Music the Magical Fruit?

That's not right...but you know what is? Sheet music! For the actors and actresses in the play I found this wonderful Latter Day Saints (Mormons!) that has not only the sheet music but also a playable sing along. So those who want to get a head start and earn some Paul points (non-redeemable) check this out before we start learning the song for keeps.

Mormons!

Hopefully that link works inform me if it doesn't. Also for those curious about other musical aspects of the show I just purchased this, this color may not be appreciated by the audience so somethings will be done to resolve the sky blue sky quality of the case.

Library of Congress <3 Flickr?

I found out that Flickr and Library of Congress have teamed up to release photos from the LOC vaults. One of the first collection sets up is of B&W of the 1910s and another of the Great Depression. I know Summerland takes place right smack dab in between but I thought these photos would be a good source for how people looked back then (most of them looked bad ass).

1930s-1940s
1910

Weight Sharing and Contact Improv

This is way cool, let's do it!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpFeeAN3gK0&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBU9Oernv50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBU9Oernv50

My friend actually does a lot of this kind of dancing and helped me with an audition where I had to do something like this so I can ask her some more about it. But when she was helping me she said to have my whole body follow one part of my body.

Anyway thats all I got but check it out.

Emily

Chandelier

First of all, thank you Ian for your lovely vectorworks drawings.

I've searched high and low for the sockets we're going to need to build the chandelier, and have determined after calling every single electrical company in the state (I'm not even kidding here, I can give you the list if you want) that the only place to find them is online. It looks like they're only available in green or white. I think green would be awful, but black would be better than white, and it might be easier to turn the green ones black than the white ones.

As far as light bulbs, if we go with the CA8, which is the lamp Ian drew, the wattage options range from 15-40w. With 54 total lamps, even with 15w lamps, we have a total wattage of 810w, which I think will be plenty. The only possible merit I can see to a higher wattage is that they could spend the entire show running at a low intensity, which would (I think) make them a warmer color. We could also get amber-tinted "antique" lamps.

My worry is that even with the 15w lamps, we're going to be potentially overheating the sockets, since they're normally used with 7w christmas lights. I've sent an email to the manufacturer, because I can't find any information about the rating of the sockets online.

UPDATE: I've found something that will work, and they're even black. The only problem is that they cost $1.40 each, and we need 54 + spares.

more finalized costume designs

These are the designs I presented at the big department meeting.









Harry (with jacket in the beginning of the play, without it as the play progresses)



suspenders are made of rope,
wingtips on shoes are from persian rug.



Margery

newspaper turban, handcuff belt



Bess

(fabric of dress
matches fabric of curtain)









Arthur Conan Doyle

(persian rug vest)




Cecelia (below)





(Cecelia's hat made
of newspaper)


Kingsley Doyle




newspaper tie
persian rug shorts
combat boots to come??!




Mother (below)

with
rope
necklace Scientists (all 3 scientists just have the lab coats over their previous costume, but all wear white button down shirts and newspaper printed ties)

Sherlock Holmes


persian rug hat

Son
vest matches curtain

Text - Am I going in the right direction?

So. My mind has been turning its rusty and metaphorical gears in order to come up with some outside text. It has been a bit difficult, because the stuff I have found that might work well for my character might be unnecessary and also slow down the play. Plus, the play is about Houdini, not Margery; however, I gave it a shot. I have been looking for text in terms of both general themes of the play and in terms of my character specifically and what I believe drives her personality. What I have gathered from the text I have read about her was how active a person she was and yet how, when she married Crandon, she married a man of "high class" as opposed to her previous marriage, having to give up some of the activities she participated in. It was as if she had no outlet for the active, witty, and somewhat outlandish portion of her personality, and I imagine that this had a lot to do with her embracing spiritualism and what it brought her. Because it did allow her to concentrate on more universal things than, say, choosing a color for the parlor room rug. So with that in mind, I found this text, called 'Girl' by Jamaica Kincaid, that I transformed slightly. To me it is a bit of her reaction to the "new rules" of her life. Also it could almost mirror Houdini's rules of magic bit nicely. So here that is:

I tried to keep in mind the essential rules of conduct which my husband had carefully instilled in me: 1. Never speak to anyone unless you have been properly introduced (except in case of shipwreck). 2. You must never talk about God or your stomach. 3. Always eat your food in such a way that it won’t turn someone else’s stomach. 4. On Sundays try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming. 5. This is how you smile to someone you like completely. This is how you smile to someone you don’t like too much. This is how you smile to someone you don’t like at all. This is how you iron your husband’s khaki shirt so that it doesn’t have a crease; this is how you iron your husband’s khaki pants so that they don’t have a crease. This is how to sew on a button; this is how to make a buttonhole for the button you have just sewed on.

I also think that it would be interesting to try to include some quotes in the seances that I found in the research I did. They are pretty funny and might bring out the personalities of the characters. She would also speak in different languages sometimes or sing, which might add a different dynamic. I thought it was interesting that Walter called Mina "the kid" and dr. Crandon called her "psyche." So it might be cool to play with that a bit, to sort of establish relationships and the closeness of Walter and Mina.

Also direct quotes of Mina:

- “A very famous psychic researcher from Europe … came over to study the mediumship. He held many sittings. He was impressed by the independent voice of my deceased brother which always manifests itself in the séance room. He wasnted to be sure this was not my voice, so he held his hand over my mouth and nose. But the voice came through quite as plainly. ‘Now doctor,’ I said, ‘isn’t that convincing?’ And what do you suppose he said? ‘how do I know you don’t talk through your ears?’ So you see what amazing things people are willing to believe in order to avoid believing the things they don’t want to believe.” (25)

- Her friend said, ‘I’m sure they would not accuse you of knowing so much if they knew how really dumb you are.’ And mina replied, “I hope things are not quite that bad” (26)

- Walked up to Carrington, embraced him, and said, “wouldn’t you like to kiss me?” (59)

-“That’s all poppycock. My husband attends all my séances and I would have to be very rash to go around kissing” (113)

- When Crandon urged her to go into a trance: “I will do nothing of the sort” arguing, that she had such fun watching the proceedings, she didn’t want to miss anything” (21)

Okay so now that I have taken up the entire blog...
good night
..and .. good luck.
Emily