My biggest challenge in putting this piece together was the space.  The Sanford Meisner is a wonderful and intimate space and I have a lot of experience working on a smaller stage, but then our proscenium was reduced in size and the depth of the stage narrowed at the upstage end, creating a natural forced perspective.

            The challenge for me was moving these actors through the space, without becoming redundant in motion.  I began unconsciously moving certain groups of characters in thematic ways.  Ralph as a soldier works primarily on a width to width basis, but encounters with Josephine find him moving in circular patterns.  I also used circles with larger company moments to signify unity or joy.  Diagonal patterns were the natural line of the stage, so I tried to only emphasize the space in certain places in the story.

            I also prance around like a complete goof, and ask others to join in the silliness.  I’ve had a really positive experience with this piece, and I think it’s important when creating something people will laugh at, you laugh at yourself.