Chromatic

Chromatic Fall 2018

Starving Stereotype Shattered The representation of art is being changed as artists discover new opportunities.

Also in this magazine: Down to Dance

Technology in Theater

Touring the Tiers

Behind the Scenes of Music

Page 14

Page 20

Page 26

Page 32

Dear Reader,

Chromatic was created out of the shared love of fine arts. The

five of us came from different backgrounds and came together to create something that encapsulates different fine arts and their different, unique effects on people. We each chose a different fine art to represent and learn about. Through interviews, research, and long InDesign sessions, we finally produced a magazine we could be proud of.

We love fine arts because they’re a way to express ourselves, whether it’s through singing under a blinding spotlight, painting alone in a room, perfecting a new dance routine, or bowing to a standing ovation. We met people who pour out all their emotions into fine arts because it’s their passion, people who use their talents to inspire the world around them. We hope that Chromatic can do that as well. We want people that read it to be inspired to find new and unique ways to express themselves. After reading this magazine, we want you to see art, all art, differently and to see life differently. We hope Chromatic spurs you on to inspire the world around you.

Thank you for reading,

Devon Hobbs, Copy Editor

Mary Martinez, Feature Story Editor

Erik Rodriguez, Graphics Editor

Sydney Yium, Layout Editor

Anushka Pradhan, Content Editor Chromatic 1

Table of C 4 The Chromatic Team 6 Favorite Fine Arts 8 Starving Stereotype Shattered The representation of art is being changed as artists discover new opportunities.

12 Top Ten Dance Styles 14 Down to Dance

Professional dancers talk about the difficulties and rewards of dance.

18 How to Put on a Play Front inside cover photos by Jessy Ingersoll Back inside cover photos by Ainsley Freeman and Jessy Ingersoll

2 Chromatic

Cover photos by Sydney Yium

Contents 20 Technology in Theatre

Advances in technology have changed the way theater is performed.

24 Top Grossing Musicals 26 Touring the Tiers Local productions are an in depth, well developed form of musical theater.

30 Q&A with Alex Napping 32 Behind the Scenes of Music

Musicians talk about the struggles of pursuing a career in music and why they choose to pursue it nonetheless.

36 Acknowledgments

Graphic by Anushka Pradhan

Chromatic 3

The Chromatic Team MARY Mary Martinez is a 15-yearold Freshman at LASA High School. Her favorite fine art is music and she is a percussionist in the LBJ High School Band. She also likes visual art, especially photography (and knitting if that counts), but cannot draw to save a life. In Chromatic, she focused on how art is changing and evolving.

ERIK Erik Rodriguez is 15-yearold who loves Dr. Pepper with his heart and soul. He enjoys playing music and is a percussionist in the LBJ High School Band. Erik is weird, goofy, and loves to laugh at just about anything. In Chromatic, he will be focusing on the fine art of music and will be giving insight about the artist life and writing process.

4 Chromatic

Photos by Ainsley Freeman

ANUSHKA Anushka Pradhan is a 14-year-old Freshman at LASA. She has played the piano for seven years and loves to dance, having partaken in both Bollywood and Hip-Hop dance. Anushka likes to be active and is a part of both club and LASA swim team. In Chromatic, Anushka focused on different dancers and their experiences.

SYDNEY Sydney Yium is a 14-year-old high school student. She loves to dance and competes every year.

She does ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, kick, and hip-hop. She also loves to run and go to spin classes. She plays the piano and is in technical theater at LASA High School.

Sydney’s favorite subject in school is math, for some reason.

In Chromatic, Sydney focused on theater and technology.

DEVON Devon Hobbs is a 14-year-old who has lots of experience in vocal technique due to singing in two competitive choirs. She spends most of her time with friends or alone, and greatly enjoys video games. Her first live musical was Wicked, which she loved. Ever since, she’s tried her hardest to involve herself in local plays and workshops. In Chromatic, Devon focused on different aspects of musical theater.

