Open Forum

I'm directing My Fair Lady later this year and I'd love to hear your advice or tips you might have about directing the show.  I could also use some advice about set designs--what did you do for Covent Garden, the ballroom scene, etc.?  Thank you!

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Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY
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If I were to do that show again I would focus on 'being in' the room/locations instead of 'showing' the whole room.  

A few well made/placed large items around the room rather than trying to put together a thousand walls... you have so many locations (many of which are supposed to be very large and ornate) so suggest components and let your audience fill in the blanks.   

We did far too many drops - cost us a bundle and I felt like they didn't pay as much dividends as loads of sets since that cost a fraction...  Let the audience fill in the blanks that you've chosen NOT to build.

cheers and break a leg!

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[Drama] [Dan] []
[Drama Teacher/Director]
[Dublin Coffman HS]
[Dublin] [Ohio]

Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2016 07:04
From: Karen Malone
Subject: Set Design Questions about My Fair Lady

I'm directing My Fair Lady later this year and I'd love to hear your advice or tips you might have about directing the show.  I could also use some advice about set designs--what did you do for Covent Garden, the ballroom scene, etc.?  Thank you!

------------------------------
Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY
------------------------------

We did an open set.  We had four very large pillars that stayed on stage and moved to various parts of the stage to create different looks.  We also had two set pieces (6'x2') that had generic English town on one side (double doors & windows) and library on other (double door entry to library - book wall on other).  It was an open set - Our orchestra has to be onstage - so we put them behind a gazebo - which became our back drop

Here you can see the costumes - and parts of set behind - http://www.siprep.org/page.cfm?p=8251

1) Covent Gardens - pillars on one side of stage on angle / pub window on angle on other side

2) Ascot - pillars across the back - drop

3) library - pillars across the back - book unit - then furniture pieces

4) outside house - pillars across the front

5) outside pub - two pub wall units moved to various parts of stage

6) inside pub - English pub side - but with a bar, chairs and tables brought in

I know I am forgetting other sets - but you get the idea - it was very flexible - no big drops (except ascot) and no big set pieces - furniture and props

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Ted Curry
Pleasant Hill CA

Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2016 07:04
From: Karen Malone
Subject: Set Design Questions about My Fair Lady

I'm directing My Fair Lady later this year and I'd love to hear your advice or tips you might have about directing the show.  I could also use some advice about set designs--what did you do for Covent Garden, the ballroom scene, etc.?  Thank you!

------------------------------
Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY
------------------------------

Amanda Dehnert directed an open set version at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2013 to great success. I'm attaching a few photos. This may still be more elaborate than required, but it was quite fun. Actors even sat in seating risers in the back when they weren't onstage. Not for all scenes but for some. It was also a 2 piano version. No other orchestra instruments. One actor played violin for a few scenes, but that was it. Probably will need to include the school orchestra, but I really loved the minimalism of this production. 

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Katherine Gosnell
Outreach Programs Manager
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Ashland, OR

Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2016 07:04
From: Karen Malone
Subject: Set Design Questions about My Fair Lady

I'm directing My Fair Lady later this year and I'd love to hear your advice or tips you might have about directing the show.  I could also use some advice about set designs--what did you do for Covent Garden, the ballroom scene, etc.?  Thank you!

------------------------------
Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY
------------------------------

Thank you so much for the advice and (beautiful!) pictures.  Did any of you use a dialect coach?  If so, how did you find one and, if not, what did you do instead?  Thanks again!

------------------------------
Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2016 07:04
From: Karen Malone
Subject: Set Design Questions about My Fair Lady

I'm directing My Fair Lady later this year and I'd love to hear your advice or tips you might have about directing the show.  I could also use some advice about set designs--what did you do for Covent Garden, the ballroom scene, etc.?  Thank you!

------------------------------
Karen Malone
Teacher
Commack NY
------------------------------