The Tate family is imprisoned in their own home. Unable to earn legally reduced sentences by selling the house, Weston and Emma break out and take off on the lam, the daughter jumping into a life of crime while her father attempts to escape it. From the first scene, the relationship of the household with the law has been a constant topic of conversation. Sketchy business deals, the recurring topic of running away to Mexico, and the melancholy future Ella and Wesley face in the rundown house all contribute to the impression that the family, or what’s left of it, is trapped. Creating the atmosphere of a jail cell would further this idea, emphasizing the piece’s themes of legality and an inevitable repetitive life.
Lighting Design
My aim my lighting design is to establish the cycle the Tate family lives in. The characters wish for certain things, see ways of reaching their goals, but then are set back and must begin the process again. I accomplish this by using cool lights for “dream” scenes and warm for those that further entrench the family and bring the realize the reality of their place. Extending the prison theme of the set design, the cold lights resemble blue light entering from a window or exit to the outside. In contrast, reds and oranges appear as more artificial lights from indoors. I have also created a medium flood par downlight wash to coat the set in blue for monologues where characters imagine their lives outside of the home. Additionally, my lighting design uses the deconstructed jail bar wall (and the barred windows) in place of a gobo, casting shadows either on the small part of the house that acts as the lamb pen or on the larger kitchen and dining area. Backlight is used to isolate the actors and separate them from the set, showing that they are not comfortable or content with their environment.