They cut the ghosts!

Several previews into the show, my boss came in with three Styrofoam heads adorned with several hours of my work. The three ghosts haunting one of the characters had found their final resting spot....on a shelf in the craft room.

Such an occurrence is fairly common. Particularly on a brand new script. And instead of wallowing in self pity of the hours of work put in to never see the light of stage, I relish the joy I had creating this three ashen, stricken terrors.Like most Greek tragedy, the portion of the tale they inhabited was most likely best left to the imaginations of the audience. In seeing the show and knowing what the staging had originally been I suspect only a third of the audience would have seen them grasping and crawling from beneath the cellar doors. And in the grand scheme of things...the ghosts really did play only a small role.

So now the three slack jawed, wire haired specters look down upon my table, hoping to potentially startle a passing tour.

The play itself was incredibly moving. I almost felt it was a mistake to read the source novel prior to seeing the stage adaption. Though armed with the more detailed prose I had a far greater appreciation for the subtle character choices. And a great awe and respect for the playwright who distilled the sweeping episodic and character speckled novel into a mere two hours and forty minutes. Many little treasures were gone. Many relationships were just hinted upon to be left by the wayside. Several character were completely cut. And a major plot revelation at the end swerved drastically from its source material...leaving me a little stymied.

But theatrically, the new revelation fit the mood and theme of the play, while offering a much more dramatic telling. And by no means sacrificing the heart of the original novel.

I loved our staging's sparse use of set and props. The use of narrative pushed most to the plot forward in way that was literally and beautifully pure storytelling. I've heard mumblings that this approach was tedious and undramatic for some. A touch over used perhaps. But the characters told the tales with such conviction and passion that I was completely sucked into the moment. Many a time I was brought to tears...the narrative device allowing the audience in a way to become a diary...pouring those thoughts, terrors and joys into us in a way their external persona would never allow them to communicate.

It is a beautiful work. I certainly hope it finds legs when it leaves our stage.