Cassie Post

ORIGIN

In early 2016, Cassie Post pitched an idea of a theatre troupe to fellow thespians Cassie Alexander, Cameron DelGrosso and Ben Bass.  As a result, Cassie co-founded The Word Players in 2017.  For their debut, she wanted to create a bare-bones outdoor production that summer of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', in Philadelphia's Liberty Lands Park, which had an outdoor stage with no residential theater company. The Word Players in collaboration with NLNA (Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association), created a free production for the general public.

 

 

FUNDING/PROMO

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (MND) was a self-funded production. An ultra low-budget show with free tickets for the public was created with the goal of raising funds for the local community. A budget of $200 was allocated for costumes and props. NLNA donated the outdoor theater stage rental for free, since the proceeds were going to the community.

Promotion was primarily through Facebook, Instagram and word-of-mouth. Initially rehearsals were held indoors, which then progressed to a month of rehearsals held in the park. Delightfully, these would frequently attract passersby and a crowd of children and adults from the park. Signboards  set up around the park advertised the show, with cards to take home with performance details. We also partnered with nearby restaurants to promote attendance with the local community. To promote local business, we gave a speech at the beginning and end of the show encouraging patrons to visit and support these establishments.

We closed the show with hundreds in attendance nightly. We raised +300 dollars for NLNA.  MND was additionally featured in the SHARE Semi Annual Performance Series at the Iron Factory.

 

Producer: Cameron DelGrosso

Social Media Promo Coordinator: Cassie Alexander

Promo Photographer: Alex Beebe

Promo and Production Photographer: Jenny Kessler

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CONCEPT

Specifically, this production of MND was tailored for children. I believe in theatre being a 'mirror for society', but I also believe it should provide relief, enjoyment, and sometimes an escape in times of unease. This production was meant to bring people together with joy and laughter.

MND was a fast paced, big movement, brightly colored production, meant to draw in the audience from afar. It was also a test-run for a traveling children's production (for schools or after school programs), with a small cast, no props, no set and a transportable light wardrobe.

- The show began with Puck instilling 'a dream' in Bottom.
- Role Doubling with: Theseus/Oberon, Hippolyta/Titania, Philostrate/Puck, PQ/Egeus, Hermia/Snug/1st Faery, Lysander/Flute/Cobweb, Demetrius/Snout/Mote, Helena/Starveling/Mustardseed
- Egeus physically attacks Lysander in 'I.i'.
- Bottom's donkey head was a construction hat with fuzzy life-like ears growing out the top.
- The 2.2 Song is accompanied with a dance and faery spell.
- Puck physically captures the fairy guarding Titania's bower.
- Oberon enters Titania's bower, breaks the spell guarding her, then places the flower juice on her eyes.
- The Lovers have a very physical reaction to the flower juice's effects.
- Puck puppeteers the Lovers as "sock-puppets" in the final scene during the Worker's Play.
- Bottom is returned to lay down and sleep at the end of the play.

(The Word Players casting is open to all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages.)

 

TIME/PLACE

Set in "Shakespeareland", TIME is mixed between Shakespearean and present time; dialogue is spoken with a modern accent, but heightened naturally by the text. 

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SET

The stage at Northern Liberty Lands Park sits at the North end of the park. It is a waterproof proscenium stage with an extended upstage area. There are no walls, instead the trees around the stage form their own backdrop, which works well as an acoustic board. The designated backstage areas were visible to the audience. The entire stage (including upstage) was used for entrances through the trees and underbrush, as well as four aisles through the audience. Seating was open and audience members were encouraged to sit as close to the stage as possible. The ground before the stage rises, so the audience has a natural hill to sit on. Audience members brought blankets, lawn chairs, or sat on the grass. They watched the show as they picnicked or enjoyed a beverage (responsible drinking is legal) and were entertained in the park. 

 

 

COSTUMES

Because so many roles were doubled in this production, the costume colors served to distinguish different characters and aid the audience in their understanding of the story. The Lovers were in grey, to exemplify their mercurial state. The Workers were in bright colors (rainbow, red, yellow, green, blue, purple) to represent their buoyant and free spirits. Theseus, Hippolyta and Philostrate wore black to symbolize the rigid state of the court and mankind's inhibitions and physical ties to the earth.  Oberon, Titania, Puck, Faeries (Titania's attendants) and Furies (Oberon's attendants) wore white to symbolize the opposite character of the Court. 

Costume changes for this production were incredibly quick (due to doubling). All actors had a base outfit of shorts and a t-shirt, that was black or white. Then pieces were layered over (i.e. Hermia would begin in a dress; then lose the dress to layer on red shorts, a red vest and red cap as Snug; then lose the red and be at her base outfit for 1st Faery).  We used small costume buckets (mini laundry bins) to store outfits and keep actors prepped for their next quick change.

Costume Designer: Julia Simms

 

 

LIGHTING 

MND took place in June and July, so the weather was warm, and productions were scheduled with the heat and sunset in mind. Additionally, we intentionally waited for school to be out so more children could attend. The sun hit the stage all day and began to fade slowly at 6:30pm, so evening shows were from 6pm-8pm with Puck's final monologue occurring as the sun set.  A few matinees were included too.

Adjustments were made for working outside.  Temperatures were hot, so a water station was set up with water bottles and spray available for the cast. Three designated 'Off Stage' areas were in the shade. For matinee productions, blocking adjustments were made to accommodate for the sun and hot stage. 

Rain Dates: MND was an outdoor production, and the stage and audience were open to the elements. Alternate rain dates were scheduled for performances. The show also included stage-combat, so the stage was always tested prior to performance to ensure stable footing and safety if it had been previously raining. Precautions used were drying the stage twice with mops and towels, then placing floor mats at the stage entrances (in the event that the actor's feet were wet when entering the stage). 

 

 

BLOCKING

MND's blocking was very similar to choreography, and actors frequently moved from line to line and thought to thought. 

(example of 1st Faery and Puck moving on the lines below)

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The majority of this production was blocked prior to rehearsal, with a few scenes being discovered in rehearsals or blocked organically. Due to the bare-bones low-budget nature of the show, much of what informs the audience (as to time, place, person) has to be realized through blocking, using levels, reading directions (RTL) and creating focal points (e.g. Titania entered from a hill, being carried up high, Oberon emerged from the underbrush at one of the lowest points to the ground). The shrubbery and trees around the stage were used for a variety of entrances, one liners and pop-outs. No props were used for this show (with the exception of Starveling's dog/lantern/bush of thorns and the Lover's sock puppets). No chairs or tables were used -- instead the fairies became the furniture.

 

House Manager: Helen Cappannelli
Dance Choreography: Cassie Post

Fight Choreography and Direction: Cassie Post

MUSIC 

No instruments were used in this production and all music was created by the actors. There were three elements to the music: whistling (primarily used for the Workers), singing, and physical impact sounds (stomping, clapping, body, etc.). Music was key in the transitions for MND, setting the mood of the scene, allowing time for quick changes, and using it to direct eye-line at the top of a scene. Modern tunes were utilized to help inform the audience to plot.

Music: Cassie Post, The Word Players

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