We are in the middle of an intense tech week over at the Stone Church and we’d thought we’d take some time to introduce you to our fabulously talented Assistant Production Director and Assistant Artistic Director. The show simply would not happen without these two amazing ladies and we are so grateful for the time and energy they have put into this production.
Gillian Rispoli
Allie Cohen
Hi! Introduce yourselves and let us know what your role is with “Much Ado About Nothing”?
Gillian: Hi, my name is Gillian Rispoli. I am a sophomore at Coastal Carolina University pursuing BFA Theare Arts- Design and Production with a concentration in Stage Management and a double minor in Communications and Art Studio. With “Much Ado About Nothing” I am the Assistant Production Director. So with my my position, I am mainly in charge of all the sets, props, lights, and costumes.
Allie: Hi! I’m Allie Cohen and I’m the assistant artistic director as well as playing Antonio in Much Ado About Nothing!
Have you worked with SCP before?
Gillian: I actually have had the opportunity to work at SCP many times before. My first time at SCP I was actually on stage in the production “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. I played brother Asher in this production. After that I went to more of the production side of everything. I first worked on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as a Production Intern and then “Cyrano de Bergerac” as a Production Stage Manager.
Allie: This is my first production with SCP and I am so thrilled that my first production was with this magnificent cast and crew!
How has working on a show during Covid been different than pre-covid?
Gillian: For me, the transition between a pre-covid show and during covid has been very different. Not just at SCP but even at school. This past fall we worked on an online show and it was crazy how much different it was. It definitely didn’t give the same feelings you get when you watch live theater but it worked for that period. I have to say I am very grateful for everything SCP has been doing to keep this production safe for everyone, Cast, crew, and audience.
Allie: It has been an interesting and challenging experience. We did a lot of good work over zoom since there’s so much importance when it comes to understanding Shakespearean language and text, but it made the second half of the rehearsal process more challenging since we weren’t able to get the show up on its feet until we met in person so far into the rehearsal process. We’ve come a long way since that first rehearsal, and I’m so proud and impressed by the work the cast has done!
What do you think of the ‘Shakespeare in the Sheds’ concept? Any challenges with putting on an outdoor show?
Gillian: Overall I thought this was a great idea! SCP are one of the first people I have heard about going back to live theater. Working outside as well works very well with the atmosphere and theme of this show. Obviously, there is always issues working outdoors. What if it rains? Is there enough lighting? But we have such an amazing team we have a plan for everything in advance.
Allie: It’s a cool concept, but it’s nerve wracking! We’re essentially eliminating a backstage which presents its own challenges for the actors and we just have to do our anti-rain dances and pray the weather works out in our favor! It would be a shame to lose a performance due to weather after all the hard work put into the show.
Gillian, what has been your favorite creation come to life in regards to the set/lights?
Gillian: I think these lights in the natural dusk light are going to look absolutely gorgeous. We really wanted to keep the set and lights quite simple and let nature be our main foundation of the set. Having the sun as our spotlight and the sheds as our set for the house was our main concept, just let nature take over. I feel that is also another great thing about working outside. You have such beautiful grounds around us, might as well use them best we can.
Allie, you’re the Assistant Artistic Director as well as in the show, tell us about that!?
Allie: This has been such a fun journey for me! I’m a total Shakespeare nerd, so getting to help the cast with their understanding of the language has been very gratifying. As much as I love acting, I also love directing and helping create these moments for our audiences to enjoy has been a wonderful artistic experience. The most challenging factor is stepping away to watch the scene unfold and then inserting myself into the scene later. This experience has reinvigorated my love for directing, so I am very thankful for this production!
Anything you want to tell the readers of our website about?
Gillian: Right after “Much Ado About Nothing” closes, I will be working on my next production at Mater Dei Prep. The Seraph Players will be putting on “Disney’s Newsies” on July 30, 31 & August 1. For this show I am happy to announce I will be taking my Production Stage Manager yet again. Once I go back to school I will also be working on some more productions. The first being “Honk!” which I will be Assistant Stage Managing, then I will be Assistant Scenic Designer and as well as Run Crew for our production “Everybody”, the Properties Coordinator for our student directed production of “How I learned to Drive”, and lastly I will again be Assistant Stage Managing our production of “Black Comedy and the White Liars”.
I would like to thank Michael for all of the help and opportunities he has given me over the years to grow in the arts. I love coming back to the Stone Church and helping with whatever I can. Of course I also have to shout out my amazing mentor Sherrie Cole for always supporting every production I work on. She’s definitely the best second mother a girl could have! And lastly of course I have to thank my parents and family members for always supporting my love for the arts!
Allie: On top of my day job and passion for theatre, I’m also a travel agent! Now that people are starting to travel again, I’d be happy to assist any of our patrons with their vacations. I specialize in Walt Disney World and other Disney products, and also plan Universal, all-inclusives, general flight and hotel stay packages around the US, and I’ll be working towards earning my certifications to sell for the cruise lines.
https://www.imaginationdestinationstravel.com/allison-cohen.html