Road Trip: The Art of Theatre Production Design

In this second of two posts, we're back in Stratford, Ontario, and this time we're going behind the scenes of this remarkable theatre company to see how the sausage is made.  (This is a long one, so settle in!)

 

But first, a little walk in the park. I decided to skip a restaurant, got some tea and enjoyed my breakfast in the park adjacent to the theatre. You couldn't have asked for a lovelier morning. The sun was out, lighting the trees.

 

It was perfect!  

 

Then it was off to the Warehouse for my tour. If you have ever admired beautiful period costumes, marveled at interesting special effects taking place on stage, or wondered how the heck those heavy looking props and scenery get moved so easily, this terrific tour of the costume/prop warehouse may take away some of the mystery, yet make your theatrical experience all the richer. 

 

Stratford is a repertory theatre with many productions running at the same time. A fairly complicated set from the matinee might need to be completely moved out for the evening show to be set. Other sets move in and out during a production. (An example of that is "The Importance of Being Earnest, which I talked about HERE.) "Earnest" had three sets, the two below and one that was an exterior of the manor house. They changed in the middle of the act, so they have to move quickly and smoothly. 

The Stratford season runs from April to November. So everything has to be light and durable. It also has to be portable enough to be packed up and stored between shows. These theatres don't have a lot of extra backstage space. Both of the shows below, "Something Rotten" and "Guys and Dolls,"perform in the same space, sometimes on the same night. A new floor is laid, new lighting and set pieces moved during the short break between performances. 

We began with a talk from tour guide, Janet, who was assisted by two of the festival volunteers. We met in a seated area where she walked us through how some of the props are made. For example, she showed us what looked like a heavy cement pillar. 

 

Then she explained how they made a mold using a machine called a vacuuform (that may be wrong, but it's close!) and, I believe, filled it with something like household insulation foam. Next, the paint department paints it or uses a medium to add texture. Then they passed it around so we could check it out ourselves!

 

What about a brick building exterior? That would be awfully heavy and difficult to move in and out during a fast scene change. So once again, molds are made, mounted and then attached to the scenery flats. 

 

In another show, they had to have a library with thousands of books. So, they made a mold of the fronts of several books, painted them and created all they needed. Then they were glued to the set pieces. 

 

We learned that a lot of things are done with foam -- even sometimes using pool noodles! Look at the large gold tassels. 

 

Now, look closely. They are made from something like an extra skinny pool noodle, gathered together and treated with gold paint.

 

Even parts of costumes that are fairly small (compared to a set piece!) are produced there. One production featured someone whose costumes had its skeletal shape. Once again, molds and painting came into play -- light enough to allow the actor to move freely.

 

Some pieces on a set must look heavy and imposing. In "Peter Pan," this piece, which you can see is quite large, was hanging on one of the set pieces that had to be moved in and out depending on the scene. My dictionary weighs more.

 

Eventually we all moved into the prop and costume warehouse. The costumes at Stratford are beautifully made and again, made to withstand many performances. There are over 70,000 costumes and thousands of hats in the warehouse. Some are used in different productions, perhaps dyed or with a different trim added to it. Janet explained that one of the first things a show costumer does is raid the warehouse to see what can be used or repurposed. Hems are about a foot long and seams about nine inches wide on each side, so a costume can be altered to fit short, tall, fat or thin.

 

Every detail is carefully considered. Janet explained there is always someone in the audience who knows that period well and they will notice if something is wrong! Things also have to be visible to the farthest row in the balcony. So some jewels may be extra large, for example, so that they look appropriately regal and imposing, no matter where one may be sitting.

 

The neck piece above and below are good examples. Once again foam comes into play, along with oversized jewels and lots of paint! 

 

Another thing I thought very clever was that when a costume includes jewelry, it is often sewn onto the dress so that no beads will break during a show.

A costume must express the social situation of the character wearing it. For example, in one show, they wanted the nobility to have fabrics that looked rich. The decorations in their homes had to be equally so, so they built these tall pillars, found peacocks at a big box home store, painted them and made the feathers. 

 

Tons of feathers, this time with flat foam, the kind you might use for a craft project. Light and easy to move.

 

Even shoes and boots have to be made to order. Here are two examples from "Spamalot." Yes, it starts with a shoe and it ends up being a golden slipper or boot!

All of the pieces I've shown so far are fairly compact. But what about a massive chandelier or a carriage carrying the Snow Queen? This chandelier would weigh a ton if it was glass. But of lightweight plastic beads, it was easier to move and lift. The  sleigh was covered with plexiglass shards to make its appearance look cold and icy.

 

Horses with armor? A carousel? It all has to be made. 

 

 And yes, whether you are looking for furniture for your 1950s home or your Victorian salon, you'll find it here!

 

I'll leave you with a piece from a show you may know, "Little Shop of Horrors." This is one of the three "Audrey" pieces and by the time "Audrey" is this large, she's very hungry! 

 

The actor is behind big Audrey, manipulating the mouth. As the on-stage actor is "eaten," he's pulled through and slides down a concealed slide, now safely backstage.

 

I was sad when our tour came to an end, but we were able to pose for photos with some of the props, which was loads of fun. And where are my photos, you might ask, posing with a glass of fake champagne on the set for "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" or covering behind Captain Hook's plaque? Well, after they were taken, I lost my phone. It's still missing, despite reports at lost and found, the Stratford police station and revisiting every store I went to after the tour, whether I bought something or not. My new phone has arrived so all is good. Well, not quite good -- it was a pricey mistake! 

(And yes, I did my part for the Canadian economy and it will be a very nice Christmas for friends and family!) Without a map to my friend's house in London or her phone number, it was a bit of a stressful ride, during which I ended up taking a wrong turn and going blindly through London during rush hour. 

 

Let's just say those last hours weren't a piece of cake! But it was worth it!

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