No matter how hard an author tries to imagine and plan out the script and songs for a new play, there are inevitable twists and turns as it goes into production. For example: I have always had good luck with getting many boys to come out for the shows at the elementary school I have been writing shows for. But this time, the ratio is roughly 4:1 -- girls to boys. Unfortunately, that means that some girls will have to play "Royal Guards" in some of the sequences. Although this is not unusual for Children's Theater, it is a complication and a big let down for the girls who see themselves as lovely "princesses or ballerinas." Fortunately, these girls can be featured as females in other scenes. That should ease the weeping and wailing.
Another twist has been figuring and re-figuring how to do the magical effects. In the story, "Parizade's Quest" is to obtain the three wonderful things: a Fountain of Golden Water, a Singing Tree, and a Speaking Bird. So, just how do you create a fountain of golden bubbling water, a tree with moving branches of shimmering "musical" leaves, and a bird (played by a human) in a glittering cage?
So, I think I have figured out how to create the Speaking Bird's cage out of very lightweight tubing from the plumbing department at the hardware store. It is the same kind of plastic tubing that hula hoops are made of. Once spray painted with gold sparkles, it ought to work.
The Golden Fountain will just have to be a painted cardboard cut-out, I'm afraid. We cannot afford the space to bring on stage a heavy cement garden fountain and we certainly cannot have real water! Not with elementary kids! I am thinking that the bubbling might be accomplished through some kind of puppetry, though.
And as for the Singing Tree... that might be created as a "flat" with bas relief trunk and hanging shimmering leaves with concealed mini wind chimes attached to strings. We might then have a puppeteer pull the strings from behind to work the action of making the branches of leaves shimmer and the chimes tinkle in the wind.
Another twist -- a terrific, happy discovery -- has been a young sixth grade student artist who has volunteered to design and paint the back ground scenes. She has already come up with some beautiful designs and is anxious to get to work. Happy happenstances like this make my worries and time all worth the effort!
Here's to expecting the Unexpected! Way to go, Ceilidh!
Another twist has been figuring and re-figuring how to do the magical effects. In the story, "Parizade's Quest" is to obtain the three wonderful things: a Fountain of Golden Water, a Singing Tree, and a Speaking Bird. So, just how do you create a fountain of golden bubbling water, a tree with moving branches of shimmering "musical" leaves, and a bird (played by a human) in a glittering cage?
So, I think I have figured out how to create the Speaking Bird's cage out of very lightweight tubing from the plumbing department at the hardware store. It is the same kind of plastic tubing that hula hoops are made of. Once spray painted with gold sparkles, it ought to work.
The Golden Fountain will just have to be a painted cardboard cut-out, I'm afraid. We cannot afford the space to bring on stage a heavy cement garden fountain and we certainly cannot have real water! Not with elementary kids! I am thinking that the bubbling might be accomplished through some kind of puppetry, though.
And as for the Singing Tree... that might be created as a "flat" with bas relief trunk and hanging shimmering leaves with concealed mini wind chimes attached to strings. We might then have a puppeteer pull the strings from behind to work the action of making the branches of leaves shimmer and the chimes tinkle in the wind.
Another twist -- a terrific, happy discovery -- has been a young sixth grade student artist who has volunteered to design and paint the back ground scenes. She has already come up with some beautiful designs and is anxious to get to work. Happy happenstances like this make my worries and time all worth the effort!
Here's to expecting the Unexpected! Way to go, Ceilidh!
The Sultan's Castle as designed by Ceilidh Sharik, 2015
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