Annotated Script: A Memory of Lizzie

Here is an annotated script of the first page of the play 'A Memory of Lizzie'. I have mentioned possible props that can be used during the song 'Oranges and Lemons' and I have mentioned the cast's stage positions and what they can do with their body instead of just standing and singing. At the end of this page, I briefly described what expression Lizzie should use when she mentions her stepmother. 

Here is an annotated script of the second page of the play. I have mentioned body movements briefly, and what words require emphasis. I also mentioned what each child would be doing while talking in the playground. 

Set Design

Here is the set design that I have drawn for the play 'A Memory of Lizzie'. As most of the scenes take place in a schoolyard, I found it essential to have props that could be found in an ordinary school yard. I added trees that did not have any leaves because it adds to the horrific effect of the play and trees without leaves can symbolise death/decay, etc. The white cloth in the background with the blood provides as an appropriate background because some parts of the script mention using an axe to kill cats and people so when you do that, blood obviously splatters around. I kept the design fairly simple because that way the stage does not look too overcrowded and unattractive. 

Costume Design #2: A Memory of Lizzie

Lizzie Borden is the protagonist of the play. I decided to design her costume as my second one because there is evidence of what she wears in the script, although it is from the past. When Lizzie Borden killed her parents, she "had on a blue dress". I thought it would be a nice idea for her to still wear the dress so that people get a glimpse of what she wore that day. I added blood stains because she used an axe to kill her father and stepmother, so the blood must have spurted onto her clothes for sure. This dress is inspired from this website: http://www.zazzle.com/victorian_era_girl_in_long_blue_dress_photosculpture-153439203605710295. The dress on the website is an image of a lady wearing a Victorian Era dress. Lizzie's personality is very evil and cruel as she had the demented intentions to kill her own biological father with an axe 40 times. She could be labelled as a psychopath. I decided to keep her hair messy in the front because messy hair adds to her weird personality. 

Costume Design #1: A Memory of Lizzie

May is not a very significant character in the play, however that is the case for most of the characters in the play except for the stationary protagonist, Lizzie Borden. When we casted our roles in class, I opted for May, so I decided to design her costume as one of my costume designs. Although the play is meant to have a horrific and dull appearance, I decided to keep May's clothes bright and cheerful because the children in the play are not evil and they are innocent. Also, in the beginning of the play, everyone sings the song "Oranges and Lemons" and my design matches that; the shirt being the oranges and the skirt being the lemons. I could not keep everything about this costume happy and cheerful because it is indeed a horror play. So, I decided to make May's boots black and her bow black, because black symbolizes darkness, mystery, and negative connotations. There is not much evidence in the script to determine what May's personality is like. She seems to have an ordinary and typical personality so there is no outrageous aspect to play her role. The clothes that I have chosen are similar to clothing from the Victorian Era as that is when the play is set. 

Research Task: Developing Artists

Developing Artists

Developing Artists is an international charity project that focuses on sustaining theater and other arts in Mexico, Cape Verde, and a few countries in Africa.  It was founded in the year 2002 by Giles Ramsay. He studied in Durham University, and formerly worked as an independent theater director and producer in the UK. Their influences for creating this project were not specifically mentioned anywhere on their site or on any other site. The purpose of Developing Artists is to connect people in some of the world’s poorest countries by giving them the opportunity to embrace creativity and to professionally develop in this field. They create interactive productions in different parts of the world to select able individuals that will gain an advantage from being a part of their charity’s apprentice program.  Developing Artists, as in their name, focus on theater for development of communities, as their main motive is to unite people in local communities by means of self-expressionism and theatrical practice. This is a great initiative as people in developing (or undeveloped) countries do not get the opportunity to just be free from all the stress of their general lives. They also focus on theater to educate; as many of the communities that they have visited are unfamiliar with the arts.

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