Cover Sheet
Studio Theatre Production Proposal, Fall 2013
Title/Author
Godspell by Stephen Schwartz
Director
Ricky Drummond
Laboratory production
Production Staff:
Stage
Manager
Rachel Ironmonger
ASM: Melanie Freedman
Set Designer
Lauren Rowson
Costume Des.
Nikki Weinard
Lighting Des.
Kelly Rudolph (also charge artist)
Props Mgr.
Sean Byrne
Construction
n/a
Publicity
Lucy Mink, Robert Mathis
Other
Choreography: Caitlin McAvoy
Music Direction: Kyle Yampiro
Sound Design: Evan Robinson
Make-Up: Jessica Pullis
Dramaturgy: Frannie Nejako
Number of
roles available:
10 (5 male, 5 female)
Mature Audiences Only: No
Publisher: Music Theatre International, Inc.
Are Rights Available? Yes
Fees:
Royalties:
$ 720
Scripts:
$ 550
(+$400
security)
Estimated Budget:
Scenery/Costumes:
$0
Sound:
$0
Publicity:
$ 75
Props:
$ 125
TOTAL : (fees + estimated budget)
$ 1870
Estimated Ticket Revenue:
BreakEven
(TR = $8 - $2 (Forbes) = $6)
Approx 100 seats
100% Attendance
100 X $6 X 6 perf = $3600
75% Attendance
75 X $6 X 6 perf = $2700
50% Attendance
50 X $6 X 6 perf = $1800
25% Attendance
25 X $6 X 6 perf = $900
Approx.
52%
Publishable brief synopsis:
Godspell is a musical that follows Jesus and his disciples as they form a community.
This episodic concept musical takes parables from the Book of Matthew and Stephen
Schwartz music as the show moves forward. As the community is built, it as also tested
and strengthened, all though entertaining parables and songs.
Faculty Advisor: Kate Arecchi
signature indicating agreement to be advisor (required)
signature indicating written proposal has been reviewed
Godspell
“We can build a beautiful city- not a city of angels, but we can
build a city of man.”
Concept
In Godspell a strong, dynamic leader brings together a disparate group of
people to build a thriving community. In this production of Godspell, I want to
expand upon the idea of community explored in the play through the use of
environmental staging and audience participation, inviting the audience to actively
participate in the building of this community.
Directing
Through the early rehearsal process, my plan is to use improvisation
techniques and games as described in Viola Spolin’s “Improvisation for the
Theatre” to create the parables that make up the story of Godspell. Even though
the structure and staging of the parables will be set by the time of performance, I
will use these techniques to develop the parables with the cast, so they have the
feeling of being newly improvised and created for the first time each night. The
players will also need to know the rules of structured improvisation in order to help
guide the audience to participate in the parables in a controlled manner.
One of the challenges I anticipate is how do I make sure that the overall
story is being told as the players and audience bring life to each parable. I must
make sure that the storytelling element of the show always comes through the
parable, so that everything keeps pushing forward.
One of the beautiful things about the show is that it is structured in a way
that allows for creativity and imagination to flow freely. Making it our own will
take a strong collaborative effort between the director, the players, and the
entire design and production staff. It is my job as the director to bring out the
best in each player and to make sure that the overall story is being told as each
player brings new life and their unique energy to each parable. I must make sure
that the storytelling element of the show always comes through the parables, so
that story and theme is clearly communicated and keeps moving forward.
Godspell “Acting” Style
The acting style used in Godspell is “playing personas.” The players will be
their public selves, not playing a “character” in the usual sense of the word, but
rather playing a version of themselves communicating the journeys of the
characters in the parables. The community being built is truly their own
community, beyond the one written in the script. For example, the role of Jesus is
not to be specifically played as the Son of God, but as a strong leader pulling
together a group of people to tell these stories. The ensemble is playing with the
audience without a Fourth Wall, as opposed to playing at the audience.
As mentioned above rehearsals will serve as a ground for creativity, with the
incorporation of many team-building exercises and theatre games. Improvisational
games similar to those used in Viola Spolins’ book, “Improvisation for the Theatre”
will also be used in order to promote creativity within the various parables. Taken
from this book is the idea that “actors” are to be referred to as “players,” since
they are playing as their own selves on stage.
