LKCONCEPT

“// The Philadelphia //” by David Ives is a short, straightforward play. It takes place in a simple, average diner, and the entire play is basically a conversation. Therefore, I believe the concept design should be more simple than extravagant, and metaphorically be like a basket of French fries. French fries are a standard American food, and as the play addresses the stereotypes we hold for our American cities, I believe it would embody the spirit of the play well. The color scheme of a stereotypical basket of French fries would be a golden yellow, red, and white. The red and white already suit the checkered table cloth mentioned. The golden yellow could be incorporated into the diner’s lighting, and together with the red it could evoke suggestions of condiments to the audience, further emphasizing the setting of the diner. The setting should have lots of clean lines with minimal clutter. Kitschy should be avoided; decorative mediocrity evoking an average diner should be emphasized. Basically, as the play is short and sweet, the setting does not need to be extravagant to complement the dialogue and add to the production