what is theatrical design

7/24/2019 What is Theatrical Design

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WHAT IS THEATRICAL DESIGN?Chapter One The Art of Theatrical Design

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WHAT IS THEATRICAL DESIGN?

Theatrical design is the art of creating and composing the visual and aural elements thatshape a performance space. It encompasses the development of scenery, costumes,lighting, sound, and multimedia effects to create pictures onstage. These elementscombine to create an environment in which the action of the play can take place andwhere the audience can experience the performance. Design brings the world of the playto life.

Theatrical design is different from many other art forms in that it is a collaborative art.Design does not exist in a vacuum. No one theatre artist works independently to create aperformance. Instead, a production is brought into existence through the combinedefforts of many skilled and specialized artists working together, sharing a commonconceptual approach. nlike a novel, a play does not exist solely to be read! it is meant

to be performed and its greatness and wonder can only truly be accessed in this manner" play re#uires actors to embody each of the characters, to take on their personalitiesand behaviors and make them real for the audience as the story is told. Through thecharacters, the audience is able to make an emotional connection with the events, ideas,and themes of the play. The design anchors them in the world of the play,communicating information about that world to the audience that supports the dramaticaction and draws them in, engaging them with the performance on a sensory level.

WHAT DO DESIGNERS DO?" theatrical designer is an artist who creates and organizes one or more aspects of theaural and visual components of a theatrical production. $ome designers specialize inone area of design%scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, multimedia& pro'ections, or hair

and makeup%while others work in multiple areas. (egardless of their area ofspecialization, each designer is working towards the same goal) the successfulrealization of the playwright*s vision on the stage. In order to do this work a designerneeds to possess a wide range of skills. They need tobe able to read and analyze a script effectively, not only to note the details that arerelevant to their individual design area, but also to understand the story, identify keythemes, plot details, and important actions, and to follow character development. Theymust be familiar with theatre history and literature and understand how they inform boththe performance and visual style of a play. They must be familiar with the history ofdress, art, and decor and be able to do appropriate research to inform and inspire theirwork. They must be imaginative and inventive, able to find inspiration and use it todevelop creative conceptual approaches to the visual interpretation of the playwright*s

work They have to be resourceful, innovative, and problem+solvers. Designers choosethe visual and audio elements that go into the stage picture carefully, in order to shape,influence, and guide the audience*s impression of the world of the play. ecause theatreis a collaborative endeavor, designers must be good communicators in order to expresstheir ideas and to work effectively with their colleagues. They must be organized andable to manage their time efficiently so that they can meet work deadlines. In order tocommunicate their design ideas to the director they must be able to draw and renderwith sufficient skill, whether through traditional or digital methods. Increasingly, designersare being asked to have a working knowledge of various computer software programs


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that are applicable to their design specialty, as design and technology become moreclosely linked. They need to have an understanding of the human form in three+dimensional space as well as the advantages and challenges inherent in differenttheatrical configurations. Drafting, painting, construction, sewing, pattern making anddraping, and mathematics are also skills that are needed to varying degrees. "bove all,designers need to be observers of the world. -ike all artists, designers take in

information from the world around them and use it to inspire and inform their work. Theyrespond to and take note of the way other artists have used the visual elements ofcomposition in their practice. Designers are avid visitors of museums, connoisseurs ofthe arts in all forms) fashion, painting, furniture, architecture, textiles, photography,literature, music, dance, theatre, and more. They are students of history and culture,curious about the influences that have shaped us as people, as individuals, and incommunities the world oven aying attention to both function and aesthetics, designerslook to the world around them for the information and vision that inspires them to revealand understand the action of a play in a visual form, making it accessible to an audience.