Godspell Music Direction
The music director for Godspell is Kyle Yampiro, a graduate music student
who formerly was the Music Director of Exit 245. Other prior music direction
experience comes from serving as the Music Director to They’re Playing Our Song,
directed by Amanda Hermann. Kyle is a skilled vocalist, has experience teaching
voice, and working with musical theatre singers. As the sound design of Godspell
includes no microphones (more information in Sound Design section), the band is all
acoustic- upright piano, acoustic guitar, hand drums (congas, bongos, and djembe),
and a possible double bass addition. The piano will be stationary, while all of the
other instruments will be used in different areas of the space at different times.
Note: Should Godspell not get an early enough slot, Carol Anne Drescher will
lead the music direction due to Kyle Yampiro’s commitment to the JMU Opera.
Carol Anne is currently a sophomore Music Major with an emphasis in Music
Theatre, Assistant Music Director of the Overtones, and a paid accompanist in the
School of Theatre & Dance. If needed Kate Arecchi has volunteered to come in
and assist with basic vocal coaching.
Godspell Choreography
The choreographer of Godspell is Caitlin McAvoy, currently a sophomore
Musical Theatre Concentrator. A skilled dancer in her own right, Caitlin also
teaches/choreographs dance at the Harrisonburg Rec Center. While it is a danceheavy show, the choreography of Godspell is by no means terribly challenging. It
covers many different genres of dance to match the varying genres of music. The
dances within the show are used as more of an expression of joy in the moment
rather than motions used to progress the plot, so the themes of dance will focus on
expressions of mirth rather than storytelling.
Godspell Costume/Make-Up Design
The costumes of Godspell are to be drawn from the players’ wardrobes, thus
no money in my budget is devoted to costuming. While the players will wear the
same costume each night, they will be styled by costume designer Nikki Weinard
from their personal wardrobes. In doing this, the costumes are authentically those
of the players, and they are not dressing up for a part, but rather are dressing up
to be their public selves (see Acting Style).
The make-up for Godspell is very minimal, and like costumes will be provided
by the performer. Since the production attempts to blur the line between
audience and performer, make-up should be natural and light, just enough to
enhance features in the light but all the while being barely noticeable to the naked
eye. The women will wear street make-up, and men will have just a base coat of
foundation and light blush if needed.
Godspell Sound Design
This production of Godspell will not use microphones. Draping soft goods
strategically around the space should help focus the sound of the musicians and
singers, and the singers should not have trouble singing over the all-acoustic
instruments in the band. Since soft goods are provided for laboratory productions
and no microphones would be needed, no budget is needed for sound. Any sound
effects in the script will be created live by the ensemble. Sound Designer Evan
Robinson will collaborate with the players, musicians, and director to help create
these sounds.
Godspell Light Design
Lighting Godspell will mainly make use of the house plot already in place for
the Studio Theatre, complimented by the use of player-operated flashlights during
the final scenes of both acts. The flashlights will be collected on a donation basis,
so that the limited lighting budget will only have to accommodate for replacing
gels. Lighting design by Kelly Rudolph includes a palette that will mostly stay on
the warmer side of neutral, as to not over-theatricalize the production. It will also
include shifts in color, template, and intensity to better differentiate between all
of the parables and gospel stories throughout the play.
Godspell Set/Prop Design
The set design for Godspell is absolutely simplistic. It draws its ideas from
environmental seating. The design calls for the studio in its bare, black natural
state, and will use both the ground floor and the second level for playing space and
audience seating. Using items pulled from the Studio Theatre stock, the set
designer, Lauren Rowson and I will work together to create different locations for
the parables to be played. All of these stock items will also be movable by the
players. Through lighting certain areas of the space and moving various scenic
elements, the audience’s attention will be focused to the new location of each
parable.
Godspell Environmental Seating
This production of Godspell will begin in the Studio Theatre lobby, and move
into the Studio Theatre during “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.” In starting
from the lobby and then moving, it sets up the rule of blurring the line between
audience and players from the beginning. Since this production of Godspell is
about forming a community, traditional “end stage” seating would not be conducive
to an open atmosphere for the audience to be completely integrated into the world
of the play. The environmental seating will hopefully encourage the audience to
feel like they are active participants in the community.
