A Tour of the Hippodrome

The Hippodrome Theatre had a very unusual beginning, and its quaint and rustic beauty reflects the theatre’s age. This 101 year-old building has survived from its founding, and it possesses many behind-the-scenes areas not viewed by its guests.

We traveled through the renowned playhouse with our guide, Randy. Our first stop on the theatre’s tour was the rehearsal room. This unique room is used to rehearse scenes and plays while the set is being built onstage. Mirrors run along the walls of this room, and neon green tape on the ground indicates the stage area to the actors. The most interesting addition to this room is a giant vault. Although it is not used to store a secret stash of money or gold, it stores props and costumes.

When we entered the theatre, Randy informed us that the space was once a long-standing courtroom. Currently, the theatre consists of the stage and the theatre seats. The theatre seats 268 viewers and has soundproof windows and doors to enhance the theatre’s sound.

The greenroom was our next destination. This is an area for the actors to relax before going on stage. This is also where the dressing rooms are located. Various props and costumes are found throughout this room.

After descending a few flights of stairs, we entered the basement. This part of the theatre has been renovated is rented out for wedding receptions, proms, and other celebrations. The oldest part of the building happens to be located in the basement as well. The Otis elevator 1911 model still runs today and controls the building’s elevator system.

The Hippodrome Theatre still stands a century later. We were able to view certain areas of this iconic theatre that many guests are not authorized to see. With this experience, we learned about the building’s history and long-lasting features.




-Justin Suero & Jacquelyn Rodriquez

The Woman Behind the Costume

Acclaimed costume designer Marilyn Wall bestowed her time upon the SJVP groups Saturday about her extensive and extravagant design past, present and future.

As one of the original founders of the Hippodrome Theatre, Wall shared that she did not have prior costume design experience. She divulged with us that she learns the best when she fails, including when she had to glue fabric together before she learned the trade of needle and thread.

From there, Wall’s sketches also took a leap forward, from 2-D to 3-D. She could take paper towels, linens, or anything that could cause inspiration and incorporate it into her plethora of sketches.

Wall enjoyed sitting at her office at home looking into a bin of textures she had and eyeing some kind of inspiration. Even when throwing out trash, she saw how beautifully paper towels absorbed color and used it in a sketch she presented to a director for an idea of a nymph costume.

Among the many colors, textures, and materials strewn across her work bench, she showed us some of the most intricate and prized designs she’s transformed into costumes. He fantastic eye for detail and texture was plastered everywhere with costumes of the past draped, hung, and showcased all over her workshop. One of the items particularly challenging, as Wall told us, was a costume she had done for a siren during a mythological production; the head piece was formed from a hardened doily, with large holes cut out for eyes and wet feathers along the top to give a sort of modern, ethereal look.

She keeps within her little nest of fabric, several different costumes that were particular intriguing over the years. She has over by her desk hanging on the wall an original sketch of a large, dark cloak she made (and even created her own fabric for), with a photo of the cloak in action during its production with its ends billowing over fans (Wall also still has the cloak hanging next to her door in the costume room).

Wall also feels that out of tragedy can come some of the most inspired work, such as her work with Macbeth. The labyrinthine of materials blending together to create such masterpieces, each surprisingly better than the last and more fervently thought out as well. With a love and passion for her chosen path, Marilyn Wall continues to design costumes, not only at the Hippodrome, through the future.




-Cori Orcasitas

The Importance of Advertising.

The Hippodrome Theatre has helped college student become interns. They have used a lot of different types of marketing, advertising, and PR strategies, such as public relations/media relations, advertising design, marketing strategies, and social media.

Public relations is very important because of the different age groups coming to the shows. For example, you can’t have a 2-year-old at a show for teenagers. Also, public relations is important so that people will know about the shows, and they will begin seeing the shows. Knowing how to do advertising design is another key factor in advertising. Knowing how to design an ad will make you a better candidate when applying for a job.
    
When it comes to marketing, making sure that people know about the show is another key factor. By having people of certain age groups know about a production, it is likely that they will tell their friend about the production, which means more people, will attend the show. Social Media is also important. The reason being is because if you apply for a job, and the people you apply for don’t understand how to use Facebook or Twitter, but you do, there will be a high chance that they will hire you to be the social media person.

Always make sure your grammar is correct, multi-tasking is key, learn how to work with everyone, appeal to audience, and BE CREATIVE.




-Anisa Brown.

Welcome to the Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome is Gainesville's oldest regional playhouse.

Back in the 1950s, in order for people to see a professional play, they had to travel to New York and watch it on Broadway. The idea of the regional theatre in Gainesville started with two people named Zelda Fichandler and Margo Jones having a conversation about starting regional theatres on a plane.

The Hippodrome, one of the millions of regional theatres in the country, first started in a 7-Eleven in 1973. In 1981, the hippodrome theatre moved to the old court house. 


-Dennis Edgecombe

As you probably know, this year the SJVP will take you to Gainesville's premier spot for plays and films, the Hippodrome Theatre. 

While you're here, why not check out the theatre's website.

Welcome to SJVP 2012

Hello there everyone!

Welcome to the blog for the University of Florida 2012 Summer Journalism Visitation Program.

We'll be posting the news stories, videos and presentations you work on to this site. That way, you can save and share them with ease.