Working In The Theatre: Scenic Design

Summary

The speaker reflects on their journey as a set designer, with early inspirations from opera and a pivotal mentorship from Hal Prince. They draw parallels between set design and architecture, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of stage scenery. The creative process involves concept development, model building, and collaboration with directors and lighting designers. Challenges include transforming spaces over time and engaging audiences viscerally. The speaker also discusses the impermanence and sustainability concerns of set design, highlighting the joy of constant learning and the satisfaction of seeing a design come to life with actors.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The speaker's initial fascination with stage scenery came from witnessing a Stonehenge-like set and the illusion of a heavy stone being moved easily during an opera.
• 🤝 The speaker met Hal Prince, who became a mentor, and it took about six months to overcome the intimidation of working with such a significant figure in American theatre history.
• 🏗️ The transition from architecture to set design was natural for the speaker, as the tasks involved in both disciplines, such as building models and drafting, are similar.
• 🎨 The speaker's introduction to painting and three-dimensional work eventually led to an interest in scenography, with a teacher suggesting the field.
• 💡 A strong concept or idea is crucial for the speaker's design process, as it guides all other visual choices and helps in avoiding design dilemmas.
• 🖼️ The set design's role in theatre is to frame the human figure, akin to how a camera frames subjects in film, with the set and lighting working together to create this effect.
• 🔄 The speaker views scenery design as a transformation of space over time, focusing on the seamless transition between scenes to support the storytelling.
• 👀 Engaging the audience's interest and creating a visceral connection with the performance is a priority in the speaker's design considerations.
• 🛠️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of collaboration with directors, lighting designers, and other crew members to realize a cohesive vision for the production.
• 🌐 The speaker has started to incorporate video and projections into set design, sometimes taking on the role of projection designer to align the visuals with their vision.
• 🏚️ The ephemeral nature of set design is acknowledged, with the speaker expressing concern about the environmental impact and waste associated with the disposal of sets after a production's run.

Q & A

What was the speaker's first realization about stage scenery?

The speaker's first realization about stage scenery was during an opera when they saw a man push what appeared to be a twenty thousand pound stone, but was clearly not, understanding it as an artifice representing something else.

How did Hal Prince initially influence the speaker?

Hal Prince influenced the speaker by sending a letter after their first meeting, expressing appreciation for the speaker's work, and later becoming a mentor to the speaker throughout their career.

What is the relationship between set design and architecture according to the speaker?

The speaker sees set design and architecture as flip sides of the same coin, with tasks such as building models and drafting being essentially the same, but set design is more ephemeral.

How did the speaker's experience in Italy influence their career path?

The speaker's experience in Italy started with an interest in painting, which then led them back to three-dimensional work, building installations and objects, and eventually being introduced to scenography.

What is the speaker's approach to conceptualizing a set design?

The speaker finds that having a good concept or idea that encapsulates the show in a simple way helps determine every other choice in the design, guiding them through all the visual choices.

How does the speaker view the role of the set in theater?

The speaker views the set as creating the frame and surround for presenting the human figure in theater, similar to how the camera frames things in film, with the set largely handling this task with some help from lighting.

What is the speaker's recent perspective on scenery design?

The speaker's recent perspective on scenery design is that it is a transformation of space over time, focusing on how to get from point A to point B quickly and seamlessly to help tell the story.

How does the speaker engage with the audience's experience in their designs?

The speaker is interested in engaging the audience in a more visceral way, considering the relationship between the audience and the play, especially when designing for flexible seating.

What is the speaker's process for collaborating with directors on a play?

The speaker's process involves reading the play without preconceptions, having a long talk with the director to understand their vision, and focusing on the feel of the play rather than specific design elements.

How does the speaker use models in their design process?

The speaker uses models as a way to quickly move from an idea to a three-dimensional form, allowing them to catch compositional issues and make changes before finalizing the design.

What is the speaker's view on the impermanence of set design compared to architecture?

The speaker views the impermanence of set design as a tragedy, as sets are often thrown away after a production ends, and they try to keep and reuse things as much as possible, coming from an architectural background.