2012 Features / Highlights

Q&A with Pageant Scriptwriter Dan Duling about 30 Seasons
Dan Duling, the narration scriptwriter for the Pageant of the Masters, has fielded a multitude of questions about what he does during his tenure. Since this summer marks his 30th season with the Pageant, he agreed to a Q&A about his work, with one caveat: "I'm still not ready to join AARP!," Duling insisted.

Dan Duling ~ 30th season with the Pageant

In 1981, he got a call out of the blue, an invitation to "audition" for the job of writing narration for the Pageant. Thirty years later, Duling is still thrilled to be a part of the extended Pageant family. Recently, he attempted to "briefly" answer a few questions about his involvement with the Pageant.

What exactly do you do?
DAN DULING: The script I research and write becomes the text the Pageant narrator performs every night. As a playwright, I've always felt a tremendous responsibility to both my audiences and my collaborators, not to waste their time and most importantly not to bore them. I strive to keep the tone conversational, informative without being pedantic, and above all personal. Bottom line, it's paramount to me that I give my narrator a script he can enjoy performing 50+ nights in a row.

I know it's not in your nature, but try to keep it short: What were some of the major differences between writing for the Pageant in 1981 and 2010?
DD: In 1981, I used a typewriter, triple carbons and a case of White Out. Parents, you may need to explain what these references actually mean.

How did you do your research?
DD: Libraries were my primary research source since the Internet and Google were still two decades away. Maybe in a few years we'll simply say, “Open your cell phones and click on the Pageant narration app,” but I hope not.

What was different about the production in 1981?
DD: The production was nearly a half hour longer because there was no turntable stage next to the mainstage, so there were fewer opportunities for seamless quick changes. Much of the narration was read with the audience staring at the closed stage curtain while set changes were being completed. The few possible quick changes – to the upper stage, to the hillside stages, to the roof – were generally saved for the end of Act One. There were also no video projections, special effects or live singing or dancing in 1981.

Who was your narrator then?
DD: Thurl Ravenscroft, best known as the voice of Tony the Tiger, was the narrator. He retired in 1993 after 20 years. It was a privilege and pleasure to collaborate with him for 13 years. He was everybody's favorite “grandpa” backstage, though he had a wicked sense of humor.

Who was the director in 1981?
DD: Glen Eytchison was in his third year after taking over from Don Williamson who'd been director from 1964-78. Glen loved to work at night, often all night, so I had ample opportunities to test my theories about productivity and sleep deprivation. Spoiler alert: the less you sleep, the less you get done. Still, we had a great collaboration. Glen's final year as director was 1995.

That's when Diane Challis Davy took over?
DD: Yes, and she brought with her a real theatrical agenda for keeping the Pageant fresh and alive. And the key to it all was her re-introduction of themes, something first tried by Don Williamson in 1976 with a Bicentennial salute to American art. Narratively, our themes are unquestionably the biggest difference from 1981 to 2010.

Thanks for answering my first question about seven questions too late…
[Duling laughs apologetically.]

So, anyway, what about themes?
DD: Until “Dee” [Diane Challis Davy] took over, the only real connectivity in every Pageant show was the diversity of art from around the world and throughout history. Each piece had its own story, its own approach, but once the lights went down, you really had no idea where you might be going next. From a narration standpoint, it felt like starting from scratch every time. Of course, we had more time then because there was no other way to manage set changes backstage. But once Dee introduced themes and we saw how well received they were, and how it helped us emphasize the fact that every summer's show was going to be unique, it really gave us an opportunity to give the show more cohesion. For me, it gave me more opportunities for focused storytelling and the chance to play around with context.

Did Diane Challis Davy bring other new changes?
DD: Absolutely. Live singing and occasionally dancing, special effects, greater use of the turntable stage and more seamless scene changes. Basically, Dee never forgets that this is theater first and foremost. That's just one of many common agendas we share. It's been an amazing collaboration.

What's it like to work with Skip Conover as narrator?
DD: It's a treat. This is Skip's 17th year in the narration booth, and he continues to make my scripts sound better (and smarter and funnier) than I could possibly hope. Like Thurl, Skip's a pro, and he possesses a wonderful conversational style that encourages everyone to feel at home. It's amazing how many people still don't realize he's performing live every night.

Does being a playwright help you as scriptwriter?
DD: I like to think so. As a playwright, I'm always pairing down dialogue to its essentials, always interrogating texts for clarity, for dramatic or comic impact. Multiply that process by a factor of ten and you have the winnowing process required to get the most narrative bang for your buck at the Pageant. It can be daunting, often frustrating [see accompanying photo], but in the end, if my narration is too long or it's not working, it's got to be cut.

Have you had favorite artworks in the show?
DD: Sure! Just like everyone who attends the show, I have my personal faves. I'd have to include some firsts: our first photograph by Dorothea Lange, the sculptures of Camille Claudel and Frida Kahlo, Maynard Dixon's “Forgotten Man” series, and works by the late California artist John Register. And I'll never forget long-ago theatrical salutes to movie posters from the silent comedy era and classic magic posters. And always, there are the wondrous stories. Of artists all too human, striving to make sense of life's mysteries…unfolding while the crew races to get the next set in place.

What about a favorite theme?
DD: Last year's The Muse was hard to beat. I loved the opportunity to celebrate the lives and works of extraordinary women artists. And, of course, the “50 Foot Woman” throwing a car into the shrubbery was pretty cool, too.

What about “Eat, Drink and Be Merry”?
DD: Dutch Master Jan Steen, the ancient Etruscans, burlesque, Mardi Gras, the WPA, Carl Larsson: what's not to love? As always, only about a tenth of my research makes it into the actual narration, but ruminating about the larger implications of the theme – the brevity and sweetness of life, the knowledge that inevitable loss is hard-wired into our humanity and yet we somehow persevere and can even revel in the face of it – that's a compelling notion to think about.

Did you ever imagine you'd be doing this for 30 years?
DD: Never. Even now that my involvement is year-round, I still look at every year as a gift, another opportunity to be a part of a show I love, working with people I admire and enjoy. As far as I'm concerned, in the theater – and in life – that's a good as it gets.


[Note: For an overview of Dan Duling's non-Pageant career, including synopses and excerpts from some of his plays and screenplays, you're invited to check out danduling.com]