The Marquee

This past week, the faithful WUT staffers took their devotion to an entirely new level, spending a day (completely and inescapably) together. We ventured out to Genesee Depot for a staff retreat to Ten Chimneys, home of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, the acting duo that opened the Wisconsin Union Theater in 1939 with Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” We battled, we brainstormed, we bonded.

Like it or not, we left Ten Chimneys with new memories (I think it has something to do with synapses firing in your brain. I could be wrong. I AM an English major, after all). Enjoy some of our favorites.

1. Graphic representations of WUT: In front of us, Jay scattered stickers, markers, streamers and those little pom-pom things. Seriously, it looked like a child’s birthday party had thrown up all over the table. Our mission, if we chose to accept it, was to craft something that represented who and what WUT was, and, from feathers to interpretive dance, boy, did we ever!

2. Wooly, the theater dog:  If you read Claire’s Meet the Staff, then you already know that she harbors an overwhelming desire to torture a puppy by making it roam around in the windowless Wisconsin Union Theater offices. Sure, it’d keep up troop morale, but, really, who wants to subject a sweet, innocent puppy to what goes on in this place? Luckily, Claire got to indulge her fantasy with Wooly, the cute and cuddly staff dog at Ten Chimneys. Although, maybe it was unlucky, as now she’s more convinced than ever of the necessity of one at WUT.

3. Pimping our hubcaps metaphor: As part of our goal on Friday was to revamp our outdated theater mission, we spent an afternoon pondering possible new purpose statement wordage. The question at large was, “What word do we use to portray that WUT is a cultural center for connections?” I whisper, “Epicenter,” and it gets repeated around the room. “Epicenter, epicenter, epicenter,” fading out in nothing short of a remarkably lame earthquake joke. Derek pipes up with, “Hubcap,” which is greeted with laughter. Somehow, the whole mission statement shenanigans get referred to as “pimping our hubcaps.”

4. Ralph almost killing us: Speaking of hubcaps, we almost lost ours in a near-death experience with Ralph behind the wheel of a fleet vehicle, veering into oncoming traffic. Fortunately, we are still alive, and staff retreat day didn’t turn into some new sappy theater holiday of remembrance.

5. Don’t judge a house by its cover: From the outside, it may look like just another
Wisconsin farm house, but inside is another story. The Lunts had decorated the house with the delicacy that one would put into creating a set for the stage. Our dedicated tour guide informed us that the Lunts collected crystal and constructed their own chandeliers. It doesn’t get more glamorous than that! Or does it? From the Delft china to the rare wall murals, I left with overwhelming interior decorating urges. And I have those on an every day basis, so it’s no joke that my readings were off the chart!!

 6. Alfred Lunt’s cheap tendencies: Yes, behind every posh woman is a penny-pinching man, and the Lunts were no exception. We were delighted (and slightly appalled) at Alfred’s usage of gold scotch tape to outline the doorframes instead of footing the bill for hand-painting. As a feminist disclaimer, I don’t believe that men should be expected to pay for everything, but in the immortal words of Lady Marmalade, “Why spend mine when I can spend yours??”  

7. The studio: The Lunts were known for both entertaining and their love of the stage, so it’s no wonder that they built a cozy studio on their Ten Chimneys property, which housed practice performances and served as a space for cohorts. Admirably, when World War II broke out, and their friend Noel Coward called from England to say that he didn’t know if and when he would see them again, the Lunts locked the door to their studio, not to open it again until after peace was restored.

8. The love triangle with Noel Coward: While it has been said that the Lunts were inseparable, they seemed to have a serious third-wheel situation with playwright Noel Coward. Swimming nude in their pool and joining them on television shows, Coward even wrote a stage play in which they all acted, a portrayal of a torrid love triangle…and not your standard one for the time, if you catch what I’m saying.

9. The Lunt-Fontanne Program Center: We were like kids in a candy shop in this joint. It was the hubcap (ha ha) of glamour, with a mock stage, floor lights and fancy hats (yeah, we tried them on. Don’t act like you wouldn’t have done the same!).

10. Oh, right. The modernized mission statement: Creating connections and opportunities for the university and community by serving as an innovative performing arts presenter and venue rooted in a tradition of excellence.