8. • Type of style: For the play Big Love, I was inspired to incorporate European style into the
costumes. For the reason that most of the characters are either Italians or Grecians.
•Season: Mid- Summer
•Location: At an Italian villa.
•Style for the female characters: Glamorous and sophisticated.
-Lydia: Lydia is presented since the beginning of the play wearing a white wedding
dress that is filthy and a bit shredded. She is also carrying a wedding bouquet.
-Olympia is known to be very smart, sophisticated, and feminine. This is the reason
why I decided to have a short lace wedding dress for her. The lace adds the sophistication
and a touch of Italian style. At the beginning of the play, it states that she’s just wearing
one high heel since the other one broke.
•Style for the male characters: Italian fashion, masculine and well- dressed (suits)
18. Setting
The play is set outdoors on a midsummer
evening
Assume all lights are of a warm-yellow tone
unless stated otherwise
◦This lighting is to be referred to when it
says ‘regular’ or ‘normal’ lighting
19. Scenes
The play begins with a spotlight on the bathtub and Lydia entering
◦ Not too bright for it is the evening with the sun beginning to set and
not too focused on the tub so the rest of the scenery is visible
The spotlight fades into a broader range lighting as Giuliano steps onto
the stage
◦ This isn’t the same light expanding but a separate light with broader
range illuminating the area where Giuliano will be as they converse
Giuliano exits the stage and the light dims back down to the spotlight
◦ This is a white (no color) and more focused spotlight to draw on the
emotions of Lydia weeping
The light then fades away
21. Lighting extras
The lighting is now cast upon ¾ of the stage as Olympia and Thyona
enter
◦ A separate light is cast on Thyona to give her lighting a red undertone
as she throws plates around and fades away when she begins to sing
with her sisters
The full stage is now of equal lighting and Bella enters: they converse
The lighting keeps true when Piero and Giuliano enter and when
Giuliano and Bella exit: they converse
Piero exits and the light dims down, still covering the majority of the
stage but not as bright as before
22. Lighting Cont’d
The women converse
A spotlight slowly begins to appear as the conversation proceeds
◦ Not a full spotlight but simply a light dimming of their surroundings
A red undertone begins to show as Thyona’s rant about men goes on
A white light begins to shine from above while Lydia speaks, as if it were
a spotlight
◦ Begins dimly but brightens quickly and outshines other lighting; it is a
helicopter light
The helicopter light is turned off and Nikos, Constantine, and Oed enter
24. Lighting cont’d
The men and women converse and soft purple and red tones appear
◦ The red for Constantine and Thyona’s angry argument and the softer
purple for the calmer Nikos and Lydia
◦ Light comes from the back enough to make a presence on stage
◦ The lights from the front are a dim white, enough to keep the actors
from looking too purple or red
Piero enters and the purple and red tones begin to subside into softer
lights as the men exit
25. Lighting cont’d
The light purple and red undertones are still there as the women begin
to converse and then become more potent as the they throw
themselves to the ground, ranting in rage
Lights then ease back to the regular (warm yellow) color as the women
stop and Giuliano and Bella enter with wedding gifts
Lighting is now illuminating the whole set as they converse and Leo and
Eleanor enter the stage and conversation
◦ The lighting dims for a moment with a soft spotlight as Lydia and Leo
dance and then returns to normal
26. Lighting cont’d
The normal lighting is set as Giuliano begins to speak of love
Nikos enters and Thyona, Olympia, Leo and Eleanor exit; Nikos and Lydia
are now alone to have a private conversation
◦ There is now a spotlight cast upon them in white (no color) light
Lydia exits and the spotlight is now of a blue hue
◦ Constantine and Oed enter and the three of them fuss and rant in
despair
The spotlight broadens and goes from blue to a crimson of rage
The red slowly settles to normal as Constantine’s speech ends and the
three of them exit
28. Lighting cont’d
The lighting remains normal color to show the full scenery as Eleanor
and Olympia enter with the cake
◦ Piero enters and discusses the events discussed and marriage
proceedings with the women; he then exits
The lights now focus only on the area where the women are
◦ Surrounding are dimmed but not to be confused with a spotlight
