Within the last week, I had the opportunity to go and view the production of Biedermann and the Firebugs, Directed Dr. Rick Jones, and was amazed at all the design and work that went on to perform a thoroughly designed show. From the way, the lights capture the serious moods of the characters, to the set being well spaced and methodical. Though there are some aspects that caught my eyes while others I could do without.
In the show Biedermann and the Firebugs, the first thing I saw when I entered the auditorium was the set. The set to me looks like a broken-down house splintered from some type of disaster (possible fire) giving the set texture with the visible bars underneath the second floor of the set. The colors used on the set caught my
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I thought the use of the lines in the outfit for the chorus was a very interesting choice along with making them yellow and white. Though this is understandable since those are common colors used in fireman outfits, which the chorus was supposed to represent. Though I thought that the costume lost a little bit of balance with the crudely drawn on mustaches and I felt like it took away the seriousness of who the chorus is supposed to be. Another thing that I found interesting in the play was the way that Mr. Biedermann and Mrs. Biedermann (Played by Sidney Lowell) where both in different types of blue. While Mr. Biedermann was in a dark blue which can signify someone being aloof, which would explain Mr. Biedermann since he did not know or care that the men that he let stay in his home were indeed firebugs. While on the other hand, Mrs. Biedermann’s dress was a pale gentle blue that gave her a sense of youthfulness and peace. This would make sense because she has to be careful because of her bad heart, that she would be more of a gentle and caring type of person. By giving the Biedermann’s a similar cold color scheme brought uniformity to the two characters in their warm colored …show more content…
From the expressions anytime Schmitt (played by Logan Richard) would mention rain and you could hear thunder and rain pour in the background for a few seconds, I thought this brought emphasis on the importance that Schmitt was one of the few characters that broke the fourth wall, as we as “control” theatrical elements. A sound that was repeated throughout the entire show was the ring of the bells, signifying the status of the town. Though overall the time that the large explosion happened, the unity of the lights and the sounds working together really brought the play in for the big finally. Ending the play with a bang. Overall, I thought that Biedermann and the Firebugs was a put together piece of art that captures multiple of the elements of designs. From the unity of the lights, sound, and set with the huge explosion at the end; to the way the colors were used to signify the importance of the characters and the set. The way that the designers worked together to pull off this well collaborative performance was simply magnificent. And I look forward to what SFA will bring the stage next in terms of
Burns’ costumes were executed in way I had never seen in a play before. Instead of sticking with one style for costumes, it evolved through out the play. In Act 1, the characters were in the first stages of an apocalypse. The clothes they wore were average and looked like something that would be in a Sear’s catalog. Actually, I did not even think they were in a high stress situation until later in the act. I thought they were just some young adults out having a good time in the woods or some abandon lot. Their clothes helped me connect them to our current time. However, in Act 2, the characters’ costumes took a turn for the worse. It was obvious with the state of the clothing that a considerable amount of time passed in the play. The clothes they wore were in horrible condition. They were dusty, had holes littered through out, and ill fitted. Yet, this was perfect costuming for the chapters. It showed how the world became destitute and the people in it scavengers. A lot of the pieces looked like they came from dumps or maybe places that were once on fire. A remarkable thing about their distressed clothing was that it stilled looked colorful and cheery. It perfectly captured the essence of the scene. Lastly, Act 3 had the most ostentatious and gaudy costuming out of all the acts. In thus act, the characters’ lives were not shown, instead it showed the play that they participated in. The costumes were flamboyant and paid homage to theater from the past. Gold and heavy fabrics were used for the Simpsons, to make them stand out and show their importance. On the other hand, the chorus wore simple white togas that made them look
This play was set in the 1890s, meaning it is very important to have correlating costumes so the audience can be aware of what time period there in. Of course Dolly who had a few costume changes looked stunning in everything she wore. My one small critique was with her last outfit that she wore during the finale. The jewels on the red dress were awkwardly placed it was almost like a diamond belt but, it fell on her in the wrong area making it not as flattering to her body as it could have been. However, her feather headset and the glistening diamond reflections in the spotlight made up for it. Also Claire Dicorte, an ensemble member, had a perfectly fitting outfit that fit her in all the right places she looked like an everyday woman in that time. Of course Emily Mouton looked hilarious in her big obnoxious orange dress too, if anyone can pull that off it was her character Ernestina. Finally, all the waiters and waitresses correlating colors looked fantastic, especially when they were dancing, no distractions because they were all the same color! My OCD was not bugging me on that because believe me if they had a shade off I would have noticed. I could tell the hard work that was put into those costumes so I congratulate Michelle Tinker for all of her hard
The sound used in this scene are all diegetic, the sounds of gunfire and explosions show that the characters in this scene are in very real danger of being shot or blown up, this helps the viewer grow a more personal connection with the characters since the scene is towards the end of the film, the viewer has developed a personal connection with the characters and do not want them to die. The diegetic sounds of military personnel can be heard, this is used to show the urgency that the military personnel have to get The Sapphires and Dave out of the dangerous situation.
