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[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39401","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss Cast"}}]]By Krista Layfield, Lilly Theater Manager
For the past several seasons, the posters for a majority of the Lilly Theater productions have been designed and drawn by local artist, Tim Campbell. Tim also created the image for this year’s Haunted House: Creepy Carnival. Once we have decided on the next production, if there's not already a packaged image or logo for it, such as for Disney’s Mulan Jr., we create our own!
First we read the script and settle on the central idea of the story or the main design concept of the show. We ask ourselves, "What is the story really about? How can we best convey that with one basic image?"
This was the case for our current production, A Seussified Christmas Carol. The production, written by Peter Bloedel, is based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. But the set, costumes, and props are all made or produced in a Dr. Seuss visual style, similar to what you might see in his books. In this instance, the crux of the story is Ebenezer Scrooge and his journey to stop being a curmudgeon as he learns how to embrace the Christmas Spirit. However, in this version, the ghosts he meets and their journey together all take on a “Seussian” twist!
After meeting and discussing these things over with Tim, he drew a couple of images for the production team to look over. We all suggested ideas and he then would redraw those various things in the next image. For example, here are some comments from the team after seeing the drawings: “The ghosts are clever and look very Seuss-y. Can Scrooge look a bit more Seussy, too? Can the buildings be curvier? Should we add a Seuss-style Christmas tree? Are the ends of the scarf scary? They look like fingers… Can his hat and coat be darker? Can we reconfigure the text of the title so that the eye is drawn to it all at once?”
Take a look at the progression of the images below to see if you can spot a few differences!
You can see A Seussified Christmas Carol now through January 4 in Lilly Theater. Performances are at 1 and 3 p.m. on weekends and every day during the peak holiday schedule. See the full schedule at childrensmuseum.org. Timed tickets, included free with admission, are available at the Lower Level ticket booth on the day of the performance.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39402","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss1"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39403","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss2"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39404","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss3"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39405","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss4"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39406","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss5"}}]] [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"39407","attributes":{"class":"media-image","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","alt":"Seuss6"}}]]
