Design PresentationMIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM

GROUP 86

CHRISTIAN GILL, MEGAN WOOD, MEGHAN MERIANO, TYLER TANNER

The DirectorCHRISTIAN GILL

Selecting the Play: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

As a director I would pick A Midsummer Night’s Dream not just because it is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays but because I felt I could capture the whimsical and magical nature of the play and bring it to life in a new way that hasn’t been seen before. It’s themes of dreams, love, and the unknown are memorable and I feel as though this play breaths Shakespeare like no other quite does.

Casting the AtheniansKristin Chenoweth – Helena

Lee Pace – Demetrius

Anna Friel – Hermia

Tobey Maguire – Lysander

George Hearn – Oberon

Patti LuPone – Hippolyta

Len Cariou – Theseus

Timothy Dalton – Philostrate

Aaron Eckhart – Egeus

Swoosie Kurtz – Tifania

Chi Mcbride – Nedar

Robert Deniro – Spirit 1

Jack Nicholson – Spirit 2

With the Athenians I wanted actors who had experience working together. For the lovers I wanted actors who had been lovers before and for the older characters I wanted actors who had a great deal of character about them. Kristin Chenoweth, Lee Pace, Anna Friel and Tobey Maguire were actors who I felt have done a great job capturing what its like to be in a romance that is either forbidden or has obstacles. Chi Mcbride, Swoosie Kurtz, George Hearn, Pattie LuPone, Len Cariou, Timothy Dalton, and Aaron Eckhart are all actors who know how to portray characters with a sense of self respect which is ideal for characters who are supposed to lead. Robert Deniro and Jack Nicholson are, of course, Robert Deniro and Jack Nicholson. They will turn a role into something great no matter the size.

Casting the FairiesEllen Greene – Peasebottom

Shirley Douglass – Cobweb

Helen Mirran – Moth

Angela Lansbury – Mustardseed

Samni Hanratty – Fairy One

Caitlin Carmicheal – Fairty Two

For the Fairies I wanted consistently older actresses for the main ones. Ellen Greene, Shirley Douglass, Helen Mirran, and Angela Lansberry are all actresses who have a natural magic about them. Its something you just can’t put into words but it fits the style of the play. Samni Hanratty, and Caitlin Carmicheal are younger actresses who fit the smaller roles perfectly. They just look like fairies.

Casting the MechanicalsPeter O’Toole – Peter Quince

John Malchovich – Nick Bottom

Zac Efron – Francis Flute

Marc Pickering – Robin Starveling

Stephen Graham – Tom Snout

Travis Tope - Snug

For the mechanicals I wanted a mixture of well respected actors and very talented young actors. Peter O’Toole and John Malchovich are a couple of the best actors of the best sixty years and I feel they know how to bring their characters to life easily. Zac Efron, Marc Pickering, and Travis Tope are all excellent youthful actors and I feel they round out the acting troupe nicely. I picked Stephen Graham because he has excessive charisma.

Spine: Pursuing Love and Admiration

The basis for every action of the play is the pursuit of love and respect. Many of the major character want this. The four main lovers are after, of course, love while the mechanicals want admiration as they are play actors. So with every character’s wants clearly defined the theme of the play can be established and this will be built on in the style of the play.

Theme: Forbidden Love

The play is full of love and obstacles to love. Hermia and Lysander are forbidden to love each other and Helena is in love with Demetrius who doesn’t love her back. This leads to this overall message of the play that love always has obstacles to overcome. This is something that needs to be reflected by the style of the play.

Style: Expressionism

I want this play to be presented based on emotion rather than logic. The play, of course, has a plot and characters and motivations and all of that must be maintained but I want the overall design of the play to reflect what the characters are feeling more than where the characters are.

Directorial Concept

The themes of the play are forbidden love, magic, the unknown, attempts to control, and dreams. There should be this mood of uncertainty throughout everything as well as wonder. The overall look of the play should make the whole thing feel other worldly as though we are peering into someone’s dreams. The characters are all wanting for something that seems beyond them whether it is love or it is admiration. Ancient Athens provokes this feeling of myth already as it is home to much Greek mythology.

Set DesignMEGAN WOOD

Picking the Venue: Proscenium Arch

Proscenium arch stage type

Will create “4th wall” Non-realistic environment

Audience will be in different environment

Ease design constraints Set transitions easier

Seamless costume changes

Athens Concepts

Set determines location/time

Location: Athens

Time Period: Ancient Greece

Greek architecture sets the tone

Rolling panels from side stage

Panels will cover tree elements

Athens Concepts Continued

Warm color scheme

Gold/bronze tones

Romantic, warm feel

Classic Greek architecture

Fancy environment for royal characters

Forest Concepts

Panels slide away to reveal the tree at the center of the woods

Tree is the focal point of the scenes in the forest

Tree limbs are twisted to create environment:

Mystical

Whimsical

Dreamy

Forest Concepts Continued

Lights coordinated to affect set’s mood

Colorful set is non-realistic, dream-like

Tree limbs are twisted to create environment: Mystical, Whimsical, Dreamy

Forest Concepts – Finishing Touches Whimsical lights

hanging. Resemble: Twinkling Stars

Fireflies

Ferns elements on floor: Off to the side

Will not disrupt actors

Hanging leaves Elegant, breezy touch

Magical, Whimsical Tree

Central Tree: Ability to move throughout

play

Secured to rotating stand

Tree is: Central Image

Visual Metaphor

Tree Concepts Twisted tree branches

Mysterious, dramatic, and fantasy-filled

Fits with whimsical, dreamy look

Wedding Concepts

Original colors with added rich, royal colors

Beautiful adornments, happy decorations

Celebratory elements(True love has been found by all!)

