1.A.I think the idea of the 50 total brides and grooms is more of a light idea not so much an necessary element that makes or breaks the show, but for the simplicity of having enough people out there and abiding by the idea I would cast 10 men and 10 women. I would have them all bring their best wedding attire, even if it more prom tuxes and bridesmaid dresses I think it would work for this scenario. I would include all ten in the show as often as possible such as when the grooms make their entrance and have the women out there in as convenient a way possible. To make it seem that there are 50 of them I would have a mirror effect from the ceiling, that is at 4 different angles so that if you look at all 4 mirrors and the actors there are 50. I would employ color blind casting.
1.B “Before a grand entrance constructed mostly of arches and a staircase sit a table and chair and a tub filled with water.”
I would use that type of stage but with a mirror line just above the arches, no one has seemed to think of this as a viable option
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/0ae2/arts_review1-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/section%3Fname%3DArts%26issue%3D2008-02-22&usg=__ZCf3RnoZZn0c5aCnh6R5acCRwTU=&h=321&w=450&sz=60&hl=en&start=51&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=48Su9Dkrc_EG6M:&tbnh=91&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCharles%2BMee%26start%3D42%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D21%26tbs%3Disch:1
1.C. “The play offers truly magical moments, from the opening scene with Lydia bathing, with elegant brief nudity, against John Robinson's striking black and white set of a few railings and columns with fluid drapes highlighted by Tonya Moake's lighting.”
They went for open and broad the complete reverse of my idea.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chancetheater.com/season_2005/4b_love/images/gal1.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.chancetheater.com/season_2005/4b_love/press.php&usg=__YK33XhWExwqGPgvoJBd89118tvY=&h=214&w=300&sz=54&hl=en&start=14&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=aJABdDr02h2IDM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCharles%2BMee%2BBig%2Blove%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1
2.A. I would not go into full frontal nudity. I understand the need for it some portions but I know that that is typically something that is viewed more as a shock and awe moment versus a valid artistic choice. I would allow for both sexes to remove their tops but I think that the idea would have gotten across if they stayed in the bottom half of their underwear. The language does not bother me too much, but factoring the average audience I would cut all of the GDs and leave them just a damn. I feel the point is yet again reached without allowing people to instantly be turned off by one segment.
2.B. “one of them immediately jumps out of her clothes and into a bath.”
The speed at which they did it is the idea that I am going for.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-11-02/entertainment/0111020040_1_big-love-soul-and-body-mee
2.C. “Ashley Rhodes as Lydia doesn't dump the dress, but otherwise the action unrolls as Mee envisioned”
It is almost too prudish in my opinion.
http://austinlivetheatre.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=660:big-love-by-charles-mee-texas-state-university-october-6-11&catid=307:texas-state-university&Itemid=126
3.A. I would have Lydia hop in and out of the tub on towels, and have her dry herself off as best and fast as she can. The tub itself would be empty and there would be a small container inside with a rag that she would lift up and squeeze water with to make the picture clear she is in a full tub, I would place it far enough back that the audience would assume that it was only half full. I would allow the tomatoes and wedding cake scenes be limited to getting on the floor and not shoving Thyona in the cake which Giuliano will come and clean with a mop and broom almost instantly after they happen. The blood will be minimal, and the smashed China I think I would simply omit.
3.B. “tomatoes are squished, pop songs are sung, and several men lie dead on the floor.”
There is something about it that just seems necessary.
http://www.swarthmore.edu/x18871.xml
3.C. “It offers an evening of kitsch, froth, stage blood (over-the-top and inoffensive), and body-slamming physical humor”
The stage blood is too over the top except for in the most minute fashion and as the review says its kitsch.
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_journal_of_philology/v123/123.1rehm.html
4.A. I would have originally have had the grooms pop out from all the Voms, but after watching the scene we put on the obvious answer is to have them come through the house doors, to throw off the audience and fully use the space creatively. I would have the men go down differently in that Nikos, and Constantine would walk halfway down and each slide the rest of the way, while having Oed trying to be cool and trying to upstage his brothers, have him hop over the bar and chair walk his way down, failing and falling miserably into the laps of the neighboring audience. I would have the middle seats in single file line reserved and unusable for the show. I would need a helicopter gobo and sounds for the landing.
