Conceptual Ideas

Paul,

The following are notes and ideas for JOSEPH. They are based on the brief discussion you and I have had as well as a post mortem we had with Mark and Keith following the 1997 production. We learned from that production to NOT place the kids directly behind the center stage action. Their multicolored t-shirts and movement made it difficult for the audience to focus on the action of the show. Therefore, the major change in this design from 1997 has been to pull the children chorus more off stage and to the sides. Please see the preliminary ground plans and an elevation sketch.

I believe we should continue to use a unit setting as we did last time. However, we have simplified it learning from the last production. In addition, since this is the last production of the season, it is important that we observe the "less is more" rule as the crew and our output is usually about drained. Therefore, we totally cut all the roll drops and Mylar curtains. They did work anyway. However, we have maintained the same center archway for UCS entrances. In addition, this archway will have two back follow spots as last time. This worked super and I know Marty would have supported the idea again this time. Finally, the archway enables us to repeat the Pharaoh's set. I believe you mentioned you felt this worked. With your approval, I do not intend to change this aspect of the design.

Rereading the show and after some discussion with Keith, we have a better understanding of the structure of the musical. Essentially, the first act is about telling a story. The kids are there to listen and participate in this story. For Act Two, the play moves beyond a story telling mode to actually being in Egypt. Therefore, we want the set to establish this dual notion. In Act One, we want to establish the idea that the children come to hear a story being told. The narrator comes out of some books and magically conjures up Joseph.

To facilitate this concept, the Unit set has a large USC arch constructed of huge "books", upright, leaning, stacked. Titles can be faded and softly visible on various books, such as Any Dream Will Do, Jacob’s Sons, Canaan Days, Tales of Egypt, Pharaohs and Pyramids of Egypt, Journeys of Joseph, and so on. Titles can suggest the stories within the show, as well as the songs. From within these books giant palms and stars will seem to be popping out, squeezing out of the covers and pages of the books.

For a unified design look, the Chorus Platforms will also appear to be made of stacked books with palms and stars peeking out from between the books.

The Side Torms will have rolling hills of sand and desert tones; a huge palm tree on each side of the stage, on the DSL and DSR Torm, will frame the Unit set and chorus platforms. Above the rolling desert hills, the skies will be dark blue with huge stars.

To unify the design, and to provide a less distracting background to the action and principal players, we are suggesting that the kids’ chorus be costumed in beige, sand and desert tones. Beige jeans, and beige, bleached yellow, orange, gold and brown t-shirts. On the kids’ chorus platforms we can have brightly colored ribbons and banners for them to use as dance accessories when bright colors are appropriate to "pop" a number (for example, the number centered around the Coat of Many Colors.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU FEEL: As the show begins, we see the Narrator entering from in between the huge books that are in the archway. She enters with lots of fog. The narrator appears as the storyteller in between the huge books within the archway which are on a small revolve. See the ground plans. See Drawing.

ANY DREAM WILL DO: Joseph's entrance must be magic. The storyteller conjures him out of the books to help tell the story. We have designed a small and simple revolve. The oversized books revolve around to reveal as if coming from the pages of a book. The pages open to reveal "Once Upon a Time…" or something like that and the look of manuscript pages. These pages can be "turned" by kids. See Drawing.

JACOB’S SONS: As we move into the Canaan songs, introducing Jacob and his sons, kids turn the giant pages to reveal a "Canaan" rolling hills and palm trees scene. Jacob enters from an entrance passageway within and from the middle of the chorus platform (each side has an entranceway). We see Jacob entering on a small wagon platform, sitting in a wood/canvas beach chair. Perhaps a beach umbrella stands over him for shade. Perhaps a few small sheep cutouts can be wheeled into place. The platform wagon should be small and light enough for the kids to move into place CS, in front of the open pages of the Canaan landscape. WE SEE THE KIDS BEING USED TO MOVE THE SMALL WAGONS THAT COME FROM THEIR SIDE PLATFORM BLEECHERS FOR DIFFERENT SCENES.

JOSEPH’S COAT OF MANY COLORS: Here is when we see the kids’ chorus using ribbons, banners, balloons, pinwheels----multi-colored props during the musical number.

JOSEPH’S DREAMS AND POOR, POOR JOSEPH: Performed with various accessories brought on stage from side entrances (by the kids). For example, a camel cutout, a well. . .

ONE MORE ANGEL IN HEAVEN: The giant center archway book pages are turned to reveal a western landscape with cactus, a sunset. The kids roll in bails of hay from the side entrances, along with cutout cactus. Jacob can be rolled into place, sitting in a large rocking chair. During the dance sequence, the cacti light up.

PONTIFAR’S ENTRANCE: The giant center pages are turned to reveal a totally different look. We see a geometric, art deco style backdrop to introduce the pyramid/triangle pattern. Colors will be controlled (black, white, silver, and gold) and contrasting to the colors used in Canaan and previous numbers.

SEDUCTION SCENE: Perhaps a futon type of bed palate can be rolled in on a small wagon. It can have huge pillows (the kids’ can facilitate all of this); huge feather fans can come on as well.

CLOSE EVERY DOOR: With the use of lighting gobos, a jail for Joseph is suggested; also, 6’ tall triangles (see sketch) with jail bars can be carried on for the other prisoners to hide behind, dance with, etc.

GO GO GO JOSEPH: Disco, flower power type of number. Perhaps the kid chorus can have flowers, flower lays for the boys, flower wreaths for the girls, big sunglasses…during the number. During this number the revolve might move around and curtains close in the center archway.

INTERMISSION

During intermission with the curtain closed in front of the archway, the stagehands will remove the pivot point and roll the small revolve upstage. In its place, they will roll in Pharaoh's unit. This slip wagon unit would be close to the same unit we used last time. See drawings.

The Archway façade will have a series of light boxes behind scrims painted as the books mentioned above. When appropriate, these will light up to transform the Book theme into Egypt. So, Act One is a story telling environment. Act Two becomes Egypt with hieroglyphics and icons. The palm trees will be lined with light ropes as we did last time and used when appropriate.

PHAROAH’S ENTRANCE: Huge Sphinx enters through center archway. See plans.

POOR POOR PHARAOH, SONG OF THE KING, PHARAOH’S DREAM, STONE THE CROWS: Perhaps these numbers can be staged with large masks and birds on sticks that the kids’ work with as well as the ensemble.

THOSE CANAAN DAYS: a small bistro table and chair are brought in.

BROTHERS COME TO EGYPT, GROVEL GROVEL, WHO’S THE THIEF, BENJAMIN CALYPSO, JOSEPH ALL THE TIME: CS in front of centerpiece.

JACOB IN EGYPT, FINALE: Sphinx is moved up stage and curtains close in center archway. JOSEPH’S CHARIOT enters.