musical or concert

In class we have had a discussion about whether or not to have the show as a musical or a concert. As Our stimulus was an album by Joe Iconis, we felt that because each song told a story we could write the scenes in between each song.

As time went on we set every song and created characters for the songs we will use. We started to create individual scenes to give context on our characters and about the song itself. For the shows over all story we wanted to set the it in an american high school and tell the story of seven students and their lives during their final years of school and what happened to them once they left.

Once we started to try and link all of the songs however we discovered how difficult that was going to be. Because the songs were not written to be linked and to tell an over all story we found it very difficult to be able to create one. We all tried to create a scene before each song, at this we were successful, however actually linking each song and creating a liner story would not be possible due to the significant difference in each character and story the songs tell. As such we had to have a discussion about whether or not we wanted to have the show to a whole story or just have a show where we perform songs and create a show of just showing these songs.

I feel that as a show it didn’t really work, it would not be entertaining from an audiences point of view if we are trying to connect songs that have no way of being connected. It would be a lot more entertaining if the audience didn't have to worry about following a whole story instead they would only have to focus on each song and the story that is told with this song, instead of having to follow characters throughout an entire show. I feel that a show of this nature is very similar to Brecht’s idea about how the audience should not be emotionally invested into a show. If we go down the route of telling individual stories with music then the audience will not be invested into the characters throughout the show. Instead they will feel different emotions for each song and after a song is finished they won’t necessarily feel happy or sad about any characters. Instead they will focus more on the story that the song is telling and how we told it.

Originally this is how the album was shown. Instead of trying to create a full show Iconis only wanted to show stories with each song. The show itself wasn’t performed on a huge stage with a giant audience .Instead it was performed in a pub on a small raised stage where the band and actors all performed in front of a small audience. Iconis wrote each song for the actor who was playing the character and that was it. He didn’t try and link the songs. Some songs naturally link well together such a ‘Nerd love’ and ‘Son of a Gun’ (Nerd love being about someone meeting a girl at a comic book convention and Son of a Gun being about someone buying a new comic book)

We have now stopped trying to create links for all of the songs and to instead add a few more song in and focus on having the show more of a concert than a musical.

Bar song

For the Bar song, we wanted to show how every characters life has turned out and whether or not they are happy with the way their lives have turned out. To achieve this we thought that due to the title it would be practical to set the scene in a bar and have the bar man be the one who solves everyones problems- By giving them alcohol.

To start off we had to decide what happened to our characters. Because my character sings about joining the Army,even though he doesn't want to kill anybody, because he is too weak to do any physical exercises, he should be kicked out of the forces. Due to the play being set in America and that America is renown for not looking after their citizens once they have left the Army, my character should be homeless, begging on the street, and looked over by all of the passing people.

Once we all decided what happened to our characters we had to split up the song and give each part of the song to which ever character it fitted best. Because of the short nature of the parts, we had to think about how we can tell each characters story in about 20 seconds. This was a challenge in itself. Because not only did we have to develop a movement piece that can reflect ten years of a persons life, we had to do it in such a short amount of time that we can’t go into any detail.

To tell the stories we decided on doing a short movement piece that shows every characters life and how they have ended up at the bar. However in every character story, the person who originally played the character does not represent them in the movement. Instead the character who is singing the song at that point is going to represented by someone else during the movement.

For the first lines of the song we had to develop a movement piece for Harry. His character actually fulfilled his dream and is a professional baseball player. However he has gotten too old and isn't able to play as well as he used to. His movement is very simple. For this movement Liam is going to represent Harry. Liam is going to be playing baseball with Danny being the pitcher and I am going to be the Catcher. Danny is going to bowl the ball and Liam is going to miss and get his third strike. This is to represent that Harry is no longer physically able to play baseball and has to retire due to his age and him having a chain of being struck out and not being able to hit the ball for a sustained period of time.

I got the lines:

I know we had a plan

this would be an early night

but any sensible man

would know that I’d put up a fight. I

thought that this could really represent my character as he had a plan to join the Army and that would be it. He would go to war and eventually retire or die. But because of his small and weak structure he couldn't handle the Army so he was kicked out.

