Stars, part 3
/To recap:
CONTEXT: The problem with staging the great central poem “Blake Leads a Walk on the Milky” is, obviously, that not only do we have to show the Milky Way but also the inhabitants of the Inn strolling through it. Stars have to fall; there has to be a sense of moving through the vastness of space. What to do?
Part 1: ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS — Posit Moravian stars that hang from shepherds’ crooks, able to be moved about the stage but also hung from the flies.
Part 2: GESTALT/SUCCESSIVE APPROXIMATION — Imagine that Cirque du Soleil could fund, construct, and operate computer-controlled bumblebee drones that provide the cinematic feel we’re looking for.
And now, the exciting conclusion… maybe.
One aspect of the production that I’m trying to keep in mind is that we want to engage as many organizations in town as possible, and especially groups of children. (Remember that the original impetus for this in 2003 was Ayr, Scotland’s production of The Tale o’ Tam, for which they invited kids from their sister cities to come perform — we wanted to return the favor.)
So it came to me in a flash — as these things often do — let’s have 25 or so dancers/gymnasts in black bodysuits, each with an LED gizmo in each hand, i.e., 50 little stars. That’s another group of kids involved.
(The question remains whether we can radio/computer control them with brightness, color, etc. That’s for further exploration.)
We start “Milky Way” with the dancers on the floor, palms down. As the chords of the song begin, they turn their palms up; the lights begin to glow, in waves. Then, at mm. 8–10 (0:26–0:35 in the recording), they begin to rise and burn brighter. As the arpeggios begin in the orchestra, they sweep upstage past our traveling troupe and we begin our journey through the infinite.
TURN – TURN – KICK TURN — YES, IT WILL WORK!
Maybe.
But at least it appears to be a viable — and artistically exciting — idea. More work, as always, is required.
For reference: “Blake Leads a Walk on the Milky Way” | score | two-piano score| mp3
