Oedipus The King:Play Production

By: Jessica SunnySayan Tarafder

Kala ThomasHunter Stroyick

Set Design

Environment

• The script is analyzed: How do the actors speak? How do they move? In what kind of home or setting do they function? Do their lives seem cramped or out in the open?

• With the answers to the above questions, the set designer can make pencil sketches and notes about the design.

• The environment must be an area where the characters can interact in a concrete manifestation of the visual world of drama.

• The designer must find out if the play is trying to be realistic, expressionistic, or fantastic.

• For Oedipus the King: the environment must be in the past tense (Ancient Greek time), realistic, at a Greek palace, more out in the open than cramped.

Environment Examples

A thrust stage would be best to have the audience more involved.

These type of columns on stage give a more ancient Greek feel for the inside of the palace.

Mood and Style

• The stage institutes the style, mood, and meaning of the play. The setting can make the mood: Are the actors happy, sad, gloomy, ecstatic?

• This aspect of the production is achieved with colors, furniture, architectural shapes, fabrics, and other elements.

• A family drama about strict parents may have empty walls and no windows to show the mood of being “locked in.”

• A happy play about a bright little child may have cheerful colors, like bright blue, pink, or yellow, all across the background to show the mood of optimism.

• Set design sets the tone and style as well, by communicating where and when the play takes place and the genre of the play (tragedy, comedy, etc).

• For Oedipus the King: the set would be dark colored, with Greek columns to show a palace

Mood and Style Example

This set here utilizes dark colors, with Greek columns and statues to show the outside of a building, with plenty of space for characters to interact.

Realistic from Non-Realistic

• The set designer must differentiate between realism (portrays reality) and non-realism (depicts surrealistic images).

• In realistic theater, the designer has to make the set resemble the real setting, but not look exactly like it.

• Realistic or non-realistic, the set has to represent the visual theme of the play, demonstrating the lifestyle and individual traits of the characters.

• Sometimes, sets only will show parts of backgrounds to show the appropriate impression.

• Non-realism is all about the symbolism of every item shown on the stage.

• For Oedipus: the set would be realistic, with partial items shown.

Locale and Period

• A set needs to tell the audience where and when this play is taking place. Is it at a house? A beauty salon?

• The background can tell an audience a lot about the time period as well. For example, spaceships and planets indicate the future, no electric appliances indicate the past.

• The scene design can describe the type of characters involved too. A house setting suggests a nice family, a palace would represent royalty.

• For Oedipus: the locale is at the palace of Thebes, where Oedipus and his family reside. The time period would be Ancient Greek time, in BC.

As a viewer, this type of setting would indicate ancient Greece marketplace because of the architecture and clothing.

Design Concept

• A design concept is similar to a directorial concept, where it is a unifying notion carried out visually.

• When a play’s set is changing, a design concept is very important to keep the viewers centered on the main idea.

• For Oedipus: the design concept would involve the Corinthian columns to signify royalty.

Central Image

• Similar to a design concept, through a set’s elements (lines, colors, shapes), a central image or metaphor is established throughout the play.

• A designer comes up with this image or metaphor to exemplify all traits in the script that the play is trying to emphasize.

• From this central image, a design concept can be visualized.

• For Oedipus: a central image would be Oedipus’ scarred feet

Scenery Coordination

• Since the scenery is the visual element of the entire production, the set designer has to make sure it is consistent with the dialogue, the director’s concept, and the performers.

• The set designer has to keep the set construction from being an obstacle to any other department and be effective for its use.

• For Oedipus: the scenery would need to change as the characters move from outside to inside the palace, which needs coordination.

This set here is very extravagant with the moving curtains and flying people. Without the proper coordination, this set could be dangerous.

Solving Practical Design Problems

• Physical Layout: the designer must plan to fit everything in the amount of space given. A ground plan is usually drawn up to physically show how the set will work. Terminology such as “stage right” or “upstage” help in avoiding any collisions or accidents.

• Materials of Scene Design: the designer can utilize the stage floor for some design elements if needed. For scenery changes, it can be on a fly (raised and lowered), a scrim (a painted cloth), a flat (painted canvas), or a screen projection.

• Special Effects: the effects of lighting, scenery, and props (property) that a set designer can manipulate to make it seem unbelievable.

• For Oedipus: a practical design problem could be the scenery change, which can be solved with any of the above solutions.

Light Design

• Unlike reading, plays can’t rely on the imagination of the audience.

• The lighting helps set the mood and the scene.

• Just lighting can change the entire feel of the play

Visibility

• It allows for the audience to be able to see and identify the actors.

• It allows you to see the set and the props used.

Reveal Shapes and Forms

• Lighting can make performers and props look three dimensional while making background things look two dimensional.

• It can also make people seem more or less attractive, taller, shorter, wider, etc.

• It also can enhance the set and props.

Focus

• Lighting also helps focus the audience’s attention to certain parts of the stage, performers, or a set piece.

• This “selective visibility” helps the audience not be overwhelmed with the entire scenery.

• People can focus on the important parts relevant to the current story first.

