The American Girl

Two contrasting girls magazine covers. It looks like it could have been quite a confusing time for young girls. I can't work out whether little mary would have hated the magazine or loved it, but i do know she would have proabably despised the pamphlets below...

The Painted Woman

http://thepaintedwoman.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

Just found this website about rules of makeup and fashion, and some interesting pictures from the 30s..

Things that popped up on my research...

Brilliant Harriet - we might have to use that brilliant song!

Hair and Nail Salons of the 1930's America - seeing as so many characters spend SO much time in these!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsirSYaR3Oc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ26yStGPMU

A previous set and costume of the play in San Diego - love this picture!

All sounds brilliant accompanied by these tunes - I feel suddenly transported back to more elegant times!!!

Rudy Vallee - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYkFyl2xHk Although it is a chap singing I think what he is singing about is very apt!

and

Josephine Baker - http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=H2yRSS73JvE This Woman is just wonderful!

Real houswives of New York

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viEE_8B1868
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwUcyFHDQMI

I found a couple of clips from the reality show 'real housewives of New York', lots of gossiping/fashion/status! x

I live my life!

It's not totally apt seeing as none of the women go off to Greece, but I just love the captions on the trailer and Joan Crawford's feisty speech! It came out in 1935 so it's likely many of the women would have seen it at the cinema...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBqxpfXNzTM

(I don't actually have the film, just the trailer to offer I'm afraid.)

Bridge

I'm still getting my head around how to play (its hard trying alone) but this http://www.dummies.com/how-to/games/cards/Bridge.html helped with the jargon in the first scene.

Also this man's video channel is the least mind boggling i've looked at http://www.youtube.com/user/iBridgePlayer/videos

He has links to other sites too! 

Additional Casting

Hi all,

As I am sure you were expecting, the casting you have already received is a mere fraction of what you will be doing in the overall production. I have now completed the logistical nightmare of casting all the additional parts, so please see below. Please try and familiarise yourselves with all of your characters so you are ready to do a solid first read next week. Sarah and Dani will remain in the solo role only, since these are substantial parts. My notes in green below pertain to developments that will take place in the rehearsal room. All is subject to change and development, as per the nature of the creative process! 

See you at kick off! 

Emma x

The Women – Casting

Actor	Role/s
Steph	Jane/Olga (1.2)/ Lucy 2/2,Ensemble (2.5)
Miranda	Nancy/Miss Fordyce (1.3)/Nurse (2.1)
Ffion	Peggy/2nd Saleswoman (1.4)
Danielle	Sylvia
Rachel	Edith/1st Saleswoman (1.4)/Miss Watts (1.7)/Helene (2.3)
Sarah	Mary
Sophie	Little Mary/2nd Hairdresser (1.2)/Ensemble (2.5)
Vicky	Mrs Morehead/1st Hairdresser (1.2)/ Ensemble (2.5)
Joanne	Miriam/Tamara (1.4)/Maggie (1.6)
Jessica	Crystal/Pedicurist (1.2)
Harriet	Countess/Instructress/Miss Trimmerback (1.7)

Act 1

Scene 1:

Sylvia – Dani

Nancy – Miranda

Peggy – Ffion

Jane –  Steph

Edith – Rachel

Mary – Sarah

Scene 2:

Countess – Harriet

Mary – Sarah

Nancy – Miranda

1^st Hairdresser – Victoria

2^nd Hairdresser – Sophie

Miriam – Joanne

(Euphie ) cut this role/edit scene

Olga – Steph

Pedicurist – Jessica

Scene 3:

Jane – Steph

Mary – Sarah

Miss Fordyce – Miranda

Little Mary – Sophie

Mrs Morehead – Victoria

Scene 4:

1^st Girl (cut and merge as 1^st Saleswoman)

2^nd Girl (cut and merge as 2^nd Saleswoman)

1^st Saleswoman – Rachel

2^nd Saleswoman – Ffion

Crystal – Jess

Sylvia – Dani

Mary – Sarah

Tamara – Joanna

Models/Fitter/ – to be cast in rehearsal

Scene 5:

Instructress – Harriet

Sylvia – Dani

Peggy – Ffion

Edith – Rachel

Scene 6:

Jane – Steph

Maggie –Joanne

Scene 7:

Mrs Morehead – Victoria

Mary – Sarah

Jane – Steph

Miss Timmerback – Harriet

Miss Watts – Rachel

Little Mary – Sophie

Act 2

Scene 1:

Edith – Rachel

Nurse – Miranda

Peggy – Ffion

Scene 2:

Lucy – Steph

Peggy – Ffion

Countess – Harriet

Miriam – Joanne

Sylvia – Dani

Mary – Sarah

Scene 3:

Helene – Rachel

Crystal – Jess

Little Mary – Sophie

Sylvia - Dani

Scene 4:

Miriam – Joanne

Mary – Sarah

Nancy – Miranda

Peggy – Ffion

Jane – Steph

Edith – Rachel

Mrs Morehead – Victoria

Countess – Harriet

Little Mary – Sophie

Scene 5:

Roles in Green to be cast in rehearsal, and split between Steph, Sophie, Victoria!

1^st Girl –

2^nd Girl –

Dowager

Debutante

1^st Woman –

2^nd Woman –

Sadie –

Cigarettes –

Girl in Distress -

Countess – Harriet

Miriam – Joanne

Mary – Sarah

Nancy – Miranda

Peggy – Ffion

Edith – Rachel

Girl in Distress –

Sylvia – Dani

Crystal – Jess

Music

Popular songs of the time would include Sing sing sing by Benny Goodman from 1935, and later a war staple.

Irving Berlin's 'Cheek to Cheek' from the1935 film 'Top Hat' featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing that iconic dance

x

Nightclub of the time?

Check out the Stork Club in New York as a potential hang out for the women.

Click on 'Celebrities at the Stork Club' - beautiful pictures of famous faces and the kind of evening one was to expect in such an establishment.

x

Essential reading of the time!

The New Yorker, November 1936

Good Housekeeping, March 1930

Ladies Home Journal, 1930s

Vogue, June 1936

Harpers Bazaar, January 1936

I especially like this website, completely nutty page, but fab images of art and design used in advertising in the 1920's-30's

Fashion in 1930's America

And also a link to fashion styles and what women would be talking about and keen to get their hands on.

I particularly like this image of women window shopping outside Simpsons in Toronto, Canada. The department store has the female celebrities height and weight etc on a board in the window - close scrutiny of women in the public eye hasn't changed a bit!

American cultural history

Found a handy little page that has some insight into America during the 1930's

x

New York City in the 1930's

Some pictures of what New York was like in the 1930's.

Interesting to see how different the City surroundings were for the women during the period

Clare Boothe Luce Quotes

-Interesting quotes the author has said through her life highlighting some of her opinions on Men, Women, Life and Love.

Click HERE

Sarah xo

Accents

Hi all,

As promised, here is a link to a very useful website that gives various voice and radio clips for the 1930s. This should give you an idea.

click HERE

Best,
Emma

Hair salon video

Great video for 'establishing' the hair salon!

Click HERE.

Great article about Reno!

Read this about divorces in Reno in the 1930s. Very insightful!

Click HERE