4.B. My quote for this one is what I said when the grooms walked in Saturday afternoon. “Awesome use of the room” –Micah Taylor
I thought the placement of the entrance was as ideal as you could get in the showcase.
4.C. “actors make their entrance by rappelling from the ceiling”
In a perfect world this would be my option one.
http://www.desdemona.org/blog/?p=198
5.A. I would stage the scene at the wedding with the different pairs one by one moving to the front house doors, a few moments later each bride coming back with blood on their hands. All the while Nikos and Lydia are in the corner behind a screen clearly making love. I would keep the awkward sort of lovable moments like the strip off between Constantine and Thyona but have them split the staircases going to the door as they strip. I would have a large moment of doubt with the death of Oed as to whether or not he would be killed but Olympia caves to the disapproving look of Thyona.
5.B. “Of course, there are lots of twists and turns and dead body parts flying around”
This was an acceptable idea minus the rubbing in of the blood.
http://royberkinfo.blogspot.com/2009/08/big-love.html
there is a clip as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt_hFS8HrQA
5.C. “on a fantastic and macabre gorgeousness, crowned by an ensemble of beauties, their breasts heaving in the blood-stained white gowns, standing over a litter of half-stripped dead men.”
It is a valid choice just it seems painful.
http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9E03EEDF1F3DF937A35751C1A9679C8B63
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Project 3
10. Living Dead In Denmark
by Qui Nguyen
Directed By Casey Kaleba
July 30 - August 23, 2009
PRODUCED BY Jenny McConnell Frederick and Randy Baker
FEATURING Company Member Scott McCormick with Katie Atkinson, Blair Bowers, Tony Bullock, Ben Cunis, Adrienne Nelson, Amy Quiggins, Megan Reichelt, Danny Rivera, Andres Talero, Sarah Taurchini and Eddie Walsh DESIGNED BY company members Debra Kim Sivigny (Costume Designer) and Robbie Hayes (Set Designer) with Brian S. Allard (Lighting Designer), Matthew M Nielson (Sound Designer) and Andrea "Dre" Moore (Props Designer)
To Zombie or Not to Zombie At Rorschach, a delightfully undead Shakespeare pastiche
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=37630
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPY5VlmV4Go&feature=player_embedded
This Play is extremely controversial due to the fact that it dare take Shakespeare's top three Heriones, raise them from the dead and have them kill off zombie hords. It makes reference jokes every few minutes of wich they are a mix of modern and classical that result in a hodgepodge of terrible and awesome theater. It was such a step that in my opinion its more of a slam against shakespeare than Hamlet 2 was.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Project 2 Unconventional Theater
1. A.
The first local production with deaf and hearing actors to combine ASL and spoken text.
Twelfth Night
Presented by Amaryllis Theatre Company
October 2000
Peter Novak (project director)
Adrian Blue (master translator and sign consultant)
B.
"A fine 'Twelfth Night' in signing and speech"
"The Twelfth Night at the Prince Music Theater will go down in Philadelphia theater history, as the first local production cast with deaf and hearing actors that combines American Sign Language and spoken text."
C.
I find this version to be unconventional thanks to the fact that not only was it the first local production to have both signs and spoken text, but because of the problems in making the language work in both languages. My mother is hard of hearing and taught me ASL at a young age, the simple problem of ASL is that in ASL you do not fill in all the extra words that are conventional. You alway simply fill in the adjectives and adverbs with your own mind the fact that they made it flow into the different format of spoken verse to clear cut ASL is amazing and extremely abnormal.
2. A.
Lesbian Othello
Othello
The Shakespeare Performance Troupe
April 14,15,16 2005
Madelynn von Baeyer (Director)
B.
"Othello with a twist"
C.
