The Pageant of the Masters is brought to life by a team of visionary artists, skilled craftsmen, expert technicians, and talented individuals who are dedicated to their craft. The upcoming production, Art Colony: In the Company of Artists, showcases their artistic brilliance and collaborative spirit. To celebrate the Pageant’s 90th anniversary, the Festival of Arts is shining a spotlight on these exceptional individuals who create the magic of the Pageant that captivates audiences every summer.
“It starts with the imagination of Diane Challis Davy, Pageant Director, and her choice of theme, storyline, and artwork,” shared 38-year Pageant veteran and Technical Director, Richard “Butch” Hill. “Then, the seasoned, expert staff of artists and craftsmen collaborate closely to create the living art.”
Hill explains that while the creation starts as free form, everyone works together from day one. As Technical Director, Hill orchestrates grading the show’s artwork to human scale, designing and drafting scenery plans and lighting plots, and implementing equipment upgrades and stage maintenance. He also supervises the Tech Department’s production staff, hires and trains a seasonal crew of about 20 people, and manages the stage during the nightly performances.
Working closely with Hill, David Talbot implements the Technical Director’s designs, hand building each set with masterful carpentry skills. With 15-years of invaluable experience with the Pageant, Talbot has played an instrumental role as the Production Foreman for the last five years, overseeing the meticulous execution of the Pageant of the Masters. He and his team ensure the production departments are efficiently collaborating to create the smooth transition between cast members and set while keeping cast safe and comfortable.
“It becomes a well-oiled machine that can only be accomplished with the well-planned and collaborating efforts of all of the incredible people in production,” Talbot said. “We have some new young employees in production, including staff scenic carpenter Brian Vidales.
This is important because they are being trained to carry the torch of tradition. We are all just stewards of this thing that was here long before us, and will be here long after us. I am honored to be a part of this unique and historical production, if only for a moment.”
Now in his third season behind the scenes, Pageant Scenic Artist, W. Brad Elsberry, is one of the handful of Scenic Artists, who hand paint the masterpieces to the Pageant’s extraordinary, full-scale versions. Elsberry, also a long-time exhibitor at the Festival of Arts (2007-2019), has a fine art background, so he says he’s used to a lot of detail work. He’s also been a stage and mural painter in the past, so “painting big” is second nature to him.
“Each large set can take, on average, between two and three weeks to paint,” Elsberry explained. “The studio light is great here – all natural. I also jump in to paint costumes for the backgrounds I complete whenever I’m needed. And I love to do prop work – that’s probably my favorite.”
Previously a volunteer cast member and now in her third year as the Pageant’s Makeup Director, Michelle Pohl spends January through June creating a makeup design for each volunteer cast member in the show by painting coordinated designs onto styrofoam heads. Each design has a set of written instructions denoting implements, colors, placement, and application sequence for the volunteer makeup artists to reference.
“During the build season, I also assemble my summer team of makeup volunteers, and hold multiple training workshops to get any new volunteers up and running. There is a lot of organization, both on the creative end and the volunteer end, that goes into making everything run smoothly,” Pohl says. “Every piece in the show presents its own unique set of challenges, from costume design, to set design and construction, to set painting, to makeup, and to lighting. Each of the aforementioned brings their own set of talents to the table and do the work, collaborating where necessary.”
“We have stitchers who stitch all the material together for each individual cast member based on their measurements, and then each costume goes to the paint shop to create that illusion,” Foy shared. “This year, we have upwards of 110 still costumes to create, in addition to costuming the live actors who move around in the audience or in front of the paintings. Interacting with all the volunteers is so fun and seeing all of our work come together each year is rewarding.”
This summer’s Pageant of the Masters production is a celebration of artists who have wholeheartedly embraced the communities where they reside and work, serving as a source of inspiration for one another. The dedicated team behind the Pageant truly embodies the spirit of an art colony.
Performances of the 2023 Pageant of the Masters, Art Colony: In the Company of Artists, are nightly from July 7 – September 1, 2023. Advance tickets start at $35 per person. To stay up to date on all things Pageant of the Masters and Festival of Arts, follow the Festival at @FestivalPageant and visit www.foapom.com