Play DirectorAlauna Wilson

The goal of the play director is to coordinate the works of the performers, and the set/costume/light designers to make sure the play is performed in an intelligent and exciting manner.

Choosing a script For this Collaboration project my group and I

decided to use the script from the play Julius Caesar. Written in 44 B.C the script is very well versed in Ancient Greek and Roman history. It is a tragedy play, that is based on historical events surrounding the conspiracy against the ancient Roman leader Julius Caesar (c.100-44B.C.) and the civil war that followed his death.

“Cowards die many times before their deaths;

The valiant never taste of death but once.” Julius Caesar

Casting Casting is fitting

performers into

roles for which their

personalities and

physical

characteristics are

best suited.

For this play, as the director I have decided to cast only the most important 7 characters by myself, the other characters will be casted by the assistant director, and the stage managers. These 7 characters are what I feel the play revolves around so I wanted them hand picked. They are ultimately the reasons behind the assassination of Julius Caesar. The following slides will show the actors/actresses casted for the play Julius Caesar.

Donald

Sutherland

Marcus Brutus

Tom HiddlestonJulius Caesar

Leonardo

DiCaprioMarcus Antonius (Mark Antony)

Keanu Reeves Casca

Jennifer

LawrenceCalphurnia

Laurence

FishburneFlavius

Brad PittCassius

Spine/Theme Spine is the general

action that motivates the

play. It is the fundamental

drama or conflict of

which the scripts plot and

people are the

instruments. It allows the

director to understand

the action and provides a

nerve center from which

to develop it.

The spine of Julius Caesar is the Roman Republic, while most have complete love and faith in Caesar, some fear he is too powerful to run the republic responsibly.

The theme is Fate vs. Free Will

Play Style For the style of Julius Caesar, I wanted to

keep it in the Elizabethan era. Connecting with the costume and set designers we decided that keeping the period indicated in the script is how we wanted to present the play. By showing that the roman republic is under control of the ruler, the style of the play is being articulated with the idea for the spine of the play.

Directorial Concept One way for the director to embody the spine in a

production is to implement a directorial concept. It is the controlling idea, vision, and the point of view the director feels fits the play.

The concept for Julius Caesar is, how quickly a country can be destroyed from within by political back-biting, greed and complacency. Brutus joins the conspiracy, because of the lies he is told about Caesar, and what the roman republic really wants. Because Shakespeare's message is appropriate for any point in history, we have chosen to set this production with the specific period and culture as originally written. We also wanted to create a raw, elemental world where violence becomes commonplace, and the only way to solve a problem.

SET DESIGNSET DESIGNER: LAKIESHA CRAWFORD

TYPE OF STAGE

I chose a black box

theater for the stage

because I think it would

be the best fit for this play.

The play is set in Ancient Rome, toward the end of the Roman republic. This was in

the year of 44 B.C.

The Central Image

Using fake blood that looks realistic would help with

making the fighting and

murder of Caesar more believable on

stage.

The Tone of the play is Serious, proud, virtuous,

enraged, vengeful, idealistic, anguish.

Black curtains will help set the mood of

the play because black is a symbol of

death.

The style of the

play will be

realism because we want the play to look like it is real life.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROPS USED IN THIS PLAY IS THE DAGGER THAT WAS USED TO KILL

CAESAR.

LIGHTING DESIGN

What is it?

• A theatre lighting designer works

with the director, choreographer, set

designer, costume designer, and

sound designer to create the

lighting, atmosphere, and time of

day for the production in response

to the text, while keeping in mind

issues of visibility, safety, and cost.

The LD also works closely with the

stage manager or show control

programming, if show control

systems are used in that production

Why is it important?

• Light is integral to life. It can stir emotion, set a mood, create atmosphere, offer direction and guidance. Good lighting is a subconscious emotion and needs to be in context with its surrounding only then can it truly be an integral part of a whole without it the play production is incomplete.

LIGHTING: VISIBILITY

• This area does not need much

visibility except to explain

• Nothing else on stage matters

expect for the actor in the red

clothing. The lights stays on her the

entire time the acts as the other parts

of the stage shall not be seen.