I think the obvious thing that makes this production so unconventional other than the complete cast of females, is that Othello is a Lesbian. There were countless productions of Othello with all male casts but what really makes this version so unique is the fact that they are openly stating Othello as a lesbian. I would say that it holds close enough to the original concept that not everything is lost in the idea.
3.A.
A cast of 6 visually impaired actors.
Director George Ashiotis
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Presented by Theater Breaking Through Barriers
February 2007
B.
George Ashiotis, Ann Marie Morelli in TBTB Midsummer Nights Dream
C. I think what makes this show so unusual isn't the fact that the characters are almost blind, or the fact one in a wheelchair, but the fact that they shortened the cast list to a mere 6 people. The difficulty of short casting a show is the constant character and costume changes. These 6 visually impaired actors managed to do a show with a character list of at least 22 the shear timing of changes is amazing in the first place, but when you factor in that they all are extremely impaired visually it is almost impossible.
4.A.
Puppet version of Macbeth
Macbeth
Presented by Colla Marionette Company
April 2007
Artistic Director Barbara Gaines
Executive Director Criss Henderson
B.
The Scottish Play, Told With Sound and Fury and Puppets
“Macbeth,” a joint production of the Colla Marionette Company and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, consists of 130 puppets, 13 puppeteers and 7 actors. Above, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
C. This show was so interesting due to the way they took the extreme workings of Macbeth and combined the live actors with 130 different puppets. The fact that they managed to keep all hundred and thirty puppets flowing in and out of the show without mixing up the different entrances had to be far more of a challenge than was originally anticipated.
5.A.
Modern Nude Shakespeare
Macbeth
Presented by Washington Shakespeare Company
June 14- July 15, 2007
Director Jose Carrasquillo
B.
Daniel Eichner as Macbeth
"MacDuff in the buff: Nude Shakespeare sells despite critics"
C.
I have heard about Shakespeare in the past just for sheer selling tickets sake, that directors have made their actors strip bare, but this production was actually thought out before hand and had a purpose to it. The director wanted to get the show into a more of a human nature. The actors understood this and got comfortable in it. The fact that this version was successful in a modern world that such shows are almost unheard of is what really makes this show unusual.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Project 1
American Conservatory Theater1
1 ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore By John Ford 2008
http://www.curtainup.com/pityshesawhore.html
“introduction to Jacobean/Carolinian dramatic literature at its most lurid.”
http://www.sfstation.com/tis-pity-she-s-a-whore-a10191
“is one of the most gruesome morality plays”
2 The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol 2008
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/onstage/24751174.html
“Hysterical might actually be the best way to describe the Guthrie's rollicking production of Gogol's satire”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts-reviews/the-government-inspector/2007/10/29/1193555564625.html
“Two hands better than 19 in this slimmed-down version of Gogol's classic comedy.”
3 Blood Knot by Athol Fugard 2008
http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-02-15/entertainment/17139792_1_blood-knot-athol-fugard-drama
“excoriatingly honest drama”
http://www.enotes.com/blood-knot-salem/blood-knot
“Psychological realism”
4 Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet 2008
http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/Shows/Current/speedtheplow.html
“Dark Comedy”
http://www.offwestend.com/index.php/plays/view/1336
“Classic Comedy”
5 The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash 2007
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-01-08/stage/the-rainmaker-and-little-women/
“N. Richard Nash’s comedy is, in many respects, conventional Broadway fare of the 1950s”
http://minnesotatheatre.blogspot.com/2009/08/rainmaker.html
“The Rainmaker is both a thought provoking drama about human fears”
6 The Imaginary Invalid byMolière; adapted by Constance Congdon 2007
http://www.theateronline.com/playbill.xzc?PK=17269
“A comedy for the entire family”
http://www.goldstar.com/events/san-francisco-ca/the-imaginary-invalid.html