In talking to Richard Finkelstein, a few decisions regarding playing space
have been made. First, no persons will be allowed to sit underneath the balcony on
the ground floor in order to comply with the 44-inch safety isles. This, along with
glow-tape markings to the fire exits, allow for safety in case power were to go out
in all of the Studio Theatre. Should it be necessary after speaking with the fire
marshal, a few changes could be made in order to make the theatre sufficiently
safe, such as marking off different seating arrangements with spike tape.
Challenges & Opportunities
Environmental Seating
The audience will not have traditional folding theatre seats to sit in during
the show (although there will be some “traditional” seating available for those who
would not be physically comfortable sitting on the floor). The audience will move
around the space with the action of the play. Changes in physical location, lighting
and the players guiding the audience through the space will help the audience
actively participate in the event, and follow the action of the story.
Experimenting with the style
While I have do not have extensive experience with environmental seating
configuration, I have been proactive in speaking with experienced professors in
this field, such as Richard Finkelstein and Dennis Beck. Through these discussions
and my own personal research on past shows performed with environmental seating,
I am confident that the different nature of how the show will be presented will be
an exciting, yet not insurmountable challenge for myself and the cast.
Acoustic, non-amplified soundscape
Most studio theatre musical productions in recent years have made us of
wireless microphones. On this production we have consciously made the choice to
avoid microphones, and amplified instruments, since it is already an intimate space,
and the use of microphones is not considered a necessity. Projection will be
worked on from the beginning of the rehearsal process. On top of this, the
acoustic set-up of the band will allow for a more balanced mix of band and singer.
After consulted multiple sound designers, Kate Arecchi, and John Burgess, I am
confident that the lack of microphones will not be a hindrance to telling the story
of Godspell.
Godspell enthusiasm
Having been cast in Godspell as John the Baptist before, I am very
knowledgeable on the intricacies of the show. On top of having performed the
show, I have done research on past productions of the show. Perhaps the greatest
help I have come across is the book Defying Gravity, which has in its appendix a
song listing of Godspell, as well as the dramatic purpose of each point and where
each lyric originated from.
I have always wanted to direct such a creative show as Godspell. I feel that
the show brings out the best in each performer, and is always an enjoyable process
and production. As a director, it is sometimes hard to hand over the reigns to the
project. In Godspell, however, it is not just I that is the creative force, but also
the entire company of players. It is only through each other that we can actively
invite the audience in our world, and I am more than willing to let the ensemble add
in their own creative aspects to the production we are building together.
JMU Production Resume
Second Shepard’s Play (D. Fest) - Third Shepard
Sweeney Todd- featured soloist
Bat Boy the Musical- Swing, Bass Guitar
Awake and Sing!- Schlosser
6 Degrees of Andrew Lloyd Webber- featured soloist
Apres Opera (D. Fest)- Peter
Spring Awakening- Reinhold (u/s Melchior)
Anna in the Tropics- stagehand
Relevant Coursework
Intro to Visual and Performing Arts- Fall ‘11
Acting I- Fall ‘11
Jazz Dance- Fall ‘11
Group Voice- Fall ’11, Spring ‘12
Elementary Modern Dance- Spring ‘12
Performance Analysis- Spring ‘12
Theatre Practicum- Scenery Spring ’12, Costume
Fall ‘12, Performance Spring ’12, Spring ‘13
Acting II- Spring ’12, Fall ‘12
Elementary Ballet- Fall ‘12
Theatre History to 1800- Fall ‘12
Private Voice- Fall ’12, Spring ‘13
MT Performance- Fall ‘12
MT Workshop- Fall ‘12
THEA171- Fall ‘12
Intermediate Jazz- Spring ‘13
THEA271- Spring ‘13
Meisner Intensive- Spring ‘13
Theatre History from 1800- Spri ng ‘13
Directing- Spring ‘13
Current JMU GPA: 3.294
Current Theatre and Dance GPA: 3.542