EAT-TV: Cast, Set and Costume Needs

Cast, set and costumes
BAND | SET NOTES | COSTUME NOTES

Casting Notes

Vito LaGusto / Morty - Probably the most crucial piece of casting. Vito is the heart of the show. He must be be attractive and reasonably Italian-looking. He is warm, expansive, charismatic, and earthy. He represents a world-view that is grounded, integrated, both sensual and spiritual. Vocally he must be able to sing in both operatic (Italian tenor) and pop (mid-range pop ballad) styles. Morty is angry, troubled, edgy, capable of violence, but also wounded and vulnerable. Vocally he must be able to really pump out a screaming rock tenor. Range: sustained high A’s and low D’s.

Cookie Coutrell - Sexy, seductive and shrewd, very appealing to men and accustomed to getting by on her looks. She uses the image of the fluffy, feminine Southern belle as her primary mask. Under that is steely determination. Under that is frustration at not being taken seriously. She represents a world-view where indulgence is used as compensation. Alto range; her solo song is sultry but she rocks out in her duet with Morty.

Spirulina Jones - A comic, character actress in her 40’s with a rather severe look. She must be able to convey not only the militant-fanatic exterior but also the needing-to-be-loved interior that is revealed when the protective and fearful outer layers start peeling away. She represents a world-view which is frightened, controlled, mistrustful and fiercely self-protective. Vocally: strong mid-range mix, excellent diction for patter song, easy swing feel in duet.

Vincent Van Rhine - Comic, character actor, 40-60 years old. Fastidious, discriminating, a bit grand, with an exaggerated -- and wounded -- sense of his own dignity and status. He represents a world-view which is very controlled and seeks to eliminate anything unpleasant or frightening by placing oneself above it. He is gay but should not be played too campy, at least not until things begin to break down and he loosens up. He should also not be played as an alcoholic. Lyric baritone, good diction for solo, easy swing feel in duet (one high falsetto note).

FM - At first glance, plain and unexceptional, but with more attention, lovely, intelligent, and soulful. The actress must also be very focused and a good sport since she deals with a lot of props and set-changing. Vocally strong and clear; warm sound with little or no vibrato; strong mid-range mix for pop-ballad solo and lyric mezzo-soprano for duets.

Bradley - Could be any age but it works well if he’s about 25, the young upstart producer. He’s ambitious, pragmatic, manipulative, willing to do whatever it takes. This actor really drives the plot. Low tenor/high baritone with good rock quality and good rhythmic sense.

Band [top]

Keyboard I (Conductor) - Piano/bass splits mostly, along with these patches: accordian, harpsichord, pop organ, pno/bell/str, rhodes, EP, slap bass, harp, marimba, fanfare horns.

Keyboard II - Tremolo marimba or wooden xylophone, overdrive guitar (both lead and sustained chords), acoustic guitar, tremolo mandolin, new age pno/bell/str fantasy phase patch, vibraphone (Lionel Hampton), string pad (some of these split keyboard with bass). Optional: jazz fills on flute and muted trumpet; one wild boar sound, birdie sounds.

Percussion - Trap set including small and floor toms; timp (does not need to be tunable), mark tree, triangle, cowbell, woodblocks. Many feels: jazz brushwork, rock with a light touch, ability to read specific notation.

Set Notes [top]

The setting is a low-budget cable TV studio and can be done many different ways depending on your stage and technical resources. Our solutions were based on having a rather small stage with no wings or fly-space.

There are 5 different “shows” represented in the play and each should have a distinctive look: Mangiate!, Sweet Talk, Eat To Live, Bottoms Up and Lickety Split. There is a neutral look for the beginning of the show with an EAT-TV logo sign. With the addition of a Lickety Split sign, this becomes the set for Lickety Split. Our designer came up with a permanent counter unit CS with functional burners (hotplate) built into the center and two stylish barstools in front. Underneath the counter was a small refrigerator and storage shelving. Forming the back wall were 3 units on smart-casters that could easily be rotated and re-configured by FM, in full view of the audience, to create four distinctive TV show sets. A sign was added to each with the name of the show. These 3 units created all but the Bottoms Up set, which was a separate area SR with an upholstered chair, wine cabinet and side tables to give it a drawing room, Masterpiece Theatre look. SL was a small tech area for FM. The 3-unit back wall was framed by masking curtains through which US entrances were made.

Because it is a TV studio, lighting instruments, microphones and other techno-paraphenalia can be quite undisguised and actually add to the ambience. The camera and cameraman are imaginary.

On a larger stage you may opt to have more different areas for the various “shows” or other ways of converting from one cooking show to another. With greater technical resources you might also want to have a large TV monitor as part of the set to enable you to project close-ups of the cooking activity. Bottom line, though, is that this is a low-budget cable start-up and shouldn’t be too techno-slick.