Mood and Reinforcing Style

• Lighting creates moods and emotions.

– Example: Dark scenes create dark moods while bright and colorful scenes cause happier scenes.

• Mood controlled by lighting helps the audience feel as the director intended for them to feel.

• It also helps control the ambiance of the scene.

• Lighting helps emphasize the flow of the story.

Time and Place

• Lighting helps show the audience what time of day it is or what time of the year it is.

• It can also show whether the scene takes place inside or outside.

• Depending on the equipment used, the lighting can even show what time period the play takes place in (1700s, Ancient Greece/Rome, etc.)

Rhythm of Visual Movement

• The eye is carried from place to place by the shifting focus of light.

• The subtlest (a candle or flashlight) is often the most useful.

• Good light designers would change the audiences focus without them even realizing.

– Low angle special would come on diagonally from behind Hamlet’s Father’s ghost to give a rhythm of movement.

Central Visual Image

• The Director and Light Designer both work together to make the Director’s project come to life.

• Light Director has to make sure that changes in light are smooth transitions when changing moods and not noticed by the audience.

• The lighting must be consistent with the overall style and mood of the play.

• Everything works together to create the central visual image of the play.

Costume Designer

Style of play • Historical

• Ancient Greek

– Chiton

– Peplos

– Ionic Chiton

– Himation( Cloaks)

– Colorful

– Sandals

• Tragedy

– Clothes should give off feelings of seriousness.

Major Characters • Oedipus- King of Thebes

• The Chorus- Theban elders

• Creon- Oedipus brother in law

• Jocasta- Oedipus wife

• Teiresias- Blind prophet

Minor Characters • Priest- high priest of Thebes

• Boy- attendant on Teiresias

• Messenger- an old man

• Servant- an old shepherd

• Second Messenger – servant of Oedipus

• Antigone- Oedipus and Jocasta daughter

• Ismene- Oedipus and Jocasta daughter

• Servants and Attendants on Oedipus and Jocasta

Oedipus • Chiton

– Short

– White

– Wool

• Himation

– Red

– Wool

• Colors red represent the anger Oedipus

feels towards the situation. Also the

blood of his father, mother, and himself.

• Gold fasteners

• Hair

– Brown

– Medium length and Curly

• Accessories

– Gold rings and headpiece

• Sandals

– Brown

– Calf Length

Himation

Chiton

Fastener

The Chorus • Chiton

– Loose

– Black

– Wool

• Himation

– Gray

– Wool

• Dull colors to represent the

seriousness of what the chorus has

to say.

• Silver Fasteners

• Hair

– Mixtures

– Black

– Brown

– Salt and Pepper

• Sandals

– Brown

– Ankle length

HimationFastener

Creon • Oedipus brother in law

• Chiton

– Short

– White

– Wool

• Himation

– Blue

• Color blue represent Creon’s calm

nature when handling Oedipus and other

situations.

• Gold fasteners

• Hair

– Brown

– Long and Curly

• Accessories

– Gold headpiece and rings

• Sandals

– Black

– Calf length

Jocasta • Ionic Chiton

– Loose

– Red

– Wool

• Himation

– Gold

• Color red represents her anger from the guilt and

shame of marrying her son. Gold is to show her

status as queen of Thebes

• Gold fasteners

• Accessories

– Golden Broaches (2)

– Headpiece

• Hair

– Long and Curly

– Gold pins

• Sandals

– Brown

– Ankle length

Ionic Chiton

Teiresias• Old blind prophet

– Cannot see but he can “see” the truth

• Chiton

– Short

– Brown

– Wool

• Himation

– Beige

• Colors represent Teiresias old age

and wisdom.

• Silver fasteners

• Hair

– Short

– Gray

– Long gray beard

• Barefooted

• Accessories

– Sticklike Staff

Makeup • Jocasta

– Natural makeup look

• Nude lipstick

• Pink blush

• Smokey eyes

– Gold

• Oedipus

– Scarred Feet

• Bound as a child

• Foundation

• Black paint

• Brown paint

– Bloody eye makeup

• Blinds himself with Jocasta broaches

• Red paint

• Red food coloring

Masks

• The Chorus

– Want the focus to be on the chorus’s words

and not on how many people are talking at once.

– Chorus Leader

• Red Mask

• Talks directly to characters

• Needs to stand out

– Chorus

• White mask

• Needs to be like a single unit

Director

Director’s Role

• The Director is the person or people who oversees and coordinates the play

• The purpose of the Director is to insure smoothness and quality of the production throughout the play.

Script

• The Director chooses the type of writing that helps supports the style and setting of the play.

• “Oedipus The King” had a very rich style of script, to match the setting.

Shaping Things

• As a Director, he/ she helps with shaping the backbone or structure of the production.

• The Director also helps aluminate the theme throughout all the different design structures (costumes ect,).

Style

• To help support the backbone of the production, the producer also helps pick a style that best fits the setting and theme.

Directorial Concept

• How the director envisions the play.

• How he/she approaches the play and what he/she wants the audience to take from it.

• Includes themes, ideas, moods, ect.