The Hall tries his hand at experimentation. A word, or phrase is deleted. Perhaps he reblocks the scene to include Elizabeth more into the line of action. If he feels he must illustrate the example--and he is a very fine actor himself--he will get on the stage and act some of the points out. To break the scene down, he divides it into "beats": one action leads to its resolution, then to another action, and so on. The actors resume their roles gradually, beat by beat. Then larger units are pieced together, until they work more smoothly.

The basic interpretations, however, are still left to the actors. "I'm sure you can find any number of answers, but boy, as the artist, must make the choice. What motive is the closest to the real person, and which works best for you?" Hall is always working within the interpretations that come from the actors.

Just how successful are these techniques? Reactions to his New York productions before coming to Trinity last year are good indications. His production of Tennessee Williams Orpheus Descending prompted the author to say, "I think Adrian Hall's brilliant staging has found the key to what I believe is my most difficult work."

Acting

Sean O'Casey, who say Hall's production of Red Roses for Me, commented, "I have had so many lifeless productions of my work that I never thought to see them survive; I had not reckoned with a young director named Adrian Hall."

Good directing is useless without good actors. One of the best indications of the quality of Hall's direction is the actors who have come to Trinity to work with him.

Richard Kneeland came directly from Hollywood, and before that had been acting on Broadway opposite such performers as Sylvia Sydney in Sweet Bird of Youth. J. Frank Lucas played major roles with Pat O'Brian, Tallulah Bankhead and Tony Randall. He created the role of Henry Drummond in the world premiere of Inherit the Wind.

William Cain studied and worked with Walter Kerr and Alan Schneider. He left the title role of the Off-Broadway play, Jericho Jim Orson was the leading soubrette with the American Savoyards, where she performed the complete repertoire of Gilbert and Sullivan in New York and on tour. Robert Van Hooten joined Trinity after playing the Father in the Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie. And so on.

Why do such actors come to Trinity Square Playhouse? They seem to feel that they have the freedom to explore their art to its full extent, there, rather than just become names. As soon as ac actor appears on Broadway, he is never again hired as an actor, but as a personality--the personality he made successful upon the stage.

There is also more security at Trinity Square than on the New York stage. As Bobby Van Hooten said, "If I acted the role of Pickering in My Fair Lady for two years, I would have 50 offers, perhaps, for Pickering type roles. But as soon as my contact is up, I don't know where my next job comes from." At Trinity, there is year-round acting, to insure the repertory actor of year round employment. And the challenge of a new role every month is an exciting and challanging experience for any actor, young or old.

Design

Hall's trial and error method is applied as firmly to designers as it is to actors. In Glass Menagerie, for example, the set and lighting were changed three times in as many days. Hall considers lighting the most important technical aspect of a show, followed by sets and costumes.

Lighting must be changed first when it does not conform exactly to the original diagrams and when Hall, having seen the effect, decides to modify the original idea. More than his respect for the potential of lights in creating effects, Hall is prompted to emphasize them because of the small budget which limits the size of his sets.

Trinity Square Playhouse is ambitious, but it is still a small theater, with only 20 people on its payroll. Still, what it lacks in style, is made up for--apart form the question of talent--by the spirit and determination of everyone involved. There is no room for division of labor. Actors help set up scenery, and even Adrian Hall is now painting and nailing sets, as a new play goes on the boards