Activity #3 Singing time

While listening to the songs from the musical you really see how many different styles of songs there are and how they all fit together. It's really great that there's so many so that way everyone can find a song that they really enjoy, for me the song that song is Closer to her. But along with all the songs being different, there is bond to be a song that is not your favourite and for me that's Stranger.

Closer to her is such a fun song with a very interesting setting. Imagining Edward working for not even a dime just too hear a single clue about a girl he knew nothing about just so he could one day find her to tell her how fate had seemed to allow them to meet but then cruelly split them apart. And how loyal Edward was to Amos considering he could have just quite anytime he wanted and gone home to Jenny but stuck through for 3 years to find Sandra. All the mean time doing jobs that nobody else at the circus would want to do.

I envision this song with in the background painted cutouts of tents from a circus as well as a cutout to look like a cage with a elephant in it. Along with that a painted banner of the circus to hang. Then for the smaller details it would be interesting to have fake bales of hays stacked to the left or right side of the stage with a bucket on it and ropes. Another thing and this would only work if someone was able to bring in one of those popcorn makers that are on wheels and look old to be on the other side of the stage. I must admit how ever that I got the idea from another school performance of big fish. I can see the chorus in this scene acting as clowns, dancers, workers ( some one who works the popcorn, people with brooms) magicians, fortune tellers, people with hoops or ribbons and people who come to see the circus (getting pop corn, looking at the different attractions.)  Lastly I think it would be cool if in some point in the choreo if there was a part where everyone was dancing with brooms. Not sure how exactly that would look but and interesting idea to keep in mind.

Now moving on to my lest favourite song, Stranger. Now don't get me wrong this song is quite moving as Will is telling us or himself rather how he wants to bring up his new son. He wants to be to his child everything his father couldn't be to him. So he'll teach his son to use his brain and not think too much over fairytales. He wants to teach all this to a child who is just a stranger to them both. He then thinks about how after all this time his father is till just a giant puzzle and he doesn't want to be that to his son because he's not a stranger he is the child's father. But I just feel like this song is lacking in the excitement and setting department.

How this song could be improved is through setting.  I know in the play it is takes place in a park as Will watches a boy and his father but what if it took place in Wills old bedroom.  As he picks up the shield and sword (which will later be used in fight the dragons) and other various items he is reminded of his father and his new son and could be having vision of his father and him as a young child. This would later move to Two men in my life which would take place in the house. Just an idea that could make the song more entertaining.

I hope this helps you envision new and exciting ways are play could look like.  

Activity #2 Musical Time

The theatre production I watched was a school performance of big fish. (http://youtu.be/yl8MTSV_oOo) From watching this musical I learned that it is very easy to portray the musical but if not done correctly the audience will easily get confused. If costume change with era is done, this will help most defiantly. But as well props and scenery must be very diverse to show time change. Along with this, I have a feeling that our audience will love the diversity of the songs and the strange yet familiar to life plot.  

Some scenes that stood out for me was when they did Daffodils and had the flowers falling from the ceiling on to the stage and having them come through a screen. A neat idea they did was add onto their stage with a blue sheet of fabric and the cut a slit out. This is the river in their play but as well during the play had people under it to push daffodils through to make it look like they were sprouting up. This was a very cool idea that we could possible do in our own theatre. Another song that stood out to me was What's Next, it had such great build up with just starting with Will and Edward and then more of he cast until everyone was on the stage for the river and then slowly they all parted leaving Edward and his family in the hospital. During the entire play, each different scene had its own drawing projected on to a screen which showed the setting of the play and this really was great to show the audience where everything was taking place. Another possibility for our play perhaps.

The most important thing that the audience will take away from this play is that life is short so make the most of and get to know your family before it's too late and they are gone. I think the metaphor of big fish is that death is inevitable, it has to happen so don't waste the time, you have stand up and be your own hero because you can do it you just need to believe first. And once you can do that you can be a hero to someone else.

  Knowing the plot line of the story is important to get into character because other wise you would not know the mood if each song or scene and how to probably display your emotions to fit into said scene.  With knowing the plot line you then know that Aston, Texas is a very small town where everybody knows everybody so during those scene need to act as a small town would.  Also during Edwards story's you are another character in one of his outrageous story's and need to act as someone's who's larger then life.  And most of all need to act as Edward is the hero in all story's whom is leader because that is how the townsfolk think of him as.  Knowing all this will everyone get into character easier  and faster and over all making us work as one.