Chromatic 5

Favorite Fine Arts

by Mary Martinez

“I just love having the power that the pencil and paper give me to really just make whatever I want to”-Clara Connor

14.6% “I love theater...cause the audience does have to come here and they’re sharing the same air and space with the actors and we’re hearing each other. And that makes it special”-Allen Robertson

24.4% 4.9%

“We call ourselves mosaic theater because we are a mosaic of every type of human being on the planet that comes together to work as a team.”-Kimberly Knight

source - 9th grade students at LASA High School

6 Chromatic

“I feel like in a lot of ways dance saved me from going down a path that would have been not ideal and it has opened so many doors, mentally, emotionally, and just in general.”-Dimitrius Adams

Visual Arts 7.3%

Theater Musical Theater

48.8%

Music Dance

“The great thing about it is when you’re down and out, a song will always come and save you and bring you back to life.”-Daniel Eyes

Chromatic 7

Graphite drawing titled Visions. Clara Connor is a young artist and owns the CKC art shop. photo courtesy of Clara Connor

Starving Stereotype Shattered

by Mary Martinez

Artistic jobs are being opened up and becoming more popular, reshaping the “starving artist” label

“Artist”

brings to mind two things. First is a Bob Ross type image, someone peacefully painting a canvas with no care in the world.

8 Chromatic

Second is an empty bank account. But this isn’t what artists have to be anymore. New jobs are developing in visual art, and artists can live without the fear

of becoming a “starving artist.”

Many children and teenagers enjoy art, but this interest often dissolves after high school. Luis Martinez

loved drawing as a kid and nametags, basically While art is one of her said doodling helped him everything that involves favorite hobbies, she focus in class lectures. design. Martinez makes doesn’t want to pursue When Martinez went to a good salary and goes an artistic career. college at the University to work everyday doing “I know that it’s very of Texas at Austin (UT), something he loves. hard to get discovered as while searching for a “Some people go to an artist, especially doing major he enjoy, Martinez work and they don’t really realistic art that I like to remembered how he had like their job,” Martinez do. There’s just so many enjoyed art as a kid, but said, “and maybe people people out there who are was skeptical about a have stated if you’re so skilled,” Connor said. career. doing something that “I will spend a lot of my “I always thought that you love then it’s not a time on it [when I’m it would be something job, you’re just there, older], but I also feel it’s you do on the hard to only side or in your do art as a spare time, lifestyle.” like painting, The idea “If you’re doing something that or I guess of starving you love then it’s not a job, you’re more like a a r t i s t s just there, basically getting payed hobby, but isn’t the I was really only thing to do what you enjoy.” m i s t a k e n ,” stopping Martinez people from -Luis Martinez, graphic designer said. “I had pursuing a moment an artistic where I realized that basically getting payed career. Some artists feel I wasn’t gonna enjoy to do what you enjoy. like making art their [engineering]; I wanted That’s the way I see it.” primary source of income something more creative Clara Connor is a would take away their … I had this misconception 14-year-old artist from freedom of expression in that if you were an Austin who has business art. artist, you were gonna selling her art. Her “It’s how I express be struggling financially interest in art started in myself, but I feel like – you know the term, elementary school art it’ll be hard to [make it ‘starving artist.’” classes, and with lots of a career].” Connor said, Martinez now works practice, she’s become “It’ll be less fun for me as a graphic designer very skilled. She likes if I make that a job and at American Institutes to draw people and force myself and need to for Research, working animals best and likes to make money off of it.” mostly with print design, experiment with vibrant Leslie Ernst is the art he designs logos, posters, colors in her paintings. director at the University

“

Chromatic 9

“

of Texas and does graphic Ernst said. “So I do it an expression of oneself, design for the Harry for a client, the client’s and a way to illustrate Ransom your visions C e n t e r. and feelings U n l i k e in an Martinez, tangible, “It’ll be less fun for me if I make she always surviving that a job and force myself [to knew art way. Visual was what art has draw] and need to make money she was expanded off of it.” going to from these do. Before conventional -Clara Connor, Artist and owner of CKC Art d o i n g methods Shop design, into a wide Ernst worked as a evaluating the work, range of mediums such photographer and visual and then I’m adjusting, as photography, design, artist.

She created suiting their needs and metal working, and so installations and started what their take is on what much more. a nonprofit organization I’ve done. I think that it’s “You can actually make about photography. probably the closest in a career,” Martinez said.

“As much as I love terms of being creative, “There’s so many things graphic design and I individual work and yet, you can do. When I was love the Ransom Center, there’s that extra part growing up, I didn’t have it’s not my own work,” of just being completely a clue that these careers unleashed.” existed.”

For a lot Not only is art of people, becoming a modern art is just way of expression, a hobby. it’s becoming more People still influential than it has see it as ever before. Artists are reflections using art to tell the world o f what they believe, what landscapes they want the world to and people, be. Ernst said artists in the should use their talents m o d e r n and notoriety to convey world, art is a message outside of much more galleries. than that.

