CT stageplay.

[IAmSerge]

Teaflower and I had a wonderful idea to make a CT stageplay based upon the storyline and events in CT.

however based upon real-life limitations and stage limitations, many things would have to change, in my opinion.

Basically, this is going to be a non-canonical retelling of CT.

Things that would be problematic:
1: Magic.   Possible solution would be the use of light and sound effects, but would still be hard to convey.
2: The whole 3 character party.  Personally, the 3 character party would seem quite annoying on stage, especially when changing characters.
Possible solution would be to have the whole party be doing something, but not always at the same place or time.
3: Lavos.  How would he be portrayed during the entire story?  Would he be a giant backdrop object, or some ubered-up prop? RIght now I have no possible solutions for this.
4: The final battles would be problematic... just seeing one fight after another doesnt really do much for a crowd.  Personally, I think that the play would cut off right before the final battle with lavos... and have the ending possibly narrarated, or have it cut to the moonlight parade or something, you know, the ending ending.
5: the epoch.  how woudl it be portrayed?
6: TIme travel in general, in what way could it be done using onstage methods?   

Also, I want to hear story/script ideas from you guys which would not technically be canon but nor would it be breaking the storyline...
I cant give an example because I must leave, and because I dont have time to think of one, but im really interested in hearing your ideas.

-Serge

[mav]

I have no ideas story-wise, but take the concept of the "willingness to suspend disbelief"--people watching plays understand the structural, financial, and fantastic impossibilities that occur on stage. They're willing to suspend their disbelief so that you, as a playwright, director, actor, etc, can put this play up. And all you gotta do is be creative, right? If that means that the Epoch is portrayed as a car or that Lavos is just an inanimate backdrop, so be it.

Magic can just be a combination of sound and light and could only be used when integral (i.e. not in every single fight, but only when it furthers the plot). The three character problem can be solved exactly how you said: split the team up. Set up the fights in a way where it only furthers the plot (maybe you should look at how they're doing it the Chrono Trigger Novel Project). While time travel may be challenging to portray (unless you use light and sound, akin to how you'd show magic) then all you have to display the time periods is show the different scenery in different lights or something.

Anyhow, I'm not too into stage plays, but I've seen enough to know that an audience is a lot more forgiving than one expects.

[IAmSerge]

exactly.  thats what I was saying and you are 100% correct as well.

Theres a CT novel project?

that would the perfect thing to steal a script from... or atleast, some of it.
Of coarse, we would give em credit.

[mav]

Yeah, this is the main page for the CT Novel Project, it's been around for a while. But I believe they too had to discuss the idea of how to deal with so many battles. I recall that a couple years back they also had to debate how they'd do the 100 enemies (or whatever) in Magus's castle.

Anyway, good luck with this project.

[teaflower]

Stage productions are always difficult to do, but with the right amount of effects, we could potentially do it.

There are two ways I can see us doing the story.

Comedic in which it's very silly. Maybe the magic is this giant cardboard thing that says ICE on it that Marle throws. And Lavos is this stuffed animal. Then, there's Realistic, which would be light and sound and such as opposed to the giant cardboard thing.

Personally, though, I could see CC as more of a stage production than CT. Though there would definitely be character cuts...

[IAmSerge]

hahaha... i would 100% have to be Serge in that... mebe...

[mav]

Well, with a username like IAmSerge, you don't have much choice, do ya?

Anyhow, I don't know if realistic is the right term, I would say dramatic, but that's not necessarily correct either. Ideally it would be a crossbreed, right?

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

You would have to condense a lot of storyline... And find a way to make a lot of scenes.

[teaflower]

Yeah, obviously it would be abridged... and how we would do it with an appropriate cast... that would be difficult. I mean, theoretically we could gather up Compendium people, but... that would be painful. My area isn't into this, and even then I'm not very well respected in my acting group. I'm the quiet weird one who isn't too good but loves it anyway.

Though right now, we should worry about the script and such, not how we'd do it. That can come another day. And given that directors can tweak and add stuff to fit their visions... yeah... We need to work on the script first, then worry about the technicalities first.

[IAmSerge]

I wasnt saying to actually stage a play, just to write the script.  But I would enjoy it like none other to be in it.

especially a CC one.  I can see that one much more condensed and easier to do.. somewhat.

