Much Ado About Nothing

Group 4By: Van Anh Mai, Chai Lin Ryu,

Regal Deen

Set Design

By Van Anh Mai

Basic Design ConceptIn our production we will build a set that is enclosed on three sides to narrow down the large estate mention in the play. Due to limited space, the set that will be seen throughout the entire play will need plenty of props to transform it from a garden to a church and so on. Since the ruling metaphor is marriage many aspects from set, costumes, and lighting will be used together to emphasize the significance of marriage.

• Act 1 – This entire act will only use the set that is original on display and no props are necessary

• Act 2 Scene 1– A masked ball is taking place and there will be curtains and lanterns already on stage to

give the scene a partly-like environment – Props: curtain and lanterns

• Act 2 Scene 3– The set will be transformed to resemble a garden – Props include flower- tree pots, stone chair

• Act 3 Scene 2– The balcony is the main thing to note as most of the action will take place on it and under

it– The curtains will present a distorted image of the action and the flowers on the balcony is an

element of marriage– Props; flower vines and curtain

• Act 4 Scene 1 – This is the most important scene as it has elements that present the ruling metaphor of the entire

play- marriage– A wedding is taking place and everything in this scene is related to marriage from props, costume,

set, and lights– Props; cross, holy oil, flowers, candle, podium

Basic Design Concept Cont. • Act 5 Scene 3

– Funeral scene – Props: Cross and paper

• Act 5 Scene 4– Another wedding is taking place so the set will resemble the one in act 4 scene 1

• Central image/ Metaphor– Marriage is the ruling metaphor and the entire set has floral decorations throughout– Characters have white clothing which signifies marriage– Act 4 scene 1 and Act 5 scene 4 is the only scene where the ruling metaphor can be

completely visualize. Prior to this scene there were only elements that made up the central image

• Themes: love/marriage, honor/reputation, deception

Realistic Theatre

• Much Ado About Nothing calls for realistic scenery where the setting should look like its counterparts in real life. The entire set will be a display that will closely replicate a real estate in Italy during the 1800s.

• In this sense there is no need for elaborate imagination from the audience- all aspects in the play will conform to normal expectations

Locale/Period

• Messina, Italy– Play starts on April 13, 1885 in the

afternoon– The overall course of the play will be

three days– All actions of the play takes place at

Leonato’s estate

Mood/Style

• Mood– Cheerful and relaxing• War has just ended and there is much to

celebrate including a marriage – Bittersweet/comedy

• Style– We will take a traditional European approach

which is characterize by ornate, elegant, and bold

– This set will have straight lines contrast by curved details

Stage• The proscenium stage

will be the best suited for this play because…– It provides a central

focal point in which the whole audience can view the performance

– The auditorium itself is slanted and the stage is several feet above the floor; this will allow greater visibility

– Actors and props could be concealed in the left/right wing

Act 1 • The opening scene of the play takes place when the

soldiers visit Leonato’s estate after the war. Leonato is the governor so his house would most likely be elegant and massive. I was thinking the set should replicate the photo below

Act 2 Scene 1 • The scenery changes and a

masquerade party takes place. To give a party like vibe, lanterns and other light fixtures could be hang beforehand and when the party takes place, the lights will go on and stage light will be dim. Curtains will be needed to hide the open arches to give a more intimate feeling of the party. The combination of lights and other props on the will create a festive mood.

Act 2 Scene 3

• This scene occurs in Leonato’s orchard where there will be lots of green plants and flowers. To give this set a garden we will have flower vines wrap around the arch and bring out fake green trees, flower pots and a chair.

Inspiration piece

Act 3 Scene 2

• The balcony will the main view of this scene as it will be cover in curtains to skew the truth of the situation.

Act 4 Scene 1• In the scene the set will need

to look like a church as there is going to be a wedding. The stage will be clear and a podium will stand in the center. Holy oil will be place on top of the podium and there will be white candles. Flowers will still be wrapped on the arches/poles. This the most important scene as it is the central image/ruling metaphor. All themes of the play will be encompassed in this scene. Marriage/love, honor, and deception. The message is that things are not as they seem.

Act 5 Scene 3

• A tragedy has occurred and one of the main actress “dies” so there will be a tombstone as a prop on the stage. A piece of old crusty paper will be used to represent the poem that was written for the dead character.

• This act will be the same as act 4 scene 1 because of twist in turns in the plot the marriage was not complete and the play will end by completing the marriage ceremony

Act 5 Scene 4

Costume Design

By Chai Lin Ryu

Dress Style

• Takes place on April 13, 1885 which is in the Spring season

• Colonial European dress style • Military uniforms for men• Traditional gowns for women

Major Character

• Don Pedro- Nobleman from Aragon- He is called as a “Prince”- An old friend of Leonato- Friendly – Claudio and Benedict- He is generous and nice but he judges people to quickly.

