[Kate1197]

... and I'm the music director/costume designer.
It's almost entirely student-run, so I'll be involved with a lot of fundraising, set design, publicity etc. as well.
Anyone who's ever been in Forum, seen it, listened to the CD, or has any connection to musical theatre at all - any suggestions? Normally in musical theatre I'm on the stage, and this is my first time behind the scenes, so I need all the help I can get!
(We also need to do it super on the cheap. So really, any suggestions anyone has would be very much appreciated). Thanks!
Kate

[what_the_heck013]

The show can be easily done cheaply as there is only one set and each character needs only one costume. Watch the movie to get a feel for the costumes and such. The movie is excellent except for the fact that it cuts a lot of the music out.

[Kate1197]

I really want to make special costumes for the courtesans (kind of French maid togas) for "Everybody Ought To Have A Maid" and have them all dancing around with feather dusters (and maybe dancing a little bit with Senex during the song) ... any thoughts?
Also, for anyone that was in a production - what did you use for armour for Miles Gloriosus? Thanks!

[Salome]

its a bad move usingt he courtesans in the "everybody ought ot have a maid song". the song requires a certain vaudeville type staging. only the men singing should appear in the song.

[Kate1197]

What exactly do you mean by "a vaudeville type staging?" Having never seen anything even remotely vaudeville-inspired, it's hard for me to have a sense of how that would look ...
Thanks!
-Kate

[what_the_heck013]

I agree with Salome. Read through the thread entitled Title?. We've discussed it there... sort of.

[Kate1197]

I understand that you think that the show should have a vaudeville feel ... but I don't know what that would look like. Could you describe it for me?
-Kate

[what_the_heck013]

I don't think it would need to look any different. This would only affect the blocking and choreography.

[JelliclePat]

Kate, the Courtesans aren't in '...Maid'. That's strictly for Pseudolus, Hysterium, Senex, and Lycus.

Tampering too much with the costumes is not a good idea. I saw a production where they were updated to the Roaring 20's, with the Courtesans as Mack Sennett Bathing Beauties, and it just did not work. In fact, it took away from the overall production. I actually auditioned for that production, and I was *so* glad I wasn't cast. I think I would have walked out of rehearsal.

The Courtesans' costumes need to reflect their personalities. Tintinnabula needs bells on hers. The Gemini (twins) need matching outfits that can be mirror images of each other. And so on. Most of the rest should be basic Roman style, though I did see a production with an expanded number of Proteans so that the Eunuchs were dressed in harem pants and vests. You might be able to rent plastic Roman armor from a local costume shop. We had really cheap plastic armor, but that actually worked well, since Miles is such a wimp in reality.

For 'vaudeville', go to Google or Dogpile and do some research on it. Basically, it was the forerunner of the Ed Sullivan Show and programs of that ilk. Instead of a single play or musical, it was a series of short acts that could include solo singers, singing groups, jugglers, magicians, dance acts, balancing acts, plate spinners, comedians, animal acts, and so on.

Above all, have *fun* with the show. Let us know how it goes!