Ruined

If I were to put on a production of the play Ruined, I want to go with a more realistic design. I would want it to be on a ¾ thrust stage at the Citadel Theater in Edmonton, Canada; like the one shown on the right. I think this type of stage would benefit the play because it allows everyone to see the stage from different angles, allowing me to have more things going on in the background.
For the set design I want the stage to be built on a rotating center so we can change the setting easier, like where it goes from the bar to the back where the girls sleep, and outside when we see Mama talking to Fortune, telling him to leave. I think that the walls should be wooden but look worn and old; the bar should have a wall with shelves where we see all the bottles of alcohol as well as the cage for Mama's parrot. There should be dirt on the floor and the furniture should look old and worn as well.
As for the living quarters, there should be 3 twin beds in one room for Sophie, Josephine and Salima. Mama will have her own private room with a queen sized bed.For lighting I want the inside of the bar to have a home feeling, and since we are in the jungles of the Congo, I’m sure there is no electricity so I want the lights to look like natural lights. Like sun beams steaming through the windows and because we’re in the jungle I think it should look there is dust in the air, like the picture to the left. During the night scenes the lights should be a dim yellowish orange color to represent candle light, but not so dim that we can’t see the people on stage, both in the bar and in the girl’s rooms and through the windows there should we should see dark blue lighting simulating moon light. In scenes where Sophie is on stage singing there should be a spot light on her, that should dim as the song ends bringing the audience’s attention back to what it going on in the bar. I think that the lights should get a bit red when a conflict erupts in the bar.


As for costumes the women should be in modern clothing that is a bit seductive, such as dresses with low neck lines, short skirts, and mid-drift shirts. Mama should be in a dress that shows her status as the brothel owner. Christian should be in a suit that is a little too big for him, Mr. Harari should be in a suit as well but one that fits him perfectly and is in better condition than Christians. The soldiers should be in uniform but there should be a significant difference in the uniforms of the rebel and the government soldiers, they should but look dirty and have dried mud on them. As for the minners that will be in the brothel as well they should be in jeans that look worn and shirts that have mud and sweat stains on them.


For the sound design I want there to be sounds of the jungle at the beginning of the play before it is apparent that the war is getting closer, as the soldiers and the conflict move closer to Mama’s there should be faint gun fire heard in the distance. There should be music playing thought the entire play, we hear songs performed by both Mama and Sophie, but there should be African dance music faintly playing in the background.