A question about adapting a play (poll) - all opinions greatly needed and appreciated
An issue rolling over in my head recently and I would be most grateful for as many opinions as possible. One of the plays I would like to present in my production is The Zoo Story by Edward Albee. This is a famous play and it is set in Central Park, New York City, USA at the end of the 1950s.
The actors I would like to use for this play are English and have very English accents. We're not going to even attempt American accents as they can't do them. They really play the characters well so thus will still consider them for the production. My question for you is about adaptations... if you're not familiar with this play, substitute it in your mind with something you have seen that has been adapted for film or stage and isn't quite like the original. The question is... as an audience member who is coming to see this play because you are a fan of it or of Albee's work and want to see it... would it bother you if I either used English actors to play Americans, we don't do the American accents and just play the play exactly as it was written? Or, would you find it a problem if I added in a or two line, very tactfully, to specify that they are English people who have lived in the States for a couple of decades so "feel it although they don't sound it". So in the last instance, we are adapting the play.
Update: Before I found my cast, I placed an ad in a trade paper that came out today. I have gotten another 30 cvs so far and they keep coming. Good grief, it's competitive out there. Quite funny too as someone who lives in minimatic's building sent me their CV.
So, thank you people for your opinions so far! I really appreciate it. Please if you haven't taken the poll yet, keep 'em coming. This is allaying my anxiety. = D
Poll Adaptation to a play
The actors I would like to use for this play are English and have very English accents. We're not going to even attempt American accents as they can't do them. They really play the characters well so thus will still consider them for the production. My question for you is about adaptations... if you're not familiar with this play, substitute it in your mind with something you have seen that has been adapted for film or stage and isn't quite like the original. The question is... as an audience member who is coming to see this play because you are a fan of it or of Albee's work and want to see it... would it bother you if I either used English actors to play Americans, we don't do the American accents and just play the play exactly as it was written? Or, would you find it a problem if I added in a or two line, very tactfully, to specify that they are English people who have lived in the States for a couple of decades so "feel it although they don't sound it". So in the last instance, we are adapting the play.
Update: Before I found my cast, I placed an ad in a trade paper that came out today. I have gotten another 30 cvs so far and they keep coming. Good grief, it's competitive out there. Quite funny too as someone who lives in minimatic's building sent me their CV.
So, thank you people for your opinions so far! I really appreciate it. Please if you haven't taken the poll yet, keep 'em coming. This is allaying my anxiety. = D
Poll Adaptation to a play