SCENIC SHOWCASE #1

Last night, Brian and I met in Design Studio 1 for my first look at a filled in model box. With the first budget pass a week away, the time came to start solidifying ideas into a physical shape in the space. After a month and a summer and a spring (working backwards) of images and words and ideas, time had come to synthesize and present.

Brian showed my the same model box of the Rauh theatre, (the empty space at the design launch) now filled with a wood planked floor, burlap covered walls, and seating. As I looked more closely, the parts that I found most interesting were the spots of green between some of the planks, signs of life in an otherwise dead space. The material of the world felt right on, but we agreed that the straight lines from the flooring to the walls were not telling the story of a girl in the spins of life. Buckets sat in the space, reminding us of the opportunity for action, but the how and what of the space felt blank. This is all exactly what it should be like at this part of the process. It is clear that Brian is thoughtful, specific and elegant in his process. This meeting provoked a wonderful conversation about what else the world needed to be. Ultimately, we went from a rather flat, square world to a perfectly circular panorama in space. Fully incorporating the environmental feel we have been talking about all along. Will it go over budget? yes. definitely. But that's where Brian's superior editorial eye will come in. This week he will spend drafting and plotting the design for the technical director and production management team to budget. We aren't completely out of the yes phase, but it is time for some careful decisions. We want to make sure that this is a world of possibilities. The initial model box didn't have enough hiding places for magic to happen, this next draft will certainly me more magical.

Surprisingly, there was a small flower taped onto the top corner of the box (it looked like a miniature Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors). I asked Brian what it meant. He said that when his assistant came in from in from a nature walk to gather natural materials to play with, the little flower was closed. He left it overnight in the box surrounded by the rest of the grassy finds, and when he returned the next day, it was completely open and beautiful. And that is why Brian belongs designing maggie's world.

We are Castaway!

So if the design launches, and the play is on a river, it is only appropriate to say now that actors have been brought on board-- we are cast away!

I am feeling very relaxed although eager with anticipation for the next big step-- first design pass and then for rehearsals to begin. But there are still a few weeks to go before then.

As for the design, I am meeting with Brian this evening to see what he;s been up to (without me hovering) for the past few days. As a team, we have spent over thirty hours together-- visiting Mill (see photos), meeting at my place for three hour sessions of storyboarding, reading the play aloud together... but now is the time (while continuing to storyboard) to start synthesizing the ideas into actual theatrical possibilities. We are ready. Mallory (costume designer) and I have met individually and discussed each character of the play, beginning with the women and later discussing each male character. We are seeking ways to unite the actor as a single entity who plays three roles, rather than trying to "trick" the audience. i think simplicity will be very important, but with that comes enormous responsibility to make careful choices. Everything begins to mean something now. Sarah (lighting designer) has also been involved in these group discussions. And I met with her individually to start talking in details about the way she will approach the process and the responses she instinctually has to the text. I am sure her mind is simmering with ideas.

There are a few ideas that we have latched onto as a team, knowing that the world is environmental, natural, malleable, fluid. We know the world goes through a total transformation. We know we are seeing it through Maggie;s eyes. We have also decided that we are always in her attic-- her safe place. When she escapes to the attic, it is an emotional escape rather than physical.

I had a wonderful meeting with Dramaturg: Michele and Anthea. Our discussion began with the idea of Maggie as a scapegoat. Michele has given me a new understanding of what the connection Maggie has with witches can really mean, leading me to a new understanding of the end of the play. I had not really formulated a complete understanding of WHY the flood. That is something we are continuing to explore.

The play describes Maggie knitting with a ball of scarlet yarn when she and Stephen are first alone. In researching the scarlet yarn, Michele unfolded a plethora of stories dating back to nearly 5000 years when Jews used to tie red wool onto scapegoats and send them out to the desert to absolve them of scenes. I am very interested in really uncovering all the potential for this wool, from the beginning of the play on-- maybe actually having a spinning wheel on set. Maybe that is Mag's attic.

Another Idea I haven't completely gone away from is the idea of another representation of Mag's emotional self through music. I am still awaiting the announcement of the hired sound designer, but I am feeling the need to move forward with these ideas on my own/with the rest of the design team.

My next entry will describe the casting process and my reaction to Brian's first showing of the scenic design.