Sitting and Looking

I've discovered that some of the most important minutes I spend in a theater are those 15-20 when I sit in an empty audience seat and just stare.

Just look.

Public domain image - seating in the Prince Charles

Staring at my almost finished set, I discover the small important details that need to be added, finished, or revised.  This is when I judge whether the color scheme is working as I planned, whether the whole design feels balanced, whether this or that change works or not.  When I make To-Do Lists.  When I Prioritize and Quality-Control.

When I think.

This takes time.

In the last-minute rush of any show, it's all too easy not to find this sliver of time.  But, I swear, twenty minutes of pure sitting and staring can make all the difference.