“I think that through has public art, through putting Leslie Ernst stands against the wall she designed in Art the Harry Ransom Center. photo by Mary Martinez turned into art in unpredictable 10 Chromatic

Luis Martinez talks about his career in art. photo by Danny Martinez

c o m m o n and unique.

People can finally follow their passion of art without having to face the “starving artist”

just get payed to do what you enjoy,” Martinez said. “If that’s art, then there’s many careers in art you can pursue.”

places so people discover As art where they least are stereotype. expecting to [it becomes this stereotype is artists influential],” Ernst said. shattered,

can show their emotions, and their beliefs without the fear of financial problems.

“Don’t be afraid to do what you love because, if you do what you love, it’s not really a job, you

z

“There’s that ah-ha, that wow and ah-ha factor that make people pause and reflect on what’s going on.”

Art is being reshaped, re-imagined. Jobs and opportunities in visual art are getting more

artine Mary M ics by

-Leslie Ernst, UT Director of Visual Art

graph

“

“There’s that ah-ha, that wow and ah-ha factor that make people pause and reflect on what’s going on.”

Chromatic 11

Top Ten Favorite Dance Styles

by Anushka Pradhan

1)Hip Hop Hip hop encompasses many different dance styles such as street jazz and tutting. It’s origins are disputed but took off in the 1970s in places like the Bronx in New York.

3)Ballet Created in the early years of the Italian renaissance, ballet has a deep rooted history and is one of the most historical dances.

2)Modern Similar to contemporary dance, modern took off as a response to more traditional dance styles such as ballet, when younger dancers began to deviate from the traditional rules.

4)Contemporary Today’s contemporary dance is a combination of ballet, and other modern styles. It originated towards the end of the 20th century and is very versatile.

5)Jazz

6)Salsa

Jazz dancing was created in the 20th century as a way to dance to a new music style called Jazz. Jazz as a style is very free-form and utilizes lots of improvisation.

Salsa is one of the most popular dance styles in Latin America. It is composed of very energetic choreography that has become popular worldwide.

12 Chromatic

8)Waltz & Tango

7)Tap Tap dancing is very unique dance style categorized for the rhythms produced by the dancer with their tap shoes. It origins are unknown.

Waltz took off in the mid 19th century and became popular due to composers like Johann Strauss. Tango is a very energetic dance style, created in Argentina.

10)Classical

9)

Breakdancing Similar to hip hop, break-dancing took off in the 1970s in New York, starting as a type of street dancing.

Classical is a conventional dance revealing emotions through poetry or dance drama.

source - 2018 fall semester Ezine students, 2nd period

source - dancefacts.net

graphic by Anushka Pradhan

Chromatic 13

Down to Dance The Experiences of Current and Former Performers

by Anushka Pradhan

The music pounds

the room.

Bodies sway to beat. The overall mood is upbeat and energetic. Dance has been around for a long time resulting in many different, evolving styles from all across the world.

Ballet originates back to 15th century France while newer styles like hip hop and Bollywood dance have come about through the combination of other older styles such as classical and jazz.

Santosh Bidaralli, Bollywood dancer and teacher with the Agni dance company, said dance is a vital part of 14 Chromatic

life.

“So dance is a form of art,” Bidaralli said. “It motivates a lot of people from the background of art. It could be any style.

Santosh Bidaralli smiles for the camera after a dance performance. photo courtesy of Santosh Bidaralli.

It helps you grow. It brings you confidence.”

For ballet and jazz dancer Anna Perusse, dance is a form of exercise. She has been dancing all of her life and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a minor in dance pedagogy.

She said dancing for around 30 minutes is equivalent to taking a short jog and is considered a full body workout.

“It’s so physical, I mean it’s [dancers are] absolutely an athlete just like a football player, a soccer player, a basketball player,” Perusse said. “It’s just really hard on your body and the same thing for the mind, it’s such a mind sport or extracurricular.”

The thought process, m e m o r i z a t i o n , performance, the way dancers portray themselves, and discipline are important, but choreography is one of the most important.

“I really like choreography,” Perusse said. “I like making stuff up and I think the best part is when a child is struggling with

something and you see them get over that hump.

They’ve accomplished what they’ve been working really hard on and just that sense of pride that they did it totally on their own.”