LIGHTING: SHAPES AND FORMS

• I choose circles to reveal the

shapes

• Circles with a lot of tone and

volume

• Circles with a soft focus and a

romantic subject

• Circles represent free movement,

power (Julius Caesar), integrity,

perfection. A lot of the same

characteristics my play displays.

LIGHTING: FOCUS ONSTAGE AND VISUAL COMPOSITIONS

• I’d adjust the camera lens so the focus of the film is sharp and clear.

• The visual keeps the audience in tune to the performance.

• The modernism style

• In front of the podium, where the lighting is located I would enhance the scenic design creating blocking.

• This displays the area where the play is important.

LIGHTING: MOOD AND STYLE

• A hard to soft mood to set the tone

• The brightness of the stage will be

low key, mostly dark with bright

accent to heat up the most important

parts of the stages.

• The background dark and gloomy.

• High contrast to represent powerful

and gritty

• A naturalism style to create realism

• Using ordinary sources

LIGHTING: TIME AND PLACE

• The time of my

performance set in the

44 B.C.

• The place of

performance in Rome

• This displays the pale

light of midday.

LIGHTING: RHYTHM OF VISUAL MOVEMENT

• Regular movements

• This image moves your eyes at

“beats” across the photo. Your eyes

move from podium to podium in a

rhythmic way, creating a flow.

• The motion caught in this photo

focus on the direction of the moving

object. Therefore causing

movement

LIGHTING: CENTRAL VISUAL IMAGE

• Create realism and naturalism, making the audience feel as if they are in the Roman Republic as they are viewing this performance.

• Scenery- filled with ancient pyramids, dry land and dull lighting to set the tone

• Actors speaking in the Roman accent

• Costumes- woman to wear long dress while covering their heads and boots

• Costumes – men to wear anything, however they must cover themselves with a robe from shoulders to ankles. (head covering is optional)

Sarah M. Alcoser1207556Intro to TheatreMondays 4-5:30pm

Ancient Rome, 44 B.C.(Towards the end of the Roman Republic)

Elizabethan

• Julius Caesar- ruler of Ancient Rome but obtains too much power. He is a senator/general and grows lusty for power, though he negates this throughout the play to Brutus; his close friend and supporter. Julius Caesar is open about his personal life.

• Brutus- friend of Caesar. He believes that Caesar is becoming something close to a dictator, which is something he strongly opposes. He keeps his personal life to himself.

• Antony- Also a friend of Caesar, convinces all of Caesar’s followers and people of Ancient Rome to rebel against Brutus using pathos in a eulogy he recited at Caesar’s funeral.

• Cassius- Like Brutus, believes that Caesar is becoming dictatorial and conspires against him. He convinces Brutus that the people agree with overthrowing Caesar.

• Octavius- a son-like figure to Caesar. Seeks revenge on Brutus and Cassius.

• Casca- Against Caesar’s “virtue” and agrees with Cassius and Brutus. Even though Caesar does not think he is becoming too powerful and attempts to retain some humility, Casca, like Brutus and Cassius, see things otherwise

• Calpurnia- Julius Caesar’s wife. She is by his side, thick and thin, yet Caesar does not take her input on public/political affairs into consideration.

• Portia- Wife of Brutus. Later kills herself. Her father opposed Caesar. She is upset that Brutus does not voice his opinion.

The women will wear long, drape-like robes that fall down to their feet and on their shoulders, leafy-crowns and head dresses, similar to a bonnet.

Also, they will have rope belts that will tie around the diameter of their torso.

The men will also wear robes, or togas. When appropriate to the play, they will have on battle armor including a shield and staff.

Dark clothing will dress our antagonists. Colors such as burgundy and dark red will

symbolize their angst towards Caesar. Humbling colors such as brown or beige will dress our innocent bystanders such as Portia. Caesar will be draped in white, though he is

the uprising villain. White is symbolically pure and immaculate, which is Julius Caesar’s

astute of himself. Godlike.