In the summer of 2022 I was Scenic Designer for the Sitka Fine Arts Camp 3-week Musical Theater Camp production of Mamma Mia. The small scale of the program meant that I was also Scenic Charge, Master Carpenter, and, along with the other six technical theater adults, an instructor for the seven Fine Arts Camp Technical Theater-track students.
Mamma Mia set designed (and built, and decorated) by Rebecca Poulson
This year that expanded staff meant I did not have to put in so many hours working alone! and, the students had the benefit of a one-to-one ratio of instructors to students. That was really fun, seeing the students just eat it up, the excitement of getting to do real things, in a beautifully-equipped theater.
For me, also, it was glorious to have a lighting designer as artistic and skilled as Terry Eikleberry. Elle Campbell, the Technical Director, is an incredible teacher, creating a space where students are valued and can grow as they get real skills. The Videographer and Audio Tech, Andrew Rutledge and Joe Burke, are also skilled and willing carpenters and a joy to work with. Sharon Morgan, our Costume Designer (and, being a tiny program, also the creator of the costumes) is absolutely phenomenal. She not only nailed each character and the era (1990s, y’all) but created beautiful compositions of color and form. The technical crew is rounded out with Lauren Petrocelli, our Sound Designer.
On stage, the incredibly talented Josh Euten, who also is a mean set dresser, was Stage Manager, Zeke Blackwell Director, Chris Coffey was Music Director, and Erin Coffey the Choreographer for a cast of 23 young performers. The technical theater students, Amelia DeSentis is a natural at carpentry and a joy to work with, Campbell Pillifant operated the light board, Hal Sufrin helped with sound, Kade Kompkoff, Lee Orozco, Téa Neilson and Aren Bucheit did it all but specialized in scenic painting, with a shout out to Téa for finishing the courtyard “rocks” and washing a lot of brushes! I really enjoyed working with these young people, seeing them grow, and enjoyed their spark and willingness to interact. For decorating the stage deck, I gave them paint and tools and techniques and had them try it out, they chose the treatment they wanted, and they did it, going up to the balcony as they worked to see what they liked. I helped with the “Beach” because it was a trickier technique, but that was it. They and a community volunteer painted the dock, beautifully, again all I did was show them some techniques and give them the paints.
More crew: Susan Reed and Misaki Saito rehearsal pianists, Shannon Haugland Audio Assistant, Haley Aronow was Props Master (and Master of Bougainvillea!), Rhiannon Guevin Vocal Coach, Jordan Phillips Acting Coach, Diane Cervelli Assistant Choreographer, and volunteers Reese Gasque, Noatak Post, Julien Riviere, Linda Mae Kristofik and Christina Van Den Hoogen helped out the scenic crew (and that was fun too, seeing these folks stretch), and Isla Morgan, Carole Knuth and Lisa Moore were Costume Assistants. In the Pit Band in addition to Susan and Mikaski, Alicia Jeffrey and a young man from Anchorage were on keyboards, Chris Coffey played drums, Abe Landa and Austin Patterson were on Guitar, Julien Riviere played Bass and Ethan Zawodny did the Percussion.
Building the setA lighting lessonTables I designed and crew builtA vanity I designed and built in a day, the Director’s idea to have “mirror” emptyPhoto by Alex HammA moment Photo by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammThe streetlamp, involving a tin can, tape, foam and wood Photo by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammDonna’s bedroom Photo by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex HammPhoto by Alex Hamm
Earlier this year I volunteered to design and build sets for the Sitka Community Theater production of Clue and the Young Performers Theater (an after school theater program run by the Sitka Fine Arts Camp) production of Matilda the Musical. It is really fun to design sets and utter bliss to work with and collaborate with other people, tho tbh next year we need more volunteers in the program! In this post-pandemic year we are still figuring out how to get the word out!
