1. The director’s unifying vision. This will include a concept or a central metaphor.

Read the attached short play, Trifles. Using what you have learned, produce a power point showing how you would present this play as a director.  
Dream a little.
You can use any of the spaces here on campus.
Include the following in your presentation, in the order listed:

1. The director’s unifying vision.
2. This will include a concept or a central metaphor.
3. Pictures of your cast. You can cast any famous living actor you like.
4. Why are you casting these actors? Defend your choice for each actor.
5. Your space. Where on campus will you present this play and why? Please take several pictures of the location.
6. Your ground plan and/or rendering of the set. I don’t expect beautiful drawings. No pictures, please. No drawings from previous productions, please.
7. Your costume designs for 2 of the characters. You may use pictures or your own drawings. No drawings from previous productions, please.
8. Your lighting design for one scene. Describe colors, special effects, atmospheric effects, time of day, etc. No pictures or drawings from previous productions.
9. Your sound design. Include reinforcement, music, motivated, environmental sounds, etc. Attach MP3 or other playable files.
10. Will there be projections? If so, what would one scene look like?

List the Given Circumstances.
Show the beats for one page of the script.
Make sure you list all sources and include them at the end of the presentation.

Sample Answer

Slide 1: Title Slide

Presentation Title: Directing Trifles
By: [Your Name]
Course: [Course Name]
Date: [Insert Date]

Slide 2: The Director’s Vision

Unifying Vision:
The central metaphor for this production is “hidden in plain sight.” It reflects how women’s voices and truths are overlooked in a male-dominated world. The broken jars, unfinished stitching, and cold stove are more than props—they symbolise the emotional and domestic isolation of Mrs. Wright.

Concept:
A psychological drama about silence, suppression, and the quiet resistance of women. The setting feels like a closed box—echoing how women’s lives were confined and how clues were ignored by the men.

Slide 3: Cast Photos & Choices

Mrs. Hale – Olivia Colman
She brings quiet intensity and emotional depth. Known for empathy-driven roles (e.g. The Crown, The Favourite).

Mrs. Peters – Emily Blunt
Blunt can express inner conflict subtly. She’s strong but shows vulnerability—perfect for a sheriff’s wife torn between duty and compassion.

Mr. Hale – Brendan Gleeson
Gleeson offers a gruff, rural energy—very fitting for the farmer who delivers key information but lacks sensitivity.

Sheriff Peters – Cillian Murphy
Sharp, serious, and commanding. Ideal for portraying the male authority figure who overlooks the details.

County Attorney – Tom Hiddleston
Charming but distant, Hiddleston fits the educated, dismissive attitude of the attorney who mocks the women’s observations.

Slide 4: Your Chosen Space on Campus

Location: Black Box Theatre (Room B12)
Why:

• Small, intimate space for an immersive experience.

• Audience close to the actors,mirroring the claustrophobic feeling of the Wright household.

• Easy to control lighting and sound.

Photos of Space: (Insert 3–4 pictures you’ve taken of the space.)

Slide 5: Ground Plan / Set Design

Set Design (Described):

• One-room farmhouse kitchen.

• Centre: wooden table and rocking chair.

• Left: stove with cold kettle.

• Right: kitchen sink and broken birdcage on shelf.

• Rear wall: quilt in progress on a stand.

• Door stage left, leading “outside.”

Notes:

• Keep colours neutral: browns, greys, and faded pastels.

• Cluttered but quiet,evoking absence.

Slide 6: Costume Designs

Mrs. Hale:

• Long wool skirt, light blouse with puffed sleeves.

• Hair tied in a bun, apron slightly worn.

• Soft colours: faded lavender and cream.
  (Insert your drawing or source-free visual reference.)

Mrs. Peters:

• Darker, more structured outfit.

• Navy skirt suit, hat with netting.

• Reflects her role as a sheriff’s wife,more formal and restricted.
  (Insert drawing or free-source visual.)

Slide 7: Lighting Design – Scene 1

Scene: First entrance into the Wright household.

Lighting Plan:

• Time: Late morning, winter.

• Soft white lighting from stage right (suggesting a window).

• Cooler blue wash on rest of the stage.

• Subtle shadows for a somber mood.

• Slight warm spot on the rocking chair (focus point).

Effects:

• Slow fade-in to create tension.

• Use of flickering lantern glow if needed to hint at electricity loss.

Slide 8: Sound Design

Reinforcement:

• Use of body mics not required due to space. Voices should carry naturally.

Environmental Sounds:

• Wind outside (low, constant in background).

• Occasional floor creaks or distant crow calls.

Motivated Sounds:

• Squeak of the rocking chair.

• Sound of the birdcage door clicking open.

• Door creaking shut.

Music:

• Soft piano or string motifs at scene transitions,quiet and melancholic.
  (You can use royalty-free audio or record simple piano notes.)

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