Chapter 9

1. Chapter 9 The Art of Design

2. What designers say: • “Design is an act of transformation.” Ming Cho Lee, Theatre Designer • “In the last analysis the designing of stage scenery is not the problem of an architect or a painter or a sculptor or even a musician, but of a poet.” Robert Edmond Jones, Theatre Designer

3. From Page to Stage:Doing the Homework Designers must often do detailed investigation into locations and historical periods. Some questions to ask: • How does the play’s environment affect and reflect the story and characters? • How do the characters feel about their environment? • How does the environment relate to the play’s theme? • What is the time period of the play? • What are the budgetary limitations? • What are the physical limitations of the stage?

4. From Page to Stage:Design Team Meetings • The purpose of these meetings is to • Define a central metaphor for the play • Accommodate the physical limits of the theatre in which the play will be performed • Determine and set the budget • Work out scheduling for each aspect of the production • Address possible safety concerns

5. Types of Stages • Found space • Proscenium Arch • Apron, or lip • Fly system • Borders and wings • Thrust Stage • Arena • Black box Courtesy of The Stratford Festival of Canada

6. Theatrical Styles • Realism • Simplified • Selective • Expressionism • Surrealism • Symbolism Michal Daniel/Proofsheet

7. Filling the Empty Space Basic Elements of Design • Line • Dimension • Balance • Movement • Harmony • Color • Texture Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations

8. Filling the Empty Space:Designing the Set Set Designers take the words of the playwright and the ideas of the director and turn them into visual imagery. Michael Earl/University of Wyoming Archives

9. Filling the Empty Space:Designing the Set Michael Earl/University of Wyoming Archives • Designers who draw their designs by hand often make numerous thumbnail sketches. • Designers often use Computer Aided Design (CAD), which includes elevations and floor plans.

10. Filling the Empty Space:Designing the Lights • A lighting designer creates different moods with light Larry Hazlett/University of Wyoming Archives

11. Filling the Empty Space:Designing the Lights • The first indoor form of lighting was the use of candles during the Renaissance • See Sebastiano Serlio’s Architettura • The second major shift occurred in the 1840s with gas-lit theatres • Sources of the term “limelight” • The third major shift occurred in the 1890s with the addition of electricity • Adolph Appia (1862-1928) – the first modern lighting designer

12. Filling the Empty Space:Designing with Lights: Terminology • Lighting plot • Gels • Gobos • Motivated light • Nonmotivated light Richard Finkelstein Photography

13. Filling the Empty Space:Designing with Sound Sound Designers must have a detailed knowledge: • Acoustics • Electronics • Digital music editing programs • Audio mixing boards • Microphones • Effects processors • Amplifiers

14. Filling the Empty Space:Designing with Costumes The costume designer is an expert at play analysis, especially character analysis. This is why most costume designers begin with the words the characters say. Robbie Jack Photography

15. Filling the Empty Space:Designing with Costumes Costumes reflect a character’s: • Social and economic status • Lifestyle • Age • Country • Occupation • Education • Geographical origin • Historical period Lee Hodgson/University of Wyoming Archives

16. Filling the Empty Space:Designing with Props • Set props • Hand props • Set decorations University of Wyoming Archives

17. Filling the Space:Preparing Makeup, Wigs, and False Noses • Straight makeup • Character makeup Reuters /Corb is

18. Curtain Call Although the designers aren’t part of the curtain call, their work is onstage for all to applaud. Michael Earl/University of Wyoming Archives