The St. Louis MUNY 2013

SHREK

01.28.13 Scenic Breakdown

Revised É Act One based on Mtg w/ John, Sam and Steve 1/26/13

Producer: Mike Issacson


Production Direction: John Tartagila


Choreography: Greg Anthony


Musical Director: 


Set Design: Steve and Sam Gilliam


Costume Design: Andrea Lauer


Lighting Design: Nathan Scheurer 


Video Content Design: Seth Jackson


Sound Design: Jason Krueger


Production Stage Manager: Michael Clarkson


Production Manager: Tracy Utzmeyer

 

ÒOvertureÓ

General Notes

Hope to rent props from national tourÉ?

 

John will send Steve and Sam his prop list

 

Will John build puppetsÉ?

 

 

 

PASSERRELLE

 

ART FRAMES LED SCREEN

 

BOOM 1 É Fairy Tale Library of Books with Beauty & Beast style barn doors. SR side  becomes ÒShrekÕs StorybookÓ  and SL becomes FionaÕs Storybook.Ó  There will be additional boom doors as needed.

 

BOOM 2 É  FOREST/SWAMP/JOURNEY BOOM Multiple Journey Location Drop É Neutral ÒOn the RoadÓ Drop

 

 

ACT ONE, Scene One:  FAIRY TALE STORY BOOKS

SR ShrekÕs Book

            Family Scene with Mama, Papa and Little Shrek

            Shrek on Journey

            Fiona opens book in his face

SL FionaÕs Book

            Little Fiona enters

We will not use the TOWER as scripted in this scene.

Shrek slams book cover to

Transition back to ShrekÕs Book

Mob of Villagers carrying torches build kindling around Little Shrek.

 

Shrek steps in, Villagers panic  and run back through Shrek Book

Shrek will pick up a couple pieces of kindling.  ÒTaking a bad situation and turning it around;Ó kindling used to ÒbuildÓ his house in next scene.   Signage to mark his home may say HOME STINKY HOME in act one and perhaps HOME SWEET HOME at the end of the show.

 

OPEN BOOM 1 ???  At some point Boom One will open to

reveal BOOM 2.  Forest

 

 

ÒBig Bright Beautiful WorldÓ

           

Boom 2 opens to reveal the SWAMP; must be a big reveal. 

 

 

Scene Two:    THE SWAMP  BOOM 2

 

Guards with FTC

 ÒStory of My LifeÓ

As Guards process the FTC, each storybook character might have his/her mug shot and number flash up on LED screen.

Humpty Dumpty on Moveable wall

In the swamp, the characters Òset up campÓ with large props that identify them and make an impact visually; the bigger the gesture the better, big shapes and color.  It should look like a refugee camp.

 

ÒThe Goodbye SongÓ

 

Scene Three:   BOOM 2 FOREST JOURNEY

Signposts Unit with Swamp and Duloc and other destinations. 

Stores IN-One SL or SR.  Must be narrow enough to strike through the wings. 

Discuss DONKEYÕS Entrance.  He must hit the signpost, which spins and distorts the directional arms. 

 

BOOM 2 Opens to reveal Duloc Chamber. guards transition us into this; big effect: gingerbread man on tray (puppet with actor behind); tray at an angle with puppeteer behind; Gingy is SL

 

Scene Four:  FARQUAADÕS TORTURE CHAMBER/ GATES UNIT

FarquaadÕs Grand CL entrance through doors

Guards transition us into this; big effect: gingerbread man on tray (puppet with actor behind); tray at an angle with puppeteer behind; Gingy is SL

Gingy on a cookie Sheet

Is this something John will build?

Oversized Torture Devices É giant spatula, eggbeater, carton of milk, etc. 

 

Unit either revolves by a pivot pin and the Guards pushing it around OR we use the 48Õ Revolve to turn the location around to  The Gates.

 

Scene Five:  GATES TO DULOC

Greeter with Oversized Farquaad Paper Mache Head ????

 

Revolve turns to ÒWelcome to DULOCÓÉdolls pop up, puppet show; need places for the puppeteers to stand behind.  DisneyÕs ÒItÕs a Small WorldÓ feeling.

 

ÒWelcome to Duloc

ÒWhatÕs Up, Duloc?Ó

 

Another grand entrance for Farquaad

We discussed FarquaadÕs method of performance É ie will the actor be on his knees.  Probably not.  Great to cast Danny DeVito.  We discussed the possibility of having the scenery always conceal the actorÕs legs with puppet legs.  Maybe we will use a silly cart that squeaks, surrounded by guards

Evita Moment on balcony

Unit needs an elevator

Production number

Farquaad on balcony above; lots of physical gags (heÕs been fooling everyone); play with size; perhaps Guard Houses on either side of unit. Townspeople adults will enter the castle and then MUNY kids in the same costumes come out the other guard house.

 

BOOM 2 closes.  Transition to JOURNEY  (scene change)

Quick change over.

John will look at the script to figure out how we might gain time for the scene change.

 

Scene Six:  TOWER

 

Interior of the Tower: Fiona as a child

Other side of Tower: Fiona as a teenager. 

Fiona ages from seven to teen to adult. John and Nathan have discussed using scrims with wireless LEDs to create a dream like memory in the past with crossfades from seven to teen. and then a turntable revolve to outside the tower as she turns adult with the teen Fiona escaping into a false door. Then at the end when all three appear again to sing, use scrimed windows with teen and young Fiona appearing magically in windows on either side of Adult Fiona- so more as memories and less right there

 

This unit will need to spin around and perhaps move downstage.  The parapet / balcony needs to be 6-7Õ tall so that the child Fiona can disappear.  And, so 2 IA can push the unit down stage after the 48Õ revolve turns 180. 