[mav]

Really? I found CC too convoluted to translate well into stage: many "notable" (well playable, but whatever) characters, demi-humans left and right, less humor, same characters from different dimensions, etc. But, this ain't my project, so whatever.

CT would be quite neat as a play, depending on how you set it up or develop it.

[IAmSerge]

Really? I found CC too convoluted to translate well into stage: many "notable" (well playable, but whatever) characters, demi-humans left and right, less humor, same characters from different dimensions, etc. But, this ain't my project, so whatever.

CT would be quite neat as a play, depending on how you set it up or develop it.

Improvements:
A: Would cut a number of characters from the party.  Like norris for one.. both norris's would exist but in their own worlds.
B: Demi-humans would be played by humans with make up NOT to make them look demi-human but to show that they are demi human... like:

If you wanted a butterfly, you would get a colorful costume and give it wings. you wouldnt actually turn the person into a "human sized" butterfly... ya know?  If you wanted Lynx, you would put whiskers on his face and make him look catlike in the face.

C: Humor doesn't make a show, story does.  most of the shows ive been in had almost 0, if not 0, humor.

Setbacks:

A: Scenes are often short in many places, and will have to be changed around somewhat to have A: more dialogue, and B: Less action/movement/changing areas.

B: magic can be portrayed but it will be hard to.

C: the complexity of many places in the CC world will be hard to portray to the audience....

[Shee]

"Sounds like a good balance."

/Cleveland Brown* voice

This is a trip that I...um....won't be making.  But when y'all decide on scenes or whatnot make it known.  I'd like to take a crack at writing something.


*Family Guy

[mav]

Improvements:
A: Would cut a number of characters from the party.  Like norris for one.. both norris's would exist but in their own worlds.
B: Demi-humans would be played by humans with make up NOT to make them look demi-human but to show that they are demi human... like:

If you wanted a butterfly, you would get a colorful costume and give it wings. you wouldnt actually turn the person into a "human sized" butterfly... ya know?  If you wanted Lynx, you would put whiskers on his face and make him look catlike in the face.

Right, of course characters would be cut. But at times some characters from the same world need to interact, non? And I have no problems with what you mentioned, regarding demi-humans, it's just the sheer number of demi-humans and the cost of making 'em look catlike could add up.

C: Humor doesn't make a show, story does.  most of the shows ive been in had almost 0, if not 0, humor.

The successful plays I've seen incorporate humor even into serious stories. Take any successful drama, and see how much humor they use, even if it's just characters or small situations; they need it to relieve the audience. And you can have story and humor.

A: Scenes are often short in many places, and will have to be changed around somewhat to have A: more dialogue, and B: Less action/movement/changing areas.

B: magic can be portrayed but it will be hard to.

C: the complexity of many places in the CC world will be hard to portray to the audience....

Disregard magic, for the time being, and figure out how you'd write the story in order to better meet A and C. Some of the lower budget plays I've seen weren't even able to create different sets, they had to use different parts of the stage, different props, and different entrances to convey that they weren't always in the same place.

[Mr Bekkler]

You'd have to keep in mind that going from one medium (video game) to another (stage) would require a huge adaptation. Any book to movie translation takes a lot of liberties with details, especially the look of the whole thing. This would work similarly.

With that in mind, stop thinking that you're going to make Chrono Trigger(or Cross) the game into Chrono Trigger(or Cross) the play.

You're making the play. The video game can be tossed aside for the most part, except the story, which is the most important part. Write an outline of the story you want to convey, with all the important parts and none of the little details, beginning to end. That will help you feel less overwhelmed.

And don't worry about practical things like costumes, props, and effects. Those are for the director to figure out. Get it written first.

If you're really stuck for ideas, make the battles sparse and the revealing parts more revealing so you can cut out unnecessary stuff. Magic should be considered "special" no matter which game you do, as no normal person can use it. When the main characters finally get to use it, it should reflect how much of a big deal it's supposed to be.

Personally, I wouldn't attempt a whole CT or CC adaptation, but maybe a select few intertwined characters who have a strong enough story to drive a play by themselves. But the whole thing could work. They did make Lion King, right?