EDUCATION
Gaslight: Behind the Curtain
October 13 & 20 | 6:30-8:30pm
Rotunda Studio | Overture Center lower level
201 State St., Madison, WI
Cost: $150
Course capacity: 20
In this two-part course, Forward draws back the curtain on how we bring our productions to the stage. From mining a script for crucial elements to consider before casting and design, to planning and executing construction of the choices that you see in the Playhouse, you’ll take an intimate, ultimate behind-the-scenes tour of our creative and practical process.
The script of Gaslight will serve as our anchor text for the course, so you’ll have the immediate chance to apply your insights when you see a performance.
Both class sessions will take place in the rehearsal space for our production of Gaslight, the Rotunda Studio at the Overture Center.
Gaslight: Behind the Curtain | Session Info
Session One: Reading a Play
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
6:30-8:30 PM
Rotunda Studio
You’re planning to produce a play. How do you analyze a script for what it will take to move from page to stage? Instructor Jake Penner returns to Forward for this series after directing our productions of Clarkston, Clyde’s, Skeleton Crew, and multiple iterations of Wisconsin Wrights. Jake will break down essential elements of this early part of the theatermaker’s process using scenes from Gaslight. Learn to capture style, tone, early questions for casting and design teams, and more, from a producer and director’s point of view.
Session Two: Building a Production
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
6:30-8:30 PM
Rotunda Studio
With early considerations in hand, now it’s time to turn to the business of making art. Instructor Julie Swenson, Managing Director of Forward, will break down how to turn that vision into what you’ll see onstage. From concept meetings to construction, budgeting to marketing, how do you create a world for an audience to explore? Compare your choices with Forward’s in process.