Lecture Notes on Set Design and the Theater

Introduction

• Speaker's background in theater and set design.
• Early influence: Mother as an opera singer, first experience backstage during Verdi's Macbeth.
• Notion of stage scenery as an artifice.

Mentorship

• Meeting Hal Prince after graduate school.
• Prince’s influence and mentorship in the speaker's career.
• Overcoming initial fear in working with established figures in theater.

Transition from Architecture to Set Design

• Similarities between set design and architecture: model building and drafting.
• Set design seen as ephemeral representation of architecture.
• Initial painting class sparked interest in three-dimensional work.

Design Process

Concept Development

• Importance of a solid concept to guide design choices.
• A good idea helps in determining color, shape, and other visual aspects.
• Set creates a frame for presenting human figures in theater.

Transformation of Space

• Scenery design as a transformation of space over time.
• Aim for seamless transitions in storytelling through set design.

Audience Engagement

• Designing with audience engagement in mind.
• Flexible seating arrangements to enhance visceral connection.

Collaboration with Directors and Teams

• Early discussions with the director to understand the play's essence.
• Models as a communication tool with directors and choreographers.
• Importance of teamwork with builders and technical staff.

Model Building

• Transitioning from sketches to physical models for clarity.
• Models provide a more truthful representation than drawings.
• Process involves building, revising, and finalizing set designs.

Specific Projects and Inspirations

• Example of designing for "The World of Extreme Happiness" and its thematic exploration.
• Use of abstract designs to convey complex narratives.
• Inspiration drawn from materials and library research.

Challenges and Realizations

• Designing for incomplete scripts can be liberating yet challenging.
• Initial fear of starting new projects is a source of creative possibility.
• Importance of adaptability and flexibility in design.

Environmental Considerations

• The unsustainable nature of set design due to disposal of materials post-production.
• Efforts to reuse and repurpose materials in set design.
• Balance between real materials and practical faking in production.

Conclusion

• The emotional investment in design: satisfaction derived from personal vision over public opinion.
• The continuous learning process in theater design and the joy of discovery.