Busby's Been Happier

and where to find the oldest PCA production photos šŸ“·

Hello!

Welcome to The Flying P, a weekly newsletter covering your Phipps Center for the Arts and anything else I might want to throw your way.

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Have you voted yet? If not, tomorrowā€™s the day to make sure everything you love gets a vote!

This issue hasā€¦

  • šŸ¶ Cute Buzz Pics
    Halloween dogs are the best

  • šŸ“š A Trip to the Archives
    you ask, we answer

  • šŸ™Œ Some Shanan Praise
    we should just get her an office

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YOUR QUESTIONS

A trip to the PCA archives

illustration of art supplies breaking out of an envelope that says "Q&A" on it

A few weeks ago, I offered to try and answer any Phipps questions you might have bopping around in your heads. Well, a few of you took me up on it, and hereā€™s the first one from Jennifer:

ā

What happens to photos from past shows? I know the River Room has a few framed collages up from 20+ years ago, but then what happens to other archive photos?? Did the Phipps stop taking them? Did the collage-maker retire from the task?

Jennifer

Great question, Jennifer!
For those of you who didnā€™t realize, the River Room (the room up the stairs just left of the admin office) is lined with many of these photographic highlights from past productions (see below).

I just ran up there to check: the most recent production is from 2005, so yeahā€¦it might be time to think about cycling in a few others.

photo of a Phipps production collage hanging in the River Room

Jenniferā€™s question gave me a great excuse to show you another part of the Phipps: the archives room. The Phipps archives room is upstairs (not in the weird basement) and has all sorts of amazing PCA treasures.

photo of the Phipps archive room

the PCAā€™s archives room!

At first glance, it might seem a little on the boring side ā€” an industrial-looking room chock full of binders and boxes. But look a little closer and youā€™ll findā€¦

photo of many scenic models on a shelf

ā€¦old scenic models from past productions (I love a scenic model!)ā€¦

photo of many shelves full of production binders

so many production binders

ā€¦and LOTS of production binders.

photo of many production binders lined up on a shelf

soooo many production binders

So many production binders!

Each one of these binders is essentially a recorded history of a specific Phipps production ā€” truly a snapshot in time.

photo of a Phipps production binder from Evita

pretty sure this PCA production was not directed by Harold Prince

Inside each binder are neatly organized tabs containing info on budget, scenic design, props, stage management notes, etc. Itā€™s an amazing collection of historical information!

photo of a production binder opened to a page that has a scenic rendering

Another fun thing some of the binders include:

ā€¦PRODUCTION PHOTOS! šŸ˜ƒ

Phipps production photo from Evita

from 2003ā€™s EVITA

And what did I find tucked away in a cornerā€¦?

photo of someone pointing to a pile of photo montages

more photo collages!

Additional River Room collages! šŸ™Œ

So there you have it. Lots of old production photos are tucked away in the Phipps archive room. Some are in production binders, some are in old collagesā€¦and, of course, we keep digital copies on our server because itā€™s 2024. šŸ™‚

As for the production binders, Mark will still create them on occasion, but weā€™ve mostly moved to a digital system for archiving this sort of information.

Keep those Phipps questions coming!

PHIPPS TOP 10
best-selling upcoming events this season by tickets soldā€¦

1. Prancer (previously: 2)
2. Colleen Rayeā€™s NYE (previously: 4)
3. A Brass & Organ Holiday (previously: 5)
4. The Andrews Sisters Onstage: a Jen Burleigh-Bentz production (previously: 6)
5. Silent Sky (previously: 7)
6. Underneath the Lintel, or: The Mystery of the Abandoned Trousers (previously: 8)
7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (previously: unlisted)
8. Kick the Bucket List (previously: 9)
9. Cantus (previously: unlisted)
10. The Ladiesā€™ Room: Gals oā€™ Comedy (previously: unlisted)

BETTER HURRY LIST
best-selling upcoming events this season by percent sold
(i.e., closest to being sold out)ā€¦

1. A Brass & Organ Holiday (previously: 3)
2. The Andrews Sisters Onstage: a Jen Burleigh-Bentz production (previously: 4)
3. Underneath the Lintel, or: The Mystery of the Abandoned Trousers (previously: 5)
4. Kick the Bucket List (previously: unlisted)
5. Cantus (previously: unlisted)

as of 11/4/24
PEOPLE

A very Shanan Custer Halloween

photo of a sold-out crowd watching the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society

the recent sold-out Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society performance

Local theatre professional, Shanan Custer, had quite the Phipps fall!

Not only did she direct our Halloween Childrenā€™s Theatre production, Transyl-Mania, but she was also on stage two Sundays ago as a Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society performer.

Did you catch MORLS? Did you catch Transyl-Mania? If not, you missed out. Both were lots of fun.

Weā€™re unbelievably lucky to be able to work with so many amazing Twin Cities actors, directors, musicians, etc. They add so much to the PCA!

production photo of the Phipps production of Transyl-Mania

Sidenote: I snapped the pic above during our morning matinee for Houlton Elementary School. Although I enjoyed the show thoroughly, my favorite moment came before the play even started, when one child excitedly shouted, ā€œIā€™M SCARED BUT NOT SCARED!ā€

Nice work, Shanan :)

a piece of artwork featuring colorful trees made of ticket stubs and programs

artist: Susan Phelps Pearson

šŸ‘†
my favorite gallery piece of the week
Itā€™s Membersā€™ Spotlight time! All the work in each gallery was created by a member of the Phipps Center for the Arts (member = donor). Susanā€™s piece caught my eye, as itā€™s created from all the tickets and programs from all the events she has attended in the last 30 years. Youā€™ve gotta see it in personā€¦along with all the other amazing work!

PERSONAL STUFF

Busby hates his life

photo of a cute dog in a Chucky costume looking annoyed

if Buzz could talk: ā€œGET THIS THING OFF RIGHT NOW.ā€

Please enjoy this pic of my dog in a Chucky costume. Yes, we put a Halloween costume on our dog. No, he did not appreciate it. Yes, we will probably do it again next year.

photo of a cute dog in a Chucky costume looking up at its owner

ā€œPlease, for the love of God, take it off!ā€

a photo of a scary clown, a person dressed as a farmer, and a person dressed as a chicken

The PCAā€™s first foray into Halloween rentals was a success. šŸ‘† Hereā€™s a pic of a Phipps chicken costume that made its way to Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas unless you rent from the Phipps. Then we need to see pics.

There will be no Flying P next week, as Iā€™ll be out of the office yet again. #lazy
The P will be back in your inbox on Monday, Nov. 18th!

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Try completing The Flying P(uzzle).
šŸ‘‡

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Talk to you next week!

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