Mr. Bartosh Technical Theatre I Scenery Construction Mr. Bartosh Technical Theatre I

Why Build Scenery? Set Design Expresses the mood and spirit of the play and reinforces the story with visual elements Historical period Location Season of Year Socioeconomic Conditions Personality of Characters

What is Scenery? Scenery Used to convey location and/or structure during a performance. May be permanently fixed on stage but often moves to accommodate different settings within the play

Types of Scenery Hard Scenery Soft Scenery

Hard Scenery Characteristics Types Hard to the touch Acoustically “live” (The way a sound acts in an environment) Types Two-Dimensional (2D) Non-Load Bearing Hard flats (Hollywood style) Wood frames covered by ¼” plywood or lauan plywood. Hard drops Cut-outs that may be hung from a batten, but need to be rigid

Three Dimensional Scenery Three-Dimensional (3D) Load Bearing Platforms: The workhorse of scenery, reuseable Used to create levels on stage Typical stock sizes: 4’x8’, 4’x4’, 2’x4’ Lid—3/4” plywood 3/8” Carriage Bolts Placed at a 45 deg angle Like a 2 on a dice Leg Bracing—1x4 squares up platform legs. Also called banding Cross bracing—1x4 keeps platform from twisting Legs--2x4 cut to height of platform minus ¾”

Step Units Step Units: Two types Escape units On Stage Units Railings Used to get actors on/off stage platform without being seen On Stage Units Built as part of scenery Independent—stands alone Dependent—needs to be attached to a platform Railings Nuel Post—large post (4”x4”) used to keep railing laterally stable Ballusters—smaller posts (2”x2”) used to give vertical strength Hand rail—Used to support people traversing a staircase

More about step units Hand Rail Balluster Nuel Post Riser—how tall each step is (front of step) Carriage—carries all of the weight of the unit (2” dimensional lumber) Tread—the part you step on (3/4” hardwood or 2” dimensional lumber)

Other 3D Scenery Ramps Doors Windows Abstract

Materials Dimensional lumber: (Sticks) solid pieces of wood so called because each denoted by nominal dimensions 1x3, 1x4, 1x6, 1x10, 1x12, 2x2, 2x4, 2x6, 2x10, 2x12 are all common in the scene shop Nominal vs. True 2x4’s aren’t actually 2”x4”. They’ve been planed to 1 ½”x 3 ½”. The same is true for all dimensional lumber

Sheet Goods Most sheet goods come standard as 4’x8’ Plywood Thin layers of wood laid out as a sheet. Each layer laid perpendicular to the last. Common thicknesses ¼”, ½”, ¾”. Graded A-D on number of imperfections. Most have different grades on different sides. Used for platform lids & other decking

Sheet Goods Lauan Plywood Thin plywood ( ¼”) Lighter than ¼” pine plywood Warps less than pine plywood Use care in selecting where the lauan comes from Most lauan comes from unsustainable logging

Sheet Goods Masonite High density, hardened fiber board. Also called “hardboard” Used to face platforms and for stage decking Smooth on one side, rough on the back

Sheet Goods OSB Oriented Strand Board 1”-2” chips of wood that are compressed and glued into standard sized sheets More sustainable because it’s using scraps Cheaper than plywood Springy-er Does not have a smooth finished look

Sheet Goods MDF & HDF Medium & High Density Fiber Board (respectively) Saw dust that is compressed and glued into a sheet good Strong Very Heavy Uniform surface

Soft Scenery Soft to the touch Flexible Acoustically absorbent

Types of Soft Scenery Drapery Fabric that hangs on stage Not usually part of set Masking: cover areas of the stage from audience view

Black Panel/Traveler Curtains on tracks that can be opened and closed Typically black velour

Legs (Tormentors) 12-25 ft wide and taller than the proscenium arch Masks wings Usually black (light absorbing) Can be IFR or cotton velour

Borders (Teasers) 6-12 ft. tall Wider than the proscenium arch Masks fly house & battens Borders hang downstage of legs Usually black (light absorbing material) IFR or cotton velour

Grand Drape (Main Drape or Act Curtain) Types Traveler, Tableau, Austrian & Venetian Covers the opening of the proscenium arch The big reveal: Traditionally used to separate acts of a show Heavier velour than legs & borders Guillotine or travel Velour is usually a color other than black

Grand Valence (Valance) Always just downstage of Grand Drape Same material/color as GD Masks GD tracks when in & other downstage items

Drops Part of the set Painted drops No fullness Muslin or canvas Not typically one piece of fabric May be cut out or not full stage

Cyclorama (Cyc) Greek origin: “Sky Cloth” Used to simulate sky Large (usually larger than proscenium opening) Seamless True cycs are curved

Scrim NOT a cyc! Sharkstooth Possesses interesting properties Knitted fabric with more open space than thread Possesses interesting properties Light projected onto front of scrim Looks opaque Light objects behind scrim Objects visible to audience

Rear Projection Screen (RP) Vinyl material More light transmitted through the surface than fabric

Flats Wooden frames with lightweight covering used to simulate walls on stage Two Types

Broadway Flats Muslin (fabric) covering Framing members lay flat against covering (parallel) Stiles - made from 1”X3” wood, extend from the top of the bottom rail, to the bottom of the top rail Toggle - interior support, from 1”X3” wood Keystone - made from ¼ plywood, got its name for its shape. Cornerblock - made from ¼ plywood (when attached, it must be ¾” form the edge of the flat (Broadway) or 1” (Hollywood), and the grain of the wood must follow the stile) Rails - top and bottom support, from 1”X3” wood, fit the width of the flat.

Hollywood Flats Hard (lauan plywood) covering Framing members lay on end from covering (perpendicular)