Clybourne Park and site

A production I think would be cool to place in site-specific circumstances would be a naturalistic show like Clybourne Park. So often in naturalistic pieces such as this one, technical designers try so hard to make the set as realistic as possible. If I were a director, I would do the first act in a nice looking two story house, very suburban-like. It would be cool if most of the other rooms were filled with boxes that contained actual items one would pack on a move, labels and all. Francine would be traveling around packing for most of this act. There would be an actual room where Kenneth's things would be either packed or laid out, some in boxes for charity and others that Bev and Russ would want to keep. When the characters that are not initially in the home arrive, they would drive up in period appropriate clothing and cars and knock on the door. They would have an actual entrance. The audience members could sit in the kitchen or living room or follow characters that they like. They must never touch them. We are taking the experience of "feeling like you're there" to the next level.

The second act would be held in a different neighborhood the next day. This building will be much more open with graffiti on the walls. Walls would be knocked out and everything would generally be in disarray, but it must look like someone once lived there. The audience members could sit with the actors and discuss their views as they hear them spoken from the actors. Who do they really agree with?

I completely agree with Kantor's assessment. As I study these forms more, I see that art can't stay in a box! I've never been to a production like the one I've described above, but I think if I did, I would feel more like a witness instead of a spectator. I would really feel like I was there because I ACTUALLY was!