Although the way dancers portray dance makes it look easy, dance requires lots of effort, both physical and mental. There are many components in a dancer’s life that can make being a dancer challenging. For some, the hardest part is maintaining consistency and finding balance, but for others it’s all about going with the flow. “ B e i n g difficult. okay with They often the ups feel as if and downs, they’ve hit a emotionally, “I really like choreography, I ceiling. financially” “ T h e like making stuff up and I think Adams said. hardest part the best part is when a child is “I think over of being the years it struggling with something and a dancer gets easier you see them get over that hump.” is growing because you as a better just realize - Anna Perusse, Ballet and Jazz dancer d a n c e r, it’s part of because dancing seriously in high the game everyday you get to see and it’s going to be okay.” school as an escape.

For other professional a lot of people with a lot Dimitrius Adams, growing of talent,” Bidaralli said.

Austin-based dancer, was dancers, improving their “So you can see little trained in hip-hop, ballet and styles is kids which and jazz, and started respective

“

Chromatic 15

are three, four, five years and they are also picking up dance so fast, and they take multiple styles, whereas I come

from a background, where I didn’t learn any specific style.”

Many dancers’ love of dance and their passion for it pushes them to keep striving for the best possible results.

However, due to the physical ability dance requires, at times injury drives dancers away from their passion.

“My joints got really bad,” Perusse said. “I have arthritis in my hips, my knees and my ankles and it just got to the point where it’s high impact… whether you’re in class or whether you’re in performance there’s just 16 Chromatic

constant jumping and it just got to where it was either I quit dancing or I quit walking.”

Dance as legitimate profession isn’t all work and no play. Although dancers put in lots of effort, they definitely have their fair share of fun.

“There hasn’t been a single experience that I’ve had working on either a music video or a show that hasn’t been fun,” Adams said. “It’s always such a good time

Dimitrius Adams outside the dance studio he works at. photo by Anushka Pradhan.

and that’s something that I think people should know about the entertainment industry anyways, because this job is so hard, because it’s not consistent, because it’s physically taxing; everyone in the

industry is so fun to work with, because we know [that] and we’re always trying to make each other laugh.”

Perusse talking about her experience teaching varsity basketball players to dance. It was their last year in high school and Perusse explained that they wanted to be able to put on a dance as a way to show

others t h a t there was more them then just basketball.

“So it was pretty fun having them in class because dance is hard to pick up anyway and luckily it was jazz, so it wasn’t like I had to teach them ballet,” Perusse said. “But, nonetheless, they were hilarious. Like

just every minute they were laughing at each other, laughing at themselves. But in a good way, they were all on the same team so that was pretty fun.”

Dance, like many other sports, can have a sizable impact on people’s lives. For some, it may be devoting their whole life, but for others it can become a part of their

graphics by Anushka Pradhan

personality.

“I think it has caused me to be a more driven organized person,” Perusse said. “I have been a district manager, a project manager so I’m super organized, I’m super focused. I’m a super hard worker, I want perfection out of whatever it is I’m doing and anybody who is doing it with me, I prefer that.

I do think that some of it’s my personality but I think ballet formed a lot of my personality just that need to whatever it is you’re going to do, do it the very best you can.”

Chromatic 17

Graphic by Sydney Yium

1. Make a budget

Work out how much money you have and can use on your play

2. Find a venue

Find places that are within your budget, see how many people can fit in it, and decide if you can make profit from renting the venue

3. Find the play

Make a list of how many actors you need, the type of people, what props you need, if there are any parts that you can cut

4. Find your cast

Find specific people who fit specific parts in your play.

Look in drama schools.

Lots of the students are hoping to get cast in a role.

18 Chromatic

How Put o Pla

5. Publicity and Marketing

Publicize with media and have critics to come and spread the word of your play. If your budget is big enough, pay for PR.

6. Design

Either design the play yourself or hire someone. Find someone to pull the whole show together and be in charge of design.

w to on a ay

7. Technicians

Find people to do the lights, music and props.

See if your venue includes the cost of the technician.

8. Rehearsal

Find a place to rehearse.

Using a house is always an option. When it gets closer to show dates, go through the whole play. Have a dress rehearsal before the show.

