"Stealing" Some Scenery!

I saw "Evita" on a college field trip to London in 1982. The one and only thing that stuck with me all these years about the design was the use of "up-lighting". They had a circle of flooring with intense spotlights shooting UP at the actors during certain dramatic scenes.

So as I thought about the design for our production of "Evita", I knew I wanted to work in some up-lights. But I knew it could be expensive to buy "expanded steel" grid work flooring...like they use on fire escapes. So, as is usually the case with my set designs, an expedient solution fell in my lap! The local professional theatre house, "Triad Stage", was doing "The Glass Menagerie" with a plexiglass floor! Cool! That stuff would make a quick and easy way to cover my platforms so I could blast the actors from below with light.

Background: Regardless of the budget I have for a play, it is always my goal to make scenery out of "found objects" that are cheap and not generally considered theatrical stuff. This way of scrounging around for weird alternatives is one of the most fun and creative aspects of set design for me.

Anyhow, last night we raided the professional theatre during strike and made off with all the expensive 1/2 inch thick plexiglass panels! (They are renting them to us really cheap). My awesome parent volunteer, Kevin Pusch, brought his big trailer. He helped Alan Tutterow, and my Crew student Kenny, move the fragile flooring over to our theatre.

Below, I'm using a suction cup to lift the first 4' x 4' square of plexiglass flooring at Triad Stage:


This is at the halfway point of pulling up the flooring from "The Glass Menagerie". We took the honeycomb wooden supports too. Notice the tangle of power cables left behind from all their up-lights! (Click photos to enlarge).


Here is my crew helper, Kenny, as we loaded Mr. Pusch's giant trailer with flooring outside Triad Stage:

First Read-Thru!

Above, the entire cast assembles for the first time in the Kaplan Lobby in front of the Sloan Theatre. Many of them are veterans of past musicals in high school, middle school, and lower school. Below, Mrs. Tutterow, the Director, goes over the basic rules and the background of the show.



Below, Simran, our Student Director, and Natalie, one of our Stage Managers, are on hand to take notes and pass out scripts to the cast.

Day One: The auditions

Auditions were held today and 36 terrific singers showed up. Above, our new music teacher plays as Fletcher sings. Below, the callbacks on Friday.

CAD Drawing of the Set

I went to the local scaffolding rental company for a price quote. They gave me a deal that was well within budget. The owner came out to the theatre and we showed him the stage area and my model. By the next day he sent me this CAD drawing with a quote. They will deliver the 400 pieces of scaffolding on October 4th and we will put it together ourselves like a huge Lego toy!

Click image to enlarge:

Model of the Set

Click photo to enlarge...


Here is my quick and simple model made from foamcore and wire hangers. This may look "lame" at the moment, but check back with this forum in two months and you will be amazed at how well this primitive model actually resembles the real set!

It shows how the rented scaffolding will be used to build 16' high followspot towers in front of the proscenium arch. Then there will be a bridge 10 feet high up-stage-center, with lower platforms left and right. The lower platforms will be decked in plexiglass so I can light them from underneath.

Notice the two silver dots down-stage. Those will be 1" thick Lucite discs mounted in the trap doors so I can shoot spotlights up from the pit! Also notice the white cyclorama up-stage. I will mount "up-lights" inside the scaffolding aimed at the cyc. (The floor will be painted in overlapping circles).