Working behind the scenes

Pat Bonney, Charge Scenic Artist at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is one of two people in charge of the painting of all the shows that move through the festival every season. Pat has been with the festival for 25 years.

As a youth, Pat Bonney dreamed of one day working at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Now, at age 48, in addition to being a husband, father, mountain bike riding enthusiast and more, Pat is proud to say that he's worked with OSF for more than 25 years. He holds the title of Charge Scenic Artist, and is in charge of the painting of every other show that moves through OSF. Pat explains how it all came about, and also gives us a fascinating look behind the scenes of the production process at the largest repertory theatre in the United States.

DT: Have you always been interested in theatre?

Pat: When younger I was sure I was going to be an astronaut or a secret agent. Then in my freshman year in high school I became interested in live theatre; my first role was The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. I've been a drama nerd ever since.

DT: What path did you take after high school?

Pat: I attended college at SOU — back when it was known as Southern Oregon College — and eventually received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Classical Theatre. I chose SOC partly because of the great theatre program, partly because Playboy magazine rated it the number two party school just behind Chico State, and partly because — being born and raised in Salem — I'd been coming to the Shakespeare Festival with my folks for years and always loved our visits. I even dreamed of one day working at the festival.

DT: Did you aspire to be an actor? Or did you know you wanted to be behind the scenes? Literally.

Pat: The set designer and director of my first show in high school was Lewellen Rowe. With his brilliant set and lighting design, he inspired me to enter technical theatre. He was a real cool cat who later designed scenery for Doug Henning's magic show.

DT: Where did you go after getting your degree?

Pat: I built a reputation as a set designer in Portland and began to design scenery in the region, working at many of the different theatres in Portland, Salem, Eugene, and even sometimes in Ashland at the Rogue Opera and other small theatres. At the same time, I would also take jobs painting and building scenery for theater and movies and building commercial displays at scenic studios. There was also freelance work in private homes or businesses.

DT: How did you come to be working at OSF?

Pat: I started on the Stage Operations crew around 1982, shifting scenery for the repertory and running the shows backstage for two seasons. Then after a couple years of designing scenery and continuing to do the gypsy theatre thing, a position opened up in the paint shop and I thought it would be great to slow down a little and try a steady job at the greatest theatre in the country. That was 25 years ago and I'm proud to say I'm here.

DT: Please describe your job?

Pat: I work for the production department in the scene shop as a Charge Scenic Artist. There are two Charge Scenic Artists, two Scenic Artists, and presently one intern. As a set comes into the paint shop one of the Charge Scenic Artists leads the crew. Then as another set comes in the shop the other Charge takes control of that show. Two shows with two bosses are being painted at the same time. When I first started, two of us painted the scenery for all 11 shows.

DT: How does the Scene Shop get their direction?

Pat: Once the director has explained his concept of the show to the scenic designer and their art work is approved by the director, blueprints are sent to the scene shop and the sets are constructed out of steal, aluminum, wood and other materials. Then the set is moved to the paint shop where the raw shapes are transformed with texture, paint — and brains — into finished scenery.

DT: How do you keep up with what's going on elsewhere — artistically, new techniques, new products, etc.?

Pat: I sometimes attend workshops. I recently attended a seminar on painting translucent drops by famous scenic artist Bob Moody in Santa Maria, California. He not only teaches techniques, but somehow helps you realize your strengths as a painter.

DT: What's the biggest change in technology since you've been at OSF?

Pat: The use of computers and printing. For example, in the past, when they needed a portrait of someone on stage they'd take a photo and we'd touch it up by hand to make it look like brush strokes. Now, with all the technology available, and the ability to print on canvas, they can do these amazing jobs that we used to have to do by hand. I've done maybe two portraits in the past 15 years. But the biggest stuff, the translucent stuff where they shine light through the drops, we still have do do that by hand. Which I really enjoy. It kinda keeps me here.

DT: Is that your favorite part of the job?

Pat: Actually, I've really been getting into painting props and furniture. Everything from a gigantic ham bone to recreating exotic hardwoods on pine furniture. It's very satisfying for me, and very fun. And I can take it out of here and use it in other places.

DT: The skill, right? Not the ham bone?

Pat: Yes, the skill! I don't know what happened to the ham bone.

DT: Do you care to comment on the revamping of OSF — including the letting go of some long term staff — that the new artistic director has recently completed?

Pat: Outgoing Resident Scenic Designer Bill Bloodgood and I have worked together for 25 years, and have become good friends. I was extremely sad to hear he was leaving. That being said, I have found Bill Rauch to be very personable, intelligent and sincere. I've really enjoyed his work in the past and am sure he will be an asset to OSF and its employees.

DT: What do you hope to be doing ten years from now?

Pat: If my body holds out, I want to be here at OSF. The people I work with are intelligent, compassionate, and talented, and I'm proud that they are my colleagues. There's this great camaraderie that I've never experienced at any other job in my life. We're all very close, very tight. And all very proud and supportive of one another.

To get a visual peek behind the scenes at OSF, please be sure to check out the video that accompanies the online version of this article at www.dailytidings.com.

Debi Smith is a local Tidings correspondent. Your comments, or suggestions for future profiles, can be sent to debi@mind.net.