Teaching Introduction To Theatrical Design - Preview PDF

TEACHING INTRODUCTION
TO THEATRICAL DESIGN
Teaching Introduction to Theatrical Design is a week-by-week • Examples of short plays to teach theatrical design more
guide that helps instructors who are new to teaching design, effectively.
teaching outside of their fields of expertise, or looking for better
ways to integrate and encourage non-designers in the design Eric Appleton is an Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance
classroom. This book provides a syllabus to teach foundational at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. He has been a free-
theatrical design by illustrating process and the application of lance lighting and set designer since 1994.
the principles of design in costumes, scenery, lights, and sound.
This book features: Tracey Lyons is currently a Lecturer at the University of
Wisconsin–Whitewater. She has previously been on the faculty
• Lessons, activities, exercises, and projects that develop the of the University of North Dakota and Del Mar College.
knowledge and skills needed for designing on the stage.
• A companion website with demonstration videos and
downloadable versions of instructive documents.
Theatrical Design-00-c.indd 1 07/09/2016 10:03

TEACHING INTRODUCTION
TO THEATRICAL DESIGN
A PROCESS-BASED SYLLABUS IN COSTUMES,
SCENERY, AND LIGHTING
Eric Appleton and Tracey Lyons
Theatrical Design.indb 3 30/08/2016 09:53

First published 2017
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2017 Taylor & Francis
The right of Eric Appleton and Tracey Lyons to be identified as authors of this
work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: Appleton, Eric, author. | Lyons, Tracey, author.
Title: Teaching introduction to theatrical design : a process based syllabus
in costumes, scenery, and lighting / Eric Appleton and Tracey Lyons.
Description: New York : Routledge, 2017. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016016947| ISBN 9781138193253 (pbk : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781315639499 (ebk : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Theaters—Stage-setting and scenery—Handbooks,
manuals, etc.
Classification: LCC PN2091.S8 A685 2017 | DDC 792.02/5—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016016947
ISBN: 978-1-138-19325-3 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-315-63949-9 (ebk)
Typeset in Univers
by Keystroke, Neville Lodge, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton
Visit the companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/appleton

Contents
Figures xi
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction xxiii
The Organization of This Book xxiii
Our Formula xxiv
Creativity and Evaluation xxv
Selecting Plays for Use in Class xxv
The Classroom xxvii
Portfolio Development xxvii
Books We Want to Share With You xxviii
Section I Costume Design 1
Chapter 1 Organizing Principles of the Class and Week 1 3

Session by Session Framework 4
Section by Section Framework 4
Supplies Needed 5
Introducing Design Elements 5
Exploring Design Elements 8
Hands-on Projects with Design Elements 10
Concept and Design Metaphor 16
Hands-on Projects with Metaphor 18
Read the Plays 21
Building a Student Portfolio 21
Chapter 2 Week 2 24
Supplies Needed 25
Introduction of the Costume Design Final Project 26
Script Analysis 26
Hands-on Projects with Script Analysis 29
Unpacking the Play 29
Combining Metaphor and Design Elements to Create a Metaphor Statement 30
Using French Scenes to Dig Deeper into Detail 33
The Costume Plot 35
Script Analysis by Character 37
Costume Plot and Script Analysis by Character 39

vi Contents
Drawing Clothing on the Human Body 39

Assigning Professional Designer Presentations 50
Portfolio Development Projects 51
Chapter 3 Week 3 53
Supplies Needed 54
Costume Renderings 55
Hands-On Exercises with Costume Renderings and Computer Software 57
Introduction to Color Media 67
Homework Follow-up: ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ 71
‘Twenty-One Black Dresses,’ Exercise Variations 75
Further Research for Designers 76
Where Do Designers Go to Do Research? 76
Combining the Pieces to Build a Design 78
Chapter 4 Week 4 81
Supplies Needed 82
Swatching 83
The Color Palettes of Master Painters 89
Costume Design Final Project 93
Chapter 5 Week 5 97
Costume Designer Presentations 98
Presentation by a Guest Artist 101
The Costume Design Final Project 101
The Costume Design Final Project’s Continuation 103
Portfolio Development 105
Section II Scenic Design 107
Chapter 6 Week 6 109

Supplies Needed 111
The Purpose of Scenery 111
Describing Environment 112
Composition Influences Perception 113
Detail Contributes Meaning 115
Detail Informs Character 116
The Intentional Environment 117
Script Analysis for Scenic Designers 118
External Influences on the Scenic Environment 121
Minimum Necessary Physical Requirements 122

