Dogged

You have to have dogged determination to run a small theater company.

Read a good article about my company, Kitchen Dog Theater, and our struggles with venues, fund raising, and homelessness HERE.

Photo by Clare DeVries

As you read the Dallas Morning News article, please keep in mind that BOTH shows described as interrupted by the Fire Marshall were ones I designed!  

Basic problem?  We need much money to finish out our new space!  So we can move into it!

Believed Public Domain image

I have to say though that this new show, Trevor, is worth all the hassle - a really good script.  Good production.  Come see it!

Four Things for a Designer to Remember...

A few meetings yesterday reminded me of several lessons from life as a theater set designer and, well, a designer in general.  Four little gems I'll pass on to you:

REMINDERS

(Believed public domain image.)

1) Always, always, ALWAYS double-check the dimensions of the stage.  Why?  Well last season I believed information provided by a venue - dimensions given for their own stage.  As this was an out-of-state theater, I couldn't easily check so chose to believe 'em.  MISTAKE.  Luckily I'd designed a set where one wall flat could be omitted if necessary without killing the design.  (I was a little paranoid.)  In the end more than one flat had to be cut!  (The design survived, luckily.)  But The Venue Lied Big Time.  So... double check stage dimensions.

2) Carry a sketchbook.  And a pen/pencil. Don't have 'em, you'll want 'em.

3) Remember a tape measure.  (See suggestions #1 and #2.)

4)  Bring extra copies of the drawings.  Even if you've already delivered plenty of sets.  Because the theater/director/builder/client will have forgotten/misplaced/lost theirs.

Remember these four basics and... well, you'll at least feel a bit more ready to cope with the real problems.

Rethinking a Design

My present project is an opportunity to redesign a show for a different stage.  If both were prosceniums, there might need to be few changes, but these performance spaces are quirkier.  (I think prosceniums are kinda dull.)

I first designed Boeing, Boeing - a farce with several gorgeous what were called "stewardesses" in the 1960s - for Circle Theatre in Fort Worth.  This has a small thrust stage with a low ceiling (8') and a not over-large proscenium wall to squeeze seven required doors into.  Yesterday's POST included an elevation sketch.

Now I'm redesigning the show for WaterTower Theater in Addison, Texas, a space with a somewhat wider stage that will be configured like a proscenium this time.  The stage is much taller (30').  Sorta changes things!

Here are plans for comparison.  (Click a pic to see better.  I'm hoping these look about the same scale to you - judge by the doors, about the same size?)

Boeing, Boeing at Circle Theatre 2011

Preliminary (may change, WILL change!) plan for Boeing, Boeing at WaterTower Theater 2012

You'll notice that the later, WaterTower, set has only six doors - not seven.  That's because in staging the show at Circle the director (same director) and I discovered only six doors were needed.  But you'll also notice that, in spite of the larger stage the second time round, most of those doors remain pretty close together.  That's because timing is crucial for a farce; those doors need to be closely spaced (translate as "fast" for acting).  The main entry and the exit to the kitchen were able to shift downstage to the stage-right and stage-left corners, not an option on the previous thrust stage.

Other differences are to do with filling a larger space...  This set needs more size, bulk, presence! in order to be in proportion with this venue and audience size.

I'm meeting the director today, so I'll let you know whether this latest design flies.