Production Skills and Context

                                                           The York Realist

Design production

The design of a play gives essential information for the play such as the setting, period and type. The lights can portray the mood of the play and music can make the audience feel a certain way i.e. happy. There are a range of roles within the theatre teams, who work on large scale production, whilst smaller productions only have one designer, they work closely with the director. It is important to consider the type of stage that will be used when deciding to set the design.

Production Design

The product designer works closely with the director, they are responsible for every area. It is a very creative role and can entail other areas of design such as film or multimedia. The production designer may hire specialists to work with them such as a set designer or light technician. The specific jobs the
production designer would take care of is,

• Set and props
• Lighting
• Music
• Sound
• Costume

History of Detroit
Detroit took the nickname 'Motor City', this is because the states automotive industry provided the model for mass production that other industries later adopted. Henry Ford pioneered the use of the assembly line in the manufacturing automobiles. Fords model-T was the first car produced in fashion and could be assembled more quickly and consistency. Because of this I will make George a Mechanic instead of a farmer as this was a very common job to have at the time. Harvey Milk who campaigned on a pro-rights platform became the San Francisco city supervisor in 1978. Milk became the first openly gay man elected to a political office in California. The next year 1979 more than 100,00 people took part in the first National march on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. In the 1980s there was a rise in AIDS/HIV which dominated the struggle of gay rights, in 1981 the centers for disease control/prevention published a report about five previously healthy homosexual men becoming infected with a rare type of pneumonia. Homosexual people were very isolated during this time as people thought they could catch the disease by any sort of physical contact. As gay people came out just a decade before the break out of AIDS a majority of the public blamed homosexuals. In my production I will make it clear that George and John are isolated, as he walks into the house the surrounding houses can go quiet then begin to talk again once he's in the house. In 1984, researchers identified the cause of AIDS/HIV, the food and Drug Administration licensed the first commercial blood test for HIV in 1985. Two years later the first antiretroviral medication for HIV, (AZT) became available. However, in 1982 the US army declared homosexuality to be 'incompatible with the military service'. In 1989 they were to admit gay recruits were 'just as good or better than heterosexuals'.


Philadelphia
A film written by Ron Nyswaner in 1993, a lawyer Andrew Beckett played by Tom Hanks who hides his homosexuality and HIV status at a powerful law firm. However his secret is exposed when a colleague spots the illness telltale lesions, therefore fired and wants to sue for discrimination. Philadelphia was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS homosexuality/homophobia.This would have brought a lot of awareness, for equality in the work place and the discrimination which homosexuals face. Some people would have seen this film and felt it was time for a change in the work place and whether homosexual or not we are all equal. However, some could have thought it was good that he got kicked out although not the right mindset. This could have encouraged a lot of homosexuals at the time to stand up to discrimination in their work place.


Themes of the play linked to my design
Sexuality
Although homosexuality was legalized by the 1980s, the country still didn't accept it. The LGBT groups were still fighting for their rights in 1979 when they marched through Washington D.C showing that sexuality was in an important time of development and wasn't going unnoticed. There was a rise in HIV/AIDS during this time and the blame was pointed at homosexuals, five previously healthy homosexual men became infected with a rare type of pneumonia. Meaning this was also a dangerous time for homosexuals and they had to be more cautious. Furthermore, the US government declared there was no fundamental right to be gay, portraying the hard struggle the LGBT community had to face with their sexuality and people still tried to dictate what was right from wrong. Sexuality is an important theme of the play as George and John are in a relationship however can not express it openly, George also has the choice whether or not to hide his sexuality and marry Doreen which was very common at the time.

Choices 
I feel the main big choice is deciding whether to come out about their sexuality or not, the choice between feeling isolated most times or pretending to fit into society's norms. Because more networks were coming out such as MTV, George now has the choice whether or not he wants to try and make it on to the TV or stay in his city he is custom to. As the city was labelled "motor City" and George is a very experienced mechanic it is all his choice whether to leave his home town for California or stay where he knows best. George also has the choice to shy away from society, which not accept homosexuals and have an empty shell marriage with Doreen, or not embrace himself and be with John. George has a lot of choices to make as time is evolving and it is important that he chooses wisely as he may not get those opportunities again.

I would design my set for the York Realist in the time around the 1980's in America , this is because in the 1980's saw a rise of "yuppie" and a massive rise in blockbuster and cable networks like MTV, which introduced the music video and launched the careers of many iconic artists. This could link to the fact towards the end of the play John says "Everything like that's changing. It's different. It's all going to be different" which could refer to the many opportunities coming from the cable networks. This will also be contrast to the play which is set in the early 1960's. I would set this play in Detroit in America, a rougher area in America which George wants to come out of to make a better life but is not used to change. John is going to be from California where he has more opportunities with his directing career. 

Stages

• Proscenium- What we think of a theatre 'picture frame' with the audience placed around the front of the stage.
• Thrust Stage- A stage surrounded by an audience on three sides, the fourth side serves as a backstage often a square or rectangle.
• End Stage- A thrust stage is an extended wall to wall stage with the audience on just one side.
• Arena Stage- A central stage surrounded by audience on all sides.
• Flexible Stage- Also known as 'Black Box' is a big empty boxes painted black inside stage and seating not fixed.

I have decided to do a black box stage (more rectangular to fit the set in ) as I feel I want to work with a new stage out of my comfort zone. The box is a representation of how George and John want to fit into society/ breaking out of society. I want the audience to walk into the theatre and not see a stereotypical theatre layout, I want them to be as involved in the production as possible and experience a diverse interpretation of the York Realist. I will need to take out the back wall and side walls to replace it with a canvas so that I can still shine light through the buildings.



