Darker
by Catie O’Keefe
Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Produced by New Edgecliff Theatre
June 2011

Directed by Illana Stein
Technical Direction by Melissa Bennet
Costume Design by Jim Stump
Photo Credit Andrew Hungerford

Awards: Critics Pick for Festival, Winner for Best Acting Ensemble

Forced Perspective
I found design inspiration in surrealist artists such as Magritte and Dali and papered the rehearsal hall with images of their artwork. Magritte uses color in his paintings to evoke emotion, and I wanted the design to reflect these pops of color that one would remember from a vivid dream. Lighting was an important element and we used silhouettes as we moved deeper into the shadows of darkness. I used composition exercises with the cast to help define the physical life of the play as we transitioned from daytime into these nightmare sequences.