“In this cheeky satire, an old hypochondriac believes in nothing and no one--except the dubious diagnoses his quack doctors keep delivering”
7 Blackbird by David Harrower 2007
http://theater.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/theater/reviews/11blac.html
“a drama that promises to be the most powerful of the season”
http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2009/09/bye-bye-blackbird.html
“classical tragedy”
8 Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen; translated by Paul Walsh 2007
http://classiclit.about.com/od/heddagabler/fr/aa_heddagabler.htm
“a domestic tragedy “
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8607594.html
“the drama”
9 The Circle by W. Somerset Maugham 2007
http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/1184
“Comedy”
http://www.goldstar.com/events/san-francisco-ca/the-circle.html
“Witty Social Satire The Circle Brings W. Somerset Maugham's Classic to San Francisco”
10 The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman 2006
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/05/review-the-little-foxes-at-pasadena-playhouse.html
“the drama's angry relevance”
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/the-little-foxes-donmar-theatre-london-631347.html
“A well-done Southern melodrama”
San Francisco State University Theater
1 Two on a Party by Tennessee Williams 2010
http://www.theaterdogs.net/category/word-for-word/
“gay and lesbian theater”
=http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGk1IAbWlLySMATeBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyOWhlOXY3BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDOQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0RGUjVfODI-/SIG=11v9bn6ol/EXP=1265286784/**http%3a//www.therhino.org/3Party/3PartyPR.doc
Comedy
2 High Fidelity the Musical by David Lindsay 2009
http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/news/014326.html
Musical
http://www.harthousetheatre.ca/html/current_season/season_spread/show_3/show_3.php "isn't your traditional musical comedy"
3 Juliet 2009 Shakespeare
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/facts.html
Tragic Drama
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/feb/24/theater-review-tragedy-romeo-and-juliet/
Tragedy
4Cosi Fan Tutte 2009 Mozart
http://opera.suite101.com/article.cfm/mozarts_cosi_fan_tutte
Comic opera
http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/classical/reviews/n_8688/
Comedy
5 Henry IV 2009 Shakespeare http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/henry4pt1/context.html
History Play
http://www.bard.org/education/studyguides/henryivpartone/henryivpartonetragedy.html Comedy
6Twelfth Night 2009
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/twelfthnight/context.html
Comedy
http://www.cliffnotes.com/wileyCDA/LitNote/Twelfth-Night.id-152.html
Romantic Comedy
7 Cordelia (from Town to Town)" by Alberto Adellach 2009
http://news.eltecolote.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=fdb1c8cf8527f26b8d43498c437a7135
Modern Tragedy
http://www.playshakespeare.com/stories/250-features/3762-the-shakespearean-journey-leads-to-a-universal-crossroad
Musical Tragedy
8Proof 2009 by David Auburn
http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/usplays/auburnd1.htm
Drama
http://www.curtainup.com/proof.html
family drama
9 Arcadia by Tom Stoppard 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/31/theater/theater-review-arcadia-stoppard-s-comedy-of-1809-and-now.html?pagewanted=1
“Stoppard's Comedy Of 1809 And Now”
http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/stoppt/arcadia.htm
Drama
10 Machinal 2008 by Sophie Treadwell
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-03-14/entertainment/17214105_1_sophie-treadwell-machinal-stage
Drama
http://www.jobsitetheater.org/shows/machinal/about.php
“feminist theater”
1 ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore By John Ford 2008
http://www.curtainup.com/pityshesawhore.html
“introduction to Jacobean/Carolinian dramatic literature at its most lurid.”
http://www.sfstation.com/tis-pity-she-s-a-whore-a10191
“is one of the most gruesome morality plays”
2 The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol 2008
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/onstage/24751174.html
“Hysterical might actually be the best way to describe the Guthrie's rollicking production of Gogol's satire”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts-reviews/the-government-inspector/2007/10/29/1193555564625.html
“Two hands better than 19 in this slimmed-down version of Gogol's classic comedy.”
