BUS STOP: A 50’S LOVE STORY

BY: WILLIAM INGELIGHTING DESIGN BY ALEX LOCKET

GROUP 92 MEMBERS: ERIC FLORES-VERDAD

ALEXANDER LOCKETT

NGHIA NGUYEN

STEPHANIE RODRIGU

BACKGROUND The play is set in the 1950’s in a diner located small town in Kansas, just thirty minutes from Kansas City. The roads are filled with snow due to the blizzard, shut down for any further travels along the concrete trails from 1 to 5 a.m. After the announcement has been made to the two waitresses, the people come into the diner and the play begins to uplift fully.

DINERThe diner is ideally to be similar to an older Denny’s (first opening). It is not like a city filled, urban diner where it is next to buildings, clean cut, or extremely metallic or modern.

STAGE USED: PROSCENIUMBus Stop is set on a proscenium stage because the play is NOT interactive towards the audience, no solemn or isolated speeches are used because each character’s actions are based on each other. A thrust might have been used but the performers most likely need places to hide or change clothes (possibly character if only a few actors/actresses were used for “Bus Stop”. Based on the diagram shown, the audience can look solely on the stage and the actors are easily able to project their voices without strain.

LIGHTING DESIGN TERMINOLOGY AND FUNCTIONS

Selective Visibility: The ability to see what is going on during the play.

Revelation of form: Different viewings of an object on the stage. Such as seeing an object seemingly in 3D when it really is 2D based on the lighting.

Focus: Lighting a single particular object or actor of the play. An example is Richard III speaking to the audience variously throughout the play.

Mood: Setting the tone of a scene.

Projection/stage elements: Lighting may be used to project scenery or to act as scenery onstage.

Plot (script): A lighting event may trigger or advance the action onstage.

Composition: Lighting may be used to show only the areas of the stage which the designer wants the audience to see, and to "paint a picture"

Color: Different colors can change the mood of a scene from anger and violent to a happy and upbeat tempo.

Intensity: The amount of light plays a role in any scene. No light can signal an intermission or ending of the play while plentiful amount of light can justify the beginning or possibly an intense climax.

For other lighting terms more indepth: http://alss1.wordpress.com/theatrical-lighting-glossary/

ACT 1 LIGHTING• lighting is set with bright flood light inside the diner

• outside scenery is low illumination illustrating night time.

• As each outside character enters, a single beam of light from the upper bulb cues only each character arrive inside while the rest of the stage is pitch black; giving the audience attention to each person’s characteristics (physically) how he/she dresses and leisure on.

• When Bo walks into the building, a quick 15 seconds of lighting shines only on him and Cherie (as he looks infatuated towards her) with a violet hue; slowly fading into the two characters and instantly flashing out of it.

• As the play begins with all the individuals, the flood lights burn bright and remain constant throughout the Act; pitch black in the audience but plentiful brightness on stage.

ACT 2• When the Philosophy teacher begins to flirt with the high school student, the remains constant to where it stands until Dr. Lyman speaks about love,

changing the illumination to be soft and giving off a soft pink coloring throughout the stage to set the false mood;

• When Dr. Lyman and others begin to reenact “Romeo and Juliet”, the lights dim somewhat help redeem the William Shakespeare clarification pastel light

• During the singing by Cherie as Virgil plays the guitar (as shown in the picture) the lighting is pitch black on the outside, with a blue hue around the stage while the light mainly shines on Cherie, Virgil, and Bo.

• When Bo tries to demonstrate his tenderness to Cherie, the lights are briefly set on the two before Cherie rejects Bo.

• While Will fights Bo, a red coloring surrounds the stage.

ACT 3• After the characters awake, the light gives off a Daylight showcasing as the sun rises around 5 a.m.; orange, yellow, and some red come

up as others awake.

• While the Dr. speaks to Ellsie, only 2 lights are shown at the two.

• The light returns to its regular and equal lighting throughout the stage and ongoing until the end of the play.

• As everyone leaves, Virgil is standing outside the diner staring at it, Grace speaks to him saying “I'm sorry, Mister, but you're just left out in the cold.“ The lights are lowered to paint a picture of the play almost ending and the diner closing, also the resolution of everyone’s interactions. Virgil replies with, “Well... that's what happens to some people.“ Virgil walks off.

• Grace goes upstairs gets in her bed, and entire area goes pitch black as she flicks each switch off and finally the last switch; the play has ended.

LIGHTS USED• Flood light

• Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlight (ERS)

• Rosco X-Effects Projector

• Elation Design Spot 1200 Compact

REFERENCES

"Bus Stop" - A Comedy by William Inge http://plays.about.com/od/reviews/fr/busstop.htm

ALSS – Advanced Lighting & Sound Solutions

Bus Stop Study Guide by Elisabeth Heard http://www.loopplayers.com/pdfs/BusStop-Spr2010.pdf