How I Learned to Drive

I think that Vogel may have made the choice to have a Greek chorus versus having a different person play all of the other characters beside Peck and Lil’ Bit because, then, the audience will see that the story is mainly about the relationship between the two. Although this choice brings all of the attention to Peck and Lil’ Bit, I think this also affects the comprehension of who is who. Although I assume that the costumes for the mother, grandmother, grandfather and Aunt Mary become consistent throughout the play so that the audience can keep up, it makes the situation a little less clear as the setting changes. Due to the singing and the chorus taking on more than one role, I became confused on their purpose. For instance, at the end of the play, Lil’ Bit sits with Peck in the vehicle, but it says that the teenage Greek chorus says her lines. I’m not sure of the effect Vogel was trying to give since she still allowed Peck to deliver his own lines. 

Another choice that Vogel makes that confuses me is the fact that she had the teenage greek chorus play the grandmother. I would think that someone who is older would have been cast versus someone between twenty-one and twenty-five. I understand at some point the teenage chorus voices Lil’ Bit’s eleven-year-old voice, but why not cast Lil’ Bit younger or with a woman who is capable of passing for twelve? I’m sure there is a reason for this choice, but I have no idea what it is.  Then in the scene where Lil’ Bit is at the dance, the script says that Peck is marveling at her from a distance and it makes her uncomfortable. I’m wondering if he was literally at the dance setting up the tripod, or did she just imagine him. I ask this because the scene transitions to Lil’ bit and Peck’s photo shoot. Maybe when other guys look at Lil’ Bit, it reminds her of her Uncle staring at her body.