George's Final Response to the "The 4th"

Hey guys,

Great job this semester - Robert, you and Soo-Jin win the Courage in Rewriting™ award. Robert, kudos to you for your willingness to play with your play and kudos to Patrick for pressing you onward. I hope you're both excited and pleased with everything you've discovered this semester - I think you've made real progress.

Random final thoughts:

- As I said in class, I am curious if "independence" comes into the play at any point.

- Also a rehashing of class, I'm curious if the communication methods can come to a head at some point in the play, perhaps as the interpersonal come to a head as well. I love your idea of smashing the phone - perhaps that is independence of a kind?

- I would love more obstacles to Adrian's quest other than booze and distance. Mia spurs him on, could Seth or others seek to stop his quest?

- Love the voice mail section you brought in today - great way to reveal inner voices as well as take the technological into the fantastic. Also like the idea of a changing message - some of us leave our outgoing message the same for years - something to play with there?

- I agree with Jenny that I would like more surprises in the play. Adrian knows what he wants to say to Connor and then he says it. Is there a way to play with that more? Mess with it and our expectations?

- I liked the Seth scene and think that the scene could be a challenge for Adrian to overcome - a temptation on his quest.

- I agree that Henry seems important - I'm not sure how yet, but he seems like he belongs - maybe he is another obstacle to Adrian somehow

- I agree that the fireworks are a great ticking clock - I think you had Adrian sleeping through them in one draft - I think that could be a lovely end to the play if he sleeps through what he's really been looking forward to all day (because he has Connor and that's more important). Sweetly satisfying.

Okay, I think that's it. Congrats to both of you!