Travis giving direction*
I stopped by the Owen Theatre Saturday after breakfast (I eat late on the weekends) to speak with my friend Travis Bryant. Travis is directing DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and was at the theatre working on the set. It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of work that the entire crew puts into a Crighton Players production. Set construction is just one aspect of many for a show and a director must have their thumb on all. Place a wall a few inches in the wrong place and a scene’s believability can be affected, or an audience member could be placed out of the sight line, causing the director to change blocking at the last minute (not a good thing). We are fortunate at the Owen Theatre to have professional set construction capability, but putting up walls and painting them is just touching the surface of what it takes.
This particular set is a two level set, meaning someone must act on a level above the first. Sounds simple, right? But, what if the height from the stage to the overhead lighting equipment was only designed for one level? Such is the case with the Owen. When we relocated from the Crighton Theatre we had some pluses and some minuses. On the minus side we do not have the overhead room to use “flies” or a “fly system” where backdrops can be hung or special background scenery can be suspended. On the plus side we gained a wider stage area and room in the wings to maneuver set pieces. We also gained an intimacy with our audiences which are now seated much closer to the action on stage.
The set is going to be great! Although not complete when I saw it, the basics were in place and the potential was obvious. I can’t wait to see it during the production when it is properly lighted by the myriad of lights from our lighting grid.
While I was there I saw many from the cast pitching in and “getting things done” in the manner which makes a member of this fine organization proud. I snuck out through the back door before anyone could notice and put me to work. (Just kidding, actually I had other commitments and left via the front.)
*Pictured from left to right; Director Travis Bryant, Addison Roush, Hillary Bryant, and Jeffery Baldwin
When Bill came by the other day, we were about mid-way in the build/paint stages and though he couldn’t stay, he was kind enough to lend a hammer to our cause. Wait until you see the set now, a few minor tweaks and we are done.
As the set designer for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, I can say with all due humilty that my set looks good! The crew at the Owen, including Wes, Jason, et al. and the varied skills of Greg Taylor from the Texas Renaissance Festival have taken my 1/4″ scale drawings and created a beautiful set that the cast/crew then helped me paint over the past two weeks.
The challenge in designing a set for this particular show is the various locations that the action takes place in: a train, a villa, a casino, a hotel lobby, an airport, a niteclub, a basement, etc. I tried to keep things minimal and easy to transition, as well as providing Travis with actable and dancable spaces, levels to add interest and plenty of places to enter and exit the stage. As Bill stated above, the new theatre does provide additional wing space that is filled with set pieces that the cast and the capable backstage crew must manuever on and off stage.
All involved have worked hard (and are still working hard) to produce a great show that I believe will be enjoyed by all that come see it. So, make sure and come and visit a slice of the French Riviera. Bienvenue a Beaumont sur Mer!