On Costuming 'Angels'

Today we have responses from Giny Speaks, the costume designer for Angels. Giny is a recent graduate of Warren Wilson College where she majored in Theatre/English. Sneak peek pictures of her Angels costume designs will be up soon, but in the meantime, check out what she designed for WWC's productions of The Bacchae and The Winter's Tale. Now what you've been waiting for...  

Heeeerre's Giiinnnyyy!
 

1) What's your history with this play? I first read Angels in college, and I have seen only bits and pieces of the film adaptation. I've been searching photos of various other productions that have served more as a counter-influence; I try to look at what has been done, what people's exposure has been to the play and go in a different direction.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels? My biggest challenge is to take such a well-known play in a new direction. Particulary since the release of the movie, audiences have begun to expect certain things from this play, and designers often stick with the comfortable, accepted design choices because it's a guaranteed hit. I want to change things up and find new ways to stimulate the aesthetic senses of the audience.

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites/has excited you most? One of the things that I love about this play is the wonderful juxtaposition and coherence between different spheres of American society. The characters range from devout Mormons to corrupted businessmen to drag queens and beyond, and despite each character's background and personal beliefs, they all share in the human condition and have ties to people who are extremely different from themselves. I constantly find myself asking, "How can I translate this concept into the language of shape and color to unite such a vast range of personalities?"

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first? Don Henley won the MTV Video of the Year award for "Boys of Summer".  My parents were married.

5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Mozzarella sticks

6) Any other highlights/last words? Photos coming soon!

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One last note: Remember to come see us at Blue Ridge PRIDE this Saturday! Tell us your Angels story, get info on tickets, see what we're up to... we'll be there all day. See you there!

More Designer Responses... Questions, anyone?

For today's post we have James Johnson's responses to the designer questionnaire. James is our set designer, and here's what he had to say:

1) What's your history with this play? Angels in America was one of the first productions I was in during my college career. I was a freshman, and I played Prior Walter in Perestroika. I was in way over my head. I don’t think I understood the cultural importance of this play, which is integral to a quality production. For me, this play is so much more than a play, it’s a commentary, a critique, an adventure with America at the heart.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels? Ha! Biggest design challenge? How does an Angel crash through the roof? How do we move seamlessly from scene to scene in such a small space? How do you excite the production team with an interesting design? How do you speak to the audience through a design? A very good friend of mine once said, "I never finish a design, I simply abandon it." That statement speaks volumes to what I try to do onstage. Everything is a challenge, and should always be a challenge. But that’s why I love what I do!

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites/has excited you most? I love finding interesting shapes and colors that can become other things or harken an idea. For this production we harken the look of New York, yet nothing really looks like New York. Its more American than that.

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first? I wasn’t born yet... Is that weird?

5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Or, your preference: hot dog or antacid? Or, if that weirds you out, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Hot dogs are good anytime, I would just have another hot dog. Cookie Dough!

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NCSC Mainstage: Angels in America

As we approach the opening of Angels in America, we will be posting some more responses of our design team about their process and vision for the production and interviewing some cast members about their experience. I just came up with the questions on my own, but how 'bout you? Do you have questions for our Director? Cast members? Designers? Artistic Director? Producing partners, Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) or Posana Cafe?
 

Respond at the end of the post or email us. Hope to be hearing from you soon...

Angels Designer Insight

Just last week I came up with a few questions for our design team to answer about their process, the play, and some personal anecdotes relating to the play. Today we have the responses of Jason Waggoner, our sound designer.

1) What's your history with this play?
I actually have never seen Angels on stage or screen. I knew about it by reputation only, but didn't encounter it in my professional or personal life until NC Stage approached me about designing this production. I feel like this is an advantage in some ways specifically because I don't have any preconceived notions about the show or how it should be done. Essentially, I can have a completely unencumbered design process for it.

2) What has been your biggest design challenge for Angels?
The sheer size of the text has been quite a challenge. I am at a point in my career where I am almost insisting on composing any music used in my designs, with the exception of incidental music called for by the script, of course. With a play like Angels, a play that has something in the neighborhood of 30 scenes, that's a fair amount of music to write. In addition to the sheer size of the show, trying to capture the feeling of Angels has proven a bit of a challenge. I want to keep the sound of the music rooted in reality, that is to say not write music that makes Angels seem like a fantasy play. However, I also want to keep the fantasy alive enough in the music that fantastic moments in the show can be supported by the score when appropriate. Doing all this and keeping the music from going stale through the show is a constant balancing act, it seems.

3) What aspect of the design process for this particular production excites or has excited you most?
Writing the music is always the most exciting part for me. I enjoy putting together sound effects and creating the aural environment of a show, but for me the most challenging and exciting part of a design is the composition.

4) When you think of 1985, what comes to mind first?
Punk rock, Reagan, AIDS epidemic, crack cocaine epidemic, Dallas (the TV show), my dad's rocking chair... to name a few.


5) What's your favorite chaser for hot dogs? Or, your preference: hot dog or antacid? Or, if that weirds you out, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My favorite dog chaser is a nice cold PBR, I don't take antacid because I have insides made of iron, and my favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.

6) Any other highlights/last words?
Doing Angels seems to be a modern right of passage almost. People talk about their first Romeo and Juliet, or their first Mamet play; Angels seems to be joining the ranks of theatrical monoliths that all actors, designers, and technicians do at some point in their career and remember as a milestone from that point forward. I entered this show fairly unassuming, and while I expect to come out the other side having experienced something profound, I feel I am remaining rather unassuming throughout the process. I feel extremely privileged to be going through this process with other artists that I know and trust, and who I know will support me and trust my decisions. I hope that as the audience experiences the full production of Angels in America, the passion and the heart of the people involved on all sides of the production will translate to a truly memorable and remarkable experience.

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Be sure to check back later for some sneak peeks (sneak hears?) of what Jason's been working to create for the production, as well as more designer interviews.