Congratulations! You did it!

by Sydney Yium

source - Arts Alive

Chromatic 19

Luke Hawkins as Don Lockwood in ZACH Theater’s production of “Singin’ In The Rain.” photo by Kirk Tuck courtesy of ZACH Theater

Technology in Theater

by Sydney Yium

The flickering of lights

and the musky scent when curtains are drawn.

Techs yanking ropes and actors nervously pacing backstage, reciting their lines over and over.

20 Chromatic

These are things that have always happened in theater and will probably keep happening.

Theater has been around since what seems like the beginning of time. However, famous playwrights, popular

scripts and even the fashion of costumes have been altered and developed over time to adapt to the changes of trends and people.

There have been staging changes , lighting changes, s c e n ery

things for me to communication is one of the have the career most important aspects that I have,” of theater and the new Robertson said. advances in technology “It allows me in communication have to work so made it easier to work much faster, with other people. just being able “When you’re devising to write music work together and out 20 times writing it together, Craig Brock, the audio supervisor of ZACH Theater, changes the settings of the play “Once” faster, or to be having stuff like Google using his sound and lighting console. photo by able to do an Docs is huge,” Adam Sydney Yium a r ra n g e m e n t Roberts said, the artistic changes, and so much for an orchestra in just director at TILT, said. more. an hour instead of having “Just being able to work “ S o u n d , on something in real lights, all of time together and see that’s computer what somebody else operated,” Allen “You used to have to put is changing.”

Robertson said, TILT is a company the resident in separate gels for every that provides musical director light and now that same actors with and at ZACH Scott light can be any color.” without disabilities Theater.

“You the opportunity to used to have to - Allen Robertson, musical director create and perform put in separate at ZACH Theater professional theater. gels for every They span many light and now that same to spend all day writing disabilities , from light can be any color.” each part out by hand.” d y s l e x i a These changes affected New technology i n the efficiency of putting a s t a g i n g play together by making and lighting tedious tasks much faster hasn’t been and make materials the only easier to access. These thing that’s changes have also helped to created opportunities change the for even more people to game. Allen become successful in the R o b e r t s o n business of theater. thinks that Members of TILT Kristin Gooch, Toby Al-Trabulsi, “[Technology has] and others practice for their show “As Butterflies.” really allowed a lot of photo courtesy of TILT

“

Chromatic 21

to seizure certain things that d i s o r d e r s . have set theater back Roberts said and have taken some that they have of the magic out of it. many people “Before things with multiple like P hotoshop disabilities. Their and digital editing goal is to shatter were mainstream, stereotypes designers actually about people paint e d with with disabilities. w a t e r c o l o r s ,” Paul This is another Flint said, the director way theater of production at has changed, ZACH Scott theater.

The programming consul for the show “Once” at by including ZACH Theater. photo by Sydney Yium “It added a flair in everyone. artistry. It isn’t as sitting there listening to The new prevalent these days... technological advances the line being read on There’s kind of that have helped to the PDF and the person nostalgia thing more accommodate to their reading the line in the than anything else.” actor’s needs. Without group. Then, she would Not only is the artistry talking, which taken out of the design in it,TILT may not have hear been able theater, new technology to open the also negatively affects company the personal connection and keep all of producing a show and “When you’re devising their actors going through all the work together and writing safe and steps of it. comfortable. it together, having stuff “I don’t have to call a T h e like Google Docs is huge.” designer and ask them technology where their design improves -Adam Roberts, the artistic director is and talk about the e v e r y o n e ’ s at the company TILT problems their having. I experience, just shoot an email and was her character, then especially the blind ask where the design is she’d wait and there’d actors of TILT. and that’s often the end “They have a be silence, then she’d of it. The opportunity technology that will read repeat the line that had for conversation is lost,” a PDF of a script. It’s a just been read to her.”

Flint said.

As helpful as technology voice reading what the This new technology has been to theater, script says,” Roberts said. has also created a new “[A blind actress] was there have also been problem. It is much

“

22 Chromatic

“

easier to get carried away about … making really with all the options. Light specific choices that’s can be made any color without having any thought behind “The opportunity for it. According to conversation is lost.”

Sarah Andrews, one of the house -Paul Flint, the director of managers at production at ZACH Theater ZACH, it is very important to have a specific plan with your backed up by research.” design so ideas don’t go All the advances in everywhere. technology have made “I think [technology in a huge difference in theater] is potentially a theater. They have sped huge mess,” Andrews up the pace for creating said. “I still make my a play, it has made it students go through a easier to communicate really specific process with other people and

to work on things at the same time, and it has made a better story for the audience. However, in all these good effects, there are negative ones as well. Now that the possibilities are endless, there are much bigger chances of going crazy with the options. The relationship with other people is dimmed and artistry can get lost.

