Behind The Scenes: Scenic Design
The set of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Keystone Theatrics/The Playhouse at Allenberry. Design by David Olmsted. Photo courtesy of ER Foto.
This is the second in the series of articles, called Behind The Scenes, in which we will take a look at a variety of technical artists that help bring your favorite productions to life.
Scenic Design
Ghost Light interviewed scenic designers Andrew Nyberg and David Olmsted to learn a bit more about the way a designer approaches the task of creating a physical world for a theatre production – and some of the challenges they experience in doing so.
Q. What is the basic responsibility of a scenic designer?
AN: As a scenic designer, it is my responsibility to come up with the physical location of where the show takes place. I generate any ground plans, renderings, front elevations, and whatever else the formidable production crew – the Technical Director, Charge Artist, carpenters and others -- then needs to build that space.
DO: You have to know the play forwards and backwards. I read the play several times and make note of specific things required for the production: a door, window, furniture, time period… I then do research about the particular time periods or locations based on the play. I make very rough sketches. I talk to the director about how he or she ‘sees’ and wants the physical set, and also to other members of the design team like costumes and lights. It is very important to work collaboratively with the other artists in the production. Lastly, I do a ground plan and a three-dimensional rendering.
Q. What do you consider the most important part of what you do?
The set of Macbeth, Gamut Theatre’s Free Shakespeare in the Park. Design by Andrew Nyberg.
AN: Paying attention to what the other designers are doing. I get to collaborate with some incredibly talented people in the design world and there’s nothing more important than keeping an open line of communication with them and being open to cohesive solutions. For me, it's often this part of the process that inspires ideas for details that tie together the world we are creating.
DO: Creating a world upon which the actors can “play.” You start with just words on a page and you imagine the environment that would best suit the needs of the characters, themes of the play, and the director’s concept. One of my favorite parts is dressing the set once it is fully built and painted. I have great fun making choices for all of the subtle details.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge?
DO: Every theatre space is different in size and capabilities, and every show has a different budget. Even shows that I have designed more than once are vastly different from each other because the world changes and I like to think that my sensibilities and techniques grow and change as well. A few years ago, I designed a production of 1984 that was being mounted in the year following 9-11. My design was predominately made of metal and consisted of two large towers that had framed the stage and appeared to have come crashing down. One even appeared to have taken out a chunk of the stage, exposing what was hidden below the “concrete” surface. I designed this show again after the recent Presidential elections, and this time, the focus was on the aspect of ‘media,’ and included multiple television screens for simultaneous broadcasting, and the remnants of numerous technical devices.
AN: For Gamut Theatre's recent Reservoir Park production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Director Tom Weaver, set the show in modern-day Harrisburg. Technical Director Ross Carmichael and I designed a way to have a 15' wide, 7' tall section of bridge “break away” from the rest of the set and roll toward the audience as a not-so-subtle homage to the Walnut St. bridge collapse in 1996
The tricky part of this was that we had no budget for any kind of automated equipment so we had to rely on some very sturdy wheels and some very sturdy cast members to pull the whole thing off. When all was said and done though, the whole section rolled safely and remarkably smoothly and to top it off, we even put a drawbridge-style stair case that lowered from the front of the bridge to reveal Oberon presiding over her kingdom in all her glory. Adding lights, sound, and costumes to all that created a "wow-factor" scene change that would occasionally get applause, and went off every night (almost) without a hitch.
Q. What is the one thing you wish audience members knew about what you do?
AN: There's really no such thing as a simple set. Even shows that might seem to have minimal scenery requirements still go through the full conceptualization process and there is lot of discussion that goes into how to present its look or feel. So whether it's a fully dressed interior of a 1930's row home or three black cubes on an otherwise empty stage, a lot of thought and energy goes into the creation of each different world.
DO: There is no magic website where you can search and order a scenic design. Every production is unique and defined by theater space, creative team and budget. Also -- I should mention that I include at least one monkey on every set that I design. Sometimes as many as 20 or more. Like Alfred Hitchcock walking thru the frame of his films, I like to think that the monkey is putting a piece of me out there, too.
David Olmsted is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Resident Scenic Designer at Harrisburg Area Community College where he teaches courses in acting, movement, scenic design, and playwriting. He holds an M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University and two B.A.s in Communications/Theatre and Film Production/Direction. Dave has worked as a professional actor on stage, TV, radio, and film and continues to direct and design throughout Central PA. His scenic design work has been seen at Mt. Gretna Playhouse, The Playhouse at Allenberry, Theatre Harrisburg, Open Stage of Harrisburg, Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, Rose Lehrman Arts Center, Climenhaga Fine Arts Center, and the Carlisle Performing Arts Center
Andrew Nyberg is the manager of the scene shop at Michigan Tech University. He has been a core company member at Gamut Theatre Group in Harrisburg where he worked as the resident scenic designer and technical director, designing and building roughly 10 mainstage shows. Andrew is also a freelance scenic designer, having most recently worked with Theatre Harrisburg for their production of Baskerville. His upcoming projects include the design for Gamut Theatre's production of All the King's Men as well as the design for a two-level marionette stage for Michigan Tech's Theatre department.