Icarus Plays

Director’s Notes

“Bang Bang You’re Dead” Director’s Notes

by Michael Fisher, director of the premiere production Theatre Director, Thurston High School

Updated: June, 2005

I don’t usually like director’s notes much because they’re mostly about a production that I can’t relate to because I wasn’t there. Also, they tend to be a bit restrictive and prescribe a way rather than helping me find my own way. Hopefully, I can help out rather than get in your way because, ultimately, as long as you are true to the intentions of this play, it’s not so important how you do this play, but that you do it.

After the shooting at our school in May, 1998, we wanted desperately to “do something” – to do something that would make it better. And not just for us, but so no one else would have to go through the agony of a school shooting. We wanted to do something that would inspire dialogue before others ended up the way we were. We got involved with this production because of our firm belief that this show does just that. It speaks to kids – especially kids who might have violent tendencies and seeks to put them on the other side of violence. The side that’s after the retribution, after the self-indulgence, after the spontaneous combustion and leaves them in the aftermath of regret, pain, and loss. Now, doesn’t this just sound like a “fun” play!? Actually, it should be because teenagers are fun people – they make us laugh and that’s what makes the loss so hard to bear. If you follow that thinking, I think the play works even as a staged reading. When we did the play, we dressed it up with light changes, an underscore, wireless mics, and a lot of externals that merely enhance the point, but I don’t believe are necessary to make it. The script does much of the work for you, what the director and the actors need to do is to give it a sincere voice, pay attention to the rhythms, and not get so caught up in it that it becomes mawkish. Here are some suggestions that might be helpful:

• Lighting: We staged the show both in 3/4 and procenium to take advantage of two separate performance halls. It’s handy to have two or three different lighting areas and a deep blue wash that covers the whole stage. The slain students also carry flashlights, but I found them difficult to rely on for actual illumination, but were great for accenting moments. There are periodic times when they can shine the lights directly on Josh to make a point or to “get at him.” We choose not to do that too often so as not to wear out the effect. When they shine it on him during the blue wash, especially from behind, it’s a very nice image and effect. Try to find flashlights with a wide beam.
• Musical Underscore: We did this two ways; one with an on stage drum played by one of the chorus members, the other with selections from the CD “From Australia” by John Williams. The haunting strings and percussion of the opening piece, “Nourlangie” are excellent for underscoring focal points of the show; for example the first 1:30 of “Nourlangie” sets a very nice tone for the show. The third piece on the CD, “Wooden Ships” we played under the “I miss” and “I’ll never” sections to help support the emotional impact of the moment. The drum was helpful in heightening the tension of the moments; especially a light and constant rhythm underneath the chorus’s “rumor section” helped both the actors and the audience focus on the pace and urgency of the moment. In all cases with underscore, I’d recommend less is more. *Note: “From Australia” is now out of print, but you can occasionally find it on Amazon.com. If, however, you can’t, contact me and I can likely help you find a copy. Also, it’s incumbent on you to get permission to use the sections of this recording in your performance; doing the play does not automatically give you permission.
• Sound: We used wireless mics on chorus actors 2, 4, & 5 and on the mother. Actors 2, 4, & 5 have the lines that happen in Josh’s head – the “love it, crave it, need it” section, “do it in the living room…,”etc – and hearing them echo around the audience adds to the effect. By mic-ing the mother, it made it easier to control the volume of the “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” during Josh’s monologue and, again, adds to the effect. The mics were also handy during the rumor scenes since they pick up anybody in close proximity so the resulting cacophony of sound during the rumor sections added to the intensity of the moment. As I’ve said, I don’t think you need to mic the players for the show to work, but it does help.
• Pauses: It’s easy for students to want to pause too much during this show, sort of “letting it sink in” and I would caution against that. Pauses are effective in the show, but only where they are earned; like after the line, “without possibility of any thing good.” (which, incidentally, we highlighted with a brief sound clip). Another place with an earned pause is Josh’s line “‘cause there was nothing good on TV!” I encourage you to look for those moments and build to them with greater pace, intensity and volume.
• Humor: It’s easy to get wrapped up in the tragedy of this show and play it very somber. I think that’s a mistake – a little laughter opens up the audience emotionally and, besides, teenagers are funny people. Take advantage of that. Some of the lines are intentionally funny; “Hunting sucks”, but others are interpretations. One that I found very helpful was just after Josh throws his huge temper tantrum after hearing his parents are sending him to psychiatrist. He pounds the floor and screams in a full-fledged tantrum then the lights change and there’s the psychiatrist who asks sweetly and naively, “How are you Josh?” Another laugh we used to great effect was when the students come into the cafeteria: Matt, the valedictorian, has found a quiet place to study, but we bring in the other students around him and they constantly interrupt him. He gets so frustrated that he finally raises his voice and asks them all to be quiet so he can work. There’s a pause and they all go immediately back to chatting loudly. Matt slumps. Then the lights change and Josh is standing there. We always got a great laugh when Matt slumped, but then you could hear a pin drop when the lights came up on Josh; you knew why he was there.
• The violence: I strongly caution against showing any form of gun or violence in the action. First of all, it’s impossible to accurately duplicate and draws, I believe, inappropriate attention to it. In our production, there were never any guns on the stage, only pantomimed and we never used sound effects of shots, but highlighted them with drum beats. Also, when we got to the section where Josh shoots his parents, the father advanced on Josh to get the gun from him then black out during the “DEAD, DEAD, DEAD”. The lights come back up and Josh is puzzled. We chose to focus on the aftermath of the moment, believing that the moment of trauma is repressed and the immediately after is what we most intensely remember and regret.
• The “I miss” and “I’ll never” sections: Though the author gives you permission and, in fact, encouragement to write in your own I misses and I’ll nevers, I would caution not to over do it. He’s written them well and they flow nicely one to the other. However, periodic replacements highlight the potential loss in your audience and community, so replacing a line here and there with something meaningful for your area really brings the message home. We only replaced two. Also, I recommend that you not turn this section into just a list that the actors “read” off. Instead, infuse it with humor, pathos, and even a little guilt. The actors can talk to themselves at some point, play one upsmanship, then come down and talk to the audience. Then turn on Josh in a sort of accusation. In the end, we closed Josh off from the students in the belief that, at the end, all Josh has left in his struggle to belong is the students and they push him out as well. He tries to become part of the “I’ll nevers,“ but they don’t invite him in. Finally, at the end, they remind him of what he did to them. I’m not saying that’s the best way to do it – certainly there are other good choices (that’s what I like about this script; there are few wrong ways, but several strong possibilities). Experiment and have fun. Afterall, that’s why they call ‘em plays, ain’t it?
• The movie: The movie actually shows quite a bit of the play in rehearsal and in production. However, it’s not a template of how the play should be performed. You don’t need the glass panels nor the flashing lights. Also, remember, the lack of movement in the movie’s production of the play is for the benefit of the camera and not really a representation of how you should block your production. Finally, if you’d care to correspond with me about our production or would just like to ask a question or two, please feel free to do so. Heck, we’d just like to hear how the show goes for you and where it’s being done. My contact email is below. All the best for a successful run!

Cheers!!

Michael Fisher
Thurston High School Theatre Director
mfisher@sps.lane.edu