3 Blood Knot by Athol Fugard 2008
http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-02-15/entertainment/17139792_1_blood-knot-athol-fugard-drama
“excoriatingly honest drama”
http://www.enotes.com/blood-knot-salem/blood-knot
“Psychological realism”
4 Speed-the-Plow by David Mamet 2008
http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/Shows/Current/speedtheplow.html
“Dark Comedy”
http://www.offwestend.com/index.php/plays/view/1336
“Classic Comedy”
5 The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash 2007
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-01-08/stage/the-rainmaker-and-little-women/
“N. Richard Nash’s comedy is, in many respects, conventional Broadway fare of the 1950s”
http://minnesotatheatre.blogspot.com/2009/08/rainmaker.html
“The Rainmaker is both a thought provoking drama about human fears”
6 The Imaginary Invalid byMolière; adapted by Constance Congdon 2007
http://www.theateronline.com/playbill.xzc?PK=17269
“A comedy for the entire family”
http://www.goldstar.com/events/san-francisco-ca/the-imaginary-invalid.html
“In this cheeky satire, an old hypochondriac believes in nothing and no one--except the dubious diagnoses his quack doctors keep delivering”
7 Blackbird by David Harrower 2007
http://theater.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/theater/reviews/11blac.html
“a drama that promises to be the most powerful of the season”
http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2009/09/bye-bye-blackbird.html
“classical tragedy”
8 Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen; translated by Paul Walsh 2007
http://classiclit.about.com/od/heddagabler/fr/aa_heddagabler.htm
“a domestic tragedy “
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8607594.html
“the drama”
9 The Circle by W. Somerset Maugham 2007
http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/1184
“Comedy”
http://www.goldstar.com/events/san-francisco-ca/the-circle.html
“Witty Social Satire The Circle Brings W. Somerset Maugham's Classic to San Francisco”
10 The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman 2006
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/05/review-the-little-foxes-at-pasadena-playhouse.html
“the drama's angry relevance”
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/the-little-foxes-donmar-theatre-london-631347.html
“A well-done Southern melodrama”
San Francisco State University Theater
1 Two on a Party by Tennessee Williams 2010
http://www.theaterdogs.net/category/word-for-word/
“gay and lesbian theater”
=http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGk1IAbWlLySMATeBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyOWhlOXY3BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDOQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkA0RGUjVfODI-/SIG=11v9bn6ol/EXP=1265286784/**http%3a//www.therhino.org/3Party/3PartyPR.doc
Comedy
2 High Fidelity the Musical by David Lindsay 2009
http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/news/014326.html
Musical
http://www.harthousetheatre.ca/html/current_season/season_spread/show_3/show_3.php "isn't your traditional musical comedy"
3 Juliet 2009 Shakespeare
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/facts.html
Tragic Drama
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/feb/24/theater-review-tragedy-romeo-and-juliet/
Tragedy
4Cosi Fan Tutte 2009 Mozart
http://opera.suite101.com/article.cfm/mozarts_cosi_fan_tutte
Comic opera
http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/classical/reviews/n_8688/
Comedy
5 Henry IV 2009 Shakespeare http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/henry4pt1/context.html
History Play
http://www.bard.org/education/studyguides/henryivpartone/henryivpartonetragedy.html Comedy
6Twelfth Night 2009
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/twelfthnight/context.html
Comedy
http://www.cliffnotes.com/wileyCDA/LitNote/Twelfth-Night.id-152.html
Romantic Comedy
7 Cordelia (from Town to Town)" by Alberto Adellach 2009
http://news.eltecolote.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=fdb1c8cf8527f26b8d43498c437a7135
Modern Tragedy
http://www.playshakespeare.com/stories/250-features/3762-the-shakespearean-journey-leads-to-a-universal-crossroad
Musical Tragedy
8Proof 2009 by David Auburn
http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/usplays/auburnd1.htm
Drama
http://www.curtainup.com/proof.html
family drama
9 Arcadia by Tom Stoppard 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/31/theater/theater-review-arcadia-stoppard-s-comedy-of-1809-and-now.html?pagewanted=1
“Stoppard's Comedy Of 1809 And Now”
http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/stoppt/arcadia.htm
Drama
10 Machinal 2008 by Sophie Treadwell
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-03-14/entertainment/17214105_1_sophie-treadwell-machinal-stage
Drama
http://www.jobsitetheater.org/shows/machinal/about.php
“feminist theater”
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
