The best play rehearsal assignment ever!

Actors rehearse a scene from 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

One of the many duties that constantly falls on  my shift is to do the photographs of play rehearsals for all of the local companies prior to the performance of their productions. I typically show up at the theaters where rehearsals are being held and shoot a photo of a scene in progress. I find that this makes far better photos than trying to pose the actors in an artificial scene.

  Recently I was given another assignment to shoot a play rehearsal. The address, however, was on 36th Lane. Now if you know Pueblo at all you know that this is in the rural part of the county. I figured that I would be going to someone's home and trying to get some sort of photo of a rehearsal in a living room or something. I was thinking that since it was an overcast day that I may just bring the actors outdoors and shoot the photo maybe in the front yard or something.

  There was something much better in store however.

  When I arrived at the address it was a farm. The house was near the front of the property with barns and out buildings in the back. I grabbed my gear and headed toward the house. I was met by a fella who was dressed for farm work who told me that the subjects of my assignment were waiting for me in the quonset hut/barn that was straight back from where I had parked.

  A few steps toward that building and I was met by first one of the three actors and then the other two stepped up to welcome me. "We are right over here." I was told and after coming around the corner what I saw can be best illustrated with a photo...

Rehearsing 'It's a Wonderful Life' in a barn!

As I am originally from Iowa I think it is very cool to have a play rehearsal going on right next to one of those HUGE International Harvester tractors! I almost didn't take this photo, but when I thought about it I asked them to pose one more time so that I could get this image. While Lifestyle editor, Scott Smith liked the barn photo, the writer wanted to use the photo you see at the top of this post. Oh well, at least YOU get to see it here.