Gruesome Playground Injuries

by Rajiv Joseph
Miami University Theatre • November 2013

About the Design

Rajiv Joseph places Doug and Kayleen into an imaginary play space in which their relationship exists in fragments, unrestrained by the confines of linear time. Their story is both timeless and universal. Here are two people who connect and love each other, but also cause each other great pain. Their relationship becomes the "playground" of the title.

In the set, I tried to create a neutral space that could become any of the locations required by the script by having actors move simple objects into different locations. The actors never leave our sight. They progress in time by adding costume pieces and adjusting makeup, all done a vista. Closets and drawers are worked into the unit upstage to accommodate, and each actor has a makeup table.

Memory is unpredictable, so everything was a little off kilter.

This is done in a black box space, with a $600 budget.

Production Credits

Directed by Robert Stimmel
Costume Design by Michelle McVicker
Lighting Design by Les Dersham