Contents vii
Learning to Read and Draw in Scale 124

The Sizes of Real Things 130
Laying Out and Building the Small Stage House for ‘Your First Set Design’ 131
‘Your First Set Design’ 134

Supplies Needed 137
The Human Figure as Baseline of Proportion 139
Making Scale Things for the Model 141
The Function of Models 144
Pros and Cons of Model Formats 146
Using Footprints to Explore Space 148
The Groundplan is a Plan of Action 150
The Scenic Design Final Project 154
Portfolio Development Project 155

Supplies Needed 157
Introduction to Drafting 160
What Exactly IS a Groundplan? 171
Graphics Standards 174
Prep for Final Scenic Project 178

Supplies Needed 182
Thumbnails and Essential Gestures 183
Rough Groundplan for the Scenic Final Project 188
In-Class Work Day 192

Scenic Designer Presentations 197
The Scenic Design Final Project 198
Presentation by a Guest Artist 200
Section III Lighting Design 203

Instructor Supplies Needed 206
Our Approach to Lighting Design 206
Thinking about Light 208

viii Contents
The Functions of Stage Lighting 210

Standard Lighting Angles 211
The Controllable Properties of Light 213
Review Moment 216
Standard Angles in the Light Lab 218
Analyzing the Lit Environment 222

Supplies Needed 225
The Cue Synopsis 226
Storyboarding a Lighting Design 230
Six Categories of Purposes 234
The Lighting Design Final Project 239

Supplies Needed 242
Building a Look in the Light Lab 243
Magic Sheets (or, Lighting Diagrams) 247
Color 249
Subtractive and Additive Mixing 249
How Light Sources Can Change Gel Color 250
How Gel Works 251
Using the Swatchbook 252
The Primary Colors of Light 254

Supplies Needed 261
The Final Session before Presentations 270

Lighting Designer Presentations 272
The Lighting Design Final Project 273
Chapter 16 An Extra Chapter of Introductory Steps in Developing a Lighting Design 277

Supplies Needed 278
Why We Break the Stage into Areas of Control 279
The Section 287
The Preliminary Hook-Up 293
Theatrical Design-00-c.indd 8 07/09/2016 10:01

Contents ix
Section IV Sound Design 299
Chapter 17 Introduction to Sound Design 301

Instructor Supplies Needed 302
Learning to Talk About Sound 303
Vocabulary for Sound 304
More Controllable Properties of Sound 306
Categories of Sound Cues 309
The Sound Plot and Script Analysis 310
Assembling a Preliminary Sound Design 314
Appendix A Our Current Syllabus 317

Appendix B Materials for Introduction to Design 321
Appendix C Two Short Plays by Eric Appleton, Used for Design Exercises 324
Appendix D Sample Cue Synopses 335
Appendix E Standard Lighting Positions and Unit Numbering 343
Appendix F Design Timelines 347
Glossary 352
Index 356

Figures
1.1 Progressive Treatment of Design Elements 6

1.2 Line 7
1.3 Shape 7
1.4 Form 7
1.5 Space 8
1.6 Texture 8
1.7 Color 8
1.8 Color is a Sledgehammer. Which of These Girls is Passionate? Which One is Melancholy?
Which One is Sad? 9
1.9 Line 11
1.10 Shape 11
1.11 Form 11
1.12 Space 11
1.13 Texture 12
1.14 Color 12
1.15 Circle/Anger 13
1.16 Circle/Anger 13
1.17 Straight Lines/Isolation 13
1.18 Straight Lines/Isolation 13
1.19 Squiggly Lines/Sadness 13
1.20 Squiggly Lines/Sadness 13
1.21 Parallelogram/Despair 14
1.22 Triangles/Euphoria 15
1.23 Descriptive Words: Fruity, Vacation, Refreshing, Smooth, Tangy, Thin, Soft, Roundness 16
1.24 Descriptive Words: Circular, Curvy, Citrus, Bright 16
1.25 Descriptive Words: Smooth, Relaxed, Playful 16
1.26 Descriptive Words: Smooth, Easy, Thin, Cool, Watery, Bubbly 16
1.27 Sample Portfolio Pages in a 22” x 17” Portfolio Case 22
1.28 Sample Larger Format Portfolio Case 22
1.29 Sample Portfolio Pages in a Three-Ring Binder 22
1.30 Sample PowerPoint Portfolio Slide 23
1.31 Sample Layout of a Soda Can Project Portfolio Page 23
2.1 French Scene/Script Analysis Homework Guidelines Needed for the Scenery and
Lighting Sections 34
2.2 Sample French Scene Chart of Yankee Tavern 35
2.3 Example Costume Plot for Yankee Tavern 36

