[Originally published in the Star & Wave newspaper on October 8, 2024.]
By Roy Steinberg, Producing Artistic Director
There is a marvelous documentary about the making of “The Quiet Man” in 1952, whose director, John Ford, returns to his native Ireland to film the movie and wreaks havoc in a small Irish town. He also shot parts of the film on a sound stage at Republic Studios in California. In our current production at Cape May Stage, “Stones in His Pockets,” one of the characters claims to be the oldest surviving extra from that movie.
In an example of life imitating art, our own town of Cape May stood in for Newport, R.I., last May for the filming of the movie, “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothy Chalamet as Bob Dylan. For several days, it seemed like Cape May had time-traveled back to the 1960’s.
To achieve that effect, the production company paid several stores to alter their facades, lined our streets with vintage cars, and hired dozens of locals as extras in the movie. Another bonus for our town was the film’s cast and crew eating and staying at local lodgings and restaurants.
Clearly, there are many benefits to having a movie shot in your town. There are also downsides. “Stones in His Pockets” humorously explores both viewpoints. Our play is about two Irishmen in County Kerry, Ireland, that a movie company hires as extras in the film.
Shooting a movie on location versus shooting actors on a sound stage or a theater stage such as Cape May Stage’s requires different skills from the actors. In a play, actors often have to create an environment through their actions. Is it hot or cold? Is it day or night? Their acting must convey those conditions to an audience.
It’s different when they are on location. The streets and trees are real—they’re not made of wood and canvas like on a stage—so the actors must be able to “play the space.” Locations bring a reality to story-telling but they are also susceptible to inclement weather and unexpected noises.
Having been an actor, director and producer on a theater stage, sound stage and on location, I’m aware of the different processes we must use in telling a story. Scheduling may force us to use a location in a different season from the one we need for our story. As a result, actors may be freezing in a wardrobe appropriate for summer when we are shooting in February, or they may need ice packs under their costumes to keep them from fainting in the heat in July.
On the set for “Stones in His Pockets,” playing at Cape May Stage until October 20, the actors can become different people in different places without ever leaving the stage. By simply turning up a collar on their coat, removing a cap, picking up a pipe, or changing their voice, they morph into a new character and the audience is transported to a new location.
For more information about our upcoming season, please visit www.capemaystage.org.
