Directing a musical in college
Directing a musical in college
christine2
Swing Joined: 7/9/05
#0Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:19amI'm planning on directing a musical at my school next year, and I don't know much about costs of scenery, backdrops, etc (I'm a singer/actor). I don't want the thing to look cheesy, but I don't have a Broadway budget. Does anyone have tech experience who can give me rough estimates about how much set stuff costs (backdrops, sets...)?
briarbrad
Stand-by Joined: 3/16/05
#1re: Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/15/05 at 8:51pm
A Musical doesn't have to mean ridiculous costumes, extravagant sets, or lots of money. A full-size single backdrop done by a professional could cost up to $1000.
So, you could choose to do a show that doesn't require alot in terms of sets, etc. (e.g. ...Charlie Brown, Violet, Songs for a New World, etc.) Or, you could choose a "bigger" show, but as the director, come up with some kind of vision that reinvents the show in a more universal and simplistic setting.
#2re: Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/15/05 at 9:09pm
I don't understand how you'd be allowed to direct a musical...as the rights are very expensive on its own, and then there is acquiring an orchestra, scenery, sets, costumes, wigs, props, etc. etc. etc.
The school would give you the money?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#3re: Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/21/05 at 11:39pm
Less is sometimes better.
Try using your lighting designs in a much more artistic way. Have a different lighting design for each scene, or each location. Lighting can be very effective if done properly.
Where are you doing the show?
kitkatgirl54
Leading Actor Joined: 5/19/04
#4re: Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/24/05 at 4:36pmdirecting school drop-out, here :) especially if you don't have the budget, don't even try for extravagance. if you stay simple, doing little things become extravagant. if someone threw glitter in wicked, on that set, big deal. but if someone threw glitter in a black box with only black scenery.., it becomes spectacle. even if you spend hours on homemade scenery, it is probably going to look like homemade scenery no matter what. simplicity can look a whole lot cleaner and more professional. same goes with costumes, lighting, the works.
BwayLeadman
Broadway Star Joined: 9/29/04
#5re: Directing a musical in college
Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:29am
kitkatgirl54- Nicely put and I agree!
I did the scenery for a production and the director
wanted all these things and it turned out to look like
a genie bottle, but after i took some things down (and hid them so they wont be found) the set turned out excellent.
Sometimes you have to leave some things to the audience's imagination.
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