Young Frankenstein: The Musical
MIT Musical Theatre Guild, Fall 2013
Dir. Kirsten Olson
A huge ensemble show, which I always love! The ensemble actors switched frequently between Transylvanian villagers, medical students, New York bystanders, Frankenstein ancestors, and too many bit parts to name. All needed to be able to move freely to accomodate extensive choreography.
The main characters were also lots of fun to create, as they each had a base outfit, a creepy lab coat, and a fancy-dress outfit for "Puttin' on the Ritz." To make the Monster seem even more looming (he was already the tallest member of the cast), we invested in some 4" platform boots, which he gamely wore for the entire show. Igor, too, rose to the challenge of moving his character's hump each time he appeared onstage--aided by some velcro and a strap system underneath his tunic.
I'm a fan of both the original movie and Broadway production, but I wanted to make sure to move our production in a new direction. Firstly, I wanted to make sure to make our Transylvanian ensemble actually look Romanian, versus the knock-off Bavarian Oktoberfest look most productions choose. I studied folk costumes of the region extensively and worked in many authentic elements to try and get this look. Secondly, I wanted to take Elizabeth in a new direction from very vampy red dresses, so I instead make her into a blue ice-queen (and the New York ensemble was blue and frigid to match!). Thirdly, Inspector Kemp got a new look, since I wanted to play with using rubber foam to sculpt a wood grain for exposed wooden arm and leg, and also wanted to make him look like more of a timeless gendarme than a modern police officer. Fourthly, I hate how the Broadway ancestors for "Join the Family Business" were just dancing versions of Einstein and sexy lab assistants. Hate it. So instead, our ancestors were mad scientists in sepia tones from verious points of history. Much more fun, and much less sexist.
Dir. Kirsten Olson
A huge ensemble show, which I always love! The ensemble actors switched frequently between Transylvanian villagers, medical students, New York bystanders, Frankenstein ancestors, and too many bit parts to name. All needed to be able to move freely to accomodate extensive choreography.
The main characters were also lots of fun to create, as they each had a base outfit, a creepy lab coat, and a fancy-dress outfit for "Puttin' on the Ritz." To make the Monster seem even more looming (he was already the tallest member of the cast), we invested in some 4" platform boots, which he gamely wore for the entire show. Igor, too, rose to the challenge of moving his character's hump each time he appeared onstage--aided by some velcro and a strap system underneath his tunic.
I'm a fan of both the original movie and Broadway production, but I wanted to make sure to move our production in a new direction. Firstly, I wanted to make sure to make our Transylvanian ensemble actually look Romanian, versus the knock-off Bavarian Oktoberfest look most productions choose. I studied folk costumes of the region extensively and worked in many authentic elements to try and get this look. Secondly, I wanted to take Elizabeth in a new direction from very vampy red dresses, so I instead make her into a blue ice-queen (and the New York ensemble was blue and frigid to match!). Thirdly, Inspector Kemp got a new look, since I wanted to play with using rubber foam to sculpt a wood grain for exposed wooden arm and leg, and also wanted to make him look like more of a timeless gendarme than a modern police officer. Fourthly, I hate how the Broadway ancestors for "Join the Family Business" were just dancing versions of Einstein and sexy lab assistants. Hate it. So instead, our ancestors were mad scientists in sepia tones from verious points of history. Much more fun, and much less sexist.
My sketches:
Photocall, courtesy of Jake Gunter.
Production stills, courtesy of Jax Kirtley.