Directing Project Scene Descriptions
For this directing project, our group will be performing a songalogue called She Used to Be Mine, from the musical Waitress. The cast members are Pacifica and Medgar and the director is Mao. We are thinking about staging this scene inside the black box, and using a table and chairs as props. The two characters will start off sitting on opposite sides of the table, while cheating out a little towards the audience. Pacifica may be wearing an apron, since the characters often compare themselves to a pie can help the audience to understand it more in a literal sense. We also think that the apron can provide help with blocking and movement, if at one point Pacifica unites the apron, throws it on the table, hang it behind a chair, etc. We think that for costuming, although they do not have to match completely, they should have some sort of matching element (such as one person wears a yellow shirt and another person wears a yellow skirt) so they do not end up clashing. We also think it would be best if they do not wear all black, since the black boss background is back and it is important not to completely blend in with the background while on stage. For tech work, we are trying to keep things rather simple with just the lighting. We are wanting to try out different kinds of lighting to see what works best, but are mainly thinking about keeping only the part of the stage lit. We do not really want a specific spotlight on just one person, because that creates a rather darker scene, and that is not the mood we are trying to accomplish. For blocking, we are thinking about the two characters staring off at the table cheated out, then Pacifica getting up to have more movement and Medgar not getting up until his line "sometimes life just slips in through a back door". The two characters will get a little close again while approaching Pacifica's "and now I got you". Medgar will start to walk away from her again, downstage, during his line "who'll be reckless just enough", and Pacifica will kind of watch him walk away. During the "mine" after that, they should be on opposite sides of the stage but during the final "mine" should end back up at the table but even further apart then how they started.
As for the director's vision, I really want to make the climax of this scene be around "and be scared of the light that's inside her drowning stronger each day 'till it finally reminds her to fight just a little to bring back the fire in her eyes". I feel that this is the Turing point of the scene and the most important. I really want the characters to build up their raw emotion up the most at this point, to show the fear of even just having passion and the will to live. It is terrifying and overwhelming to care deeply about something, especially after being hurt and torn down so many times and I want to show that more than anything. I do not want this scene to come across as depressing, since the characters are not angry or sad, but instead vulnerable and have already accepted their reality. I broke up the lines and made some of it so one character finishes the other's sentences. I did this because I do not want it to be like a poetry reading or just one person talking without interaction with the other. I want them to understand each other's pain while also recognizing that they are not meant to be with each other. I do not want the main focus of this scene to be on the relationship between the characters. We see it a little in the middle, during the "and you're not what I asked for" but the main point is not that the relationship is what is tearing them down. Instead, the relationship is only one aspect of the emotional pain they are suffering. They both recognize the relationship is not what they need right now and they are not right for each other. The two characters both understand and do not understand each other. There is only want word that they actually say together, which is "mine". I want them to kind of say this in a way that shows that they are recognizing the part of themselves they lost, so although this is important so it needs to be in synch, the emotion behind that word is far more important. The final mine should definitely have a meaningful pause before it, and I feel that the "mine" is the most important word in the whole scene, who it needs to really stick with the audience after. I want the audience to be able to connect with the characters in some kind of way, and feel almost comforted in knowing that although an emotion so strong feels like a certain kind of death that nobody else feels, there are others who too feel it.
This directing project is very exciting and even though it is kind of an emotional and heavy scene, we hope to be able to perform it well through the acting, blocking, and overall staging. We hope to be able to dive deeper into the emotions of those who have at one point, lost all hope and sense of self and present it through a scene that hopefully stays in the mind of the audience after they have left the blackbox.
Lyrics:
(start on bench/ table and chair, cheated out towards the audience)
It's not simple to say (Medgar is sitting with his elbows on his knees)
That most days I don't recognize me (Pacifica stand up and takes few steps downstage right)
That these shoes and this apron
That place and its patrons
Have taken more than I gave them
It's not easy to know
I'm not anything like I used to be, although it's true
I was never attention's sweet center
I still remember that guy
She's imperfect, but she tries (Pacifica comes back towards table, takes off apron, and puts it down onto table)
She is good, but she lies (Medgar looks up at her, and starts to fold her apron)
She is hard on herself
She is broken and won't ask for help
He is messy, but he’s kind
He is lonely most of the time
He is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone, but he used to be mine
t's not what I asked for
( Medgar stands up) Sometimes life just slips in through a back door
And carves out a person and makes you believe it's all true
And now I've got you ( get closer, meet in the middle)
And you're not what I asked for
If I'm honest, I know I would give it all back
For a chance to start over and rewrite an ending or two
For the guy that I knew
(Medgar start walking away downstage left) Who'll be reckless, just enough
(Pacifica watches him walk away) Who'll get hurt, but who learns how to toughen up
When she's bruised and gets used by a man who can't love
And then she'll get stuck
And be scared of the life that's inside him
Growing stronger each day 'til it finally reminds her
To fight just a little, to bring back the fire in her eyes
That's been gone, but used to be mine
(pause:take a breath) Used to be mine
He is messy, (start walking back towards the table) but he’s kind
She is lonely most of the time
He is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie
He is gone, but she used to be (*pause*) mine (end on bench/table and chair facing further away then they had in the beginning)
Jessie Mueller Version:
Jeremy Jordan Version:
Comments
Post a Comment