Zoe Chromzak
21 October 2013
THTR 1009-003
The Picnic In the production of The Picnic, there are many onstage artistic choices that contribute to the plays overall theme of stereotypes in the 50’s. This idea of stereotypes is embodied within specific characteristics such as gender roles and beauty that influence the characters in this play. This production uses Realism, “the pursuit of truth,” to enhance the meaning of each character and their difficulties with stereotyping in their community. It is evident that the struggle with stereotyping in The Picnic is enhanced with Realism through the onstage artistic choices of costumes, setting design, and lighting. The first onstage artistic choice that impacted the meaning of this play was the costumes choices. Each costume design helped stereotype certain characters within this play. For example, for the most part Millie’s outfits are distressed, dull, and tomboy-like. While Marge’s outfits are bright, beautiful, and classy. Marge is tired of only being seen as beautiful and nothing else. Millie is instantly stereotyped as a wild tomboy. Mille and Marge’s personalities clash throughout the play because of their conflicting ideas of beauty and gender roles and how these characteristics have stereotyped them in their community. The difference in Mille and Marge’s costumes represents this. Another example of how costumes (or lack of) affect the onstage artistic choices of this play can be examined through Hal, a character who is shirtless for about 75 percent of the play. Hal’s lack of clothing embodies stereotyping and gender roles because just as Madge is tired of being seen only as beautiful and nothing else, Hal is defined and stereotyped through his perfect abs and rugged appearance throughout the entire play. The onstage artistic choice of costumes in The Picnic magnifies each character’s specific stereotypes. The second onstage artistic choice I observed was the set design. The set consisted of two simple backyard porches with porch swings, flowers, and a white picket fence that combined gave off a small town feel. Throughout the play the setting never changes so we can focus more in depth on the realness of the characters and less on what is surrounding them. This onstage artistic choice can be examined further through Realism. The set was created to keep in mind the true lives of these characters and their entrapment with stereotyping especially with gender roles. This practical set design captured the idea of these struggles with a realistic approach. The final onstage artistic choice I observed was the lighting. Just as the set design established Realism so did the lighting. The play followed the transition from day to night seamlessly with the changing of the plays events. It did this through the rising and warming of the lights in the morning to the falling and cooling of the lights at dusk. The realistic lighting enhanced the passing of time from day to night and through this Realism was exemplified. Collectively, the onstage artistic choices used in the production of The Picnic created a vivid picture of the lives of people in the 50’s through costumes, set design, and lighting. The struggles such as stereotyping and gender roles were enhanced through the plays abundant use of Realism. The use of Realism in this production gives us a natural perspective of these character’s struggles.