For my characters story, Danny is going to represent my character.

In the movement that is representing my character. The movement starts off with my character in a war zone, he then gets shot. Danny falls back into the arms of everyone else who lower him down to the floor then help him back up. Then my character starts to recover from his injury, to show this, Danny limps forward and gets stronger with every step. When my character is fully recovered he gets his discharge papers. This is represented by Connor walking over to Danny and giving him a sheet of paper. Danny then lies on the floor and starts to beg for money, to represent that my character can no longer get a career after the Army and it has resulted him in being homeless and a beggar. This is when everyone returns to a nature position and Liam walks over to me and we go to his bar. Where Liam sings about everyone staying there and having a good time. At this point everyone is standing at the bar interacting with each other.

Danny decided that his character was going to be a gym teacher. In this part of the song I represent Danny. In his story Danny wanted to show how his character has struggled throughout his life. To do this he wanted everyone to create barriers for me to over come. In order I: spin around Connor and Liam, duck under Steve’s arms, then jump over Harry. Then they all make a wall and I try to break through with no result. I then take a dodgeball from Danny and blow a whistle to represent that he has become a teacher.

For Steve’s story, he wanted to have his character be a failed musician who has now become a busker. To show this Liam represents Steve and he tries to get a record deal but is told ‘no’ by Danny and Harry who are the record producers. Steve’s character is then kicked out of his band by Connor and I. Liam then walks to centre stage and pretends to play guitar and the rest of us pretend to put money into his case. T

he only people left are now Connor and Amanda. Connor decided that his character would be a failed author. Harry represented Connor in this story. For the movement of this story we all walk forward drop to our knees and link arms. This represents the general public and how they think that Connor’s character’s book was terrible. We then pass a book along the line in canon and tear a page out of it and fall to the ground following our arms. We then return to our neutral states and move back to the bar.

The final story we have to tell is Amanda’s. Amanda wants her character to be a very successful business woman who doesn't have time for her family. To show this, Connor represents Amanda. Liam and Harry go onto their hands and knees to represent a table and Danny, Steve and I pretend to eat dinner off the table whilst Connor walks over, picks up an imaginary plate and walks off (This represents that Amanda does not have enough time to spend with her family). Connor then walks around and we all give him a pile of paper eventually becoming too much for Connor to handle and he drops to the floor. We all then return to the bar.

We all then walk out of the bar and do a movement to represent us all moving on with our lives. Then in pairs we walk off stage leaving Liam alone wiping down his bar.

Character profile

Name: Matt Heywood

Age: 18

Nationality: American

Occupation: High school student. Army recriut

Talents/Skills: none

Parents: Mother: Not very close with. Often feels like she doesn't love him.

Siblings: Younger brother: Always in the shadow of his brother who is an over achiever

Relationship skills: A social outcast who can't make friends very easily and has never been able to even talk to a girl.

Physical Characteristics: Pale. Weak

Height: 5ft 8

Weight: 9 stone

Race: White American

Eye Color: blue

Hair Color: Brown

Skin color:pale

Distinguishing features: rock hair

Clothes: Skinny jeans. Band top. Black hoodie. Converse trainers

Mannerisms: very lazy. Doesn't try to achieve anything from school.

Habits: Smoker

Health: very unathletic. Smoker

Hobbies: Listening to music

Disabilities: none

Greatest flaw: Social anxiety

Best quality: Generally a nice person but other people have turned him cynical.

Intellectual/Mental/Personality Attributes and Attitudes

Educational Background: Failed high school

Intelligence Level: failed SAT

Any Mental Illnesses: Social anxiety

Learning Experiences: Bullied throughout high school.

Character's short-term goals in life: Join the Army because he has nothing better to do.

Character's long-term goals in life: None

Self confidence: Has no self confidence at all. Just wants to be left alone to do his own thing but he isn't quite sure what that is.

Emotional Characteristics

Strengths/Weaknesses: Does not handle pressure well. Is very lazy. Doesn't have any plans for life.

Dealing with anger: Bottles it all up until his graduation day where he tells every to 'Fuck off'

Life goals: None. Has no plan for life so joins the army because he failed all his exams.

Motivations: None