Hurrah! The licence for the play arrived from publishers, Samuel French. Which means that we can now officially put the play on. Which is good, given the amount of pre-production work we've done so far...
I also spoke to Claire (props and design) who told me that she thought the play was "fantastic". Not that I can take any credit for the writing, but it's good that people are anticipating a funny and entertaining production already. That should really give it some positive energy.
Monday, 21 January 2008
Monday, 7 January 2008
Rolling on
What with Christmas and New Year and getting ready for this year's Farrago, I've not done as much work on the play as I'd hoped. But most of the background technical stuff is getting done.
Last night I gave copies of the script to Lisel (my assistant director), Lyn (stage manager) and Claire (props and set-design). I need to get a script to Jonathan, our lighting chap and then get a technical team meeting organised for late-January or early-February.
I'm now very happy with the poster - and all the feedback on it has been very useful and encouraging. I'm glad I spent some time doing a re-design.
Last night I gave copies of the script to Lisel (my assistant director), Lyn (stage manager) and Claire (props and set-design). I need to get a script to Jonathan, our lighting chap and then get a technical team meeting organised for late-January or early-February.
I'm now very happy with the poster - and all the feedback on it has been very useful and encouraging. I'm glad I spent some time doing a re-design.
Friday, 28 December 2007
New Poster Design
I wasn't altogether happy with the posters I'd designed previously, so I got some advice from a professional poster designer on what may have been wrong with them.
His advice was spot-on and helped me to see some of the mistakes I'd made.
The concept was OK, and I've kept that (thanks Jo!) but the old poster was too 'busy' and cluttered and one's eye didn't know where to look next. Hopefully I've addressed the issues and made a design which is clearer, more concise and easier to read.
Click the poster over to the right there and let me know what you think...
His advice was spot-on and helped me to see some of the mistakes I'd made.
The concept was OK, and I've kept that (thanks Jo!) but the old poster was too 'busy' and cluttered and one's eye didn't know where to look next. Hopefully I've addressed the issues and made a design which is clearer, more concise and easier to read.
Click the poster over to the right there and let me know what you think...
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Character Notes
I spent some time recently going through the play making notes on each of the characters. Nothing too in-depth yet, but enough for people to know how to pitch a performance at audition and to give us something to build on in rehearsals.
It's nearly Christmas now and though we don't start rehearsals until early March, the time seems to be slipping past very quickly now. Auditions will be in late February and we will have a read-through in January so that the whole group can hear the play and decide whether they want to take part, or not.
I've also put together my rehearsal script. I take a photocopy of my script, blown up from A5 to A4, with the text on the left-hand page. The blank right-hand pages can be divided into columns for recording ideas about characters' actions, motivations, moves and any other ideas or notes which come to mind. This works alongside the 'official' prompt copy which our SM will keep and acts as a useful aide-memoire for discussions on characterisation.
It's nearly Christmas now and though we don't start rehearsals until early March, the time seems to be slipping past very quickly now. Auditions will be in late February and we will have a read-through in January so that the whole group can hear the play and decide whether they want to take part, or not.
I've also put together my rehearsal script. I take a photocopy of my script, blown up from A5 to A4, with the text on the left-hand page. The blank right-hand pages can be divided into columns for recording ideas about characters' actions, motivations, moves and any other ideas or notes which come to mind. This works alongside the 'official' prompt copy which our SM will keep and acts as a useful aide-memoire for discussions on characterisation.
Friday, 7 December 2007
Audition Dates
I've booked the hall for the auditions (Feb 25th and 28th, if you're interested), so now I just need to forge on with putting together an audition pack. I can't quite decide whether I will include extracts from the play in the pack to use as audition pieces. Part of me wants to do something different this time around. I may use some extracts from a different Wilde play and spend some time playing games and doing improvs, just to see how people react to that.
In other news, my very favourite stage manager has agreed to SM the show. Thank you Lyn! I can't emphasise enough how secure it makes me feel to have a good SM on board from the get-go. Not only do I know that the show itself will run like clockwork, from the tech rehearsal onwards, but there's also the small matter of knowing that all those decisions made in rehearsal will be diligently recorded in The Book for ongoing reference. It's also grand to have an extra pair of eyes, able to catch things that I may not spot straight away.