Due mainly to space considerations we had the band on a bridge above the main set, visible to the audience.

Costume Notes [top]

At the top of the show all four chefs appear in fanciful costumes that express their specialties and also reveal character. These are high-impact costumes that are worth investing time and attention into, but they need not be wildly expensive. Imagination is the key. Other than these, all other costumes are street clothes, easily purchased or built.

At the top of Act II all four chefs wear traditional white chef coats and hats.

Vito

Classic white chef coat and hat, chef pants (we used an Italian print style); neutral-looking black boots that can double for Morty also or can be easily pulled off and on for quick-changes if you want Morty in different shoes. Underneath he wore a colored tee-shirt so he could have the chef coat unbuttoned for scenes when not on the air.
For his last scene (La Dolce Vita) he is in attractive street clothes.

Morty

A bad-boy-sexy look: tight jeans, black tee-shirt or tank, black leather motorcycle jacket, ballcap on backwards, boots.
For curtain call he wears a Hunk of Burning Love tee-shirt

Cookie

Her Sweet Talk outfit should convey both fluffy, Southern femininity and sexiness. Kind of a Stepford Wife look.
For the Act I scene with Morty the look is streetwear with a trashier, Erin-Brokovich feel.
For the Act I Finale we added a matching jacket to the above to give her a more career-girl look.
In Act II she wears a suit with an Ally-McBeal or Sex In The City feel: serious career-girl but still sexy.
For curtain call she wears a “wedding suit” with large hat and wedding bouquet: moneyed but with flash.

Spirulina

Her Eat To Live outfit should be very plain and “organic” and needs to look like it was made from hemp; Birkenstocks, no accessories. She wears this throughout the show, until curtain call.
For curtain call she wears a Hunk of Burning Love tee-shirt, chili pepper chef pants, black leather jacket (Morty’s or her own), bright lipstick, punked-out hair.

Vincent

His basic look is Noel-Cowardish, formal with a piss-elegant flair. We used a wine-colored brocade smoking jacket over rose shirt with pewter ascot and grey slacks.
For curtain call think Nathan Lane in The Birdcage.

Bradley

Dressed for success, Armani-knockoff suit and tie look.
For curtain call, a game-show host look.

Her basic outfit is very plain, very practical: a techie in casual clothes and headset.
For the last scene (La Dolce Vita) she wears a pretty dress and heels with her hair styled more carefully. [top]



