Local community theater production has apparently entered the 21st century with a vengeance.
The cast and crew of the January LLT production of An Inspector Calls, JB Priestley’s thriller, have been actively using their own website to manage all aspects of the production, from set design to prop sourcing.
Director Neal Checkoway, whose background includes extensive technology and internet experience, specifically created the website for this purpose.
“Mounting a production is a daunting enough task,” says Checkoway, a relative newcomer to theater and directing. “Much of the coordination depends on the ready access to information for all the participants. Using the web has enabled everything from rehearsal schedules to cast blocking assignments to construction details to be made easily available to all involved.”
Additionally, Checkoway has just created a public-access website that offers useful information for those theater-goers planning to attend the production. According to Checkoway, the website at http://neal.checkoway.com/inspector provides such information as an introductory synopsis of the play, its history and biographical information about author Priestley. Checkoway has also created and posted on the site “fictional biographies” of all of the characters in the play, which he says provide background and insight for those about to see the play.
Priestley’s play, written in 1946 and set in 1912 England, is considered a “modern morality play”. The cast includes Pat Carroll, Jeritza McCarter, Sylvia Bitting, Rex Wilson, Michael Warren, Christine White and George Lugg.
Inspector debuts January 5, 2004 at LLT. Tickets go on sale at the theater box office Fri-Sat, January 2-3 from 10am to noon. During the run of the show January 5-12, tickets will be sold 10am to noon daily and prior to curtain from 6:15pm to 7:15pm. Tickets for the Sunday matinee, scheduled for January 11, will also be on sale from 1:45pm to 2:45pm. For more information, call the LLT box office at 766-0954.
Or just go to the play’s website at http://neal.checkoway.com/inspector.
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