xii Figures
2.4 Example of a Script Analysis by Character, Page 1 38

2.5 Example of a Script Analysis by Character, Page 2 38
2.6 Sample Female Croqui 41
2.7 Sample Male Croqui 42
2.8 Sample Croqui 43
2.9 Sample Necklines 44
2.10 Sample Collars 44
2.11 Sample Sleeves 45
2.12 Sample Skirts 45
2.13 Unitard versus Garment with Ease 45
2.14 How to Add Ease to a Drawn Sleeve 46
2.15 Tracey Demonstrates Transferring Fashion Components to a Croqui 46
2.16 Lilliana Adds a Puffy Sleeve to Her Croqui 46
2.17 Some of the Images Distributed as Part of Variation #2 47
2.18 Casey Uses an Art Nouveau Object to Inform Her Costume Choices 47
2.19 Casey Shares Her Art Nouveau Derived Rendering with the Class 47
2.20 Laying Out Boxes on Poster Board 48
2.21 Creating a Drawing on Tracing Paper 48
2.22 Transferring a Drawing Using a Light Table 49
2.23 Examples of Minimal Facial Features 49
2.24 Sample ‘Overcoming the Blank Page’ Portfolio Page Layout 51
3.1 Example of Costume Developed from 3D Object 55
3.2 Student Costume Rendering from the UW–Whitewater Production of Three Excellent Cows 56
3.3 Grid of Screen Shots Showing Drawing Insertion 58
3.4 Showing Text Added to Renderings 59
3.5 Building a Text Template, Part 1 61
3.6 Building a Text Template, Part 2 62
3.7 Adding a Drawing to the Text Template 64
3.8 Moving an Image to the Text Template 65
3.9 Changing the Name of a Character 66
3.10 Color Wheel Diagrammed on the Blackboard 68
3.11 Color Wheel Handout 69
3.12 Sample Image and Drawing for Color Representation Exercise 70
3.13 Sample Image and Drawing for Color Representation Exercise 70
3.14 Sample of Student Watercolor Work 70
3.15 Sample of Student Watercolor Work 70
3.16 Students Attach Label Flags to the ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Boards 71
3.17 Discussing the Label Flag Placement 72
3.18 Completed ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Project 73
3.19 Sample from Completed ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Project 74
3.20 Sample from Completed ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Project 74

Figures xiii
3.21 ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Rubric 74

3.22 Tracey Indicates a Visual Research Element to be Used in a Drawing 78
3.23 Adding the Visual Research Element to the Croqui Tracing 78
3.24 Example of Portfolio Project Layout 79
4.1 Photograph of Three Different Fabrics (Each with Inset Detail Image) Taken at 15’ Away 83
4.2 Example of Student’s Painting Depicting the Fabrics of Figure 4.1 84
4.3 Close-Up of Fabric Swatches Secured to a Rendering 84
4.4 Lady Guildford, Copy after Hans Holbein the Younger 85
4.5 Mrs. Hugh Hammersley, by John Singer Sargent 85
4.6 The Old Musician, by Edouard Manet 85
4.7 Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and His Wife, by Jacques-Louis David 86
4.8 Diagram of Proper Swatching Cut 86
4.9 Abigail Swatches Her Renderings 87
4.10 Sample Line Drawings for Use in Colors in Harmony on a Rendering 87
4.11 Results of Painting Line Drawings Using Swatches 88
4.12 Results of Painting Line Drawings Using Swatches 88
4.13 The Alba Madonna by Raphael 89
4.14 The Annunciation by Jan Van Eyck 90
4.15 Edward VI, When Duke of Cornwall by the Workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger 90
4.16 The Adoration of the Magi by Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi 90
4.17 Hermann von Wedigh III, by Hans Holbein the Younger 91
4.18 A Young Girl Reading by Jean-Honoré Fragonard 92
4.19 Lilliana Works from Her Research Images 93
4.20 Kelsey Paints Her Renderings 93
4.21 Two Different Student Renderings with Swatches 94
4.22 Example of Tape Holding Swatches that Flip Up 95
5.1 Kelsey Presents Costume Designer Toni-Leslie James to the Class 98
5.2 Bridget Kelly Presents Her Costume Design Final Project 104
5.3 Eric Guenthner Presents His Costume Design Final Project 105
5.4 Kelsey Smyth Presents Her Costume Design Final Project 105
6.1 Discussion Image #1 113
6.5 Sample Charcoal Gesture Sketch Based upon Figure 6.1 115
6.6 Who Lives in This House? Why? 115
6.7 Who Lives in This Room? How Do They Use This Space? Why? 116
6.8 Who Lives in This Room? How Do They Use This Space? Why? 116
6.9 A Scrap of Paper, Produced by UW–Whitewater, set design by Eric Appleton 118
6.10 Suds, Produced by UW–Whitewater, set design by Eric Appleton 118
6.11 Locating One Inch Equals One Inch Scale 125

