PROOF

Proof follows the journey of a young woman, Catherine, in the aftermath of her genius mathematician father’s passing after years of caring for him as a severe mental illness took its toll. She faces the doubts of others as she works through the tragedy, as well as coming to terms with both her own genius and her mental health issues. Catherine grapples with what to hold on to and how to let go, and begins to find herself again after the years she lost. This story offers a glimpse into an experience we all must go through in life – the loss of a loved one – and brings awareness to the realities of mental illness. 

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Our goal in designing the set for this show was to create an environment that was reflective of Catherine’s mental state – fragmented, not all there, and blurring the lines between what is reality and what is in her mind. We wanted the audience to feel as though they were experiencing Catherine’s view of reality along with her. We focused on the singular setting of the action of the play, the back porch of the house Catherine grew up in. The porch functions as an in-between space that relates to this transitional period of her life in which she is close to moving on, but can’t bring herself to step out into the world. The brick walls are split into pieces, as are the railings of the porch, representing the fragmented nature of Catherine’s mental state. Sheets full of mathematical equations surround not only the playing space but the audience as well, creating an immersive space that reflects the line between insanity and genius.