Those doors got a work out! So many rooms! It was very fun, the actors really did it up. I designed and built and decorated the set (all those doors . . . ) with assistance from the students in the after-school Young Performers Theater technical theater class and community volunteers, Shannon Haugland produced, Sotera Perez directed, Elle Campbell did lights and was Technical Director, and the YPT tech students did tech! We also had a gajillion really cool props by Jack Peterson.
Matilda the Musical was the play done by the high school students in the Young Performers Theater program in April 2022, directed by Zeke Blackwell. I volunteered to design and build and decorate the set, with assistance from parents, Technical Director Elle Campbell, and the technical theater students in the after school Young Performers Theater program! Elle Campbell did the lights, we had a pit orchestra which sounded amazing, with Music Director Hannah Cummiskey conducting, and Choreography was by Melissa Hantke. Since it was such a small workforce (and cast), I combined the students’ desks with the alphabet cubes they use for one of the songs, the set consists of just three platforms and four mobile flats, three of which reverse to show a corridor of “Chokeys.” I didn’t get a picture of one of the flats, that had Matilda’s bedroom on one side and Miss Honey’s shed interior on the other.
Available for sale, and in select stores! starting mid June 2022. $16 each, discounts start at two at: The Outer Coast.com
Produced by Rebecca Poulson in Sitka Alaska
Printed in Juneau, Alaska U.S.A.
Printed on heavy, vellum surface Natural color paper
Three original wood engraving prints, a scratchboard drawing, rubber cuts of ravens, and seven original watercolors by Rebecca Poulson
Poetry and Quotes by Alaskan poets John Straley, Caroline Goodwin, Robert Davis Hoffman, and Rhonda Bowen, and a quote from John Muir, on the theme of humans
For Sitka Fine Arts Camp Musical Theater Camp 2021, I got to design and build a set! Went for texture in the organic sculpted scenery, and atmospherics with recycled fishing nets (from Nets And More of Louisiana). Rapunzel’s tower, stage left, accessed from the front by the witch.
Costumes Sharon Morgan, Lighting Elle Campbell, Directed Zeke Blackwell, Musical Direction Chris Coffey, Choreography Erin Coffey, Stage Manager (and so much more!) Josh Euten, Pianists Susan Reed and Chris Staknys, Vocal Coach Rhiannon Guevin, Assistant TD Emily Harris, Sound Drew Sherman with Bryan Lovett, Props Abby Taper, Deck Boss Sotera Perez, Mic’ing Shannon Haugland, Costume Assistant Sonia Lewis, Makeup Micah Wayman, Sound Assistant Hal Sufrin, Lighting Assistant Campbell Pillifant, with Téa Neilson (these last four were our Technical Theater students and did all kinds of things), Poster Artwork by Nate Olson. It would not have been possible without help building the set by Emily Harris and volunteers Noatak Post and Julien Riviere.
We had a full-on, pure and exquisite performance by a professional pit orchestra: Susan Reed, Chris Staknys, Dorothy Orbison, Colin Roshak, JJ Sechan, Amy Sanchez, Taylor Young, Brian Neal, Roger Schmidt, Franz Felkl, Noatak Post, Kelly Dylla, Julien Riviere, Annika Krafcik, Drew Dembowski and Paul Cox.
Actors: Zia Allen, Paige Antrobus, Anja Brooks-Schmidt, Mina Brooks-Schmidt, Bronwyn Embree, Claire Evans, Aitana Gluth, Noah Gosnell, Miko Hare, Winston Katoanga, Spencer LeFebvre, Felix Lewis, Sagan McLaughlin, Kadence Patton, Virginia Pearson, Helena Provencio, Chase Randall, Caleb Rapanut, Max Reynolds, Kate Springsteen, Zoe Springsteen, Emerson Tuggey, Kevin Viña, and Alona Whisenhunt.
All of the young people – the actors, and four back stage – are in high school or just started college. Best of luck to all of you. Wonderful work here.