THE DESIGN AREAS

The scenic 'esigneris responsible for the composition of the stage environment thatthe actors inhabit and for selecting all of the elements that make up the set, includingplatforms, levels, walls, and all structures whether they appear organic or manmade./urniture, light fixtures, curtains, pillows, and interior decor are also part of theirresponsibility. Their work encompasses the design and selection all of the properties forthe show, from items carried by the actors such as letters, books, dishes, and luggage%to large articles like chests of gold, food, blackboards, or any other item re#uired tofacilitate the action. The set may be as simple as a bare stage or a complicatedextravaganza with multiple locations, automated scene changes, and spectacularspecial effects. oth spaces re#uire careful thought, design, planning, and creativechoices. The space that is created by the scene designer is more than a representationof the playwright*s imagination. It is more than a house or a room, a palace or a park!

more than the literal place it represents. It is a space that will shape and is in turnedshaped by the actions of the actors that will inhabit it. It is responsive to the needs of theaction in a way that an ordinary location is not. In short, it is designed to serve the needsof the play. It will help to establish location, time period, time of day, the tone and stylisticapproach to the production, and communicate information about the characters that livein the space. It will present an overall design concept, image, or metaphor that supportsthe content of the play. The set must also be unified with the other design elements andaddress all the practical considerations involved with how the space will be used by theactors.

The cost($e 'esigneris responsible for the visual realization of the characters. Theyinterpret the playwright*s words, using them to analyze each character and transpose

that understanding into clothing that reveals their identity to the audience. 0ostume is animportant tool that enriches and supports the actor*s performance. sing the language ofclothing to create a visual narrative, the costume designer seeks to produce evocativecostumes that evolve over the course of the play to mirror the progression of thecharacter. The choices made by the costume designer also reflect the overall conceptualapproach to the production and, like the scenery, contribute to the mood andtmaosphere of the performance. 0olor, pattern, texture, and weight of fabrics can allcontribute to the director*s approach. 0lothing reveals important information about eachcharacter. $ocial status, occupation, location, and time of year can easily be


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communicated through what an individual chooses to wear. 0areful selection of fabrics,accessories, color, and level of wear and cleanliness can give insight into a character*smood, health, age, state of mind, and personality, h+low a garment is worn gives asmuch insight into character as what is being worn. " well+fitted dress made of light anddiaphanous fabrics might speak to the vibrancy and happiness of a young ingenuefalling in love for the first time, while an ill+fitting one made of dark, heavy fabrics might

weave the tale of a widow mourning her husband*s death and losing weight from theburden other grief. " handsomely tailored suit can speak volumes about the man whowears it! but spill a few drops of blood on the lapels and his tie, or let a straight razorpeek out from his pocket and the outfit takes on an entirely different meaning. 0ostumescan also be used to show the relationships between characters, subtly underscoring theconnection between families, lovers, coworkers, classmates, or members of the samecommunity, 0hoosing similar colors, textures, or silhouettes can create a sense of groupidentity, unifying a chorus of dancers or a crowd of bystanders, ensuring they are a partof the world of the play and that the audience can understand who they are.

The lighting 'esigner is responsible for illuminating the stage space so that the actorsand the environment may be seen. They are in charge of all forms of light on the stage.

They select the number of instruments and their types. They set their intensity, locationand angle, determining how the light that is being cast will strike the stage. They choosehow to alter the appearance of the light cast on the stage, changing the color, thetexture, and the pattern. They ensure that practical light fixtures that are part of the setwill turn on and off as needed. The lighting designer composes the cues and determineshow long each will last, setting the duration of light on the stage picture. art of this taskis choosing what to reveal with light and what to conceal. -ight focuses the audience*sattention, drawing it to the important parts of the action and upping their emotionalinvestment. -ight has an incredible potential to create a sense of mood and atmospherethrough the use of color, value, and selective lighting. y using all of the tools at theirdisposal, a lighting designer is able to paint the stage with light, modeling the sceneryand the actors to enhance their three dimensional form for greater visibility and to create

compelling pictures that pull all the visual design elements together into a unified picture.

