FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER - WCT - Groundcloth

 This sketch of the groundcloth painted for FIRST MONDAY was based on the Mall area in front of the Supreme Court building. This in conjunction with the Facade unit at the rear of the stage represented the Institution of the Court. The Columns, walls and Office Units which "floated" within this space contained the physical action of the play, with the Outer Institution looming...always as support ( the groundcloth) and tradition ( the facade).

The play as written takes place on fairly rudimentary stage "Sets" which represent the two offices. These were done on Broadway with the use of rolling wagons which held each stationary set. The intermediate scenes took place "before the curtain", which is the standard method of covering a major scene change going on "behind the curtain". That "4th Wall" stage mentality that I don't much go in for.

 Like THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL and this production, I seem to have honed my style more toward Environmental Theatre. I like to create not a set, but an environment within which the characters can express themselves and perhaps also sometimes "Find" themselves.

( I used foam rubber stencils to lay out the stonework in this groundcloth painting. A square of ordinary foam rubber, cut to shape and carved out a bit to suggest stone was glued to a small piece of plywood screwed to an upright stick. A dab in the paint tray, dab off the excess, and impress on the cloth...over and over and over. Tedious, but much faster than hand painting the detail on such a large area. This technique was originally taught to me as a way to replicate wallpaper patterns on flats in college. If done correctly, it really works and saves so much time. I've used it thousands of time.)

I'm reminded now that this play, by the authors of INHERIT THE WIND, was Way ahead of it's time. When produced on Broadway and even in our production it was not held in high regard by the Critics ( mostly Male) who couldn't really grasp the reality that women were moving into not only the workplace, but into the politics which control all of our lives.

A footnote to all of this which I've never revealed:

 After the 1981 WCT Season which was my first with  MARY JANE TEALL, the Artistic Director, I found myself in a central position within the process. She and I spent many evenings together discussing the plays we liked and the current productions we admired. She very kindly asked my opinion as advice for the upcoming season. As I look back now I realize that the first two shows in the season, FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER  and SLEUTH were my personal suggestions to her. The last two, ARMS AND THE MAN and MORNINGS AT SEVEN were Hers to me. This was Our Season together, and I don't believe I've ever worked harder or admired more the work we Both put into this.

 If  MARY JANE was alive today and called me to come and work with her...in any capacity at all...I believe I would pack up and go.