The lighting slowly eases into a soft crimson as Thyona tells the girls of
her murder plans
◦ Enough to make the stage red but not make the actors’ skin look red
The plan is agreed to and the all lights fade off as the scene ends
29. Lighting Cont’d
The lighting now comes from a chandelier for they
are indoors
◦It is brighter than before and no longer a warm
yellow but there is a tiny hint of blue undertones
from the gloominess
All brides are getting prepared for the wedding but
it is Lydia, Olympia, Thyona, and Eleanor who
receive the focus of lighting as they converse
They finish getting ready and all lights fade off
31. Lighting Cont’d
The wedding ceremony is now taking place
◦ They are still indoors but this room is bigger than the last, there is one
big centerpiece chandelier which lights this room
The brides and grooms are now married and the couples begin to act in
irrational manners
◦ There are many lights flickering all throughout the stage in red,
purple, orange, and green to match the chaos going on; the focus is
on Thyona and Constantine
Thyona then stabs him and all lights flicker off quickly and return in red
from the back part of the stage
◦ A dark crimson light flickers from the front of stage while the other
brides also kill their grooms
32.
33. Lighting Cont’d
The intensity of the red and crimson lowers and is mixed with some
white light to allow for Piero, Giuliano, and Bella to speak
A white spotlight is then cast on Lydia and Nikos dancing
◦ The surrounding light still has red tones
Dim spotlights are cast on Olympia, Thyona, and Bella as the trial goes
on
◦ The red tones fade away as Bella speaks of love and gives her verdict
The lighting is once again bright as there is happiness for Lydia and Nikos
The light then fades to a spotlight on them and then fades off
Different color lights then flicker to portray fireworks to end the play
35. Script & Casting
•The script will be taken from the original document that we read.
•A few changes such as adding specific lines to the chaos, and adding more lines during the
wedding killing scene will be implemented.
•The script will be in modern English, and have comments that will guide the actors to their
particular accent/way of speaking.
•Bella will speak with a heavy Italian accent, have many Italian traits such as s built, and a very
young look, considering her age.
•The actors casted are shown throughout the presentation. They have been picked based on their
previous acting experience and the potential that we see in them to give justice to the
characters in the play.
39. Directorial Concept
A Heretical approach
The directorial concept that I will use
will be the Heretical Approach which is
interpreting the already existing script
in order to make a theatrical entity of
the entire production for the audience.
41. Themes/Spine
•The major themes within the play center around the concept of love and humanity.
• The play will reflect this as the actors will emphasize the scenes in which the theme
of love conquering all, and humanity being an attribute are shown.
•The Spine of the play will be the significance of finding true love, regardless of the
social norms that we live under. The play signifies the importance of societal pressure
and the effect it can have on human nature.
•For Example, Nikos & Lydia have no love at the beginning of the play when she runs
from home due to societal pressure, however, after meeting Nikos and seeing his
love, she falls in love with him too. The rest, kill their husbands. This in itself is a
paradox of human nature. Our ability to jump to conclusions and our need to defy
social norms. That is the spine of the play that will be evident throughout the
performance. A need for rebellion.
42. Directorial Style
Creative Artist Approach
•The style of direction I will use is the creative artist approach, however with a
little bit of an emphasis on myself as the final decision maker. Actors may not
always see the performance as a whole when compared to the way that a
director sees it.
•In the approach, I will see myself as a creative artist working with the ‘materials’
which include, but are not limited to, the actors, designers and production
team. The “creative artist” director wants input from the actors but, has final say
over what is included and how ideas are incorporated.
•Another way to incorporate this style will be to coach actors in so that they may
perform their role to the best of their abiliites.
•I would also hear input from every department and every person, because I
believe that there is always room for improvement.