The so(n' 'esigner is responsible for the design of all of the audio components for aproduction. Their work is varied, ranging from simple reinforcement of sound, allowingthe actors and any musicians to be heard more clearly and succinctly, with a balancedcomposition of sound to the creation of a complete sound design that complements andenhances the production.$ound design can include the careful selection of preshow, 1intermission, and post+showmusic, to help set the mood and atmosphere, introducing the audience to the world ofthe 1 play and maintaining continuity throughout their experience of the performance. Itmay also include any incidental music or underscoring to support the dramatic action.$ometimes, a sound designer might even compose all of the music for a production,

tailoring it specifically for that play." sound designer is also responsible for all of the sound effects the script re#uires,whether they occur offstage or onstage or from motivated sources. (inging telephones,doorbells, lightning, breaking glass, or elaborate sound compositions containing multipleeffects may be used to create the desired result. "mbient sound may be incorporated aspart of the design to help establish the location, time of day, the season, and to supportthe style and conceptual approach of the production. "lthough the sound designer is arelatively recent addition to the design team, more and more directors are realizing the


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potential of sound design and what it can contribute to a production in the hands of acreative designer.

The pro)ections 'esigner 2also known as the multimedia designer3 is an even morerecent position in theatrical design. The pro'ection designer is responsible for the designand creation of all images, moving and still, that will be pro'ected onto the stage or into

the theatrical space. There are multiple uses for pro'ections in a production. They can beused for simple purposes, such as adding narrative announcements at the beginning ofscenes to act as title cards or to add uncomplicated images to various scenes,complementing the action and illustrating it in a lively and engaging way. 4r pro'ectionscan be used to enhance the stage picture, providinghigh+resolution digital images that can be pro'ected onto the surface of the scenery toalter its shape, change locations #uickly, or even to take the place of scenery entirely.They can be pro'ected throughout the auditorium to immerse the audience in theproduction environment or focused onto small surfaces carried by an actor as they moveacross the stage.0ameras placed strategically throughout the playing space can present multiple views ofthe action, pro'ecting them onto the set to become part of the performance that actors

can interact with. ro'ections have the potential to establish location and style, enhancethe mood and atmosphere, reveal important story elements, aid the d5matic action, addin a newpenance element, and support the overall design concept of the production. It is a newand exerting area of design.

THEATRICAL S*ACES AND THEIR I&*ACTON DESIGN

4ne of the most important factors designers need to keep in mind when doing their workis the type of theatre being used for the production. The configuration of the theatricalspace has a significant impact on all aspects of the production, shaping the

performance. 0ostume details that can easily be seen in an intimate arena theatre willbe lost in a large proscenium space.-ight instrument positions that serve a proscenium theatre well may shine the lightdirectly in the audience*s eyes in a thrust space. $cenery designed for a prosceniumtheatre will block the sightlines of the audience in an arena theatre. " found spacere#uires careful consideration regarding the placement of the audience and the actingspace, whereas the audience location in most other theatre spaces is usually preset.The type of space is important because a theatre is not 'ust a place to view aperformance. It is a place that supports the exchange of emotion between the actor andthe audience and facilitates the communal experience of the performance between theaudience members. There is no ideal shape or size for a performance space and no oneconfiguration is better

than another. 6ach type of theatre has advantages that can be used to the designers*benefit and limitations which might re#uire that ad'ustments be made as part of theproductionprocess.


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*rosceni($ Theatre


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" proscenium theatre is the type of theatre we are most familiar with because it was themost common type of stage space in the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries inthe7estern word. In this configuration, the stage is situated at one end of the building,separated from the audience by the proscenium wall, a large rectangular opening thatframes the stage. This type of theatre was developed to focus the attention of the

audience through the opening of the proscenium, accentuating the perspective effectscreated by the painted scenery of the period. The playing space behind the prosceniummay be deep or relatively shallow and is framed on either side by a set of wings thatprovide offstage space. $ome of these theatres also have an apron or forestage situatedin front of the arch, offering another playing area, and scenery may extend into thisspace from the main part of the stage. In modern proscenium theatres the apron mayalso be capable of lowering to the auditorium floor or beyond, doubling as an orchestrapit for musicals and concerts. This type of theatre usually has a fly loft above the stage,which allows for scenic elements to be flown in and out of the stage space. The seatingarea may be set up in any one of a number of configurations, often with orchestraseating on the auditorium floor, seating galleries on both sides and one or more floors ofaudience seating. The combination of the fly space and wings allows for a wide variety

of scenic and lighting effects in a proscenium theatre and the stage itself might also offeradditional options such as trapdoor8 and hydraulic systems that can be used to raiseand lower the stage floor to add special dramatic effects and facilitate elaborate scenechanges. roscenium theatres often seat a large number of people, putting a fair amountof distance between the actors and the audience. 0ostumes, scenery, and makeup needto be bolder and broader in order to carry over the distance to communicate effectivelyto the audience, 9owever, there is an obvious advantage created by the prosceniumarch, which serves to focus the audience*s attention on the action it frames.