- Wear Blue jacket– Royalty- Wear white – golden shirt- Wear black shoes- Neat hair style

Major Character

• Claudio- Nobleman from Florence- Who is in love with Hero- Too nice, give up easily but

he has his own thoughts and does what he wants to do without hesitation

- Black Jacket- Silver buttons- Wear white shirt- Wear black boots

Major Character

• Benedict

- He is a person who does not want to fall in love with a woman- He is a soldier under Don Pedro and friend of Claudio- He is funny and witty- He has bitter-sweet relationship with Beatrice but he falls in love with Beatrice after

- Messy hair style- Wear Blue Jacket- Gold buttons- Wear black boots

Major Character

• Beatrice- Niece of Leonato- Loves Hero a lot like mom- Trusts Hero- Does not like Benedict but - she falls in love with Benedict after.

- Wear White – greenish Dress - Top part emphasizes the waist - Wear black heels- Changes to a dark color dress

during funeral scene

Major Character

•Hero- Daughter of Leonato- Loved by Claudio- Victim of the rumor - Innocent and kind

- Wear white – pink dress- Wear white gloves- Wear pink high heels- Changes into elegant white

laced dress for wedding

Minor Character

• Don John- Half-Brother of Don Pedro- He is not satisfied with what he has- He wants to ruin the wedding- He always thinks about the revenge

- Wear Red – Revenge - Wear hat- Has a sword on at all the time- Wear black shoes

Minor Character

• Leonato

- Respected and well known elder- He is an governor of Messina- Father of Hero and Uncle of Beatrice- Trusts his daughter

- Old – style- Wear grey color cardigan- Wear white shirt under the grey cardigan

Minor Character

• Ursula/Margaret

- Both are servant of Hero- Margaret is the one who talks about the love of Benedict to Beatrice with Hero- Margaret helped the rumor with her unwitiness

- Wear neat servant dress- Ursula wears blue - Margaret wears maroon- Wear black shoes

Funeral

• Major characters and minor characters all wear dark clothes for Hero’s fake funeral

Wedding of Hero and Claudio

• In Hero and Claudio’s wedding day, all of the relatives (Leonato and Beatrice) and people in town wear neat clothes and Hero wears white wedding dress and Claudio wears black suit.

Light Design

By Regal Deen

Opening Scene

Set in Messina, the introduction of all the characters comes from a scene where they all gather after the men, Don Pedro, Claudio, and Benedick, return from war making conversation with female cousins, Beatrice and Hero. The lighting follows the setting of Leonato’s house on a spring afternoon with light warm colors on stage and an even distribution of light to illuminate the gathering of the major characters for the first time, but not following characters as they leave to talk in private, giving the main conversations going on the central image on stage. The bright, but not overwhelming light gives a better visual of Italy in the mid 1880’s with contrasting elements that bring out the set and stage to start the production strong

Scenes In Detail:Act II, Scene I

In this scene of a masked ball, the beginning shows Beatrice and Hero talking before the dancing starts with the lighting focused on the them, giving clear visibility of the women speaking before seguing into a darker light as the masked men enter. The lighting at the ball is shadowy, only illuminating the dance partners that are in dialogue, causing the audience to pay close attention to the slyness occurring between Beatrice and Benedick and altering to Don John and Claudio as dance partners switch as the music changes. The lighting changes to a warm illumination as Claudio finds out the truth, which leads him to Hero and less of an “on-edge” mood. In addition, there will be lanterns hanging around the set to give a more festive look to the ball.

Scenes In Detail:Act III, Scene I

Set in the garden, in this scene Hero plots with Margaret and Ursula to speak in loud voices knowing that Beatrice is in hiding listening to their conversation. The setting of a blossoming garden is well lit with evenly distributed white bright lights that not only give attention to the characters, but also give a fair contrast of the colors of the garden. The visual of Beatrice hiding is not as brightly lit, but instead a slight dim, low lighting that give off the sense that she is trying to keep herself unknown while casting a shadow and in the dark, even though it is daylight

Scenes in Detail:Act IV, Scene I

In a church, this scene is the setting for the wedding of Hero and Claudio with a

spotlight on the couple and a dimmer, but still creating a clearly visible light on the

wedding gatherers. The mood of the lighting changes as the happy event changes to a chaotic, hostile one and

instead of one spotlight on the couple, the white lights are distributed evenly giving visibility to Claudio, Leonato, the mystery man and Hero. The lighting dims to set a darker mood as Claudio stomps out of the

church and Hero faints, but a single spotlight is reignited illuminating the friar

and Hero when the friar of the church steps up to speak to the crowd that there

has been slandering of Hero’s name. While everyone finally leaves the church, the

lighting turns to almost black, except for a dull light on Benedict and Beatrice who are

the only ones occupying the church.

Closing Scenes

In the scenes leading to the ending of the production, Claudio is primarily lit in a dark surrounding where they laid Hero to rest, or so he thought. The lighting clearly gives a mood of somberness and contrasts any luminosity of hope. But, as the sadness begins to set in the dark, the gleam on stage radiantly gets lighter as the wedding arrives and not only is the realization of Hero rejoining Claudio to wed, but also Beatrice and Benedict are going to make the scene a double wedding. The same lighting from the opening scene brings life to all the characters in a once dark setting to a setting that is lit with cool, spring-inspired lights that dim as the play closes