Auto Repair as Archeology

Picking up my car from the shop, it occurred to me that oil-change guys probably dread getting my car.

I did move enough junk so the driver's seat could roll back - so that wasn't it.

No.  It was what remained in the Scenic Ride that might have worried them:

Most of a gilded, carved wooden Chinese restaurant dragon,

A mattress (on its way to be given to a theater for stock),

A Coke TM can (set dressing, not mess, I swear),

A museum flier for a Bernini show,

A red-white-n-blue painted drop cloth,

One (only one) English walnut - underfoot,

A sweater (it's Spring, the weather's variable),

A car jack and tire inflator gadget (flats happen),

and 

A box of picture frames, tools, and straw beach mats.

That's a random and representative sample of the kind of crud this set designer at least carries around most of the time.

Sigh.

Lugging Stuff

I have to be away from my desk today.

The amount of stuff I need to drag with me because of that absence is just amazing: a copy of my drawings for Whipping Man (in case of builder questions) plus paper & pencils (in case of spontaneous sketching), the script of the next show after that, Mistakes Were Made, (in case I have to wait around and can read it), and (in case of loooong waits) a base floor plan for WaterTower Theatre so I can sketch on Boeing Boeing, whose sketches are due Monday.

Set Designer - Tip for the Day

When hauling around awkward yet fragile set dressing - like, say, a crystal chandelier - try standing it on a car seat and seat-belting it securely in place.

Not only will it travel more safely... so will you.  Who wants a chandelier flying around if there's an accident?

Image totally faked - I mean, really?