xiv Figures
6.12 Locating 3/16 Inch Equals One Foot Scale 126

6.13 Locating One Inch Equals One Foot Scale 126
6.14 Locating Inch Increments in One Inch Equals One Foot Scale 126
6.15 Reading a Measurement in One Inch Equals One Foot Scale 127
6.16 Locating One Half-Inch Equals One Foot Scale 127
6.17 Line Measurement Worksheet Sample 127
6.18 Measuring a Line, Part One 128
6.19 The End of the Line Falls Between Three and Four Feet 128
6.20 Slide the Rule so the Rounded Down Foot Mark Aligns with the End of the Line 128
6.21 A Human Figure in Relation to Differently Sized Walls 129
6.22 1/2” = 1’-0” Scale Groundplan with Version Shrunk to Fit 8½” x 11” Paper 130
6.23 Small Stage House Parts Layout Handout 132
6.24 Demonstration Layout Sheet for Small Stage House 132
6.25 Assembly Diagram for Small Stage House 133
6.26 Applying a Bead of Glue to an Edge of Foamcore 134
6.27 Handout for ‘Your First Set Design’ 134
7.1 Completed Small Stage Houses 138
7.2 Human Figure Handout: Figures to Be Measured in ½” = 1’-0” Scale 141
7.3 A Very Rough Reduced Scale Model Human Figure 141
7.4 ‘Your First Set Design’ Model Furniture Samples 142
7.5 Demonstration of Building a 2D ½” = 1’-0” Scale Chair 143
7.6 1/4” = 1’-0” Scale Very Rough Experimental Model of the UW–Whitewater Production of
Sweeney Todd, in the Theatre on the Director’s Rehearsal Desk 144
7.7 1/2” = 1’-0” Scale Experimental Model of the UW–Whitewater Production of The Furies 145
7.8 1/4” = 1’-0” Scale White Model for the UW–Whitewater Production of Clybourne Park 145
7.9 1/4” = 1’-0” Scale Presentation Model for the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Production
of Boeing Boeing 145
7.10 1/4” = 1’-0” Scale Presentation Model for the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music’s
Production of American Idiot 145
7.11 Virtual Model in SketchUp of UW–Whitewater’s Production of The Coronation of Poppea 147
7.12 Abigail and Bridget Lay Out Footprints of Objects 149
7.13 Trying to Fit Two Sofas into the Playing Space while Bridget Looks on 149
7.14 Exploring Room Layout with Footprint Cut-outs 150
7.15 Wing and Drop: Typically Created by Flat Painted Surfaces, Such as Drops and Legs 151
7.16 Box Set: Removal of the ‘Fourth Wall’ to View the Space; Often Used for Interiors,
Realistic or Otherwise 151
7.17 Unit Set: Generalized Architectural Structure Meant to Support Variety of Locales with only
Minor Scenic Changes 152
7.18 What About Two Chairs, the Phone Between Them, and a Bar Down Right? 153
7.19 What if the Phone is Right Next to the Sofa? 153
8.1 ‘Your First Set Design’: The Return of the Living 158