 

 

ÒI Know ItÕs TodayÓ

 

Fiona ages from seven to teen to adult. I suppose this would all depend on what time of night the song falls and how to control lighting etc., but I'd like to do some small scrims built into her tower to do crossfades from seven to teen. and then a turntable revolve to outside the tower as she turns adult with the teen Fiona escaping into a false door. Then at the end when all three appear again to sing, use scrimed windows with teen and young Fiona appearing magically in windows on either side of Adult Fiona- so more as memories and less right there with her

 

Scene Seven:  BOOM 2 SUNFLOWER FIELD / Another JOURNEY

As the action shifts, Large SUNFLOWERS (SEVERAL) rise up around the interior arc of the PASSERRELLE.

As Shrek farts around the passerrelle, the SUNFLOWERS with WILT.  Might we have the Musicians work with us on this???

 

 

ÒTravel SongÓ

 

Scenic profiles É oversize grass É to conceal puppeteers

Butterflies, birds puppets

Sun, Moon, Cow Jump, Dish and Spoon, Lion King Spinning Antelope

 

Transition to RICKETY BRIDGE

BRIDGE might pop up on passerrelle with use of dry ice; actors might create the bridge itself.  DISCUSS

Sign Bridge to the DragonÕs Keep

 

Open Boom 2 to reveal DRAGONÕS KEEP overlooking and protecting the isolated TOWER.  Both units are on the Revolve.   The DragonÕs Keep is DS.

 

Scene Eight:  DragonÕs Keep

4 KnightÕs Chained to the Wall Dragon Puppet

old rusty knights with huge chains; maybe use gothic arches, columns, arches on wheels so they can move around and depict different locations within the keep; IA can be in blacks.  Better if each knight can move hisown.

 

Dragon is hugeÉ25Õ-0Ógiant arm and wings; head to pivot off of giant boom arm

 

John suggested we view DisneyÕs ÒFantasmic!Ó to see the DRAGON

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

Mike and John agree that this is a MUNY Moment. 

We should include Tracy in this discussion early on as this will be a significant scenic piece.

 

Fight

 

ÒForeverÓ

 

At the end of the scene, the revolve turns to bring the TOWER DS.

 

Scene Nine:  TOWER

Window, Climbing Surface, Bed

 

ÒThis is How a Dream Comes TrueÓ

 

Rescue Transitions back to KEEP

 

Transitions to BOOM 2 to set up the CLIFFS

Fiona disappears into the cave (boom door).

 

Scene Ten:  CLIFFÕS EDGE

Cliffs must be elevated 6Õ-7Õ-0Ó, in middles of revolve Shrek and Donkey sitting on top of cliff; revolve turns slowly to reveal the cave at the bottom of the cliff; we see FionaÕs shadow before and then she is revealed as an ogress; moon on LED, stars in treesÉ .

 

Boom closes for intermission; will open in ACT 2 with the Cliffs and the Rats

 

ÒWho IÕd BeÓ

 

Shrek and Donkey sitting on top of cliff; revolve turns slowly to reveal the cave at the bottom of the cliff; we see FionaÕs shadow before and then she is revealed as an ogress; moon on LED, stars in treesÉ .

Final moment É Donkey, Shrek and Fiona sing.

Stars

 

Boom closes for intermission; will open in ACT 2 with the Cliffs and the Rats

INTERMISSION

 

Act Two, Scene One:  The BLUFF / JOURNEY

ÒMorning PersonÓ

 

Exploding bird

Deer  with removable antlers thrown into the pit

Rat scurries across the stage

Line of Rats

CURTAIN

Full Stage RAT Dance Line

 

 ÒI Think I Got You BeatÓ

 

Scene Two: TORTURE CHAMBERS

Farquaad on Bench Press

Dressing Screens

 

ÒThe Ballad of FarquaadÓ

 

Scene Three:  OLD BARN / JOURNEY

 

Scene Four:  Continuous

CAMPFIRE

 

ÒMake a MoveÓ

3 mice

 

Scene Five:  INSIDE/ OUTSIDE OLD BARN

See inside and outside barn (Revolve or simultaneous setting?)

Donkey Discovers FionaÕs secret

Shrek overhears and mistakes conversation

 

ÓWhen Words FailÓ

 

Scene Six:     THE RED WOODS / JOURNEY

Barn Continues É Morning  Fiona Human again

 

ÒMorning PersonÓ (Reprise)

 

Soldiers enter with Banners

Farquaad on a Horse

Fiona and Farquaad mount the horse and ride off together

 

Scene Seven:  THE RED WOODS

Fairytale creatures enter like Anatevka

 

ÓFreak FlagÓ

 

"More to the Story" or É

 

Scene Eight:  SWAMP

Donkey is building a wall

 

"More to the Story"

 

Wall could be in the Forest in order to change scenery for CATHEDRAL

Perhaps on One side of stage as the mirror is brought out on the other side to help facilitate the change into the CATHEDRAL

 

Fiona's dressing chamber as Shes getting ready for the wedding. Scenically the stage can be empty except for a floor length mirror that I'd like to do an effect with- in the beginning of the song she sees herself as is reflected back dressed for the wedding. Later at the end of the song I'd love to somehow do a cross fade mirror trick to then see her staring back at either her ogress form or possibly her as a little girl- IÕm still deciding. Any idea on if we could make this work?

 

 

Scene Nine:  CATHEDRAL

Wedding, Choir, Bishop Rose Window

 

ÒBig Bright Beautiful WorldÓ (Reprise)

 

Dragon crashes through the window

Fire Effect Disappearing Farquaard

Sundown   Lanterns

FionaÕs Scripted to FLY

ÒThis Is Our StoryÓ

 

Transition back to SWAMP for Wedding and Curtain Call

ÒIÕm a BelieverÓ