in Chicago. It was really cool to work with young artists as well and too collaborate. To see it up on stage is really awesome.
Megan Turner: I would describe the show as “complicated”. Even now, sitting through tech this past weekend, I picked up on a few other things that I didn’t read in the script between characters which is kind of cool because it all adds to the complexity of the relationships and the script itself.
Evan Williams: I would say “an experience.”
‘One Flea Spare’ will be at The Den Theatre from July 17-25.