Figures xv
8.4 From Left to Right: 2 mm 2H Drawing Leads, a 2 mm Lead Holder, a .2 mm Mechanical
Pencil, a .9 mm Mechanical Pencil, Blue Painter’s Tape, a 2H Drawing Pencil, a No. 2 (HB)
Pencil, a White Vinyl Eraser 163
8.5 A Piece of Copier Paper Taped to a Drawing Table, with Space for a T-Square Between
Tables 163
8.6 Laying Out Borders 164
8.7 Steps in Drafting a Square 165
8.8 Hand Drafting a Square 165
8.9 Simplified Scenic Groundplan with Center and Plaster Lines 166
8.10 Steps in Laying Out the Center Line of a Page 167
8.11 Lilliana Measures the Classroom 167
8.12 Centering a Generic Room Perimeter on the Page 168
8.13 Horizontal Section of Virtual Model of Set for The Coronation of Poppea, UW–Whitewater,
Scenic Designer Eric Appleton 171
8.14 Top View of The Coronation of Poppea’s Horizontal Section 172
8.15 Hand-Drafted Groundplan, The Furies, UW–Whitewater, Scenic Design by Eric Appleton.
The UW–Whitewater’s Barnett Theatre Does Not Have an Architectural Proscenium;
Therefore There is No Plaster Line 173
8.16 A Small Selection of Useful USITT Standard Graphic Symbols 174
8.17 Line Type for Hidden Line 175
8.18 Line Type for Phantom Line 175
8.19 Tape on a Triangle Makes Cross-Hatching Easier 175
8.20 Lines for Soft Goods Without Fullness 175
8.21 Labeled Triangles Denoting Practicals 176
8.22 Examples of Labels Within Objects 176
8.23 Examples of Labels with Leader Lines with Arrowheads 176
8.24 Examples of Labels with Leader Lines with Dots 176
8.25 Noting Heights of Platforms and Steps 177
8.26 Centering the Plan by Eyeballing the Model 177
8.27 Abigail Works on Her Groundplan with Measurements Taken from the Model 177
8.28 Layout for Sheet One of the Large Stage House 179
8.29 Layout for Sheet Two of the Large Stage House 179
8.30 Assembly Instructions for the Large Stage House 179
9.1 Abigail Presents Her Central Metaphor Image to the Class 183
9.2 Mason Works on Thumbnail Sketches 184
9.3 Completed 3D Essential Gesture Exercise Project 185
9.4 Completed 3D Essential Gesture Exercise Project 185
9.5 Large Stage House Floor Plan 188
9.6 Rudimentary Line Schedule 190

xvi Figures
9.7 Mason Works out Measurements for Staircases on His Rough Groundplan 190
9.8 Building Up and Facing a Platform 193
9.9 Cutting Out a Hinged Door 193
9.10 One Way to Build a Straight Staircase 193
9.11 Eric Applies Facing to His Platforming 194
9.12 Abigail Checks Out the Proportions of a Periaktoi in Her Stagehouse 195
10.1 Abigail Presents Her Final Project for She Stoops to Conquer 198
10.2 Mason Presents His Final Project for Boeing Boeing 199
10.3 Bridget Presents Her Final Project for Boeing Boeing 199
10.4 Milwaukee-Based Scenic Designer Brandon Kirkham Presents His Work to the Class 200
11.1 Functions of Light Discussion Image #1 211
11.2 Functions of Light Discussion Image #2 211
11.3 Diagrams of Standard Lighting Angles, as Seen from Above 212
11.4 Angles of Light Discussion Image #1 213
11.7 Controllable Properties Discussion Image #1 215
11.8 Controllable Properties Discussion Image #2 215
11.9 Boeing Boeing Line Drawing Traced from Set Photo 216
11.10 Boeing Boeing Line Drawing Traced from Set Photo 217
11.11 Flat Frontal Light with Wide Distribution 218
11.12 Flat Frontal Light with Tighter Distribution 219
11.13 Angled Frontlight from Stage Right 219
11.14 Adding Angled Shadow Fill from Stage Left 219
11.15 Downlight 220
11.16 Backlight 220
11.17 Main Source, Shadow Fill, and Downlight 221
11.18 Diagram of Three Point Lighting Seen from Above 221
11.19 Diagram of Four Point Lighting Seen from Above 221
11.20 Layering Light to Create Depth 221
12.1 Cue Synopsis Headings 227
12.2 Abigail Combs through the Script to Build a Cue Synopsis 228
12.3 Listing Cues for Sorry, Wrong Number on the Board 229
12.4 Lighting Storyboard for Rashomon 230
12.5 Greyscale Sample Lighting Image #1 230
12.6 Greyscale Sample Lighting Image #2 231
12.7 Eric Works on a Charcoal Sketch 231
12.8 Bridget Works on a Charcoal Sketch 231
12.9 Image and Interpretation, Figure on Stage 231
12.10 Image and Interpretation, Box Set on Stage 232
12.11 Light Lab Set for Sorry, Wrong Number 233

