At its core, The Seagull is a play about the dangers of

idealization. I couldn't think of a better time to set it than in the American 1950s, where postwar felicitations meant increased consumerism, an aggressive snap back to "traditional" gender roles, and a general rosy ideal of the American dream that did not always meet expectations.

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In this world of postwar, mid 1950s America, the shiny veneer of the new decade is beginning to wear off, and we see it in the characters. Arkadina is out of place in a new theatre scene she no longer fits in, Konstantin wants to write truth rather than fit into a form, Nina is longing to have a career in a merciless line of work.

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I associated a color with each character, and using those colors to help show who is longing after whom. I will also use period costumes to indicate who is still stuck in other times. Arkadina, for instance, will dress in patterns, cuts, and styles similar to the 1930s, when she was in her heyday as a star.