In midst of all these crazy inventions, it is important to keep staying connected to others and not lose the things that make theater so inspirational.

Taylor Moessinger (left) and Andrew Cannata in Trinity Street Players’ production of “Dani Girl.” photo courtesy of Trinity Street Players

Chromatic 23

The Lion King

Wicked

$1,463,250,222

$1,190,774,930

Chicago $613,892,561

Mamma Mia $624,391,693

Phantom of the Opera $1,150,057,053

Jeresy Boys 24 Chromatic

$558,416,084

Cats $388,000,000

Beau ty and the Beast

$429,158,458

Top Grossing Musicals

by Devon Hobbs

Les Miserables

1. Lion King (1997)

$406,258,901

3. Phantom of the Opera (1986)

Book of

Mormon $546,598,332

2. Wicked (2003)

4. Mamma Mia! (1999)

5. Chicago (1975)

6. Jersey Boys (2004)

7. Book of Mormon (2011)

8. Beauty and the Beast (1993)

9. Les Miserables (1980)

10. Cats (1960) source - Playbill

Chromatic 25

The Queen Elizabeth Theater in Vancouver, Canada. This theater is a representation of when Vancouver asserted its role as the cultural center for the region. photo by of Michael Thoeny

Touring the Tiers An Exploration of Local Musical Theatre

by Devon Hobbs

To

most Americans, Broadway is the most recognized form of musical theatre in the states, but community and local theatre has just as much heart and work put into it.

Community theatre 26 Chromatic

is run by volunteer crew and actors, people taking time and making sacrifices for the things they love.

On the community level, productions are coordinated by a small

staff of adults.

“Our company is made up completely of students and volunteers,” said Kimberly Knight, director of Mosaic Theatre in Austin. “We have about 200 kids in our program,

[but] we only have three that comes together to together it doesn’t even staff: me, the costume work as a team,” Knight matter.” director, and the stage said. “We have children There’s more than one manager.” of every race, we have form of musical theatre Even with i n s i d e a large Austin that amount of differs from cast members, Broadway. community T h e t h e a t r e University struggles with of Texas in bringing in Austin has money through a thriving shows. t h e a t r e “I pray to program.

God that we Most, if not break even,” all of it, is run Knight said. by students.

“Musicals Nanette Acosta, run close to the lead ten-thousand c o s t u m e d o l l a r s . designer at Actors at Mosaic Children’s Theatre perform a pirate’s song in Peter Dramatic UT’s theatre Pan. photo courtesy of Mosaic Theater plays are one department, thousand. There is no children from every has worked on the profit.” religious background, campus for two years.

Knight has been and we have every Acosta is more than working with children qualified, having for over 20 years, worked her whole spending almost a life as manager for “When we come together, decade employed costume production in in several high it doesn’t even matter.” varying theaters in schools, and serving Seattle. as director of Mosaic -Kimberly Knight, director ”It’s changed a Theatre for 16 years. lot, even just in Knight is proud the year that I’ve of the theatre been here,” Acosta company’s diverse cast kid from every social said. “I make sure the of children. economic background - costumes happen.

I “We are a mosaic of from millionaires to great make sure they get on every type of human poverty, and everyone in being on the planet between. When we come

“

Chromatic 27

stage. I generally sew for stage, direct things them and that. I have for stage, [and] find a professional staff, things for stage,” Acosta [and] a fabulous student said. “It’s all supported staff...I help talk through by the professional staff the season selection and their teachers... pieces, the pieces that Professors here, we all we’re picking, and...the needs for the different design “If you’re not loving it, students.” there’s no reason to be The UT doing it. There is no money t h e a t r e d e p a r t m e n t in musical theatre.” p r o v i d e s experience to -Nanette Acosta, costume director p r o s p e c t i v e at the University of Texas professional actors, writers or work in the field too. designers through their We’re not just here and theatre program. sequestered at UT, we’re “The goal is that the actually doing it and then students have as much bringing that back to the opportunity as possible students.” to be onstage and However, even at the backstage, make things higher levels, musical for stage, write things theatre is far from a

“

profitable industry.