Figures xvii
12.12 Sun as Main Source and Sky as Shadow Fill 234

12.13 Table Lamp as Main Source and Reflected Light as Shadow Fill 235
12.14 Arrow Indicating the Main Source of Light 235
12.15 The Bedside Lamp (Main Source) 236
12.16 Adding Frontlight Support to a Table Lamp (Main Source) 237
12.17 Adding Support to the Diagram 237
12.18 Adding Shadow Fill to the Main Source and Support 238
12.19 Adding Shadow Fill to the Main Source and Support on the Blackboard 238
13.1 Addition of Bed Downlight 244
13.2 Lit Roof and Main Source (side view); Lit Cyc and Shadow Fill (top view) 244
13.3 Secondary Source and Additional Purposes for a Night Kitchen 245
13.4 Completed Look with Exterior Streetlamp Light 245
13.5 Our Box of Gel 247
13.6 Magic Sheet and Purpose List for Sorry, Wrong Number 247
13.7 Objects are the Color of Light They Reflect 249
13.8 Subtractive Mixing of Primary Colors 250
13.9 Mixing the Primary Colors of Light 250
13.10 Gel Lets Selected Wavelengths through to Color Light 251
13.11 Light from Multiple Sources Mixing Color Additively 251
13.12 Swatch Books from Four Major Brands 252
13.13 Which Bastard Amber Will You Choose? 252
13.14 Some Antique Gel Books, Some from Defunct Gel Product Lines 252
13.15 Swatchbook Transmission Charts 253
13.16 Color Mixing in the Light Lab 254
13.17 Placing White Objects in Multiple Saturated Colors 254
13.18 A Highly Patterned Fabric Used for Color Demonstration 255
14.1 Human Figure on an Empty Stage Template 262
14.2 Leafy Cut-Outs and Box Set Template 263
14.3 Research Image for Painting Reference 263
14.4 Shadow Cast by Human Figure, Drawn in Pencil 263
14.5 Making the Light on Stage Pop on Stage by Darkening the Proscenium 264
14.6 Layering Light by Shading the Cyc 264
14.7 All of the Templates Laid Out for the Demonstration 265
14.8 Sketch, Magic Sheet, and Light Lab Look 265
14.9 Adding Color to the Main Source of Light 266
14.10 Progression of Sketches Demonstrated 266
14.11 Foliage Cut-outs and the Box Set 267
14.12 Casey Discusses Interpreting Some Research Images 268
14.13 A Selection of Our Basic Set Configuration Blocks and Walls 268
14.14 Looking at Research Images, Charcoal and Color Sketches 269
15.1 Lilliana Presents Her Lighting Project 273

xviii Figures
15.2 Mason Presents His Lighting Project 274

15.3 Kelsey Presents Her Lighting Project 275
15.4 The Corridor of Completed Projects 276
16.1 Groundplan of Boeing Boeing Used for Demonstration 280
16.2 Add DC Area of Control to Groundplan 281
16.3 Overlapping Beams of Light 281
16.4 The Downstage Broken Up Into Five Areas of Control 282
16.5 The Midstage Broken Up Into Five Areas of Control 282
16.6 The Upstage Broken Up Into Three Areas of Control 283
16.7 Areas of Control for Auxiliary Spaces 283
16.8 Labeling the Areas of Control Descriptively 284
16.9 Steps on the Board: Groundplan Broken Up Into Areas of Control, the Magic Sheet Applied
to it, the Generated Purpose List, the Start of the Rough Hook-Up Applying Areas of
Control to Purposes, and the Hook-Up Used to Build the Look in the Light Lab 285
16.10 A Thrust Stage Broken Up Into Areas of Control 286
16.11 An Arena Stage Broken Up Into Areas of Control 286
16.12 Center Line Section of the Virtual Model of The Coronation of Poppea 287
16.13 Section Including Front of House Positions 288
16.14 Sample Beam Throw Spread Sheet 289
16.15 Laying Out the Beam Throw of a 36 degree ERS Unit 289
16.16 Cut Out Beam Throw Templates 290
16.17 Three Figures on the Stage 291
16.18 Fresnel Beam Throw Cut-out on a Section 292
16.19 Using a Groundplan to Demonstrate a Beam Throw 293
16.20 Sample Channel Hook-up Page Generated by Lightwright 294
16.21 Sample Blank Channel Hook-up Table 294
16.22 Three Purpose Lists 295
17.1 Sample Rough Sound Plot Headings 311

