Theatre

KATE
    From the character description of Kate, I believe that a British actress would suit the role perfectly because Kate should a picture of perfection.  Her character is one that acts with proper decorum, very conservative, and almost traditional.  However, because most British actresses are a bit old, my choice of actresses for Kates role would be Kate Blanchet, Meg Ryan, or maybe Jennifer Lopez.  I chose Kate Blanchet because of her performance in Elizabeth where she was so regal and elegant in the portrayal, and I would like Kate to have that kind of image, only in a more contemporary style.  Meg Ryan would also be a good choice, but she will have to grow her hair a bit longer.  It is the sweetness and cluelesness in most of Meg Ryans roles that fit Kate perfectly.  Jennifer Lopez, on the other hand, is also a nice choice for this role because of the decisiveness and command of Kate in the play, plus, Jennifer Lopez size is also a good thing to consider when casting her for Kate.

KITTY
    For Kitty, there are many actresses who can play this role well.  Among others, my first choices would be Drew Barrymore, Goldie Hawn, or Reese Witherspoon.  With Kitty, we have the darker, and more indifferent personality which would fit Drew perfectly.  Goldie Hawn could also play the role very well because with her comes an air promiscuity which is perfect for Kitty in the play.  The third option, Reese, would be a perfect portrayal of the free-spirited attitude of Kitty, and here sometimes, being quite unreasonable.

THE MAKE-UP
    The play is set in different periods, so I believe that a white-out style of make up would be perfect for both girls, where all their expressive shadows and lines are blotted out from their faces almost like a mime, only more natural.  More emphasis should be given to their eyes, so heavy mascara and eye shadow would be perfect.  The hair of the two girls should also be set in such a way that these are mobile, as the play uses their hair as an important tool to indicate period transition.

SETTING AND SET DECORATION
    A minimalist approach in the play would go very well with the script.  The only important element here would be to portray the area where the two girls are.  In one way or another, the fourth wall is broken down in the play because the audience represents the lake where the two girls set their watermelon boats afloat.   A single spotlight shining down on the two girls would be perfect, and minimal coloured indirect lighting for the ladder would work very well.  Not much set design is required in this play because it will work quite well even without dazzling special effects.

THE ARISTOTELIAN ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
    Judging from the script of the play, there are only two drama elements that need to be highlighted in this play to be able to communicate the proper emotion to the audience  these are dialogue and character.  While the theme and the plot both stand out, it has to be understood that this particular play is character-driven and not plot driven, so giving the plot more treatment would be over doing the play.  It would look like an overkill if the plot was given much treatment because, frankly, nothing happens in the play, except for the conversation between two girls spanning three critical periods in their lives.  Now, if the theme is given attention, the play would sound very didactic which should not be the case because although the play itself makes indirect commentaries on the issues of adolescence, teenage social problems, and the maturity of two young girls, this is not the objective of this particular play.  The objective of the play is simply to present vignettes of the lives of these two girls. The play, as a whole, is more about the stages of maturity and growth as opposed to the moralistic interpretation that may be implied.  There is no need to focus on spectacle either because the script itself is very minimalist, too much work on set, lighting, and sound would cloud the real message of the play.  Therefore, in consideration of these elements, I believe it would be best to focus on the characterization of the two girls, initially, to allow the audience to identify with them more easily and sympathize with the girls.  Dialogue should also be highlighted because, at first, the dialogue may seem like plain, insignificant conversation, but as the play progresses, the dialogue actually shapes the characters and builds the thematics.  So, to communicate the play successfully to the audience, the suggested treatment would simply be minimalist, for the play to come on loud and clear and the emotions well placed.