ACT I: A PUBLIC VIEW
Acting Style: the actors are ‘playing/transforming into’ the roles. Performing these roles for the audience in a traditional/theatrical storytelling fashion. It is hyperbolized biography and the acting style of the characters surrounding the icons will get continually more heightened and stylized as the world gets more chaotic around them.
Tempo of Action: tempo of the world and ladies match in Opening Sequence, then progressively the world moves faster than the ladies as they lose agency in the “Lost Sight of Self” section. Their identities get consumed and the world crashes down around them.
Aesthetic of Act I: The Act I world is late 1920’s period. The Act I world is 1920’s modes of communication-inspired by newspapers, book covers, and film. It has a two- dimensional quality in the beginning that then reveals depth. (As one of our women steps through a door of opportunity, a whole new world is revealed. ) It is mysteriously opaque at times and alternately glaringly transparent. This could be fabric or scrim that can be painted on as a backdrop. It will evoke historical, iconic printed communications of the late 20’s. The background primarily newsprint/neutral colors utilizing projections or shadows to utilize industrial revolution iconic images physically in the space. The iconic industrial revolution images/representations are always present and at work – gears, dials, microphones, typewriters, cameras. Work is central for our icons. And the press is an ever-present force. This world is hard. This world is difficult to navigate. This world moves fast and keeps getting faster until it crashes down around the ladies at breakneck speed at the climax of Act I.
The secondary/accent color palette is the authentic printing ink colors of the time as seen in advertisements, posters and book jackets. It is reminiscent of primary colors that do not quite pop. The color palette and light in a variety of Van Gogh’s work in his daytime palette sticks with me for Act I.
The use of the space is fluid, allowing for many different locations easily. The story lines flow in and out of each other, so the neutrality and flexibility of the space is imperative. There are no blackouts of the whole space, only popping in and out of different isolations if necessary. There may be an occasional moment for an actor to leave stage if absolutely necessary, but my intent is for everyone to remain onstage at all times telling the story.
I believe period is very important to the look of iconic figures (Agatha, Amelia, and Aimee) and the heightened acting style of all the characters surrounding them. I am not interested at all in imitating, but being inspired directly by the period and that ladies sense of style. For all of the other characters, they need to live in a world together also inspired by the late 1920’s, but less realistic than our iconic ladies. Perhaps they use elements in the accent color palette.
ACT II : Part A - FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
Acting Style: Act II actors are ‘playing at’ each other’s parts. Performing as much for each other as the audience. It is in the spirit of performing for the pure enjoyment of performing. It is Vaudevillian in nature. Just a few people hanging around a space, with found stuff, with nothing better to do than make up stories and perform for one another with the goal of problem solving. This is my idea of utopia.
Tempo of Action: Tempo of Act II world is quiet/still/comforting and the ladies are what are lively and kinetic inside of it. If things move in the space, they do it. Whatever they find, they learn to use. They begin to teach each other how to take control of the physical world and regain their identities.
Aesthetic of Act IIA : Complete transformation from Act I. Act II is a much sparer, less complicated space. I see it as a combination of a black hole (the space beyond the Vanishing Point) and a cocoon , which happens to have A LOT of qualities of a dark Vaudeville theatre. It has been cleaned out except for a few forgotten items which the ladies will use. All of its theatrical rigging –mechanics of the theatre-ropes, sandbags etc.- are exposed. All hand props are just found objects in the space. No communication devices exist except some props that are stand up mics. It has none of the “theatrical magic” it is a suspended space, floating. It is safe, but without end. Tunnel-like. It is a world where the imagination runs free. Nothing can encroach on it. One can leave, but one has to figure out it’s secret of leaving. I am intrigued and influenced by Harry Houdini posters and elements of his acts.
The color palette of the world itself is much like the dark version of Van Gogh’ starry night. The atmosphere is quite dark, but the colors around it are vibrant. The lighting is exposed, maybe practical light bulbs on stands. Perhaps old , exposed footlights exist in the space to be found and turned on. The women have appeared in this space in a much more casual, stripped down version of themselves. Any additional clothing necessary are “costumes” that are nostalgic of Vaudeville stock characters that they can don as they play.
THE GLUE BETWEEN THE TWO - ACT II, Part B – WE CHOOSE TO LET YOU SEE US:
Acting Style & Aesthetic of Act II, Part B: In Act II, Pt A, the ladies learned to do everything themselves with the support of their friends and enjoy it. When they reclaim agency and choose to re-enter Act I world, they must carry what they know back with them. This means that the world of Act II still is visible with all the exposed mechanisms. Elements of the Act II, Part A world that the women CHOOSE to include in their world, they control to come back. NOW we literally see our icons be in charge of the whole production. We have to see them bring that newfound confidence and knowledge of their agency. The ladies now know how to operate the theatricality of life and manipulate the space to be what they need. Anything unexpected is welcomed and counterbalanced.
Tempo of Action: The tempo of world vs. tempo of ladies is now balanced.
WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR (AND FUN) MOMENTS?
Act I
“Adventure, Spectacle, Mystery”-OPENING SEQUENCE - Actor introduces Icon to audience and becomes Icon in front of them . (Establishing’ story within the story’ conceit.)
“Atlantic”, “The Plot”, “The Heat” – DECISION TO RISE TO FAME- Each lady makes the decision to become famous and walk through the door of opportunity and open up her world.
“Lady Lindy” Scene and Song – INTRO OF PRESS as a constant and insidious force.
“Leave it All Behind” (Act I Finale) – CRASHING WORLD – Agatha is in a car crashing, Aimee is in water swimming, Amelia is in plane flying and all vanish. I see this being extremely theatrical, fog encroaching, world crashing, ladies disappearing into the fog. The important thing is that we have complete unraveling of our story.
Act II
“The Plot Thickens”- REAPPEARANCE INTO THIS NEW WORLD - Make the ladies look like they are reappearing into the completely new world – beyond the Vanishing Point. This is a moment of establishing the new world and letting the audience know the ladies have been trying to get back to Act I world but keep reappearing here in a cycle.
“Point A” – THEY LOOK LIKE THEY FLY!!!!!!!!!
PORTAL - MOMENTARY REENTRY - Ladies appear to find the portal in between the two worlds. We see some design elements encroach into the space – glaring lights, cameras. Ladies make decision that they are not ready and they come right back!
FINALE – REWRITING HISTORY - FREEING AMELIA - Agatha and Aimee put together disappearing apparatus around Amelia and her plane and at the end of song, they make Amelia vanish. The actors return to actors to complete the storytelling cycle.
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