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Arena Theatre


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"n arena theatre, also referred to as theatre in the round, is a theatre where theaudience entirely surrounds the performance space or acting area. -ike a thrust space,actor*s enter and exit through a series of aisles or vom $tories that situated off theplaying space. "n arena theatre offers several advantages, including an increased

intimacy between the actors and the audience and a wide range of entrances and exits.ut it also offers challenges related to blocking, lighting, scenery, and sightlines.ecause the audience is seated around the entireplaying space, scenery cannot substantially block their view of the action and lights mustbe carefully focused so that they do not shine in their eyes or light the seating area,inadvertentlydrawing focus, hanging scenic elements above the stage may be important to establishthe environment, but might also add additional challenges to the lighting designer.locking musttake into account the fact that the audience becomes part of the composition. 0ostumesin intimate theatres can re#uire more detail and realism, especially with historicalgarments,

because the audience is very close to the actors. :akeup can be especially challenging,as any ageing or special effects re#uire film+level #uality to be believable. "s with athrust space, the sound designer has multiple locations for sound sources and cancreate an entire environment with their design, but must carefully balance the soundoutput to ensure #uality.


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Thr(st Theatre


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In a thrust theatre, three+#uarter round, the stage extends out into the audience and theseating surrounds the playing area on three sides. $ometimes the thmst may beenclosed by aproscenium arch at the back of the stage, but this space is often shallow and theaudience*s view into the space is limited. "ctor can enter and exit from behind the

proscenium or through aisles or vomitories that are situated off the playing space andextend out through the audience.

" thrust theatre essentially offers a combination of a proscenium stage and an arenastage. This configuration allows for increased intimacy with the audience, giving themthe opportunity to focus on greater details in costumes and the set. 9owever, the playingspace only provides one wall for vertical scenic elements along with the stage floor. "llscenery in the stage space itself needs to maintain clear sightlines for the audience andmust be designed carefully. locking is more difficult than on a proscenium stage, as theplaying space offers multiple views that the director has to take into consideration andthe spectators can be seen as well as the actors.0onse#uently, focus can become an issue. -ighting designers face the challenge ofmaintaining focus on the acting area without spilling light onto the audience, drawing

attention away from the action or inadvertently shining light into their eyes. $ounddesigners have the potential to surround the audience with sound from multipledirections, but careful balance is re#uired to ensure that everyone can hear e#ually.

En' Stage"n end stage is a theatre in which the audience and the acting area occupy the samearchitectural space. ;enerally, the audience is seated in front of the playing space, but itis also possible to arrange the seating in other configurations to allow for a differentstage space, such as thrust. The back wall of the stage may be framed with aproscenium arch allowing for a curtain and access to a small backstage area. This typeof theatre allows for flexible scenic elements that can take advantage of flexible stage

configurations. Theatres in this format are usually small, allowing for a close connectionbetween the actors and the audience, but may prove challenging for lighting positionsand actor entrances and exits.


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+lac, +o- Theatre


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" black box theatre is a flexible space made to provide multiple stage configurations.The space may not always be black, but it is shaped like a large, unembellished cube,hence the name. $eating in a black box theatre is by necessity moveable and unfixed,allowing the director and designers to set up any stage arrangement they desire,ad'usting the seating as re#uired. The possibilities are almost limitless. Technicalgalleries may also be provided in the stage architecture, offering additional lighting

positions. The main advantage of a black box space is its flexibility and it offers few


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limitations.


