The play is written for a two level stage, specifically with the Alice Jepson Theatre in mind. Jepson is entirely trapped with two openable vomitoria and a semi-hexagonal lift in front of the stage that can operate as seating space, orchestra pit, or thrust stage.
The intention was to have the lift locked down about six-ten inches above the floor level of the auditorium, with the vomitoriums open and the front portion of the “main” stage lowered down to its level. Thus a hexagon or a half hexagon plus a larger semicircle would constitute the “Lower Stage” or “The Planet”, creating the feel of “theatre in the round.” The rest of the main stage would be raised a foot to a foot and a half above the usual level, crating a concave “Upper Stage” or “The Ship”, towering about five feet or so above the action on “The Planet” without unduly obscuring the sight lines of the audience members. A large viewscreen is to be hung above The Ship on a diagonal. (Like the viewscreen on the bridge of the spaceship in this clip from my favorite childhood japanimation. (For those confused, yes that IS a WWII battleship with rocket on the end, and the dessicated, dying, red planet IS the Earth. Apparently I acquired my taste for dark drama with live ammo very young…))
It occurs to me that this might require the closure of the first two rows, so perhaps just three feet is enough. Likewise setting “The Planet” so low may occlude the action for the highest seats unless the edges are set very far upstage. It’s a question I’ll leave up to the set geometers, but the description above gives a general idea of the intended effect.
The “wall” constituting the perpendicular between the floor of The Planet and The Ship should contain additional exits and should be made of removable, possibly rotating, panels to suggest different settings and allow the crew to get set pieces and props off The Planet in a hurry without distracting from the action taking place on The Ship. The Band is crowded up in a corner of the The Ship, visible in any scene taking place on the Bridge.
The inspiration is both from the original Globe Theatre and the inaugural Jepson student production of King Lear from 1997. Apart from the visual effect and the ability to block performance on multiple levels, the intention is to allow multiple settings to be used very fast without disrupting the flow of the play. Things can happen on The Planet while sets are being struck on the The Ship and vice-versa. Readers of the synopsis will have noted that I allow myself many changes of venue within the three acts. It isn’t for nothing that I have Phillip Sidney appear to decry the constant changes in setting.
Obviously, not all scenes set on the actual planet take place on “The Planet”, nor do although I believe that all those set on the bridge of the ship take place on “The Ship”. Two examples: During “Space Oddity” The Ship is the bridge while The Planet is a shuttle bay and then a shuttlecraft; while during “The Gypsy’s Wife” Tempest and P are on standing on the planet’s surface on The Ship, while The Planet is the site of a dumb show of what he imagines Miranda’s infidelity to be like.
There are three, possibly four, classes of performers in the play. First are the Main Cast, who must sing and dance, but generally do not play instruments. In fact I think only Flowerboy is called upon to play acoustic guitar. Second are the Chorus members who might be called on to play small parts and sing background as well as solo numbers in duet with one or more of the main cast members or play instruments clearly on the stage. For example, “Stairway to Heaven” is sung in its entirety by a chorus member and contains a Flute solo. possibly by the same performer. The third group is the Band, instrumentalists who have no singing parts or dialogue, but who are dressed as members of the spaceship crew and may react to situations on the bridge of the ship. The fourth group may be Dancers who are not members of the normal chorus but are exclusively dancers. “Nights in White Satin” for example calls for an exquisite bit of choreography.
If it is not clear from the above to those who went to school with me, the intention is not simply to make a play suitable for a Broadway or London production, but one that would be able to use the full capacities of the Performing Arts departments of the University of Richmond.