Introduction xix
Preface
This book grew from conversations with peers and colleagues. course we have wrestled with the question of what we can
These conversations revealed a distinct set of common issues realistically expect our students to achieve in ten one-and-a-half-
many of us face when designing introductory design courses, hour sessions per design field, especially since it’s the only
especially in smaller departments or for designers new to formal design course currently listed in our curriculum. The stu-
teaching and teachers new to design. dents of our Fall 2015 session contributed images of their
First, a frequent theme was the tendency of instructors to projects to demonstrate the variety of skill levels and the range
cut and paste course materials from a broad range of texts of achievement we have come to expect from year to year.
rather than selecting and sticking with a single book. There are A third concern was the ratio of design to non-design stu-
plenty of good design textbooks available, but beyond a handful dents in the average introductory course. In order to keep
of exercises at the end of chapters, there is little guidance in classes populated at adequate enrollment levels, design courses
how to use content as progressive and meaningful hands-on are often requirements for non-design students. However, the
components of an introductory class. This book seeks to resolve introductory design class that is foundational for a program’s
this issue, not by replacing comprehensive design texts in the handful of design students can become a slog for the majority
classroom, but by proposing pedagogical strategies through of non-design students, especially for those with limited draw-
which an instructor can organize classroom interaction with ing skills. The challenge is to introduce necessary fundamental
whatever texts are favored. skills for the design students while ensuring that the non-design
Another issue that arose in those conversations was what students remain interested and engaged. Our solution has been
constitutes introductory level content. The course that we teach to focus on the process of design, integrating only what techni-
at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater introduces scenery, cal skills are required to complete the projects at hand in the
costume, and lighting design in the space of a single semester. time we have. While the conceptual part of art and design is not
That’s roughly five weeks apiece for each field. Many current always a linear activity, theatre production is. Structuring the
textbooks feature material that can span several semesters’ class to parallel the step-by-step forward movement of the typi-
worth of classes in each design field. There’s not usually any cal production process not only provides design students with
clear indication where the introductory material ends and inter- real-world foundational steps, but allows non-design students
mediate or advanced work begins. Even though an instructor to better understand how all the parts of production develop in
might not feel obligated to get through an entire book in a single tandem.
course it’s hard to figure out where to stop. For an introductory Finally, the nature of theatre production means that
course the instructor must determine how deeply, in the time designers don’t usually get to work with other designers in their
allotted, he or she can delve into the various design fields as respective fields, unless it’s as an assistant. The same is often
well as strike a balance between concepts, communication, true in academic theatre programs: a department at a smaller
planning, and technical know-how. school may have only two instructors – one whose duties are
The content of this book is based on classroom experi- directing and teaching history, the other overseeing all the tech-
mentation. In our seven years of developing and revising this nical aspects. Indeed, someone trained as a director or historian

xx Preface
may also be assigned to teach a design course. There is seldom session, but we hope they will spark variants useful to the
opportunity to observe an experienced instructor teaching in reader’s individual situation.
one’s own field of expertise. While sharing syllabi occurs (and You are the person best positioned to understand the
is fostered by such bodies as the Education Commission of the aims, needs, and resources of your institution and department.
United States Institute for Theatre Technology), syllabi are usu- You are the person best situated to understand the needs and
ally limited to announcing goals and broad topics; they don’t goals of your students. As part of an ongoing teacher-to-teacher
help the instructor figure out how to achieve those goals or conversation, use this book to design the class that brings your
teach those topics – nor are they meant to. We have chosen to strengths forward, confronts and overcomes weaknesses, and
structure this book in a syllabus format and then fill in the gaps assists you to stretch and explore as a teacher while offering a
to serve as an example not only of what we teach, but how, and fulfilling experience for your students.
why we do it in a particular order. Each chapter covers two class If you are new to the design classroom; if you are being
sessions (again, at about an hour and a half duration per ses- asked to teach a design craft outside of your field; if your design
sion), presenting concepts and exercises in the order we class comprises mainly young actors, directors, and stage
approach them. Since we’ve been developing this course over managers; if you’ve inherited a course structure that tries to fit
several years, we’ve accumulated a catalog of digressions and the only discussion of lighting, scenery, and costumes your
extra exercises from which to choose depending on how the students will get into a single semester – please, read on. We
class goes on a given day. We’ve included as many as possible. have a lot to talk about.
It would be impossible to include them all in a normal class

