Design Issues and Solutions -

[Shakspeares suck]

I don't know if any of you guys have heard of the show"something's afoot" but its a comedy and my director is choosing to do the show completly in black and white and i have to make an extremly good impression on my director with this design but i have no idea how to go about a black and white show
any tips
thank you in advance

[Van]

I believe the subject of "Balck and White" productions has been brought up in a couple of different threads. There was a company, in Dallas I believe, that back in the '80s was producing a bunch of Film Noire type staged productions. It was quite an undertaking as, to pull it off really well, requires a very, very, very well coordinated production team. All the scenic painting, lighting, costumes and make-up must be studied and planned to the Nth degree.

[gafftaper]

I know Derek's going to hit the roof with this but I do mean it sincerely...
If you use R99 chocolate it will give it a nice sepia tone look.

If sepia doesn't do it for the director then your focus is not adding color to the set and costumes. So the really pale "no color" colors are going to work best probably... as for which ones I would use it depends on the tones in the set and costumes. Like Van said you really need to be careful with what color of white they use on the set for example. If it's more of a pink white vs. more of a yellow white it's going to dramatically affect what the gel looks like on it. I would try to do some testing with a bunch of paint chips and gel to find the combination you like best before you try it full scale.

[waynehoskins]

Ah, Something's Afoot. (and the butler didn't do it; how could the butler do it?). One of my favorite shows from college.

B&W is very hard to do. A community theatre around here did that for a show in recent years, and they did it well, but it was a huge undertaking, particularly for make-up.

Chocolate and the greys are the way I've seen it done before. 99 and 98, for example. No matter what, though, it'll be a challenge. Take that challenge and run with it, let it push you.

[Shakspeares suck]

THank you please add more feed back, im really stuggleing with what to do for this show
thank you

[LettieMiss]

Hang in there! I, TOO, am working on Something's Afoot.... (yes, I'm Lettie, and prop coordinator, and my hubby and I are the set designer/builder/dresser, etc) I would LOVE to see pictures of your set, etc.! Our show opens in a week and we don't have the stage completed and our prop list is about 3/4 done....

[Shakspeares suck]

thank you all, but i need more info im really stuggleing with howto design this show