Blue Box Theater Shows Off New Look

With the hybrid schooling model implemented on May 3rd, Northwest Academy thespians face the opportunity to perform in-person again in the newly renovated Blue Box Theater, Northwest Academy’s performance space.

Northwest Academy’s Technical Theatre teacher Tyler Buswell has remodeled much of the Blue Box throughout the pandemic in preparation for the return to in-person school.

“I demolished the previous stage and installed a stage floor that extends all the way to the seating platforms,” Buswell said.

The new stage is smoother, ADA accessible, and is about 10″ lower so that there can be better multi-level sets.

“I also raised the seating platforms significantly for better sightlines for the audience, optimized the green room with more mirrors and surfaces for actors to get ready, and created an entirely new costume shop space above the dance studio,” Buswell said.

Unable to do conventional tech theatre work in the pandemic, Buswell has gone digital.

“I absolutely love making big, exciting scenic designs for audiences and performers to enjoy in person, but instead have been focused during this time on digital media editing ranging from video compilations, virtual performances and animation techniques we will be using in the upcoming virtual production of Charlie Brown,” Buswell said.

Despite the challenges of the past year, Buswell has used his abundant free time productively.

“Although I haven’t had the opportunity to create traditional scenic designs during COVID, the vast amount of updates and additions I have been able to implement in the Blue Box are going to be a game changer once we are able to return to in-person learning. There is no way I would have been able to accomplish all of these things unless Covid happened, so I am grateful for the silver lining amidst an otherwise difficult and challenging year.”

Wade Willis, Northwest Academy’s Arts Coordinator, has taught at NWA since 2010, and has seen many changes to the structure of the space since then.

“When I started teaching, the Blue Box was an open room with about five huge wooden boxes that were covered in carpet,” Willis said. “Those boxes were used as set pieces as well as for audience members to sit on. I built the first semi-permanent stage the Blue Box had in one of the corners. That only lasted for about three shows before we built the stage and audience seating that was there until this last summer. Tyler has now transformed the Blue Box again.”

Willis has found that online theatre can be isolating and taxing for everyone involved.

“Due to the internet lag and our inability for more than one person to talk or sing at the same time, all of the artists are forced to work on their part in a vacuum,” Willis said. “They do this without the benefit of being inspired by their fellow artists. Everyone creates multiple videos that are then edited to have the illusion that everyone was working together.

Due to the limitations of online theatre, Willis is excited to direct theatre in-person again.

“We all miss the collaboration that inspires ideas and creativity, and we miss the interaction and feedback we get from the audience,” Willis said. “I expect that when we first return to school, depending on the health metrics, there might be an opportunity to have actors collaborate on the stage again by producing a show. Whether this is masked or not would depend on several factors, and I think it might be a little while before an audience is allowed to join us. But even without an audience in the theatre, we could still have an audience tune into our live production.”