Dontrell - Curtain

Director NaTasha Thompson shared the importance and influence Yoruba culture has on the plot and characters. In particular we saw the abiding presence of the Orishas as embodied by various characters in the play, especially Yemaya - mother of all orishas and patron of rivers and oceans. This manifests in constant images of water throughout the play and allowed us to surround the stage in watery environments.

Scene 2 - Driving with cousin Robbie

Color choices in some scenes relate to the colors associated with an Orisha related to a specific character – i.e. Green for Orunmilla & Red for Eleggua

Cue List

Final version of Cue List. Working in a collaborative document with other designers and Stage Management allows for development and easy communication with the production team.

Scene 2

Scene 3 - The Aquarium

The various sails alternately became subsidiary cycs and projection surfaces.

Scene 4 - Today's the Day

Scene 5 - Drowning

Throughout the play, various lighting treatments are used to enhance or change the water texture painted into the set. These included: blue-green crushed dichroic glass gobos; water patterned steel gobos used statically and in rotators; variable blue & green color chases in LED instruments; and projected video media of seas, shorelines, aquariums, and underwater environments.

Scene 5 - The Pool

Scene 6 - Shea & Mom

Upstage a TV show is being acted out in counterpoint with Dad watching. Color choices in some scenes relate to the colors associated with an Orisha related to a specific character – i.e. Green for Orunmilla & Red for Eleggua

Scene 6

Scene 7- Flashlight

In an intimate upstage area a string curtain in the form of the mainsail became a sort of scrim allowing for action to be revealed or allow stylized action to play in silhouette.

Scene 8

Scene 8 - Dontrell & Mom

Scene 8 - Dontrell & Dad

In an intimate upstage area a string curtain in the form of the mainsail became a sort of scrim allowing for action to be revealed or allow stylized action to play in silhouette.

Scene 8 - Dontrell & Dad

Scene 8 - Heart Beats

Scene 9 - Going to Sea

Scene 9 - Becalmed

Scene 9 - Meeting the Ancestors

Throughout the play, various lighting treatments are used to enhance or change the water texture painted into the set. These included: blue-green crushed dichroic glass gobos; water patterned steel gobos used statically and in rotators; variable blue & green color chases in LED instruments; and projected video media of seas, shorelines, aquariums, and underwater environments.