Did somebody say 'incendiary drama'?

At the end of Lisa D'Amour's play Detroit, a benign barbecue fire turns into a full-fledged conflagration. The cast and crew of the Philadelphia Theatre Company's current production at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre have spent weeks learning how to make that happen without incinerating themselves or the audience.

"Maybe it was divine intervention, but it turns out that all the actors are amazingly gifted physical performers," director Maria Mileaf said before a recent rehearsal. "These four are fearless."

In Detroit, Matteo Scammell - who is responsible for setting the blaze - plays Kenny, a recovering addict who moves into a house in an inner-ring suburb of an unnamed city (Detroit is just a metaphor for urban decline) with his wife, Sharon, another recent rehab grad, played by K.O. DelMarcelle. Next door are Mary and Ben (Genevieve Perrier and Steven Rishard), slightly older, newly economically insecure, and ripe for the disruption their new neighbors create.

Scammell said that though he thrives on stage challenges, learning to deal with flames was intimidating.

"It was kind of an intense moment where I was holding this fire and everyone was counting on me," he said. "There's a great responsibility on my shoulders to execute things well, and effectively, and keep everyone safe."

And safety was, of course, a major consideration. Roy Backes, PTC's director of production, said the fire marshal is consulted whenever fire, even a lighted match, is used on stage. He called the effect in Detroit "the biggest thing I've ever done." Lt. John Dimes of the Philadelphia Fire Code Unit came in to observe the entire system.

"It's very contained," Backes said. "I don't want to give away any secrets, but there are products out there that are very controllable."

In this case, the flame comes from a gel-based substance similar to Sterno that creates a crackling fire effect. Production manager Matthew Lewandowski said his PTC team worked with Brooklyn's J&M Special Effects, which serves theater and performing arts companies. Personnel are assigned to places backstage equipped with safety materials. Also behind the scenes is specialist Thomas Cristaldi - president of EarthTech Solar Solutions, which designs and installs thermal systems - who is outfitted with a video surveillance screen in a nook behind one of the set's two houses, where he manages part of the conflagration.

The fire itself creates Detroit's climax, and, Scammell said, "takes the play into a sort of metaphysical realm." Uninhibited after a night of binge drinking, Ben and Mary begin to voice dissatisfaction with their stagnant married life, while Kenny and Sharon believe the fire will cleanse them of their troubles and provide a fresh start. By the time Ben and Mary realize the irreversible consequence of the flames, it's too late.

"There are themes of fluidity and dream," Mileaf said. "That's what I wanted to reflect in the fire, within that realm."

Ensuring that the audience experience is both visually impressive and honors theatrical style required careful balance, Mileaf said. She used techniques that included acting strategies, lighting, and sound, along with fire itself. Rather than trying to achieve the kind of visual effect of a movie, Mileaf said, she sought "a theatrical iteration of that moment."

"There are things that theater does that are very different to how other narrative models work," she said. "If you're looking at an explosion in an enclosed space with other people, it feels a lot different than on screen. There's something magical about people watching fire - it's almost ritualistic."

Detroit

Presented by Philadelphia Theatre Company through Nov. 9 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.

Tickets: $46-$59

Information: 215-985-0420 or www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

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