Actually, I'll have TWO extra pairs of eyes helping me in this production. One of the group, Lisel, would like to start learning about directing and has asked to be assistant director for the production. I'm glad to help and very willing to share my meagre knowledge, but I do worry slightly that I'm not a natural teacher by any means. I'm sure Lisel would be glad to do any odd jobs that may need doing - and I'll be glad of the help - but I have to make sure that I don't take that assistance for granted!
In other news, my very favourite stage manager has agreed to SM the show. Thank you Lyn! I can't emphasise enough how secure it makes me feel to have a good SM on board from the get-go. Not only do I know that the show itself will run like clockwork, from the tech rehearsal onwards, but there's also the small matter of knowing that all those decisions made in rehearsal will be diligently recorded in The Book for ongoing reference. It's also grand to have an extra pair of eyes, able to catch things that I may not spot straight away.
Actually, I'll have TWO extra pairs of eyes helping me in this production. One of the group, Lisel, would like to start learning about directing and has asked to be assistant director for the production. I'm glad to help and very willing to share my meagre knowledge, but I do worry slightly that I'm not a natural teacher by any means. I'm sure Lisel would be glad to do any odd jobs that may need doing - and I'll be glad of the help - but I have to make sure that I don't take that assistance for granted!
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Only 6 months to go!
I've been making some progress on the pre-production of the play.
A tentative schedule has been mapped-out and I've started working on a scene breakdown.
I've also created a couple of poster designs which you can see at my other blog.
A tentative schedule has been mapped-out and I've started working on a scene breakdown.
I've also created a couple of poster designs which you can see at my other blog.
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Friday, 14 September 2007
Scripts
This week I’ve ordered the scripts for our production. Sixteen of them, for the ten actors and various backstage depatrments (stage management, lighting, sound, costume, design, props).
Being members of NODA we’ve got a decent deal on the scripts; normally they cost £7.50 each, plus delivery. But NODA are able to get them at 15% off, with free delivery too.
Being members of NODA we’ve got a decent deal on the scripts; normally they cost £7.50 each, plus delivery. But NODA are able to get them at 15% off, with free delivery too.
Thursday, 6 September 2007
License To Kill
Received the license quotation from Samuel French today. £75 per performance, or £300 in total.
Wednesday, 5 September 2007
Accepted
Well, Lord Arthur Savile's Crime has been accepted as Ottershaw Players' May 2008 production at the Rhoda McGaw theatre. Which is nice.
And lucky, as it means that this little blog will continue to exist!
Quite a bit of pre-production work then to look at over the next couple of months. I need to prepare a budget and design some artwork for the posters.
I will also make an early approach to our design team to think of imaginitive ways of avoiding the box set. I always think that a box set has to be done superlatively well to look good. An open set can look more stylish, more easily and for less money. I was particularly struck by some pictures we saw of the set for The Big House at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, recently. Can't find any good ones online, but they conveyed a rather grand salon-type room with free-standing windows and doorways and used scrims behind these to project birch trees and leaf gobos. Very effective.
I've approached a potential stage manager and I'm waiting for their answer. Fingers crossed, as a good SM makes all the difference between an average and a great show.
And lucky, as it means that this little blog will continue to exist!
Quite a bit of pre-production work then to look at over the next couple of months. I need to prepare a budget and design some artwork for the posters.
I will also make an early approach to our design team to think of imaginitive ways of avoiding the box set. I always think that a box set has to be done superlatively well to look good. An open set can look more stylish, more easily and for less money. I was particularly struck by some pictures we saw of the set for The Big House at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, recently. Can't find any good ones online, but they conveyed a rather grand salon-type room with free-standing windows and doorways and used scrims behind these to project birch trees and leaf gobos. Very effective.
I've approached a potential stage manager and I'm waiting for their answer. Fingers crossed, as a good SM makes all the difference between an average and a great show.
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