Pallas Blog
What Goes Into a Pallas Directorial/Production Design?
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 17 July 2012 06:46
- Written by Tracey Chessum
The following is an excerpt from the email I sent to our “Comedy of Mirrors” cast as we began our 12 rehearsals (Yes, they put this show up in only 12 rehearsals – it was supposed to be 13, but, alas, a Derecho killed one of our rehearsals). When you don’t have a lot of time to put a show on its feet, to create a production organically with the actors, I’ve found that it’s often wise to tell the actors exactly what you are getting at, instead of making it a learning process that they will discover along the way. Thus, the email below set out to explain the basics of the Production Design as we began. I was hoping to show the actors not only that I was thinking about how Shakespeare had conceived their characters, but also about the audience that would be coming to see the show! For me, this is my first task as a director – who is my audience?
My second task as a director for Pallas was to work with what I had on hand – and this greatly influenced the production design as well. In order to get the marvelous actors we did, we had to streamline the process down to 2 weeks of rehearsals and 2 weeks of performances. Anyone out there had rehearsals every day for 2 weeks? These actors were troopers! Essentially, I had to meet with most of the actors before-hand and make sure that they would be ready with appropriate and workable interpretations of their characters at the start of rehearsals – ones that we could then sculpt to create a unified whole in this cast of characters. Further, I also had to create a design that would work within a $250 budget for sets, costumes, and props, and be sensitive to the time constraints of designers who were not being paid for their efforts. This is no small feat.
As a director, I find that I often face the chasm between what my artistic creativity would like to do with a show, and what reality dictates I can actually do. This is something that all directors face, I’m sure.
The email:“Before we get started, I wanted to give you a heads up about what I asked for as far as set/costume/etc. While I would love to create this process organically – that’s not always completely possible when you only have 2 weeks! Therefore, designs have been pre-set in such a way that they can be modified if necessary.
Our production design has been influenced by two things: 1. our season theme (objects in the mirror are different than they may appear), and 2. by our (small) budget. I stand by what I’ve said in our read-through and our personal meetings, Shakespeare dictates what how we develop characters; however I want everyone to approach their roles with the perspective of “what does this character see in the mirror, and what do others see in their reflection.” To facilitate that, we’ve created a set that is inspired by classical greek architecture, but will have projections/animations that show what certain characters are seeing in the mirror. You will see what I’m talking about at rehearsal, so I’m not going to go on much more here.
In trying to make our costume design fit the theme and budget, we’ve gone with modern designs and stereotypes. Part of what we are trying to do at Pallas is develop a thinking audience. 90% of our audience are not theatre people – they don’t naturally ask: “what theatrical historical forms and conventions is this playwright using? what is the playwright saying about me? about my society? about my culture? about my global world? What is the message?” Therefore, as an artistic director, I am forced sometimes to “lead people along” – to teach them how to engage with a show without making the show feel too didactic. It means that, sometimes, I have to be very blatant. Therefore, setting the “current” costume design amongst the “old” set design will hopefully help our audience see that even Shakespeare is making a point…and it’s something we can and should engage with. My hope is that the audience will understand that every playwright has something to teach us – and that theatre companies choose specific works to commentate on their society. This helps Pallas, and other companies, in the future.
So…the costumes. When we come down to it, this show is about class. It wouldn’t work if it did not operate within a class society. Therefore, the costumer and I have tried to stratify current society as much as we can. It was easiest and clearest to do this via career. Those of a higher class will be dressed upper class, hipster, business, etc. The Duke may look like Michelle Bachman; Adriana, a high ranking career woman; Dr. Pinch, a political campaign preacher; Antipholus of Ephesus, a hipster, Antipholus of Syracuse, Steve Jobs/Bill Gates. Luciana falls in this same category, but she longs for the traditional ways of the past, and dresses accordingly (think 1990s upperclass housewife who’s stuck in the 50s). Merchants and officers will signify the “middle” class – people in careers such as TSA agents, Military, Starbucks baristas, Messengers, Skilled labor, Students. The abbess will be muslim, etc. Characters such as the Messenger, Luce, and the Dromios will represent our “lower” classes: maids, gardeners (perhaps with some Spanish thrown in for good measure), janitors, students working their way through school, etc. The costume design reflects our own society which is becoming increasingly distinguishable as ‘classes.’ As I said…I’m trying to be blatant.
Before there are too many raised eyebrows, I know that this is extremely simple…and borders on the cliché, and I’m sure that I will get spanked in the press for making a simple “political” point (even though I don’t think it’s a political point at all!). However, after last season, I think we all feel that we need to develop and cultivate the audience we are getting (starting with the basics), rather than, perhaps, complaining that we don’t have the audience we long for. As we all know, good audiences don’t appear on their own. When an audience comes to a Pallas production, I want them to know that they will be entertained, but that they are expected to think and engage with the work!”
Pallas longs to develop new works. If we are to do that, then we need to work towards using our resources to develop an audience for these new forms of expression and paradigms. We need an audience that is willing to engage with a work during the performance, and to think and talks about it after they leave! ‘Comedy of Mirrors’ isn’t anything groundbreaking – it is, however, a fun and satisfying night at the theatre that, hopefully, spurs audience members to ask questions about what was on stage. This production is one step forward in our effort to develop an audience for new works.