It’s a song and it will be a programming theme.
There are many ways to program a season in the theatre.
1. We don’t do anything and we take what’s left…
2. We program “just like that”, and we’ll see afterwards if there are common themes in the shows: that’s the usual way to proceed.
3. We program with three or four themes, which will give shows spread throughout the season.
This has several enormous advantages from a business perspective:
First of all, you can plan subscriptions based on the theme:
* spectators can buy only the theme shows : the complete “Blue Prince”, or “De Rerum Natura“ or whatever comes to my mind, depending on the season :
* we can plan off-show activities related to this theme
* we can anticipate links with other “big houses”: universities, museums, cinemas, etc. And of course, it’s much easier to anticipate links with Video Game Companies that will be able to pick the themes they like more easily.
What can I do when I feel like the Blue Prince theme?
I start at the beginning, which made me want the theme.
Here, it’s absolutely this video. Not just the music or the song, but the short film created.
the “awful wonder” part is sung in English.
If you watch it, you’ll see obvious links with Tim Burton’s universe – (his famous “Corpse Bride”).
It’s a poetic and fantastic universe about love and where monsters are also kind: you seriously imagine being able to fall madly in love with a “diamond spider”? or a dead -lovely- lady with an earthworm hidden under her eye ?
When I was a little girl and the stories told me that I could fall in love with a toad, I thought it was disgusting and completely stupid. So a spider – first I crush it and then I cry a thousand years over my lost love.
Nevertheless, an extraordinary number of artistic creations have been nurtured at this source. Then, we’ll go looking for that treasure.
Serioulsy, programming a Blue Prince means planning a whole series of shows on the theme of Strange Loves – shows for all ages and in all genres.
There will of course be a “Beauty and the Beast“. Obviously a play by Shakespeare. All his pieces are made of monsters. And still Macbeth managed to love lady Macbeth – when I was afraid of a poor little spider. Of course Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann. Swan Lake, etc – and thanks to all these great names, we will be able to program creations: the spectators will be able to easily identify them thanks to the theme. This year I have seen more than 5 fabulous shows on this theme, created by very young and completely unknown companies. There wasn’t much of an audience, because people didn’t know what they were going to see.
There will be too- because it’s a little obsession that I don’t want to forget – performances of Poems.
Obviously, in the “Extra” activities, there will be a series on the films
There will be scenography workshops: set and light – These workshops are just a huge success, I’m gonna make the most of it.
There will be writing workshops, etc.
In a word: everything that can be found to link to the theme, to enrich it and share it will be in the programming. (in a whole bunch of words, okay okay).
And this way, I guide my audience, I advise them in an indirect way and I can program creations without telling myself that I’m losing a lot of money.
That was the captain of the Phantom Ship Altair on the keyboard.
A little more, and I’ll turn into the Flying Dutchman. I already have the hair, the dark circles, the scars. I just miss navigating virtual Bermuda for a little while longer.
Featured Image : The Blue Prince of Arthelius – By Majandra Delfino & RoBert – 2004
ALTAIR - Concepts 