Drama Drama Drama

For the past 3 seasons, I've been focusing my creative energies on a different type of celebration: Theater!  I have found a great local theater to volunteer at and they have been more than happy to let me roll up my sleeves and swing a hammer (and paintbrush, and saw, and lots of duct tape) designing and building sets and props.  I started with a small role in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and pitching in on solving some set dilemmas.

Then I really dove in for 'Little Shop of Horrors' designing and creating a set that evolved through the scenes.  Working within a tight budget, I reimagined materials - cheap green yoga mats became large hand painted alien leaves and scrap magazines became handmade flowers!  The local paper covered our progress as we created a raised stage, set furniture, and backdrops. The biggest challenge was also developing the plants which started out as puppets and then became a person.  I covered the puppets in soft suedes and velvets (scrap fabric samples!) and used green feathers to create a 'venus fly trap' look around the 'mouth'.

The most recent play I designed the set for, 'Blithe Spirit', was a more traditional living room set.  The director embraced the idea of a set created from key furniture elements to anchor different scenes which I love.  The Art Deco era inspired a glamorous living room in neutral tones accented by luxurious touches of silvers and golds plus silks and furs.  The actors really 'moved in' with coordinating costumes and made the set come alive!