“It can be quite thankless at times,” Cody Kane, the technical director of Chatham’s Mac-Haydn Theatre, expressed, referring to the work done by theater designers and artisans who transform those designs into props, sets, scenery, and costumes. Kane added, “You’re creating something that is crucial to the show, yet most people fail to appreciate the effort that goes into it.”
In stage productions, the focus is predominantly on the actors, with directors also receiving some attention from audiences and the media. To shed light on the creators of the visual aspects of theater, we approached five different companies to provide an example of an important item from their set, scenery, costumes, or props, and share the process behind its creation.
For the Barrington Stage Company’s production of Brian Friel’s play “Faith Healer,” scenic designer Luciana Stecconi led the creation of a banner that becomes a significant element in the play. Measuring 7½ feet wide by 2½ feet high, the banner hangs on the back wall throughout most of the performance, announcing appearances by the title character. Stecconi, along with the guidance of director Julianne Boyd, meticulously designed the banner, drawing inspiration from posters of British Isles from the late 1930s or early 1940s. The team used muslin, a common theater fabric, to create the banner, and props artisan Sam Gainer applied various techniques to give it an aged and worn appearance. In total, the creation of the banner required the dedicated work of several individuals, amounting to approximately eight to ten hours.
In Mac-Haydn Theatre’s production of the musical “Godspell,” which tells the story of Jesus through a group of young performers, Technical Director Cody Kane built a wooden structure known as The Box. Measuring around 6 feet wide and 3 feet high, The Box serves as both prop storage and a raised platform for actors. Kane constructed The Box out of 2-by-4s, ¾-inch plywood, and metal angle brackets for added stability. The design, created by Tania Barrenechea and approved by director Trey Compton, ensured that one side of The Box could accommodate multiple props while being strong enough to support actors. Kane spent three days building The Box, and after the production ends, he plans to repurpose part of it as a cabinet in the scene shop.
The costume department at Shakespeare & Company faced a unique challenge in creating a macramé dress for the character Titania, played by Elizabeth Aspenlieder, in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Costume designers Stella Schwartz, Cal Murphy, and Audrey Pugh taught themselves macramé techniques to weave and knot the dress together. It took them three weeks, alongside their other projects, to complete the dress using approximately 385 yards of macramé cord in metallic colors. The macramé dress, evoking the 1970s as requested by director Allyn Burrows, was an intricate and time-consuming creation, emphasizing the dedication and skill of the costume department.
Playhouse Stage Company’s production of “Something Rotten” featured an archway called The Tudor Portal, resembling a collection of small English houses. The portal, crafted by Stuart Chapin, Playhouse Stage’s technical director and lead scenic artist, assisted with entrances and exits and contributed to the overall atmosphere of the play set in 1590s England. The initial design was simplified by Chapin, focusing solely on the houses to avoid a cluttered appearance. Erecting The Tudor Portal required a substantial collaborative effort due to its size and intricacy.
Overall, each of these examples highlights the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the creation of theater productions. Without the dedicated efforts of theater designers and artisans, the visual elements that enhance the storytelling would not exist. Their expertise and creativity contribute to the overall success of the performances, even if their hard work often goes unnoticed by the majority of the audience.
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