Unrealized Design: Ripcord
Concept Statement
Ripcord, by David Lindsay-Abaire, is a production about embracing the differences in others and being open to change when it randomly appears in life. Sound's role in this show to bring the intensity of each location in the show, provide elements of the world into the space, and expand on the complexity of traits that are attributed to the two main characters, Abby and Marilyn.
Sound Cue List
For this unrealized sound design, I created a sound cue sheet that consisted of 40 executable sound cues, but had an actual grand total of 102 cues. Sound for this show had the task of providing familiar soundscapes and sound cues to the audience to help the various different settings be comprehended. The different soundscapes that were necessary for this show were things like haunted houses, skydiving out of an airplane, and the ambience of a outdoor park. Other sound cues that helped build the show consisted of sounds like a door knock, the non-layered components of the haunted house and the airplane skydive, and more. Lastly, music had a unique role as it served not only as transiton msuic or music to establish the time period and setting but also to establish the very vast differences between Abby and Marilyn as characters. The plot of the show is all about how different these two characters are with Abby being a closed off loner and Abby being a bubbly social butterfly. Music of the show not only support these clashing kinds of personality traits but it also helps hint at moments in the show where one or both of the characters are changing as people as a result of their growing friendship with one another.
This layered cue is for the top of the haunted house scene. This cue is composed of 4 different sounds, eerie music, a slow creaking door, and two versions of screams. This cue not only helps transition into the next scene but also serves as underscoring as Abby and Marilyn navigate the haunted house in their retirement home.
This cue is needed around the end of Act 1 when Marilyn decides to surprise Abby with skydiving. This cue is composed of 5 different sounds, two different roaring airplane engines, rushing winds, a ripcord being pulled, and a parachute being flown. While these cues would normally be separate to allow for actor dialogue, I combined the 4 of them for the complete soundscape.
This layered cue is for the top of the park scene in Act 2. This cue is composed of 3 different sounds, birds chirping, wind blowing, and kids playing in the background. This serves as both a transition but also an ambience of the park for the rest of the scene.