Myra Platt knew her audience wanted to see The River Why. “It had been on Book-It’s list for years,” she said. “We have had so many subscribers request it.”
When Book-It Repertory Theatre’s founding co-artistic director sat down with David James Duncan’s classic of flyfishing, she discovered a novel about much more than the perfect cast of the rod. “I was first attracted to the family and how much the characters made me laugh. As well as his exploration of our relationship with nature and our relationship with obsession and how we find the delicate balance needed.”
As Platt began to adapt The River Why for a Book-It’s current season, she had a resource lacking for Confederacy of Dunces and Emma: a living author. Duncan still resides in Oregon and made himself available for consultation.
“He just emits this light and positive energy,” said Platt. “And he’s huge in the river preservation world. I call him the river hero.”
Despite novel’s iconic status, Duncan was open to changes for the sake of the show. “I remember talking to him about editing this long passage of philosophy and he said ‘please, cut away.’ The River Why is not a book with a single plot that goes from A to B to C, and there is a lot that can’t be put on stage.”
While Platt worked on an adaptation that was both entertaining and educational—“I hope people walk away from the show and look at a creek or river differently”—the actors worked on their fishing skills.
“Members of Northwest Flyfishers volunteered to help teach them how to cast,” Platt said. The technique may look as real as possible, but Book-It’s low-ceiling stage beneath the Center House required a little modification of the poles.
“We started rehearsals at the Intiman, with their wonderful high ceilings, but we knew we would have to shorten the rods when we moved back here,” she said.
The set also marked a bit of a departure for Book-It. In keeping with the novel’s ecology themes, Platt decided to build a river out of used water bottles and the rest of the set out of recycled, reused, or repurposed materials.
“It was really much harder to pull together than we expected,” she said. Despite numerous donations from friends and supporters, the Book-It crew were coming up short in the needed bottles. Even a trip to a recycling plant didn’t provide an easy solution. “The recycling is all bunched together and intercepting the bottles became an issue.”
Luckily, the nearby Pacific Science Center also had been collecting bottles. “They helped us with several hundred,” she said. “But there were times when it felt like it might have been easier to go to Costco, buy the bottles, and empty the water out. But we wouldn’t do that!”
With water bottle problem finally solved and rehearsals melting into previews, the show is ready for its opening on Friday. “I can’t wait for Duncan to come up to Seattle and see it,” said Platt.
The River Why plays at Book-It through March 7.
Comments