It is imperative to understand the significance of the profound effects these elements have on the audience’s response to the play. Without effective and accurate embodiments of the central themes, seeing a play becomes an aimless experience and the meaning of the message is lost. Forgiveness and redemption stand as the central themes of the message in The Spitfire Grill. Actors communicate character development through both nonverbal and verbal cues; their costumes serve as a visual representation of this development by reflecting the personal transformation of each character. In the case of The Spitfire Grill, set design is cut back to allow for the audience’s primary focus to be on the actors and their story. Different from set design, the use of sound and lights in The Spitfire Grill, establishes the mood for the play. In other words, every theatrical element in a play has a purpose; when befittingly manipulated, these elements become the director’s strongest means of expressing central themes, and therefore a means of achieving set objectives. Here again, The Spitfire Grill is no exception. With the support of these theatrical elements, the play’s themes of forgiveness and redemption shine as bright as the moon on
At first glance, the story “Barn burning” seems just to be about a tyrannical father and a son who is in the grips of that tyranny. I think Faulkner explores at least one important philosophical question in this story were he asks at what point should a person make a choice between what his parent(s) and / or family believes and his own values?
The use of sound helped to create a story behind the scenes. The sounds of Drum’s gunfire and Ouiser’s dog barking create a humorous event outside of the set. This scene of family/neighborhood craziness is relatable to any audience member in some way and helped the audience to connect with the characters. The use of the radio at the beginning and end of each scene helped to establish a mood and in some cases a time change. It also worked as a signal to the audience when a scene was beginning or
This reflects the despondent mood and foreshadows Haemon’s suicide. The set of the play is successful in generating a suitable atmosphere and is reflective of the chaos that will occur. A significant aspect of the play is the acting and wardrobe, because it helps demonstrate the personalities of the characters.
The film starts out with orchestral music, and shows James Dean's character, Jim, drunk on the ground of a sidewalk. The sound of a police siren is heard and used as a transition into the next scene that takes place, understandably, in a police station. While in the police station, Jim is yelling along with the sound of the siren, and humming loudly to give the impression that he is drunk. At one point in the scene he is brought into another room with an officer, and begins to punch a desk. The sound effects are loud, and the he pauses, and music begins again when he begins to hurt. Again, a siren is played at the transition to the next scene. However, for the most part, score music is played during all transitions.
The film presents the stereotypical behavior of gay men that is evident in our society. Many of the costumes are designed to highlight the characters and the way they live. For example, Bernadette wears long flowing clothes usually white or an off cream. ‘She’ is an older ‘women’ and dresses to look like one with flowing skirts and tops with her hair done up simply.
As an audience member, I completely fell in love with the story of the Woodsman. Every time his wife panged on his chest to remind him that he had a heart, mine fluttered in unison. The sound and lighting only made the most intense moments more so, and it joined the characters together, whether it was when the flashlights were lightning bugs or when the main characters “la-la-ed” together to understand the beat of chopping down a
First of all, diegetic sounds and ambient sound effects are integral in creating tension and apprehension in the film, as “ …sound plays a critical role in determining how audiences react to images.” (p.234) At the background of the opening shot the audience hears the distant roll of thunder; gradually its sound increases and reaches its maximum, causing fear of impending jeopardy. As the tension escalates, the volume of the sound rises, we hear the roaring of dancers’ drums, and its sound is intentionally exaggerated, the tempo of music speeds up as well as the dance of the indigenous performers of the ritual sacrifice to gods. The alteration of volume and tempo of the sound heightens suspense and makes the audience anticipate with anxiety the forthcoming shots.
A very important stage direction is the colour and brightness of the lighting, Priestley used this dramatic device very well. At first the lighting is described as ‘pink and intimate’ this shows a ‘warm’ and ‘joyful’ atmosphere. Although the audience get the idea that there is just a screen covering up their secrets, so they are actually looking through ‘rose tinted glasses’ and that there’s more to it than what meets the eye. This is shown when the inspector arrives at the Birling household and the lighting changes to a ‘bright and harder light’ this gives feeling of exposure to the truth.
If I was to direct this play each act would adopt a different aesthetic style that reflects relevant themes. The first act, which describes a suburban version of the Ice Age, would look and feel like a ‘50s sitcom. It would be complete with black-and-white lighting, and I picture a laugh track. In the second act the apocalypse has arrived in the disguise of a ‘80s sitcom. However adding a brightly colored Las Vegas style would hide the essential chaos. The third and final act portrays a deserted postwar landscape. Straying from the TV show format entirely, I’d like to strip away the pop culture deception to reveal the family beneath.
The faded voices of choir singers are muffled by a roaring explosion. The sounds from the crumbling building spread down the block. Worn-down bricks, knocked out from underneath each another. Shards of colored glass, shot into the air. Chucks of wood and rubbish litter the sidewalk. Thick smoke and fearful screams saturate the air. A mother’s worse nightmare.
When you first enter the theater, you are immediately in awe of the strongest aspect of this production: the set. The stage features a life-sized enchanted forest with “tress” as tall as the ceiling and a lit-up backdrop of a twilight sky. The tress would move around throughout the performance to make way for different scenes. In front of your very eyes, an enchanted forest would turn into the outside of a charming house with a lit porch and a well. The twilight sky would turn to a starlit sky and a soft spotlight simulating moonlight would compliment the faint sound of crickets. Suddenly the house and tress move around and you’re in a town with a little cart selling baguettes, or a lush dining room with Victorian wallpaper, a chandelier, and china displayed on the walls. The world shakes once again and now you’re in, inevitably, a ballroom. A white Victorian gate opens up to become the walls of the ballroom, and a white marble bridge and staircase appear for the outside of the castle. Adults and children alike were in awe of the craftsmanship and technology.