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Co(rt"ar' Theatre


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" courtyard theatre combines the #ualities of several different theatre types, and ismodeled after a traditional 6lizabethan stage. $eating is provided in elevated galleriesthat surround a central area, which may or may not have fixed seating. The entireaudience area faces a proscenium stage. The central space is often flexible, allowing itto be used in a variety of configurations, including thrust, flat floor, and end stage.0ourtyard theatres are not always rectangular. The 9all Two stage at the ;ateshead is a

ten+sided courtyard theatre. The flexibility of this type of theatre provides designers anddirectors with multiple options when it comes to the layout of the space and the elevatedseating ensures that sightlines in the central playing area are less problematic.6ntrances and exits can be made through the proscenium arch or vomitories in theaudience space. -ighting positions are varied and malleable and the level of intimacycan be ad'usted by reconfiguring the space. se of the proscenium as the main actingarea creates more distance between the audience and the actors and sightlines on theextreme side seating on the galleries may be challenging for the scenic designer. "ll incourtyard theatre is an interesting theatrical space that lots of possibilities.

.o(n' Space" found space is a nontheatrical building or location that is adapted and used for a

performance. " found space can literally be anywhere, indoors or out. $ome possibilitiesof found spaces include the foyer of an office building, an old grocery store, a park,churches, a warehouse, a street comer, or the steps outside a museum. /ound spacesmay sometimes be altered to suit the needs of a particular production, adding specificarchitectural elements to meet the needs ofthe individual production. Designers working in these types of theatrical spaces can faceall the challenges of traditional theatres as well as others, including creating sceneryaround static building features, lighting around structural elements, and impairedsightlines created by unusual spaces. ut a found space may offer uni#ue advantagesnot available in a traditionaltheatre, such as unusual backgrounds and textures, interesting atmosphere,environmental sounds, and other elements that are complementary to the production.

En/iron$ental Theatre"n environmental theatre is a theatrical space that has been completely transformed tocreate a uni#ue environment for the performance. 4ften, the architecture of the space isa key element in the production. In an environmental theatre, the acting and audiencespaces may be intermixed, sometimes with no provided seating. erformances areimmersive, with shifting or multiple focuses and the physical space is an importantproduction element, blurring the line between audience, performer, and space. :anyproductions are site specific. " good example of this is unchdrunk*s Sleep No More, afilm noir, interactive retelling of :acbeth performed in three abandoned New


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the persona> context we bring to it. The following chapters will examine these importantconcepts and their importance for design.

THE LANG0AGE O. DESIGN ANDTHEATRICAL S*ACE

"rena theatre) " theatre where the audience entirely surrounds the performancespace. "iso known as theatre in the round.

lack boxtheatre)

" flexible theatre space made to provide multiple stageconfigurations.

0ostumedesigner)

The artist that is responsible for the visual realization of thecharacters through clothing.

0ourtyardtheatre)

" theatre space that combines the#ualities of several different theatre types, modeled after atraditional 6lizabethan stage.

6nd stage) " theatre in which the audience and the acting area occupy thesame architectural space.

6nvironmentaltheatre)

" theatrical space thathas been completely transformed to create a uni#ue environmentfor the performance.

/ound space) " nontheatrica> building or location that is adapted and used for aperformance.

-ightingdesigner)

The artist that is responsible for illuminating the stage space so thatthe actors and the environment may be seen.

ro'ectionsdesigner)

The artist that is responsible for the design and creation of allimages, moving and stili, that will be pro'ected onto the stage orinto the theatrical space. "lso known as the multimedia designer.

rosceniumtheatre)

" theatre space whose main feature is an arch that frames thestage near the front.

$ound designer) The artist that is responsible for the design of ati of the audio

components for a production.

Theatricaldesign)

The art of creating and composingthe visual and aural elements that shape a performancespace.

Theatricaldesigner)

"n artist who creates and organizes one or more aspects of theaural and visual components of a theatrical production.


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Thrust theatre) " theatre space where the stage extends out into the audience andthe seating surrounds the playing area on three sides.

=omitories) "isles that extend from the stage through the seating area of atheatre that can be used as entrances

and exits.

what is theatrical design

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