The Tales of Two Steves
In this issue of Intermission Dishin':
As we continue to showcase the work being done as part of RENO2020 in both the public and back of house spaces, we also have the pleasure of introducing you to two more team members:
Steve West (Head Stage Carpenter, Spriet Stage)
Steve Allen (Auburn Stage House Technician)
But first, check out the latest shots from the RENO work .. with carpeting being laid, painting and lighting installations taking place, toilets and sinks plumbed in .. we are getting close (and excited!!)
Starting from the outside (and not quite looking in just yet), is a shot of the work being done on the front of the building. Remember, the Box Office will be moving across the lobby to the north side.
This angle is looking out towards the front doors on Richmond Street from the wall by the Spriet Stage. You can get a better sense of the added 'room' in the main lobby due to the shift of the Box Office and other reconfigurations.
From the bottom of the stairs on main level, you will get a feel for the work in progress taking place on the featured maple wall that travels vertically throughout the lobbies.
A backstage reno update on our security office at Stage Door. Light, bright and super slick!
When we say a 'pop' of colour, we weren't kidding! Here is a picture of the transformation of the Auburn Developments Lounge. While still in progress, we wanted you to get a first look at the GRAND red that you'll see throughout the spaces.
An up close look at the super fun GRAND red tile!
Moving up to the 3rd Floor (BMO London Proud Floor), the last couple of weeks have brought carpet tile installation and a stunning LED lighting feature that we're keeping a secret... for now.
From the 4th Floor Drewlo Lounge looking down to BMO London Proud Floor.
From the windows looking in at the Drewlo Lounge. Washrooms now located by elevators and bar extended (just by a little...)
And the opposite view looking out from the top of the stairs in the Drewlo to the gorgeous view of Richmond Street.
From the corner of the bar in the Drewlo looking toward the stage, you get a real feel for the length of the new bar. Could be why we keep referring to this area as 'the party room'?
Every washroom has been updated with separate stalls, floor to ceiling doors (without a urinal to be found) as we continue to explore flexible options for non-gendered washrooms for re-opening and into the future.
Another photo from the upgraded facilities... still in progress but what a difference!
Another washroom photo??!! Yes - we are that excited about the upgrades and changes!
In the February issue of Intermission Dishin', we talked about the extensive work being done on the Fly System (read about it here). We wanted to show you the progress to-date. It is truly a state of the art system and the team cannot wait to put it to work to create unforgettable theatre experiences for you!
Thought you would like to say hello to an old friend! Here is a quick shot of our beloved (and stunning) proscenium arch.
The Tales of Two Steves
Steve West and Steve Allen
Pictured above on the left: Steve West, Head Stage Carpenter, Spriet Stage (R) stands on stage with Col. Chris Hadfield (L). On the right is Steve Allen, Auburn Stage House Technician.
What is your job title and what does your job entail?
What was your pathway to the Grand or to this line of work?
I started getting calls from the London I.A.T.S.E. Local 105 and did some work every now and then for the Grand with the union crew. I joined Local 105 and after spending time ‘catching calls’, a full-time position on the fly floor became available and I won the bid. I did that for about a year, then the Head Stage Carpenter job came up and I have been here in that role ever since (I think it was 1994).
How long have you worked at the Grand?
What has been the most challenging show you’ve worked on and what is your most rewarding show – sometimes they are one in the same – and why?
Of course, the set was engineered so we knew the stage floor could take the weight of all this water. When we filled the pool, we used the fire hose in the stage right alcove so we ran the hose outside in the alley to get rid of all the dirty water before we filled the pool. As we did this, we got a visit from the Fire Department that showed up to see where all the water was going!
Another challenge was that we had to heat the pool because there were two actors in the water for the whole show and they were freezing! We had heaters in our quick change booths with smoke detectors, so at intermission the actors could get a little warmed up.
To keep them warm, we also had the house heat turned up which was not great for our audiences who then started over-heating. We used pool chemicals like bromide to keep the pool clean and pool pumps to keep the water moving. Some of our patrons got water on their clothes, which was not good. So as I look back, I think it was the show where we had the most to overcome but... we did make it happen!
You must have lots of stories to tell but maybe give us one or two ‘behind the scenes’ scoops.
During Cabaret the haze we used for the show set off our fire-alarm system during a performance with a packed house and on a really rainy night. We were really surprised because we had been running the show for a full week with heavier haze with no problems – Ambrose perhaps??!! This was the first time in my time at the Grand that I've ever seen an audience needing to be evacuated, and I am proud to say it went exactly to plan! We ended up putting the cast and crew into the production van at the back of the building, while I ran around the building to meet the fire department. Thankfully, we managed to restart the show (to a hearty applause) shortly afterwards having only lost two couples to the temptation of the Church Key Bar across the road!
When we had the wonderful and fantastic Ronnie Burkett and The Daisy Theatre join us in the McManus, we had a bit of a problem as only about a quarter of the set – equipment and such – could find its way down any of the elevators down to the basement. The logistics of getting everything downstairs is always something I have to work out (everyone has heard about how we brought the set for The Runner in through the trap door on Spriet Stage), but this time was different. We had dozens of large roadcases that we had no way to get into the theatre. The solution ended up bringing in a large crew, pulling everything out of its cases and carefully carrying it (100 pound set pieces and all) down the lobby stairs – one element at a time – and then finding secret stashing places for the empty cases throughout the building to pack up the set after the run.
What are you most looking forward to once we re-open?