Cast, set and costumes BAND \| SET NOTES \| COSTUME NOTES Casting Notes Vito LaGusto / Morty - Probably the most crucial piece of casting. Vito is the heart of the show. He must be be attractive and reasonably Italian-looking. He is warm, expansive, charismatic, and earthy. He represents a world-view that is grounded, integrated, both sensual and spiritual. Vocally he must be able to sing in both operatic (Italian tenor) and pop (mid-range pop ballad) styles. Morty is angry, troubled, edgy, capable of violence, but also wounded and vulnerable. Vocally he must be able to really pump out a screaming rock tenor. Range: sustained high A’s and low D’s. Cookie Coutrell - Sexy, seductive and shrewd, very appealing to men and accustomed to getting by on her looks. She uses the image of the fluffy, feminine Southern belle as her primary mask. Under that is steely determination. Under that is frustration at not being taken seriously. She represents a world-view where indulgence is used as compensation. Alto range; her solo song is sultry but she rocks out in her duet with Morty. Spirulina Jones - A comic, character actress in her 40’s with a rather severe look. She must be able to convey not only the militant-fanatic exterior but also the needing-to-be-loved interior that is revealed when the protective and fearful outer layers start peeling away. She represents a world-view which is frightened, controlled, mistrustful and fiercely self-protective. Vocally: strong mid-range mix, excellent diction for patter song, easy swing feel in duet. Vincent Van Rhine - Comic, character actor, 40-60 years old. Fastidious, discriminating, a bit grand, with an exaggerated -- and wounded -- sense of his own dignity and status. He represents a world-view which is very controlled and seeks to eliminate anything unpleasant or frightening by placing oneself above it. He is gay but should not be played too campy, at least not until things begin to break down and he loosens up. He should also not be played as an alcoholic. Lyric baritone, good diction for solo, easy swing feel in duet (one high falsetto note). FM - At first glance, plain and unexceptional, but with more attention, lovely, intelligent, and soulful. The actress must also be very focused and a good sport since she deals with a lot of props and set-changing. Vocally strong and clear; warm sound with little or no vibrato; strong mid-range mix for pop-ballad solo and lyric mezzo-soprano for duets. Bradley - Could be any age but it works well if he’s about 25, the young upstart producer. He’s ambitious, pragmatic, manipulative, willing to do whatever it takes. This actor really drives the plot. Low tenor/high baritone with good rock quality and good rhythmic sense. Band [top] Keyboard I (Conductor) - Piano/bass splits mostly, along with these patches: accordian, harpsichord, pop organ, pno/bell/str, rhodes, EP, slap bass, harp, marimba, fanfare horns. Keyboard II - Tremolo marimba or wooden xylophone, overdrive guitar (both lead and sustained chords), acoustic guitar, tremolo mandolin, new age pno/bell/str fantasy phase patch, vibraphone (Lionel Hampton), string pad (some of these split keyboard with bass). Optional: jazz fills on flute and muted trumpet; one wild boar sound, birdie sounds. Percussion - Trap set including small and floor toms; timp (does not need to be tunable), mark tree, triangle, cowbell, woodblocks. Many feels: jazz brushwork, rock with a light touch, ability to read specific notation. Set Notes [top] The setting is a low-budget cable TV studio and can be done many different ways depending on your stage and technical resources. Our solutions were based on having a rather small stage with no wings or fly-space. There are 5 different “shows” represented in the play and each should have a distinctive look: Mangiate!, Sweet Talk, Eat To Live, Bottoms Up and Lickety Split. There is a neutral look for the beginning of the show with an EAT-TV logo sign. With the addition of a Lickety Split sign, this becomes the set for Lickety Split. Our designer came up with a permanent counter unit CS with functional burners (hotplate) built into the center and two stylish barstools in front. Underneath the counter was a small refrigerator and storage shelving. Forming the back wall were 3 units on smart-casters that could easily be rotated and re-configured by FM, in full view of the audience, to create four distinctive TV show sets. A sign was added to each with the name of the show. These 3 units created all but the Bottoms Up set, which was a separate area SR with an upholstered chair, wine cabinet and side tables to give it a drawing room, Masterpiece Theatre look. SL was a small tech area for FM. The 3-unit back wall was framed by masking curtains through which US entrances were made. Because it is a TV studio, lighting instruments, microphones and other techno-paraphenalia can be quite undisguised and actually add to the ambience. The camera and cameraman are imaginary. On a larger stage you may opt to have more different areas for the various “shows” or other ways of converting from one cooking show to another. With greater technical resources you might also want to have a large TV monitor as part of the set to enable you to project close-ups of the cooking activity. Bottom line, though, is that this is a low-budget cable start-up and shouldn’t be too techno-slick. Due mainly to space considerations we had the band on a bridge above the main set, visible to the audience. Costume Notes [top] At the top of the show all four chefs appear in fanciful costumes that express their specialties and also reveal character. These are high-impact costumes that are worth investing time and attention into, but they need not be wildly expensive. Imagination is the key. Other than these, all other costumes are street clothes, easily purchased or built. At the top of Act II all four chefs wear traditional white chef coats and hats. Vito Classic white chef coat and hat, chef pants (we used an Italian print style); neutral-looking black boots that can double for Morty also or can be easily pulled off and on for quick-changes if you want Morty in different shoes. Underneath he wore a colored tee-shirt so he could have the chef coat unbuttoned for scenes when not on the air. For his last scene (La Dolce Vita) he is in attractive street clothes. Morty A bad-boy-sexy look: tight jeans, black tee-shirt or tank, black leather motorcycle jacket, ballcap on backwards, boots. For curtain call he wears a Hunk of Burning Love tee-shirt Cookie Her Sweet Talk outfit should convey both fluffy, Southern femininity and sexiness. Kind of a Stepford Wife look. For the Act I scene with Morty the look is streetwear with a trashier, Erin-Brokovich feel. For the Act I Finale we added a matching jacket to the above to give her a more career-girl look. In Act II she wears a suit with an Ally-McBeal or Sex In The City feel: serious career-girl but still sexy. For curtain call she wears a “wedding suit” with large hat and wedding bouquet: moneyed but with flash. Spirulina Her Eat To Live outfit should be very plain and “organic” and needs to look like it was made from hemp; Birkenstocks, no accessories. She wears this throughout the show, until curtain call. For curtain call she wears a Hunk of Burning Love tee-shirt, chili pepper chef pants, black leather jacket (Morty’s or her own), bright lipstick, punked-out hair. Vincent His basic look is Noel-Cowardish, formal with a piss-elegant flair. We used a wine-colored brocade smoking jacket over rose shirt with pewter ascot and grey slacks. For curtain call think Nathan Lane in The Birdcage. Bradley Dressed for success, Armani-knockoff suit and tie look. For curtain call, a game-show host look. FM Her basic outfit is very plain, very practical: a techie in casual clothes and headset. For the last scene (La Dolce Vita) she wears a pretty dress and heels with her hair styled more carefully. [top]
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