Final Wedding Design

Design evolving Embellishments added to original

Athenian set

Adornments added to remaining tree fixtures

Solving set design problems Incorporating past elements

Adding small touches

Setting the mood Group wedding, romantic, happy!

Costume DesignTYLER TANNER

Costume and Setting

Most Costumes will Have an Elizabethan style

Most will be from the 1590’s era

Will have hints of Greek style

Costumes will be similar to characters normal outfit

But slightly different due to their in a dream.

The Athenians

All Characters besides the Mechanicals and Fairies

King Theseus and other royals will have a more Elizabethan style Costume to denote royalty

Hermia, Demetrius, and other sons and daughters will have a more modern costume to Denote Youth

Hippolyta will have a more exotic costume to Accentuate that she is from Africa

The Athenians (Cont.’d)

Towards End of Play, The Athenians will transform Costumes

Costumes will be White, Floaty Romantic Era Costumes

Floatiness will cause a more Dreamy like effect

The Mechanicals

Peter Quince, Snug, Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Tom Snout, Robin Starveling

Portrayed in play as Comical but not very smart

Will be costumed in Commedia Del'Arte for the “silly clown” style

The Mechanicals (Cont.d)

When THE Mechanicals are in the “play within a play”

Costumes parts will be added

Such as Snout as “Wall” or Snug as “Lion”

Made out of thick cotton and dyes

The Fairies

Composed of the members of FairyLand

Ancient Greek Style

LED lights Will be added for Whimsical Effect

The Fairies (Cont.’d)

Costumes Made out of Mostly Silk and Leather

Lots of Greenery Added to accentuate the Earthy and Natural connection of Fairies

Costume Movement

The royals will have elegant , and large costumes since Fast movement is not as needed

The Fairies will be light clothing since they will be moving around a lot more

Mechanicals costume will be thick but flowing To accentuate Clumsiness

Extra Costume Effects

Mechanicals will have horns and bells That go off when a clumsy Action happens

Fairies will have Sparkles, Lights, and shiny clothes Lining to further accentuate the Whimsical Effect.

LightingMEGHAN MERIANO

Act 1, Scene 1

Fire with the torches will create a warm light, shadows will be well defined. Flickering since it is flame.

Once Lysander leaves, Helena waits at front center stage. The background fades to black and the spotlight is on her. This will allow for crew to change scenes.

Act 1, Scene 2

Same thought process as the Palace

Sunlight through the windows. Spotlights on actors

End scene with a fade to black

Act 2, Scene 1

Scene opens with the flickering of lightning bugs. Lit jewels in the trees to add dream-like effect. The dark blue background lighting.

Actors have lanterns that will light them up and cause the audience to follow them. Thus dimly and warmly lit.

Fairies have whimsical lighting in their costumes.

Scene fades to black as the party talks, then they exit with the lanterns.

The Flower

The flower will be lit and add to the dreamy atmosphere

Act 2, Scene 2

Fade into the scene with the dark blue, the tree jewels, the fairies glow, and the lightning bugs twinkle.

Titania enters with lanterns

Dim spotlight on each character as they go on and off stage.

At the end of the scene, spotlight on Hermia. Everything in background fades to black, and upon her exit, spotlight turns off.

Act 3, Scene 1

Scene starts by fading in the background lighting, dim spotlight on Titana.

The rest of the actors come on stage with lanterns, but instead of the lanterns creating the light, put a group spotlight on them. They will then put the lanterns down in a semi-circle so that way the spotlight can create the dim lighting.

Fade to black at the end of the scene

Act 3, Scene 2

Fade in, Spotlight on Oberon Puck enters with lanterns Scene backlit dark blue, gradually fades

into red during the sword fight scene. At the end of the fight, switch back to dark blue, no fade to increase effect.

Background fades to black. In the foreground, Puck goes to Lysander, the spotlight focused on them, and then the spotlight cuts at Puck’s exit.

Act 4, Scene 1

Fade the background lighting, dim spotlight on those asleep.

Everyone that enters will carry lanterns, while there is a dim spotlight on Oberon, who is in the back.

As Oberon comes to the front, spotlight brightens to make him the focus.

As group talks, spotlight focuses on them, then follows their exit.

Background fades to black and single spotlight on Bottom, cuts off at his exit.

Act 4, Scene 2

Torches and fire light the room Fade to black as the actors exit

Act 5, Scene 1

The palace is lit with soft, bright white light.

Little to no shadows At the end, Puck moves front,

center stage and as he says his last words, the background fades to black and he is left in the spotlight that cuts off while he is still standing there.

“So, good night unto you all.

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.”