Leaving Glenelg was bittersweet. As we drove through the mountainous highlands, I reflected on all the beauty we had seen in the last week. The Isle of Skye, the vast hills overlooking the ocean and of course, the wonderful community of Glenelg. I definitely speak for all of us when I say that our week in Glenelg was an experience that we will never forget and the beauty of the community will stay in our hearts for many years to come.
As our two vans trundled down the highway towards Glasgow, we took a pitstop in the small town of Pitlochry. As the trees parted, we caught our first glimpse of the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, the local theater in the town of Pitlochry. Although we were expecting another normal local theater, what we found was so much more.
We were greeted by our producer Sam Hardie, who is a director at the Pitlochry theater. During our tour of the theater, Sam explained the theater’s initiatives to a cleaner, greener future. Project 21 is Pitlochry Festival Theatres initiative that works towards a more sustainable future. Through various renovations, the Pitlochry Theatre hopes to be Scotland’s very first carbon neutral theater by the year 2035. While we were visiting, two renovation projects were taking place towards the efforts of carbon neutralization. Firstly, they were in the process of installing glass curtain walls which overlook Scotland’s stunning landscape and act as an extra layer of insulation. Secondly, they were renovating the roof and air systems in order to become more energy efficient.
Sam mentioned some other ways that the Pitlochry Theatre hopes to create a brighter cleaner future. The first is one that I have been thinking a lot about: sets. At the end of a show, the set is usually completely scrapped. All that wood and metal goes right into the trash. But in Pitlochry, their sets are stored in large storage units and often reused or recycled in some way for future productions. Although it is a daunting task for a local theater to go green, the Pitlochry Festival Theatre has taken large steps towards sustainability which makes me wonder: what can I do as a creator of theater to further sustainability?
Aside from sustainability, the Pitlochry theater also emphasizes the beauty of the local landscape. During covid, they built an outdoor amphitheater surrounded by gorgeous gardens which are still being used for performances today. Around the same time we were visiting the theater, a production of Secret Garden was taking place in the amphitheater. The beautiful scenery surrounding the playing space added to the artistry of the play.
Finally as our tour concluded, we saw a wonderful production of Footloose. This was the first of many shows we will see in Scotland and we had an absolutely wonderful time. The actors were incredible and I spent my time admiring the beautiful sets and costumes which enhanced the world of the show. What can I say, I’m a designer at heart!
As we danced our way out of the theater and on to the buses, we looked forward to the weeks ahead in our own production. The long nights, the early mornings, and running to get coffee during our rehearsal breaks. After everything we had seen and learned in Pitlochry one thing was certain: we were so excited to get started.
By: Alexandra Negrila
Comments are closed