Now available for sale, and in select stores! $16 and discounts start at two at: The Outer Coast.com
Produced by Rebecca Poulson in Sitka Alaska
Printed in Juneau, Alaska U.S.A.
Printed on heavy, vellum surface Natural color paper
Four original wood engraving prints, a drawing,* a print, and six original watercolors by Rebecca Poulson
Poetry and Quotes by Alaskan poets IshmaelAngaluuk Hope, John Straley, Caroline Goodwin, and Pete Weiland, Oregon poet John Daniel, and Ed Ricketts, John Donne, Walt Whitman, Kobayashi Issa, John Muir, and John Keats, on the theme of sweet old world
Gardening Reminders for Southeastern Alaska
Calendar for all of 2023 on last page
Wilderness Anniversaries
*Scratch board drawing is from the upcoming novel for middle grades Whispering Alaska by Brendan Jones, from Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House) in October, 2021
Earlier this spring I made seven section illustrations for the upcoming novel Whispering Alaska by Brendan Isaac Jones, coming out August 2021, from Penguin Random House. Brendan recently moved back to Sitka with his charming family, and he owns a house just around the corner. It’s a young adult novel, about twins who move to a town in Alaska, where the town owns a forest that they have to decide to keep, or cut down for lumber. Can’t say more, don’t want any spoilers!
It was a neat excuse to get into the old growth forest near here, to photograph, draw and then create these decorations using scratchboard, a new medium for me. By chance, when I first got the job I went camping on a lake above town, in old growth trees.
I used Essdee which was surprisingly hard to get. A lot of places only ship UPS or FedEx and they don’t offer “ground” service to SE Alaska. So you have to really hunt to find the place that can ship through the post office! But Essdee is worth it. I don’t know much about it but I found that you have to keep sharpening the edge of the cutter, I used fine grades of sandpaper, so by the time I was done it was whittled away quite a bit. Anyway!
I hope you get a sense of our forest, and this place. Go to theoutercoast.com for my wood engravings and calendar.
The 2021 Outer Coast Calendar is now available from my website, www.theoutercoast.com, at stores in Sitka, and at bookstores in Alaska and a few select places in the North West.
The Outer Coast calendar, Sitka note cards, and original art are also great gifts, and I can mail directly, with a note, and even with gift wrap if you desire.
I am also at the Alaska Public Market On Line! This is a great way to support artisans and craftspeople in these crazy times!
I also have original wood engraving prints which I can mat and frame, a gift wrap option, and notecards, sold as singles and as sets. And, you can now also buy an 8 x 10 reproduction of any of the watercolor pictures, just contact me through the website or comment on this blog.
Calendars are printed in color on heavy, vellum-surface Natural colored paper by Alaska Litho in Juneau, Alaska U.S.A.
This calendar features my original art (and this year, one by my brother James), poetry by Alaskans and other greats, gardening reminders for southeastern Alaska, and wilderness anniversaries. It opens out to 11 x 17 inches (8 1/2 by 11 closed), has a handy hole for hanging, and, has complete year of 2022 on the last page. The price is $15 but there are discounts starting at two.
This year’s calendar is built around the theme of falling forward into life.
Poetry includes lines from Issa, Whitman, Emerson and Shakespeare.
This calendar also features work by Alaska writerJohn Straley, novelist and poet, and beautiful, new work by Caroline Goodwin.
A Slide Show of Some of the Prints and Cards Available at The Outer Coast:
Watercolor note card Iris Meadows by Rebecca Poulson
framed wood engraving Wild Celery House by Rebecca Poulson
color wood engraving cards by Rebecca Poulson
notecard Woodstove by Cora Dow
Matted wood engraving Sunday Afternoon by Rebecca Poulson
Watercolor note card Lingonberry by Rebecca Poulson
wood engraving notecards set by Rebecca Poulson
Cora Dow note card Christmas Puppy
watercolor note card Rocks by Rebecca Poulson
framed wood engraving Waterfall by Rebecca Poulson
Note card Jam by Cora Dow
Matted wood engraving print First Out by Rebecca Poulson
Oklahoma! by the Sitka Fine Arts Camp Musical Theater Camp, 2019
Directed by W. T. McRae. I designed and built this with the Best. Crew. Ever. Performed at the Sitka Performing Arts Center.