“You have to want to be there, because it certainly isn’t going to be the career choice that’s going to make you a millionaire,” Acosta said.”If you’re not loving doing it, then there’s no reason to be doing it, because you’re not doing it for the money. There is no money in musical theatre”.

At the final tier of local musicals, there is Zach Theatre. Working as a multimillion company, Zach functions at the highest level of local theatre in Austin. Chad Dike, the associate director of education at Zach, said that “[they] are the largest producing theatre in Austin,” and had “about a $10,000,000 budget a

Dancers perform Fall for Dance at UT. This was put on by the Dance Repertory Theatre, the award-winning student company. photo courtesy of the University of Texas

28 Chromatic

“

year.” share many qualities.

Quite different from With both highly the other two tiers, Zach has a large “The skills you get a m o u n t from theatre allow you of paid, professional to be a better part of the staff. community.”

“In a given year, -Chad Dike, director of education we have about 300 people who come to qualified and passionate work with us,” Dike said. workers, willing to “All our staff positions and people on stage are professionals. All of our teachers here are paid as well.”

However, Zach still retains the belief of improving their actors through experience, letting them grow. Dike’s cast is also made up completely of children, as he mostly coordinates classes.

“Most teachers are looking to be a part of making a younger student a better person,” Dike said. “All the skills you get from theatre allow you to be a better part of the community.”

While community and college theatre may seem worlds apart on A front view of Austin’s Zach paper, in truth, they Theater

dedicate lifetimes to companies, the tiers of musical theatre seem more similar than they appear. Theatre is made up off people from all walks of life.

“We’re like a mosaic: you take a whole bunch of people together [and] you get a beautiful picture. It’s the best thing about us,” Knight said.

Theatre. photo courtesy of Zach

Chromatic 29

Q&A with Alex Cohen

by Erik Rodriguez

Alex Napping is a band that Alex Cohen, the lead singer and guitarist of the band, started in 2013.

The band Alex Napping. They are an indie band that originated in Austin. photo courtesy of alexnapping.com

Chromatic: Your newest release, “Fault” (Ronnie Stone Remix) is very different from the rest of your music, what inspired the change?

Alex Cohen: It implies that someone can take off in any direction they want. Wife and Kidz came together more in the studio than most of my other songs. I mostly just wanted a weirder, more experimental track.

The band Alex Napping poses for a picture. Alex Cohen, in the pink, started the band. photo courtesy of alexnapping.com

30 Chromatic

is your C: What process for writing songs and creating music? What ignites the flame of the process?

What’s difficult and what’s less so?

AC: Trying to wade through the process of creative blocks and getting through the good days and bad days is definitely difficult.

It takes about 6 months to make the songs but you only spend around 10 days in the studio.

Mixing is also pretty difficult. Sometimes you just need to cut your losses and continue through what’s best for the album.

graphics by Sydney Yium and Mary Martinez Fun Facts: Adrian is into coding. Thomas is a teacher and sports coach. In fact, Thomas actually coaches soccer. Andrew is into cycling and cooking. Alex likes dance and takes classes in her free time.

C: What inspired “This is Not a Bedroom?” What does the name mean?

AC: The album is about being on the cusp of adulthood: graduating college, having first experiences, being someone who is in the real world, making money to pay rent, I think there is this idea of stability and comfort of having a bedroom but, once you have your own, there’s more responsibility and stress. Many intense relationships in my bedroom enter through love.

I experienced so much in the bedroom. The idea is that bedroom is a safe haven but from experiencing. It’s a term that is borrowed from an English-French culinary that means setting aside and measuring your ingredients before cooking. The idea with that is just that life is not necessarily a thing you can try and control through steps because there are so many unpredictable things.

You have to just deal with whatever comes your way.

Alex now lives in New York where she works at her day job and continues with music afterwards. The band members might switch up due to the fact that they don’t all live in the same general location. Alex has released an EP, This Is Not A Bedroom, an album, Mise En Place, and a few other singles that may be featured in any upcoming albums or EPs.

“Life is not necessarily a thing you can try and control through steps because there are so many unpredictable ways.”

-Alex Cohen, lead singer and guitarist Chromatic 31

Behind the Scenes of Music

by Erik Rodriguez

ACL music festival on October 5, 2018. photo by Sydney Yium

you enter a convenience store, the sound of and everything.

