Seal And Clean

Sealing the soccer field after its long winter settling requires much machinery, as you see here. After about a week of these various earth movers and shakers moving up and down the field and rearranging the dirt, it is finally "sealed" and ready for the next step in draining. Notice how light the flattened soil looks. Blogger understands that more channels must be created, and imagines them draining water into the main channel already there. Who knows, she may have it right this time. Of particular interest whose purpose is still somewhat of a mystery, is the piece of revolving equipment on the tripod. It seems to be monitoring progress (or is it an alien here to study how Earth things are done?) .

Inside the theater a different kind of finishing process is going on--the complete cleaning up of all evidence of construction work and workers. The Muses are appreciative. Did they take a few spins around the stage with (and/or on?) the scrub bucket? One can only surmise.

Getting Down To Business...

Again, a newly finished project in our expansion program comes to use. Since the punch list was completed some days ago, the new theater has been turned over officially to the academy. It's first use is appropriately a meeting of the board, the people responsible for moving the school in the direction of expanding its fine arts program. The lobby, the site of the meeting, will be called Alumnae Hall. Is it coincidence that a number of women you see at the table are alums of NDA? The fire for their Alma Mater still burns, and we are the happy recipients of the warmth and glow. While the Muses don't quite know what to make of this assembly, they flutter with appreciation for the product of its efforts. They are, after all, Muses!

The Ball's In Our Court!

Yes, the first of three big finishes has arrived. On the beautiful afternoon of May 19th. at 5:00 p.m., in the Year of Our Lord, 2009, the Moloney-Shaughnessy Tennis Center of Notre Dame Academy is blessed and the ribbon cut. A goodly crowd of parents, friends, and donors is here to celebrate the grand event, with Fr. Brian Wigger asking God's blessing, and members of the administration and Mr. Moloney sharing their thoughts and feelings about the accomplishment. The couples whose photo you see are Doctors (Mr. and Mrs.) Moloney (left) and Mrs. and Mr. Shaughnessy. These two couples provided the impetus for the construction of the courts. Each court was given, then, by a family interested in NDA's pursuit of the sport--five in all. These donors each received an NDA tennis racket to acknowledge their contribution. How else to celebrate such an event than with a beautiful cake. The team members with their coach got down to business after the refreshments--there are games to be played yet, and the team is eager to use the new facility to sharpen their skill. Let the games go on--on the brand new and beautiful NDA Tennis Center! Be sure to go below for more photos.

The Ball's In Our Court! cont.

Upper Seats Available At Ticket Office

The plans on the floor of the lobby (please excuse position) alert us to the fact that all is still not yet in place It has taken some time, but the seats for the upper level have finally arrived and have been installed. See what they look like when only the backs are in place. The seat itself is just inserted into the screw holes. Patience pays off again as you can see in the "Ta-da" photo.

There must be a stronger word than excited to describe the agitation, good kind, that the Muses are generating as they view a movie on the lowered screen above the orchestra pit. Just wait, Muses; the best is yet to come!

From Doors To Dancers

Finally, the grout has been put in on the tile door frame in the lobby. The finishing touch! At least on the door from Heritage Hall. Inside the theater itself we find the carpet man getting the carpet in place in the left aisle as you face the stage. The next thing will be to find your seat. But before that, let's see the carpet in the orchestra pit. Yes, there's carpeting there, too. Speaking of the orchestra pit, will it always be used? No. Will performers ever wish for more stage space? Yes, especially dancers who almost always dance to recorded music here at NDA. Voila: the orchestra pit cover! In the prop room we find the men working on the support frames, and looking again from the audience we see the cover as it looks now. Smarts: that's what it takes.
For other smart developments, and to find your seat, be sure to read the posting below.

Time To Dim The Houselights

Did you find your seat? Here, row J. The houselights dim.... But wait, don't we need to backtrack a bit? Yes, let's go up to the sound room. Ah, here's a spotlight installed now and ready to be turned on. Let's go backstage to see how many lights have been unpacked. Wow, that's a lot. And these will be attached above the stage--and where else? From the catwalks--yes, that makes sense; that's what catwalks are for. And these; are they footlights? There's no depression on the stage floor for footlights. Maybe they too will be suspended above the stage; we'll see. It's evening now, so the theater can be darkened, and the stage light technicians can install the stage lights and adjust them. The flutter in the air? Oh, that's the Muses, getting more excited by the day. Can you blame them?

Muses Gather In The Air

Yes, the Muses have arrived and are busy overseeing the final tasks. The faculty parking lot gets a final asphalt cover: check. The new cover is lined: check. And the carpet for the theater proper is arriving: check!

Let's move into the theater, the Muses decide. This is, after all, what they have been thrilling toward.
Mr. Steve McVey, the project manager, now situated in the theater lobby since his trailer has been removed, feels a strange presence. Is someone looking over his shoulder? Yes. They take note that he is busy, surrounded by the stuff of his trade, and give an approving nod to his efforts.
Their adventure continues in the posting below.

Muses cont.

Muses hover inside the theater proper, too. They watch the men install the seats and now admire the finished ones. They monitor the cutting of the carpet and critique its laying. If the man working in the pit feels watched, his senses are keen. And ah, the front curtain; they love the color of the curtain! The muses are pleased. Check!!

CAPs

Curtains, asphalt, pipes--capping the work for these days. Taking the words in reverse has us starting with the Pipes which appear as vertical and half buried parts of the drainage system on the soccer field. (The man is scraping mud off his shoe--an oft repeated task on this field in its current state.) More gravel, please. An area next to the trench is scraped for the next step.

As we move around the annex to the front of the theater we find a crew laying the Asphalt that will complete the roadway there. Everything in its time! Go to the post below. It will take you into the theater for the C.

CAPs cont.

Inside the theater where all is quiet now, you see men doing some caulking work on the side of the blue tiled door frame from Heritage Hall. Into the theater proper and you find two men working on the measurements for the placing of the seats. Observe that all the seat armrests are unpacked and ready to be bolted to the floor. Turning you see some of the red front curtains already hung. Unfortunately the lighting in the theater and the camera flash are not sufficient to show the beautiful red of these curtains, a red matched in the clouds. It will be visually very striking. Theaters do, after all, take you into a different world.

To Trench Or Not To Trench...

It's hardly a question on the soccer field. So, more pipes down the line, literally. The Motz folks are here now--the turf people--evaluating the job ahead. Not new here is our feathered couple who have long since taken up residence on the campus. Perhaps they will decide to move when the field is resurfaced. Then again, maybe not. They do add a charm to the environs, if one is so inclined.

Inside, we find a lone worker doing some finishing touch on a raised seating corner. The minutiae are fantastically numerous. The punch list is coming!