Our Unified Vision
We started our production by discussing what we felt the script represented and what Nottage was trying to express to her audience. We all agreed that the playwright was trying to convey the reality of the life in the Congo today through these characters. We felt that the situation of that world was one that has ruined the community, and that all of the characters in this production are in some way ruined themselves in effect. We wanted to capture this world and bring forth the meaning of community and life in the congo so that outsiders would feel as though they could understand it and become a part of it.
Location
In order to know what type of design we wanted to go with this, location was the firt thing we discussed. We decided on a theatre in Louisiana called Le Petite Theatre du Vieux Carre. Its location on the french quarter and historical location provide an optimal spot for tourism. The history in this area of Louisiana is also one that the viewers can relate to when observing the french dominated Congo. Also, the slow pace and worn atmosphere from surviving storms, poverty and many battles ads an element to the overall mood. The theatre itself allows for the audience to feel as though they are a part of Mama Nadi's brothel with open access to a bar and service
Set Design
Though my part was not set design, I feel that we all went into great detail of what we expected the set to be like in order to contribute our own ideas into the full picture. I wanted something that was simple, and appeared very rustic and worn. I wanted the massive congo to surround the background of the set and engulf this brothel as though it was taking it over. I wanted the audience to be apart of the brothel so the atmosphere was extended into the house. I also wanted the relationship to be seperate, so having a set that rotated to get all angles of the production was important to me.
Costumes
We all agreed that the colors of the costumes should have a significant role in this prduction. One thing that we all found when researching was that there is no set fashion for the people in the Congo. For them, they typically wear the tribal clothes of their culture, or to move forward in society, whatever they can find to match other sophisticated cultures around the world. This was their way of taking control and moving forward from their opressions.
Sounds
I feel that the sounds we selected for this production were great, however, after hearing an idea tonight, I think I rather enjoy the idea of controlling some of the sounds from the stage such as the generator and the radio. The sounds that set the atmosphere are fantastic, such as the rainforest, parrot, etc.
Lights
This was my area of focus. For this production I wanted the lighting to paint a picture. I thought it was important that the temporal meaning be relayed through the use of a scrim in the background to project different colors for day and night. Many opportunities present themselves with lighting to show off the set. I wanted the audience to be able to realize how valuable the brothel was to Mama by identifying all the places on the set that tell how much work she has put into it. The right lighting shows how well kept and loved the worn out rustic building is to her.
I used special lighting and practicals to really set a scene by highlighting the key moments with lights that focus on certain characters. I wanted the mood to be set with practicals such as the christmas lights or the lamps strewn about with dim lights or fabric covering them to give off a hue. It was important to me that moments were caught and defined by the lighting in a room so that the story could be told and significance implied on a specific moment.
Overall, I feel that our group worked very well together and that if we had the opportunity to produce Ruined, we would be able to communicate and produce a final product. It would be a learning experience.
I have really enjoyed this class... Thanks for the opportunity.
Works Cited
Nottage, Lynn. Ruined. New York City: Theatre Communications Group Inc., 2009. Print.
Felner, Mira. World of theatre tradition and innovation / Mira Felner, Claudia Orenstein. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, 2006. Print.
