This musical is inspired by the idea that Charity is a gem stone, cast away, fallen from a once revered piece of jewelry and into the gutter. Not a pure gem but a rhinestone.
Sweet Charity
music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon.
Directed by David Lowenstein
Scenic & Projection Design - Scott Holdredge
Dowd Main stage Spring 2024
One of the more exciting design ideas came from the Costume Designer , Mark Reynolds. He said “what if we travel through a history of modern art as we move through Charity’s life?”
Charity moves from one bad situation to the next in search of love and belonging in the wild 1960’s New York City
Opening Number- Charity is revealed behind the gemstone panels which open up and transform the space.
Opening title sequence- projections show the fragmented jewels as metaphor for her life.
Rhinestone inspiration
Photography of the 1960's related to the feminist movement, showing the many facets of what it is to be a woman, echoing a gem stone
Photography of the 1960's related to the feminist movement, showing the many facets of what it is to be a woman, echoing a gem stone
Photography of the 1960's related to the feminist movement, showing the many facets of what it is to be a woman, echoing a gem stone
Concept Rendering - showing how the space can transform through sliding projection panels
Concept Rendering - showing how the space can transform through sliding projection panels
1960's Artwork inspiring moments in the show
The park-streetlamp inspired by research
Concept Rendering - Inspired by Mondrian
Research- early Mondrian
The Pompeii club, inspired by Frank Stella's artwork, in which the choreography utilizes the famous "aloof" dance
The Pompeii club, inspired by Frank Stella's artwork, in which the choreography utilizes the famous "heavyweight" dance
Frank Stella painting - inspired the monochromatic go-go platform designs
Pop Art Photography & Fashion of the 1960's
Pompeii dance club- utilizing the work of Frank Stella
Concept Rendering - Pompeii dance club
Central Park- using Early Jackson Pollock
early Jackson Pollock
Fandango club- Charity's reality and day job
Fandango club- Charity's reality and day job
Vittorio's apartment
Closet design- a major moment in the show has Charity hiding in the closet trying to not be discovered by Vittorio's girlfriend
Closet designed for Charity hide inside- using pop art as design inspiration Photo by Carlita Withers
Pop Art Photography & Fashion of the 1960's
Concept Rendering - Vittorio's apartment
Coney Island- using Roy Lichtenstein to add some fun and "pop" to the comic moment Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator.
Coney Island- using Roy Lichtenstein to add some fun and "pop" to the comic moment Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator.
Roy Lichtenstein
Coney Island- using Roy Lichtenstein to add some fun and "pop" to the comic moment Charity finds herself stuck in an elevator.
Roy Lichtenstein
Concept Rendering- Coney Island
The Art Garage of Andy Warhol and the hippy movement
The Art Garage of Andy Warhol and the hippy movement
Art Garage- inspiration
ANDY WARHOL - projection imagery
ANDY WARHOL - projection imagery
Graphic Art inspiration
For the Charity poster I used the image of the main actor, Tatiana Padro and the help of a graphic design student to create a Twiggy inspired poster