LBConcept

Concept for //Sure Thing//

David Ives' short play //Sure Thing// centers on a chance meeting of two characters, Bill and Betty. There conversation is continually reset by the ring of a bell, which has the two start over whenever one of them has a negative response to the other. This continues until their initial differences in opinion reverse to match up perfectly, and Bill and Betty fall in love and decide to cherish each other forever.

This play is all about second chances, as the characters constantly restart until they get it right. "Sure Thing" is not just the title of the play, but the goal of Bill and Betty, who want to be sure that they are compatible with each other. Thus, I think the design of the play should deal with time and precision. For time, which restarts and repeats itself throughout the play, the stage should evoke the idea of a clock. The set pieces should all be round in shape, lighting should follow a circular pattern, and there should even be a round analog clock hanging on a wall. All of this should reflect the cyclical nature of time and the attitude of repetition in the play. At the same time, design should be very precise. Everything onstage should serve a specific purpose; there should be no ambiguity in any of the set pieces, circular though they may be, and they should all accurately portray a little cafe. Costumes should be clean and practical, endowing the characters with a sense of purpose: to become right for each other.