Set Design Set Requirements Must be practical and usable Aesthetically pleasing to the eye—LOOKS GOOD Provide a suitable background for play’s action Space for movement Several acting areas Doors, windows, levels, etc Communicates locale (time and place), the cultural, social, and economic status of characters Suggest the play’s style and mood

Set Design First step in set design is creating a GROUND PLAN Drawing of set from overhead view Details the placement of Entrances/exits Windows Furniture Stairs, platforms, ramps Usually drawn to scale so that construction crew can build from it

THE STAGE CREW Supervised by Technical Director Consists of groups of people working on set construction, props, lighting, sound, costumes and makeup Each individual crew is lead by a crew head, or lead designer

SET CONSTRUCTION CREW builds and paints the structures on which the actors perform design is conceived by set designer later becomes the shifting or running crew: crew that changes the set from scene to scene during the production of the play

PROPERTIES (PROPS) CREW in charge of gathering and organizing props prop: anything actors handle onstage, as well as furniture or any items used to enhance the set 3 types Handheld: any prop handled by an actor during the course of the show Set props: large set pieces that do not move such as couches, chairs, tables, etc. Decorative: additions that enhance the set, add to the mood of the play; ex: pictures, curtains, knicknacks crew is managed by the Prop master Researches the time period of the play and socio-economic background of characters Either buys or builds the necessary props for the show Creates a Prop Table on which all props for a show are stored and organized by actor

MAKEUP CREW Refers to cosmetics, hairstyling, false hair and false features Traditionally in theatre, makeup is applied by the actors When makeup is complicated/specialized, a crew of makeup artists apply, supervised by makeup designer Designer creates renderings which are followed by actors or makeup artists in application Considerations for Make up Design Stage lights wash the color from an actor’s face—makeup must cover entire face, neck, ears Application involves using principles of chiaroscuro—highlight and shadow

Straight Makeup Straight Makeup refers to basic makeup needed by all actors on stage Procedure Start with a clean face! Step One: Foundation/base Provides a uniform color and canvas on which to apply all other makeup Step Two: Rouge/Blush Apply to apples of cheeks and blend upward along cheekbones Step Three: Eyes and brows Shadow (applied to lids) and liner (brows and under eye) Step 4: Highlight and Shadow Brings out features (highlight) with a color 3 shades lighter than base Corrects features (shadows) with a color 3 shades darker than base Step 5: Powdering Sets the makeup and gives a matte finish Step 6: Lipstick and finishing touches Includes application of mascara, false eye lashes, lip liner

Specialized Makeup Aging Wigs and Facial Hair Base color should be 1 shade lighter than normal since skin loses color with age Lines made with eye pencils create wrinkles Follow natural lines in the face Apply with a light hand Highlights and shadows create folds in skin which deepen the appearance of wrinkles Wigs and Facial Hair Prosthetics—false features

COSTUME CREW Responsible for sewing, repairing and cleaning costumes Costume designer chooses or designs costumes Designer must consider Time period Character personality What is the character doing in each scene? Designer first researches and creates a costume collage—images of clothing from time period that inspire each costume. Then, designer creates costume renderings Colored drawing or painting of ideal costume Includes a list of accessories with explanations Sometimes includes fabric swatches Renderings are used by the stitchers to build the costumes

Costume Design Considerations for costume design Appropriateness Color Costume silhouette: the distinctive line and form in dress from any given historical period Can only know this by researching the time period It may be necessary for the CD to attend rehearsals to see the blocking the actors must perform in costume Color Reflects personality and character traits Color symbolism to consider (just a few—every color has meaning) Purple—royalty Red—lust or desire White—innocence Can indicate character relationships Couples in matching or complementary colors

LIGHTING CREW Lighting crew places lights and runs light board and spotlights during the show Lighting is any illumination of the set and actors during the performance; needed to make actors visible (duh) to establish time, place and mood for play Lighting designer decides what kind of lighting instrument to use and what color of lights are needed Equipment—fresnels, scoops, strips, ellipsiodals, spotlights Intensity of light beam Throw: distance the light travels Tragedies and dramas: cool colors—blues, purples, greens, whites Comedies: warmer colors—yellows, pinks, reds, oranges where to focus the lights The most important acting areas need a stronger concentration of light when to turn the lights on/off

LIGHTING CREW Procedure for creating Lighting Design Lighting Designers must create the following Light Plot Details the primary stage areas where acting takes place Details when (at what line) the lights need to be at full in that area Lighting Cue Sheet A list of all lighting changes, in the order they happen, and with the lines that correspond to when the change in lights begins and when it ends

SOUND CREW Responsible for collecting, preparing and running the sound during a performance Sound includes Amplification of actors’ voices (microphones) Music Preshow—should reflect time period of play and mood of play; sets tone for the show (comedy, drama, tragedy) Intermission—time period appropriate and fits mood at intermission Post-show/Bows—should be time period appropriate and fit final mood or feeling at end of the play Sound effects—phones, thunder, doorbell, car approaching, etc

SOUND CREW Sound Designer decides Sound designer creates Song choices for music (unless specifically noted in the script) and Sound choices for effects Whether or not sounds are live or recorded Sound designer creates Sound Cue List List of all sound effects which includes the page # and the line it corresponds with when it begins and end Their own sound effects