The action of the play takes place in a small Kansas town
in the yard shared by Flo Owens and Helen Potts.
Act I
Labod Day, early morning
Act II
Same day, just before sunset
THERE WILL BE ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION.
Act III
Scene 1: Early next morning, before daylight
Scene 2: Later the same morning, after sunrise
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PLOT SYNOPSIS
Picnic masterfully captures the lazy, late summer atmosphere of a small, Kansas town just like the one in which the playwright grew up. The tranquility and amiable boredom, however, are disrupted by the arrival of Hal, a wayfaring stranger, who arrives to work some odd jobs at Helen Potts' house. Hal's friendliness is not enough to earn the trust of Mrs. Potts' neighbor, Flo Owens, who remains suspicious of his rough nature and lack of “proper” upbringing. Flo's daughters, Madge and Millie, meanwhile, struggle to reconcile their own ambitions and self-perceptions with what society expects of them as young women. Madge in particular, the beauty of the town, grows more and more torn between her requited love for the straight-arrow, A-student Alan Seymour (who enjoys Flo's approval) and her irrepressible attraction for the escape Hal offers from the staid “perfection” of her life. Taboos are broken all around as the adults find it ever harder to control the young men and women of postwar America.
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EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
Classical plays are an indispensable part of our cultural heritage. It is the mission of Broadway Theatricals' educational programs to present these plays to students as living texts and to provide them with the opportunity to see such great literature come to life on the stage, as the playwrights originally intended their work to be experienced. It is our goal to increase students' lifelong understanding and enjoyment of classic works. All of the information outlined in this Playbill were designed to meet the education content standards set forth by the state of California in the subjects of English Language Arts and Theatre.
