BWDesign

The performers do not interact with the audience. This play is mostly representational in that the actors do not talk to the audience or acknowledge the fact that they are there. The audience is merely there to watch and enjoy the play. Yes, the audience and performers will be in the same room. However, the performers will be separated by being purely onstage. They will not integrate with the audience, and no audience members will be onstage. The dramatic action takes place during the modern time period. It spans the entire length of the play, beginning when Mark enters the diner and begins talking to Al, and ending only with Al’s exit because of his frustration that he has been brought into a Philadelphia. The period of the dramatic action won’t affect movement very much because the majority of the play shows the two main actors, Al and Mark, as sitting at a table. The waitress moves around a bit, entering and exiting fairly often, but most of the action is sitting still. The play takes place in New York City, in a small restaurant or diner. The play takes place at dinnertime, early evening. We know this because Mark complains about his entire day, including the disaster of trying to order lunch, riding in a cab, buying medicine, and purchasing a magazine. We know it is dinnertime and not afterwards because both Mark and Al are ordering food, meaning that it is time to eat. The personalities of the characters are shown in their costumes, which are described at the very beginning of the script. Al is described as “California Cool,” meaning that his outfit is very relaxed, nonchalant, and well put-together. Mark is frazzled, meaning that his clothes should be in disarray, hair messed up, and he should be stressed out and anxious. The waitress is described as being weary, so I imagine her outfit to be a typical waitressing uniform, perhaps with a dirty and wrinkled apron. Her demeanor should reflex her weariness by having her actions be slow, and her voice quite monotone and bored. The waitresses’ personality could also be reflected in the set by having the restaurant look older and possibly worn down. There should be few other people in the restaurant, and it should not be a very nice-looking restaurant. The lights will stay the same throughout the play since it is only one scene. They should show that it is night outside and that the restaurant is more lit than the outside. There is no music to this play, but if there were, each of the characters could have a little tune to describe their personalities. Al’s tune would be happy, relaxed, maybe some light jazz or Beach Boys type music. Mark’s music would be fast-paced and frenzied, something similar to “Flight of the Bumblebee.” The waitress’s’ song would be more morose, perhaps some blues music. There is little indication of the weather in the script, but I imagine it to be mild weather, perhaps in the spring or fall. None of the characters remove any coats or act as if they are overly warm, meaning that they are comfortable in regular clothing. Since the play is set in early evening, the light shouldn’t be too bright. Perhaps the set can show a window in which the sun is setting or it is early evening, showing that it is later in the day. I imagine the characters are middle class or upper-middle class. Neither complains about not making enough money, and both Al and Mark obviously make enough to eat out at a restaurant. I don’t imagine that they are very wealthy though because the restaurant isn’t a super fancy restaurant. The waitress, on the other hand, is probably lower-middle class, barely making enough at the restaurant to scrape by. The waitress’s occupation is obvious: she serves food to the customers of the restaurant. Al has just lost his job in the garment business, meaning that he perhaps sold or designed clothes or managed a clothing store. Mark’s job isn’t clear, but I am guessing that he is a businessman of some sort, since he talks about wanting to by the news and going out to lunch. The characters are all middle-aged, well-established in their lives and careers. The waitress’s age is debatable; her costume could be changed to make her practically any age. I imagine her to be middle-aged as well, perhaps a little younger, since Al tries to flirt with her at the end of the play. Al and Mark seem to be good friends who are very involved in each other’s lives. The waitress has no relationship with either of them except that she serves their food. She does get to know Al a little more at the end of the play because she sits down with him and eats with him. Mark and Al are the main characters and should be emphasized. They have the most lines, and the dramatic action revolves around them and their problems. The waitress should be subordinated since she has only a few lines, and she does not contribute very much to the dramatic action. Al and the waitress begin the play onstage. Mark enters not long after the play’s beginning, right as the waitress exits. Mark and Al stay on the stage talking about being in a Philadelphia until the waitress enters again to tell Al that he has been fired. She exits right after telling Al that news, and does not enter again until Mark tries to call her to ask for a beer. She then stays on stage to take his order, then leaves again. Mark and Al are onstage together until the waitress enters again and gives Mark his beer and Al a cheese steak. Then Al realizes he has been brought into the Philadelphia, and he exits right before the ending of the play in frustration. Mark and the waitress end the play onstage. The set of the play is simple, with only a table covered with a red-checkered cloth, two chairs, and a specials board on the stage. The waitress also has with her a pad of paper and a pencil, and she brings in a glass of beer and a plate with a cheese steak on it. The table and chairs can reflect the characters of Mark and Al by changing how these characters are sitting. Al, since he is relaxed, can be lazing back in the chair and looking very peaceful. Mark, on the other hand, can be sitting up straight, fidgeting around, and be constantly on edge. The waitress uses the pad and pencil to take down Al and Mark’s orders, and she brings in the beer and cheese steak towards the end of the play. The cheese steak signifies to Al that he is now in a Philadelphia, which prompts him
 * __Design Questions about "The Philadelphia"__**
 * 1. What is meant to be the relationship of the performers to the audience?**
 * 2. Are the performers and audience meant to occupy the same room?**
 * 3. What is the period of the dramatic action? How does that affect movement?**
 * 4. What is the geographical location of the action?**
 * 5. What time of day is it?**
 * 6. How are the personalities of the characters reflected in the set, lights, costumes, and music?**
 * 7. What is the weather? Is it hot or cold? Is it bright or dull?**
 * 8. What is the socioeconomic status of the characters?**
 * 9. What are the occupations of the characters?**
 * 10. How old are the characters?**
 * 11. What is the relationship of the characters to each other?**
 * 12. Which characters are to be emphasized? Which are to be subordinated?**
 * 13. Where are the entrances and exits?**
 * 14. What are the furniture and property needs of the play and how do they reflect the characters and their actions?**