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.