Giulio, Aaron, Ramiro, and Ellen as Boy 1, Boy 2, Boy 3 and Girl AKA “Simple Jack”, “Chad Hogan”, “Ricky Bobby,” and “Mary Hinge”

 I chose to cast Giulio, Ramiro, and Ellen after the IP Auditions as I knew they would both contribute their talents and work ethics to the project, as well as synergize the central cast as interpersonally connected individuals. Aaron was an addendum after Amelia pleaded with me to relinquish Laughlin from my cast (a trade I’m glad I made, both because Aaron made an extremely valuable addition to the cast, but also because Laughlin saved Amelia’s IP). Not originally auditioned, Aaron agreed to participate after reading the cast list and the script, and I knew that this dynamic group of four with bolster the entire production as students, “Others”, and “Dogs”.

At the first rehearsal, I had each name their “student” persona. I guessed that they would either go into painstaking detail, or choose pop-cultural names of little import and jocular significance. The latter being the case, I knew immediately that the tone to be set with the group would be a lighthearted one until rehearsals of the final scene began much further down the line. Those would be in sharp contrast with those featuring their performances as students and “Others”. In those, I encouraged them to be hyperbolic American high school students, a task which they all enjoyed. However, as Samantha’s character was focused more with each rehearsal and into the final performance, much of the students’ responses to her behavior were natural, I think. As Others, I made them wear their costumes at every rehearsal, and borrowed much tinfoil and sugar from the caf, as they all greatly enjoyed burning dried sugar.

In the beginning, I think these four were skeptical by their meager servings of lines… however, it was not long into the rehearsal process that I helped them realize just was a crucial role they played. They performed in arguably all of the most “fun” scenes, they had the most costumes, and they were in the most scenes in general. They were truly just as integral as other characters with a great deal of lines.

Directing the final scene as The Dogs required different tone-setting techniques, and I fostered a more mob-like mentality. Most of these rehearsals were carried out with minimal and cool stage lighting. We rehearsed the rhythm of the gasoline buckets for hours, and by the end of that remarkable rehearsal when everything came together emotionally, each of “The Dogs” was hoarse and spent. But, to great effect. They infused so much zeal into that scene that I think each was utterly transformed from the characters as whom they’d initially inhabited the stage.