Macaela Carder, PhD
Travel Advisor, Theatre Educator, Artist, & Scholar
Selected Productions
As a fight choreographer/violence designer, my responsibility is to help tell the story through the illusion of violence.
"Stage combat is the art of creating the illusion of violence on stage. There are no opponents in stage combat, only collaborators who work in tandem to create the illusion. The actor combatants work as a team to keep each other safe while performing an intricately timed set of movements and vocalizations in order to create a believable stage combat sequence. Similar to their counterparts in dance and athletics, actor combatants train their bodies and minds to hone their craft and make difficult movements appear spontaneous."
M. Carder - Women in Stage Combat
Bugbear fight rehearsal
I worked with a group of talented actors who did not have stage combat experience. I provided two workshops before rehearsals began. For the fight choreography rehearsals, I spent time with each actor to discover their strengths in physical movement and any physical limitations.
Two sisters, one will, and a trash dump. The fights in this play by Arthur M. Jolly consisted of grapples, falls, and a gas can. The two actresses had no stage combat training prior to this production.
Trash
Ohio Premiere
Defiance College
Defiance, Ohio
March 2017
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]
Toledo Repertoire Theatre
Toledo, Ohio
September 2016
Fight Call - fight between Hamlet & Laertes
1/4 -1/2 speed walkthrough
Physical comedy and stage combat were highlights of this production. Pratfalls, lifts, rapier fights (with rapiers and with golf clubs), and puppet fights. One actor had prior rapier experience as a fencer.
Complete list of productions available on my CV.