Setting and Scenery
MONTH & WEEK
May 11-16 (Sunday-Friday), 1969. This week was determined using Malcolm X’s birthday, May 19th, as a guide. In the play, Sterling seeks to attend Malcolm X’s birthday celebration. We’ve established that the celebration dance would be on the weekend before the actual date.
PITTSBURGH’S NATUAL LIGHT (in May)
Sunrise: 6:07; sunset: 8:26
WEATHER
Other than Risa mentioning that it gets cool at night (she gives Hambone a jacket), the text doesn’t say much about the weather in the world of the play. Here’s some research for inspiration sake: The week of May 11th 1969 saw a progressive warming trend in Pittsburgh. On Sunday, May 11, the high temperature was 48 degrees, the low was 39 degrees. By Friday the 16th, the daytime high was 80 degrees with an evening low of 50 degrees.
This table shows dates, high and low temps and precipitation reports for Pittsburgh, May 11-16, 1969:
5/11: 48/39 – Rain and drizzle
5/12: 55/37 – Rain and drizzle
5/13: 64/37 – No precip.
5/14: 66/50 – No precip.
5/15: 74/43 – No precip.
5/16: 80/50 – No precip.
SCENIC BREAKDOWN
The scenic breakdown includes the “the numbers” (drawn the previous night) written on the menu board. The play text doesn’t provide a daily number for Act 11, scene i (Wednesday), but Tim believes there will be a number on the board—and that it will “come to us.”
Act I, Scene 1 – Sunday: Late morning or early afternoon – (# 651)
Act I, Scene 2 – Monday: morning -- (# 229)
Act I, Scene 3 – Tuesday: afternoon – (# 460)
Act II, Scene 1 – Wednesday: early evening (#?)
Act II, Scene 2 – Thursday: mid-morning -- (# 781)
Act II, Scene 3 – Later, same day
Act II, Scene 4 – Later, that night
Act II, Scene 5 – Friday: late-afternoon into early evening
May 11-16 (Sunday-Friday), 1969. This week was determined using Malcolm X’s birthday, May 19th, as a guide. In the play, Sterling seeks to attend Malcolm X’s birthday celebration. We’ve established that the celebration dance would be on the weekend before the actual date.
PITTSBURGH’S NATUAL LIGHT (in May)
Sunrise: 6:07; sunset: 8:26
WEATHER
Other than Risa mentioning that it gets cool at night (she gives Hambone a jacket), the text doesn’t say much about the weather in the world of the play. Here’s some research for inspiration sake: The week of May 11th 1969 saw a progressive warming trend in Pittsburgh. On Sunday, May 11, the high temperature was 48 degrees, the low was 39 degrees. By Friday the 16th, the daytime high was 80 degrees with an evening low of 50 degrees.
This table shows dates, high and low temps and precipitation reports for Pittsburgh, May 11-16, 1969:
5/11: 48/39 – Rain and drizzle
5/12: 55/37 – Rain and drizzle
5/13: 64/37 – No precip.
5/14: 66/50 – No precip.
5/15: 74/43 – No precip.
5/16: 80/50 – No precip.
SCENIC BREAKDOWN
The scenic breakdown includes the “the numbers” (drawn the previous night) written on the menu board. The play text doesn’t provide a daily number for Act 11, scene i (Wednesday), but Tim believes there will be a number on the board—and that it will “come to us.”
Act I, Scene 1 – Sunday: Late morning or early afternoon – (# 651)
Act I, Scene 2 – Monday: morning -- (# 229)
Act I, Scene 3 – Tuesday: afternoon – (# 460)
Act II, Scene 1 – Wednesday: early evening (#?)
Act II, Scene 2 – Thursday: mid-morning -- (# 781)
Act II, Scene 3 – Later, same day
Act II, Scene 4 – Later, that night
Act II, Scene 5 – Friday: late-afternoon into early evening