A Very Cathartic Character List by Debbie Bagnato

Well as you may have guessed from the title, I have been writing my character descriptions--and they are all characters in true life! Because each cast member in this play is based on my real-life co-workers, as I am writing a short character breakdown of each (adding in any extra traits for the purpose of my play) I am finding that I really do work with a bunch of nuts. They are nice nuts, in most cases, and irritable or hot-headed in others, but it makes for a colorful blend of people to write about. Of course, on the days I get home late--most days of late--I do not attempt this type of writing project as my ability to treat each person objectively would be largely compromised. However, I had some sleep, and caught up on my household duties so now feel much more able to provide the balance of my character descriptions. The biggest problem in this feat is the nagging reminder that plays with large casts, such as Lysistrata, are rarely produced because of the cost of all those actors. But in my case, if a school or charitable organization wanted to do this as a fundraiser or student activity, I would be delighted, and probably ask to audition or offer to stage manage. If possible and if time permitted, I would be an excellent dramaturg as I know the inside story. Because I wrote it. Of course, I know I am being silly over these minor problems; Aristophanes had a large cast, and that is why I chose this setting--which always has a lot of people in that space--as the "center stage" for my piece. And sometimes, when I am so tired of being there late, I look at my Acropolis and can bear it.

My next scene will not begin just yet as I am still cleaning up a few parts that were muddled. I have notes for the next scene and will probably run them at the same time using lighting to differentiate the front end of the store from the backroom. The revolving stage sounded superb, sort of like the ekkyklema of Aristophanes day, but my idea of showing the two battles will work better downstage with contrast lighting (I think). This will be a short, rapid-fire scene, so I need to have that momentum from start to finish. Which is why I need to have everything up to there nailed down better before I begin writing it. After that I will be looking more at the scenes that lead to the end, as I follow the master's (Aristrophanes) layout or game plan for these characters. Two more very funny scenes (which will require a lot of work and fine tuning) and then the closing scene will be at hand. In the midst of this type of reasoning (which is unreasonable as I am still fixing the opening scene...) I have added another character to scene I who will help tie up the missing pieces. Aristophanes can afford to miss tiny details as they may simply be in the various translations, but I cannot with my modest adaptation. It does not add too much dialogue, so that scene is not greatly lengthened but it helps coordinate the missing pieces at store level and the ability to actually WIN their inter-store war. I will keep you posted, but I believe this character is a keeper. My cast list is so large--just like the original, but there are only so many in each scene. My second scene has a lot, so I may lose a couple or just have them there but without lines--just like Aristophanes. I want the stage to look like the number of people that would be there in the store at the different times of day, but thye do not all need to havve dialogue. But they can all look very different, as they do in real life. Oh boy, this is getting more complicated. But it is still fun, so I think we will be alright. On that note, back to work for me. And to everyone, a happy and very fun-food-filled Thanksgiving!!!