Set
There were many different things I wanted to do with my set, however I didn't want too much going on nor did I want it to be so simple. Therefore, I decided I'll have a small house in the middle of the stage , with one door on the right for actors to walk in and out. The house will be slanted inwards so that it will reflect a shadow onto the back canvas and create a shadow of buildings on it. The reason being is, I want the house to be small and intimate being the main focus of the set. However, the house is slanted as I want it to reflect George's imperfections, a house should be straight and is not quite there which resembles a lot of things in the script for example, George not reaching for his acting career, Doreen being in love with George but he does not feel the same.
In the shadow of the houses around the stage, I also want reflections of people in there houses to show the lifestyle of the 1980s whilst living on an estate. 
In the house I'll place two chairs further down stage away from the house, these chairs are for George and John's private moments. Showing the feeling of them being isolated and because his family do not know its as if they cannot be themselves in the house.
When it gets dark I want a moon to appear high up on stage. In astrology the moon represents your emotions and inner mood, this can influence your emotional mode of operation. In the night we tend to think more, John was staying overnight with George very often therefore their relationship may have sparked more during the night. They could have more intimate moments because of their emotion. At the back of the stage I want a sheet to be there and in specific moments have people behind do certain actions and gestures. This sheet is for vulnerable moments, e.g. whilst George and John are arguing they may have dramatic body movements but whilst that is going on I want the shadows to show someone stroking another persons cheek. This represents inner monologue/subtext, they may be arguing however they really just want to love and be together.The kitchen will be small at the back of the living room as I want to keep it as a place where hidden messages to different characters can be passed.


 

Costume 
Each character will have three changes, first costume is for scene 1/2, the second is for the funeral scene 3 and the last for scene 4. The change of clothes is to highlight a change in time.
Scene 1/2

• John will wear a t-shirt with a baggy blazer on top, with loose trousers and smart shoes. Representing the fashion in the 1980s and he is from California so that's what was tended to be worn. John is a working and smart man therefore that is what I want him to wear.
• George, will wear a baggy colourful shirt, with dungarees over it. Showing a contrast in style between the two characters and what may have been worn by a young man in Detroit. 
• Doreen will wear a shirt, over that a fitted jumper with a long skirt and small heels. Representing Doreen as modest and reserved, she also wouldn't have worn the trend of the short skirts as she was very religious. 

Scene 3 

• George will have on the same as what we went to see, Black tie, white shirt, black trousers and blazer. 
• Doreen will also have the same as in the play a black long dress, long coat and with a round hat. 

Scene 4 

• John will have a polar neck with a jacket and skinny jeans.
• George will have a top, bomber jacket and jeans.
• Doreen will wear another shirt and jumper with skinny flared trousers.

Props 

• When Mother brings out tea/dinner it will be 'Sloppy Joes' a popular dish from the 1980s.
• We will need cutlery, cups, plates, trays, knife and fork. Also other accessories such as pots, cans, snacks for the kitchen. 
• Table and chairs.
• All the clothing required in the script, shirts, trousers, coats, towels. 
• John will have cigarettes it was very/ still is common to smoke and I want to add that to Johns character as one of his bad habits. As he stays at the house more regularly over time he will stop. 
• A radio in the living room.

Lighting

• When in the house during the day, there will be a neutral light on stage to keep it naturalistic and focused on character.
• When at night a midnight blue will reflect onto the canvas and street lights of the city will appear, reflecting how the city never sleeps.
• I will have subtle primary colours shining through the canvas of building windows. Adding warmth and bringing the building to life.
• At night the moon will also enter, in the night of each scene......
• A spotlight will be needed when George and John are downstage alone.

Sound  

• I will have the radio playing in the beginning(find song) very loud then slowly fading as John is knocking.  Then the same song will be played at the end as George is saying his last lines gradually gets louder. The song is linked to the theme of.. and it will be used as a way for the audience to then reflect at the end. 
• A voice over of people in their houses, some for when the scenes are just starting or ending. To make it comical when there is an awkward moment, something can be shouting from one of the other flats. 
• In the morning hearing the birds chirping, something the audience will hear every day having to wake up early and relate to it.

Risk assessment- Risk/solution

1.  Electric shock- regular maintenance of equipment. Check wiring, plugs, sockets.Ensure power is off when replacing fuses. 
2.  Circuit overload-Technicians and teaching staff must be familiar with power ratings of luminaries and circuits. .
3.  Burns-Use protective gloves when focusing luminaries.When replacing Tungsten halogen lamps, handle new lamp in its plastic sleeve to avoid damage to lamp from finger sweat/grease.
4.  Overhead objects- Regular check on suspension of luminaires, projection screen etc. Safety chains/secondary suspension systems must be in place.Wire rope suspensions to be correctly fitted. Colour frames to be fitted correctly. Luminaires not be moved/adjusted or colour frames fitted when people underneath. 
5. Working at heights-o not work at height if you suffer from vertigo. Wear safety helmet. Take care with low beams in the roof. Should be insured to work at heights. No alone working. Catwalk must be kept tidy, any cables neatly secured to avoid risk of tripping. Only certified persons may use the tallescope.

 

Problems

1. Having just a black box as my stage would be tricky, the audience would not be able to see if they are sitting on the sides of the stage. 
2. When it is time for the moon to appear, it may knock into other props or not at the right height.
3. As the actors are entering and exiting the stage there could be trip hazards.
4. The props in the house could drop. 

Solutions 

1. I will start the show with the lights off on stage so it just looks like a black box, I will remove the black walls and replace it with transparent canvas for the back and side walls so that the buildings can still be reflected. The audience on the sides will observe as if they are looking in from one of the houses. 
2. Making sure we have sufficient tech runs/tests and all set and props are put in place.
3. Making sure the entrances and exits are clear, adding a dim light so that actors are able to see.
4. Making sure everything is checked and secured on stage before showing.