9 to 5, Sitka Community Theater, Spring 2019
My design, also at Sitka’s Performing Arts Center. Again had stellar crew, all community volunteers. Lighting design by J Bradley!
Fuddy Meers, Sitka High School Play, Spring 2019
This was also at Sitka’s Performing Arts Center. Did this in pretty short order, using as much as we could pieces from 9 to 5 – the Xerox machine is now the kitchen sink, and the “bed” from Once Upon a Mattress is transformed into the kitchen stove. That’s a real refrigerator, but we gave it the Avocado Green treatment. Created by community volunteers and the Sitka High School Drama class, directed and taught by Christian Litten.
Photos is with the upstage curtain open, right after I finished touching up the paint. It was closed for the show.
Once Upon A Mattress, Young Performers Theater, Spring 2019
Sets in 2017, for the Young Performers Theater (at Odess Theater, Allen Memorial Hall) and the Sitka Fine Arts Camp Musical Theater Camp at Sitka’s Performing Arts Center, and for Sitka Community Theater, also at the Performing Arts Center.
Alice In Wonderland, Young Performers Theater, Fall 2017
The Wall, the House, the Roses and the Mushroom come off the backdrop to cover the front of a small platform. When they are removed, they reveal sections of text from the book.
A minimal set for the fall play! Inspired by the original drawings for Alice In Wonderland by John Tenniel, as translated by the Dalziel Brothers into wood engraving illustrations.
Sense and Sensibility, Sitka Community Theater, Spring 2017
Another minimal design, from Spring 2017 for the Sitka Community Theater’s production of Kate Hamill’s Sense and Sensibility. The entire set – tables, chairs, walls, doorways and windows – was on casters, stealing from the original staging. Fun, and some engineering.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Sitka Fine Arts Camp Musical Theater Camp, 2017
This one I just contributed a few elements: the crow’s nest (fully functional!) and a statue of Prince Eric – modeled on the production’s Prince Eric. Did I capture a resemblance?
What a wonderful production! As you can see the costumes and performances were just wonderful . . . Under the Sea! Photographs by Clarice Johnson, except the one of me with that heavy statue, by Tracy Turner.
Oliver, Young Performers Theater, Spring 2017
For this one I built the set, and did acres of decorative painting.
The 2019 Outer Coast calendar is available from www.theoutercoast.com, or buy in stores in Sitka, or bookstores in Alaska and a few select places in the North West – including Powells Books in Portland and Elliott Bay Books in Seattle.
I’ll also be at WhaleFest in Sitka November 2-4, at the Alaska Juneau Public Market on Thanksgiving weekend, and at the Sitka Artisans Market December 7-9. I’ll also have original wood engraving prints and notecards, which are also available on the website.
Calendars are printed in color on heavy, vellum-surface Natural colored paper by Alaska Litho in Juneau, Alaska U.S.A.
This calendar features my original art, poetry by Alaskans and other greats, gardening reminders for southeastern Alaska, and wilderness anniversaries. It opens out to 11 x 17 inches (8 1/2 by 11 closed), has a handy hole for hanging, and, has complete year of 2019 on the last page. The price is $15 but there are discounts starting at two.
This year’s calendar is built around the theme of imperfection – nobody’s perfect, and that’s ok.
Poetry includes lines from William Wordsworth, Shakespeare, and Beat poet Lew Welch (1926-1971).
This calendar also features work by John Straley, novelist and poet, and some beautiful, inspiring work by Caroline Goodwin.
Sitka Art Blog 