Reflecting on The Newman Cardinal Theater Company's Fall Production of Kodachrome
From September to November of 2025, the Newman Cardinal Theatre Company was hard at work preparing for their performances of Kodachrome, which took place on November 12th and 13th. Kodachrome is a play about acceptance, moving on, and valuing relationships with others while it is still possible to do so. The production centers around a woman photographer, played by Flossy Eagan'28, and the connections between the people of her town. As the play continues, it is revealed that the photographer is really a ghost, leading her to only observe the changing relationships within her town, no longer being able to actively interact with them.
Eagan states that she could "see from the start" that the play would turn out well, stating that one of her favorite parts of the production was "watching the world exist." Erik Briggs'26, a stage manager, shares the sentiment, affirming that one of the best parts of the play was "working on the dynamic, especially with the cast," as they were able to successfully "mesh with each other" and "build community". Sunny Nguyen'28 conveys the sense of community within theatre, stating how she "really like[d] how we stood in circles to reflect each time, because it motivated me" and how "when the show was over, everyone pitched in to clean up." One of the most enjoyable parts of the show for all people involved was the "Prom scene," where the "Hardware Store Owner" and "Librarian" are reunited and dance as rainbow prom lights shine down and Peter Gabriels's "In Your Eyes" plays, reminiscing on what could have been.
No play can be done without actors, as some major acting highlights of the show were the line delivery and the efforts taken towards connecting with the space. Eamon Conway'28, playing "The Young Man" , shares that "everyone did a great job with lines and cues, as well as directions," echoed by Eagan's statement that "we all did really well with lines." Eagan also emphasizes the vital connection with the space and audience that the play holds, by affirming that for her character's role, "it was very important connecting with each other and interacting with the space". This crucial connection is highlighted by her parent's reaction to the final act of the final show, when as she looked into their eyes, "they were crying, and it was very moving" .
While actors are often the only players of the production visible to the audience, behind the scenes "all the tech people cooperate to make everything cohesive," states Nguyen. The props, lighting, costumes, projections, and more were all vital to Kodachrome's success. Sasha Mekonnen ('28), a projection techie, confirms this by stating that "during the final performance it went well and came together".She goes on to say "we were in sync," in reference to her and Mila Paola's ('29) work on the photo projections, which often served as a backdrop to the play. Another crucial part of the set were Rory Joyce's ('26) blue picture frames which hung from the ceiling, demonstrating the crucial role of photography within the play.
Throughout the play the tech was mostly successful, although during the production, some issues had to be quickly and smoothly solved. Some cast and crew members experienced minor issues, while others experienced problems requiring critical and quick thinking. Briggs reflects on when "part of the [picture frames] fell on stage, and I had to run on the stage between scenes with scissors to cut the broken prop off," going unnoticed by the audience but providing relief to the cast. One of the trickiest parts of the play was the projecting, as it took perfect coordination and timing to be done well, although Paola and Meckonnen thought critically about a way to consistently sync project images. Paola and Meckonnen "created a code to make sure [they] were synced," explains Meckonnen. One of the biggest issues occurring during the production was the first performances' sound, led by Lore Parry-Johnson ('28), as it would only play in the tech booth, not the stage, leading to confusion among the cast and audience. Once the problem was recognized it was quickly solved, however the production had to take a pause to ensure the issue was fixed.
The Newman Cardinal Theatre Company's production of Kodachrome was an overall success, demonstrating the community achieved through theatre and how hard work and late hours pay off, creating a vibrant final production. By connecting with the audience and space through sets, line delivery, lights, music, and projections, the main ideas of the production are conveyed perfectly to the audience, resulting in a successful theatre experience for all people involved.