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re: I'm not worried.

Posted by: whereismikeyfl 05:20 pm EDT 08/07/14
In reply to: re: I'm not worried. - AlanScott 05:07 pm EDT 08/07/14

I have to agree. I am always shocked at the number of directors who cannot stage anything but proscenium. I saw many a forgotten show at Circle destroyed by name directors who just could not use the space effectively.

On the plus side, this could help keep the piece fresh. Gold (and the actors as well) will really have to go back to the beginning an rethink the piece in adapting it to this space.


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re: I'm not worried.

Posted by: AlanScott 05:36 pm EDT 08/07/14
In reply to: re: I'm not worried. - whereismikeyfl 05:20 pm EDT 08/07/14

Well, certain types of plays are much more well suited to the space. It's obviously much better for plays set in big rooms with lots of characters coming and going. So plays like The Iceman Cometh, John Gabriel Borkman (although it has only a few characters), and Present Laughter were well suited to the space. The first time I recall seeing seats set up all around was Holiday, and that worked very well for that play. (Was that also done for Present Laughter? I seem to recall reading that it was, but I don't remember it having been that way when I saw it.)

And even in plays that are essentially well suited for the space, problems come up. For example, Heartbreak House mostly worked well because lots of characters come and go, but I think a fair number of people mostly saw Rex Harrison's back and there's really nothing that you can do with the long scene between Ellie and Shotover. They pretty much have to sit together on a sofa for the whole thing. I wouldn't know how to solve a scene like that there. Just as Judy Kuhn's big solo in Fun Home will probably have some people looking at her back (or she will be way upstage). They could have her stand and move around, but that seems wrong.

I don't know how to have effectively restaged Frozen for that space. But much as I loved the show, I was shocked by how much of the audience seemed to be looking at people's backs for virtually the entire show.


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re: I'm not worried.

Posted by: bwaydiva1 06:06 pm EDT 08/07/14
In reply to: re: I'm not worried. - AlanScott 05:36 pm EDT 08/07/14

I'll be interested to see how they stage that song, too Alan.

I hope they move it upstage anyway to make the audience a part of it (it's a big moment). But the movement you describe...I kind of would like to see that at the end of the song (for a specific reason).


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re: I'm not worried.

Posted by: AlanScott 06:56 pm EDT 08/07/14
In reply to: re: I'm not worried. - bwaydiva1 06:06 pm EDT 08/07/14

One of the problematic things about the space is that when someone is far upstage, that person is actually pretty far away from those in the last rows of the center section.

Do you mean that you'd like to see her get up at the end of the song?


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re: I'm not worried.

Posted by: bwaydiva1 (bwaygal1@yahoo.com) 11:05 pm EDT 08/07/14
In reply to: re: I'm not worried. - AlanScott 06:56 pm EDT 08/07/14

I'd spoil for anyone who's not seen it how I'd direct it.

E-mail if you like...


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