Musical Meeting

This morning Rich and I met with Josh Fardon to hear the latest versions of the songs and to plan for Saturday's workshop. Fardon's work is amazing, perhaps most notably because he picks up on the contradictions in the characters, crafting surprising pieces that disrupt more superficial readings of the text. For example, though it begins with a sweet and simple melody, he has added in a dark, ominous layer to "Toy Tea," at once capturing the innocence of the symbol of a child's tea set as well as the doom this prophecy foretells. The songs also greatly complete the text, or more specifically, how the text will work in production. The music provides tangible clues to how the scenes will go, especially in terms of how we can best use the ensemble.

An ongoing dramaturgical issue arose during our meeting - how to rework the text for production. I have been creating a hybrid text of the two versions Ruth has given us (which are significantly different in parts) while also dividing up the lines between the two narrators and finding moments for the ensemble to take center stage. The ending - which Rich and I had previously edited to suit our concept - must again be tweaked, as Josh was composing off of a different version of the script. Also, the parachute scene between Reiko and Game Boy is currently written as two separate monologues/songs, and we would like to combine the two into one duet. My task, then, is to make production revisions that are in keeping with both the text and our production concept.

Musical Workshop this Saturday

Did you know Stadium Devildare is a musical? With all the cyberstadium warrioring going on, it is almost possible to forget that Ruth Margraff has made her name writing avant-garde operas. We are collaborating with the excellent musician Josh Fardon and this Saturday marks the first time that the cast will hear the songs they will be required to sing.

I am so eager to get to work with the actors. There is so much planning and thought behind us, but nothing can top being in the rehearsal space with a group of talented actors.

Sound Design

Another piece of the Devildare puzzle has fallen into place - we have a sound designer! Rich and I met with Dennis Yen a few weeks ago to discuss sound ideas. It's exciting when you meet another artist whose ideas complement and clarify your own. Dennis understood perfectly the types of caustic noises we need, and even more importantly, the deafening silence that needs to replace it at the moment of the G*dzilla X reveal.

The Black Channel Citizen Comes to the Stadium

Exciting news. The Black Channel Citizen, an LA-based musician, is not only scoring the music for the takeshi battles, but will also perform live in the stadium. He will be locked up in a cage. He will bash garbage can lids and shake boxes of ball bearings. He will create an aural landscape of destruction.