The children caroling during sound of birds chirping as the holiday season. the sun rises, the sound Music is an important of bells clanging when

Music can be anything

32 Chromatic

attribute in culture, health, and various other subjects. It can have meaning behind it, it can be a story that serves

as an autobiographical about being on the memoir, or it can cusp of adulthood, simply be something graduating college, you make or listen to having first as a hobby. experiences, being Pursuing and creating someone who is in music as an artist is the real world, and different however. An making money to artist may feel a surge pay rent” Cohen said. of emotions caused by “I think there is this their career, they may idea of stability and feel intimidated by comfort of having seeing others be more your own bedroom... successful than them, the idea with that is they may fear failure just that life is not and allow it to be a necessarily a thing setback for them and where you can try their writing process, and control through or they may just feel steps because of happiness, glad to be unpredictable things pursuing something so you have to just they love. Creating deal with whatever music is a process comes your way.” that takes multiple Cohen decided steps, all of which are what would be on important in making her EP, “This Is Not A the music good and Bedroom”.

Dan Welcher conducts a full orhestra. enjoyable.

Some difficulties Welcher has been composing/conducting fro Alex Napping is a decades and is very skilled in this field of art that an artist may small indie rock band and music. photo courtesy of danwelcher. face are creative com in Austin. Alex Cohen, blocks, time frames their lead singer and when the artist guitarist, started can’t think of what the band in 2013. to write or do for “There is this idea of Alex Napping has their music. Artists released various stability and comfort from also face difficult singles, one album, having your own bedroom.” choices during the Mise En Place process of making (2017), and one -Alex Cohen, singer and guitarist. music, they have EP, “This Is Not A to take a lot into Bedroom” (2014). account “The album is

“

Chromatic 33

when deciding what’s best for the music: what the fans will want, what fits the music, what fits the genre and mood.

“Trying to wade through the process of creative blocks, dealing with good and bad day,” Cohen said. “Sometimes you just need to cut your losses and make decisions that are better for the band,” Cohen said.

Creating music is a difficult process that requires a lot of drafting,revising and editing. Cohen is not the only artist that takes months perfecting music for an album. Creative blocks can especially be a

Rock artist Daniel Eyes poses for a photoshoot.

Eyes is the lead singer of the band Daniel Eyes and the Vibes. photo courtesy of danieleyes.com

34 Chromatic

struggle. Not only do they stall the writing process, they proceed to, in most cases, make the artist to think of themselves as a failure or as someone who doesn’t belong in the music industry.

Music isn’t just about perfecting the pitches and rhythms, it can also be about perfectly portraying the story behind the composition.

Daniel Welcher is a composer/professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

“A piece that tells a story without word… will advance the stories” Welcher said. In other cases, music isn’t telling a story. Music can also serve as a reminder-whether you make it or not--of progressional ideas that are often meant to be relatable for the person listening, to try and make them feel more connected to the music.

However, sometimes, music might just be for the listener to enjoy, but for the artist to feel.

It can be more meant for the artist to express themselves through music when they don’t know how else to. Daniel

Eyes is a rock artist from Austin who travels a lot and doesn’t get a lot of time to talk to family and friends about his troubles.

In an interview with singer/songwriter Daniel Eyes, he explained why he wrote his song Sweet Dreaming. “Sweet Dreaming is... a song I wrote basically convincing myself to stay in Austin after I first moved from New York. I was having a hard time just pushing through the struggles of moving to a new city and this was the song that calmed my nerves for the moment and allowed me to move forward,” Eyes said .

Music is a very sincere and touching subject that can connect people to various things: other people, ideas, and themselves. Music can play a vital role in someone’s mood, someone’s determination to continue pursuing their dream, despite the difficulties, or simply just being there as a guide, leading people on a journey through the use of melodies and harmonies.

graphic by Erik Rodriguez and Sydney Yium

Chromatic 35

Thank You! The Chromatic team would like to thank the people that were the key to our success.

Our parents for supporting us and driving us to interviews.

Our interviewees for agreeing to interviews and making our magazine interesting.

Kevin Garcia for teaching us about Adobe, journalism, and Marvel characters.

Adobe webpage for helpful videos and tutorials.

Ainsley Freeman for taking photos, emotional support, and graphics help.

ZACH Scott Theater for letting us use pictures.

TILT Theater company for letting us use pictures.

Harry Ransom Center for letting us in early for an interview CKC Art Shop for letting us use pictures.

36 Chromatic

graphics by Mary Martinez, Sydney Yium, and Anushka Pradhan