Basic Ideas

Scenic Design

A 1890s lavish living area of a rich man’s house, normally including:

-          Fireplace,

-          Chandelier,

-          Portrait of an honorable family member (above fireplace),

-          Giant Mirror,

-          1 Couch,

-          1 Chair,

-          Coffee table,

-          Etc.

Everything should be gold encrusted. Do not hold back with the grandeur of the setting. Although, try to limit the small ornaments and the big furniture/objects, as I do not want them to distract from the actor’s performances since it is a character predominant play, not a spectacle to dazzle the eyes of the audience. Instead, fake grandeur with thick, folded curtains with gold fringes placed at the background.

 

Costume Design & list of Properties
For this play, I would like to go all out with the typical attire of the 1890s, so audience can truly be mentally taken back to that era. 
For ladies, the style of the late 1800s include a gown with long puffed sleeves, high collar, and full length A-lined skirt, corset that decreases the size of the waist (the puffed sleeves as well as the corset gives an illusion of an extremely small waist which was found attractive back in the day), and a fancy hat with accessories such as large bows on them (the bigger the hat, the better).  

As for the gentlemen, their attire include a camel, brown or black suit with a bow tie, leather shoes, a bowler hat, and they normally carry a cane, not to mention they fancy having moustaches.  

 The butlers' attire is similar to that of their master, suits & bow tie, however, without the bowler hat nor cain.

Lighting plot & Sound cues
I want the simplest possible lighting for this play. The essential lighting that I am concerned about is only the spotlight that I want to be projected on center stage, where the both characters will mainly be. I'd want to start this play with natural lighting, nothing special, all lights up. However, as the guest enters and sits down on the couch whilst starting her "my son..." dialogue, I want all lights to be down except for the spotlight centered on the protagonists. Then in the end I want the lights to go back to natural lighting as the guest stands up and says "May god bless her house".
As for sound, I do not want any of it. I want the audience to sense the tension in the air simply from the intensity of the characters' presence on stage.


Casting
I would like to cast a western (Caucasian) female and male, both around the ages of 50-60. The female should be good looking, petite, voluptuous with a tiny waist (typical of a lady back in the 1890s), extremely fair skinned, preferably a natural blond, red haired or brunette (no one with black hair).  
The male should be tall, broad shouldered, slightly plump (around the stomach area), brunette (with several white hair), have beautiful eyes.   
The butler accompanying the lady in the beginning should be young (about 20 years old). Preferably dirty blond, blue eyed, in shape, has a warm smile. 
The butler accompanying the father of the bride should be older (around 50 years old). Preferably has a moustache, kind looking, like his master, slightly plump in the stomach area.