Surfin'

I just happened across the on-line portfolio of a lighting designer, Lisa Miller, who I've worked with several times.  It was a treat to see photos of our shows together at Kitchen Dog:

Charm

In the Next Room: the Vibrator Play

(Both photos by Matt Mrozek

For me, these two shows seem to be bookends to each other... I suppose because the Victorian period is the same and some of the "women's" issues in each play, although the styles of both texts, productions, and sets were completely different, Charm being a sort of magical realism and In the Next Room much closer to realism.  Even the set colors are opposite: blues and greens versus reds and oranges.

Architectural Field Trip

I finally went to visit Dallas' new Omni convention-hotel.

There had been a lot of controversy about this hotel: mostly about the city's share in financing, but also about its rather bland exterior.  It is, as hotels go nowadays, fairly staid and simple in its exterior look and there are a couple what-the? accidental looking lawns that could use further development into parks, but I was pleasantly surprised in walking up to the hotel by how gracious and welcoming its restaurant patios looked.

Omni Hotel Dallas patio - image from Omni Hotels 

Inside, the building was a rather clever mix of a basically simple timeless-Modern style architectural framework and trendier, more playful furnishings and lighting.  There was some downright silly furniture (Mies lounge in copper lame' ha!) that amused me.  I especially liked the odd metal mesh with crystals art pieces that hung above several seating areas suggesting chandeliers.  One of the cleverest uses of an under-the-stair space I've seen.  Beautiful photographs of Dallas.  Nice detailing - especially in wood - in the restaurant with the patio.  And a sports bar where, for once, giant TV screens seemed integral to the room... sorta the Times Square of bars.

And, speaking of Times Square, the hotel has terrifically cool night lighting - adding excitement to Dallas' skyline.

The Omni is on the far right, image from Omni Hotels

All in all, I'm now a fan of the hotel.  No question that it adds huge convenience for convention goers who stay here, but it also adds a LOT of new and much improved meeting space too.  This has to help Dallas.

I also wandered over to see the new work being done at the convention center itself.  Kinda fun.  The new meeting spaces have some real character.  There's a ballroom with a handsome series of photo-collage murals (though way too busy-patterned a rug and wall fabric) and a funny-cool glass meeting room that hangs pod-like over one of the big concourses.  All welcome improvements and additions.

From Model to Full Sized Set

Here are a couple photos for the set of The Mikado at Garland Civic Theatre, designed by my apprentice? protege'?  mentoree?  Joseph Cummings.

Interesting to see the leap in scale from model to full-sized set and how well the design makes that leap.

The handsome photos are by  www.marcelomedia.com 

Set Designer's Life - Documenting the Work

One of the hardest parts of being a theater designer, in the rush of getting shows designed and realized, is remembering to document the finished design!

Usually this means photographing the show.

There are all sorts of technical problems in photographing a set.  For one thing, it's usually high and/or wide and an ordinary camera lens can't catch it all easily.  For another, sets look best under stage lighting, but those light levels are rather dim for the camera.

Today I hand over to the lighting designer - months late! - my photos of my The Traveling Lady set.