Stage Manager: Marion Guinnee
THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH
Stage Manager: Marion Guinnee
​
By Susan Nanus
Based on the book by Norton Juster
PLAY SYNOPSIS
The Phantom Tollbooth follows Milo, a young boy bored by his mundane life, as he travels to a new fantasy world, The Land of Wisdom. There he learns about creativity, friendship, and the escape from boredom. He is accompanied by Tock the Watchdog, and Humbug as he goes on his mission of saving the Princesses Rhyme and Reason.
Illustration by Jules Feiffer
ARTIST STATEMENT
Throughout the process of The Phantom Tollbooth, I had three main values that pushed my work ethic: communication, organization, and collaboration. This production required these skills to be at the forefront of my work because I was not only dealing with a new theatre space but also managing my team through extensive building renovations.
These renovations meant our dressing rooms, rehearsal room, storage, green room, and part of our shop were not available to us, so we had to adapt. This was the first production in our season since the renovations began, so it was my job to help create new policies and methods of using the backstage space. I adapted to this challenge and was able to successfully create a space for all. In the rehearsal room and production space, I helped facilitate a safe and supportive environment where everyone’s thoughts were heard.
Without open communication, a high level of organization, and collaboration with all departments, our production would not have been as successful.
VIEW FROM THE BOOTH
From the Stage Manager’s view! Since the stage was set up at an angle in our black box theatre space, there was a monitor so I was able to see the other side of the stage. This monitor allowed me to see the actors during blackouts or extra dark scenes. As well as providing a better view of the turn table. This was my first time stage-managing a show in a black box theatre, which provided a unique challenge for this show.
TURN TABLE
The turn table was used eight times throughout the show. Each time it was used, the speed and rotation direction had to be changed based on cue. Every night before the show, the turntable was tested and inspected.
BATTLE SCENE
The battle scene was run every night along with the movement call. It gave the actors a chance to practice their slo-mo “fighting”, and also allowed actors to check in with their fight partners to make sure all the movement and blocking were done safely.
CONSUMABLE PROPS
There were four different types of consumable props, with a total of 44 consumed props each night. Because this show had edible components, there were added safety protocols, such as washing the plates and serving dishes every night. ASMs washed their hands and used gloves when prepping food and the actors had a hand washing and sanitization station just offstage.
GREEN ROOM ON WHEELS!
Because of the building renovations, our green room was under construction, so I created a portable green room in the form of a tea cart! There were plenty of snacks, tea, and cough drops for everyone. I found that creating this cart, even if it wasn’t truly the same as our green room, was helpful in keeping everyone positive and connected within this collaborative space.