Hey everyone!  I thought I'd post a few pictures of my latest scenic design that I'm working on.  It's a children's musical called "Uncle Pirate," based on the popular book by Douglas Rees.  It opens in late September at Vital Theatre here in New York.  I know this has absolutely nothing to do with puppetry, but hey, puppetry is theatre and both fields are definitely realted!

These pictures are of my 1/2" scale model in progress.  I'm missing a few pieces at this point in the process, but you get the idea.  Right now it's almost finger puppet size.  Now my carpenters just need to make it people size!

This is the proscenium and act curtain...Top of the show.


This is the pirate classroom.  Instead of desks, we're using small barrels, etc. (not pictured)


The classroom revolves and reveals the bedroom, complete with functional porthole.


This is just a view of the backdrop model piece. It's huge pirate map with locations from the show.

Looks like fun! love the colors.

I love the map!

Oh, that's so depressing. I've been building a few 'set designs' at home - testing out ideas for displays I can take to local craft markets - with my scale ruler and some cardboard.

I saw this post and before reading it assumed that it was images of your actual set. Then I re-read and saw it was of your SCALE set. It makes my own miniature tests look like ****.

Seriously that's some amazing work. How do you manage to get so much detail into such a small space?

... Also, because I'm an ex-theatre techie and we don't have much chat over theory in building puppet sets here: why a proscenium? I know most theatres have in-built prosceniums (darn those French and Italians!) as part of their architecture, but I don't see many puppet shows here using a set that includes it as part of the design. Is it simply a way to incorporate the venue as part of the design and enhance atmosphere/location; or is there a particular reason related to the blocking?

... Probably answered my own question, but I'm so used to seeing puppet shows that are designed for black-box venues that I don't know much about this stuff.

Looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!

Kyle,

Please always feel free to share your set designs even if they are not for a puppet show. Heck that is why I added "Stuff" to the name of the site. I really do feel it is all interconnected. Quite frankly your set would make a great bridge marionette set up.

How often do you end up also being the scenic artist on shows you design. Seems you have mentioned painting on shows before and I know that my housemate who is also a scenic designer often ends up having to paint a show.

Beauuuuutifull!!!!!!!!
 

Thanks for your kind comments, everyone!

Na, how do I get the detail?  Tiny little brushes and a lot of practice!  I build a model for almost every show I design.  I think it's very important, especially when there are moving parts. Plus it's a great trial run for all the colors, textures, etc.  On top of that, if you look at directors and producers as your clients, it eases their minds about the final product.  They know up front what they're going to get.  This is great since many people are visual learners.

Why a proscenium?  Good questons.  Not every show requires one, obsviously.  There are varying factors that help me decide if I want to add one...the architecture of the actual space, type of show, etc.  In this case, the stage is fairly large and cavernous, but the house is exactly the same width as the stage, so that makes the stage, basically, a big black hole at the end of the room.  At this theatre there is no wing space either.  Because of this, I had to create a place for the actors get off stage, besides going backstage.  This show requires a lot of quick changes as well, so I needed hiding places for the actors.  All that said, this is a children's show with a target audience of 3-10 years old.  I needed to shrink the space down and make it more intimate for kids so the show felt much more personal.  Also, since this production will be many kids' first exposure to live theatre, I think it's important that it have all the bells and whistles of an old-fashioned Broadway musical (on a much smaller scale/budget).  That's where the act curtain, proscenium, rotating unit, etc. come in.  The more movable parts, the more exciting it is for kids.  If I do it right, the set is another character in the play.

On a more functional note, once this show closes in New York, it will go on tour.  Depending on who books it, it could play a beautiful theatre or a school gym.  Therefore, I needed a functional design that could create a stage, even if there wasn't one...i.e. a false proscenium.  Whew!  That was a long winded answer!

Shawn...do I paint my own designs?  A lot of times, absolutely.  If it's a higher budget show and it's built in a scene shop with staff painters, then no.  But, most of the time carpenters build it in the theatre and then I swoop in and paint it.  I think this works for me.  I'm a control freak with my own work and someone else's paint job of my design is never up to my standards  Neurotic?  Absolutely!  On a couple of occasions, producers have paid big bucks to have my designs built and painted at scene shops, but I just couldn't live with it and repainted the whole thing.  It's interesting to see how others interpret a paint job.  Even when you provide detailed paint elevations, colors, etc., someone else never sees it the same way you do.

OK, OK, I'm done typing for now.  Whew!  Thanks guys!

One more thing...Shawn, you're right.  This set up would easily work for marionettes...just on a larger scale.  Just as a point of reference, that center school room/bedroom unit is just under 4 inches tall.  In real live, it will be just under 8 feet tall.  So for marionettes, somewhere in the middle...unless you've got some HUGE puppets!

And thank you so much, Titere!

If I do it right, the set is another character in the play.

I love this statement.  It is so true, and I strive for this kind of vision as well.  I am totally impressed with this stage and wish I had it!!!!