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BUS STOPDirector: Khushboo Khetpal

SettingBus Stop is a 1955 play by William Inge. This play takes place in rural Kansas, about 25 miles west of Kansas City, Missouri. The production is set during a snowstorm in which passengers traveling by bus must stop and take shelter at the nearby diner.

The style of the play is a realistic setting. The play is based on realistic events and is easily relatable to the audience.

Genre: Drama, romantic, and comedy

Characters

The play follows the journey of eight characters on a cold dark night. They are taking shelter at the street corner diner during a snowstorm. Though most are strangers in the start of the night, things gradually change by the next morning. The characters interact and get to know each other better. There are definitely some drama filled as well as romantic scenes that take place between the characters.

List Of Characters

Grace – owner of the diner

Elma – A waitress at the diner

Cherie – an aspiring nightclub singer who is been taken against her will to be married off to Bo (cowboy)

Bo – A cowboy who believes his true love is Cherie

Carl – The bus driver who shows much interest in Grace, the owner of the diner

Dr. Gerald Lyman – A charming college professor who has a drinking problem

Will – the strong and tough local sheriff

Virgil – An older cowboy who accompanies Bo

Plot/ Synopsis

The story opens with Grace and Elma waiting for the passengers to arrive at the diner. The snowstorm has blocked the roads and the passengers will need to take shelter at the diner. As they prepare for the company Will, the local sheriff, comes in and informs them about the weather conditions. Cherie, a young blonde girl in her early twenties, enters the diner asking to hide. She goes on to explain how she has been kidnapped by a cowboy and how his intentions are to marry her with or without her consent.

As the play continues on we see the relationship between Grace and Carl unfold. Meanwhile, Will takes on the responsibility to protect Cherie from Bo and ends up in an argument and fight with him. Cherie, who is upset with Bo, denies his proposal of marriage but after realizing his true feeling for her, she decides to give him a chance. Throughout the night Dr. Lyman has an epiphany about himself. He realizes that he is a drunk and a fake.

As the night comes to an end, the storm has now cleared up and the bus is now able to continue on route. As all the passengers get back on the bus Virgil announces that he will not be joining the rest of them. Bo is obviously disappointed but Cherie explains to him that he must let others make their own decisions and can not force them to do as he wishes. After all the guests have left, the play ends with Grace going upstairs to her apartment and sleeping, and so this unexpected night comes to an end and a new day begins.

Casting

Each character is very unique and has certain qualities that make them stand out from the rest. As a director, it is my job to make sure that the actor who is portraying these characters does justice to the role, not only through looks and costumes but through the way they present themselves.

When casting the characters of Bus Stop, I would match the actors with the characters keeping in mind that the audience who will be viewing the show should be able to relate to the characters. The actors should be able to give justice to the role and make it a believable performance.

For Grace, the owner of the diner, I would cast Karen MacDonald. She is a stage actor and fits the description of the character. She looks to be in her thirties or early forties. She is wise and knowledgeable and can look after herself.

As for Elma, I would cast Ronete Levenson. She is a stage actor as well. She would be able to play the role of an innocent young high school girl. She plays the role of a waitress at Grace’s diner.

Karen MacDonald (as Grace Hoylard) and Ronete Levenson (as Elma Duckworth)

In the 1956 production of the Bus Stop, Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray were cast as Cherie and Bo. As the director of this play I would cast these two actors as these characters as well. Marilyn Monroe would perfectly fit the role of Cherie. She has the beauty of a young girl who attracts the attention of Bo. Don Murray would play the character of Bo. He is tall and has an aggressive approach to him. He is a cowboy in the play who believes Cherie is his true love. He has a rigid look to him and you can tell by his stance that he is very confident and make sure he gets what he wants. Cherie is a good balance for Bo because she explains to him that he cannot make people do what he wants but instead let them make their own decisions.

Dr. Gerald Lyman plays a passing traveler in the play. He is a college professor and as he enters the diner it becomes very clear he has a drinking problem. When casting Dr. Lyman I would look for someone who is sophisticated and wise. Matt Warner is a stage actor who in my opinion would be able to play a believable character. He has gray hair and rude boyish face. He is of average height and is in bundled clothing due to the intense weather conditions outside.Will LeBow would fit the character description of Carl, the bus driver. They have a similar body structure and are around the same age. Some distinct features that would help the audience see Will LeBow was Carl would be the fact that he has gray hair and he is dressed in uniform. Throughout the play the audience will be able to see his flirtatious personality and his relationship with Grace.

Will LeBow (left)

Kevin James would be cast as Will Masters. Will is the local sheriff of the town. He has high morals and is well respected. Kevin James would play the character of a six foot man who is a bit on the heavier side. He portrays a character that has a tough manner but is kind hearted once you get to know him.

Stephen Lee Anderson is a stage actor. He would be able to play the role of Virgil, the older and wiser cowboy. He is an older actor and can be closely resembled to Virgil. He has lots of knowledge and helps Bo understand the way of life. Essentially, he plays the father figure in Bo’s life. In my opinion, Stephan Lee Anderson would be able to convey a convincing performance as Virgil, the cowboy.

ThemeWilliam Inge’s theme for the production The Bus Stop is Loneliness. Each character we come across in the play comes from a past of loneliness and is looking for some kind of companionship. The characters are in a state of isolation and are looking to escape. Through the events of the night, each character is able to break through their state of loneliness and they are able to live their life the way they want.

The set and lighting that are used throughout the show help distinguish the theme and emphasize on the isolation of the characters. The story takes place during a snowstorm and the roads have been blocked up. The characters are forced to take shelter because they are not able to travel onwards, leaving them isolated during the storm.

Goals of the playOne of the main goals of this play is that the characters should be of such sort that the audience can resonate with them.

Though the main story of this production is based on the love affair of Cherie and Bo, a lot of emphasis has gone into the other characters of the show. Each character shows the many facets of love and loneliness.

ClimaxThe main climax scene in which Bo and Will get into a heated argument and eventually a fight over the protection of Cherie, is a turning point in the story. In this scene, as the director of the play I would get together with the other crew members in order to plan out how to show this particular part. I would want the spotlight on Will and Bo during the fight. The lighting would be dim elsewhere around the set in the diner. Sound effects would definitely help enhance the intensity of the scene. It is important that all the design elements flow together in the production, not only in the climax scene but throughout the entire show.

BUS STOP: THE END