Introduction xxi
Acknowledgments
This book is the result of years of teaching. We’d like to acknowl- included some images and items from friends, collaborators,
edge that our students are the reason this book came to be, and and colleagues, and would to thank Rachelle Miller, Don Smith,
have helped form the content as we revised our course semes- Keith Pitts, Brandon Kirkham, Brandy Kline, Thomas C. Umfrid,
ter by semester. We’d like to thank the students of Fall 2015 Aaron Bridgeman, Matt Hamel, and Olivia Leigh. We appreciate
who were willing to share their projects with an audience our colleagues in the Theatre/Dance Department at the
beyond the safety of the classroom: Annie Kailhofer, Rick University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in their recognition and
Grischow, Molly O’Hearn, Madeline Mehnert, Kelsey Smyth, accommodation of this writing effort in the midst of a full aca-
Mason Ronan, Bridget Kelly, Nick Grischow, Eric Guenthner, demic year of teaching and production. Rick and Spencer,
Lilliana Gonzalez, Peyton Reigstad, Stephanie Graf, Stephanie thanks for support on our home fronts. Finally, we’d also like to
Ruch, Abigail King, Allison Lozar, Casey Bunbury, Erin Quist, thank Meredith and Stacey at Routledge for shepherding us
Bergen Hansen, and Amanda Kramer. We’ve also asked for and though this whole process.

Introduction
In developing any course, there is much planning and prepara- plays for use in the class, how student portfolio development
tion that happens before the class meets for the first time. can be fostered through the various projects, and finally, some
Before we get to the course content as laid out in each chapter, books that we’ve found useful.
we’d like to discuss the rationale behind some of our teaching
choices so that as you encounter each step in our process you
have a better sense of how our course, and teaching, have The Organization of
evolved over the years.
As is the case in many theatre departments, we inherited
This Book
this class and a syllabus for this class. Previous instructors had Teaching itself is a learning experience. Those versed in current
developed approaches that worked for them and for the period assessment jargon use the term ‘closing the loop’ to discuss
in which they taught. However, times change, approaches to those actions identified and taken to improve teaching. In a nut-
theatre change, and for better or for worse students now come shell, that means identifying specific things the instructor wants
into the classroom with different expectations and work ethics the students to master but for some reason they are not quite
than in previous decades. Teaching approaches themselves doing so. The mechanics of the class must be investigated,
change, and as an instructor learns more about the craft of specifically examining and evaluating those activities believed
teaching, she or he will want to try new things to better facilitate to lead students toward demonstration of that mastery. The
student engagement. We changed things bit by bit, year by instructor will be able to find places where more time should be
year. Even though we individually revised the content of our spent on a topic, where more effective exercises might help
respective sections, this book truly had its origins as the two of students absorb the concepts; they may even re-examine the
us started sticking around to observe each other’s sessions. The ultimate goals of the class itself. There are compromises to be
course became a true teaching collaboration rather than three made, as often having both breadth and depth may not be easily
stand-alone sections linked by a common meeting time. managed in the space of a single semester.
Furthermore, design classes do not exist in a vacuum, If you’ve glanced through the table of contents, you’ll
but have relationships with other courses in the curriculum. have noticed that we placed costume design first. When we
Changing the content and approach in one course can strengthen inherited our class, scenic design was approached first, then
or loosen ties with other courses, and the instructor seeking to costumes, then lighting. It was an order of approach we had
revise a class can benefit greatly by considering the larger cur- experienced before and appeared to be standard in an all-in-one
ricular picture. We chose to look for places where the Introduction class. This can be rationalized from a historically hierarchical
to Design course could be more overtly connected to student standpoint – scenery is first because it comprises the largest
experience in other classes, the departmental productions, and and most apparent physical feature of the performance space.
outside activities like KCACTF. Costumes come next because with scenery, costumes both
What follows will discuss the organization of this book, create and inhabit the physical space of the stage. Light is
assessment of student creative work, how and why we select treated last because both in history and the production process

xxiv Introduction
it’s a relative latecomer, tying together the other design compo- using a range of student achievement both as teaching aids and
nents. The assumption is that scenery and costumes need to as concrete examples of the type of work we expect of the
do their work before lighting can really start making decisions. students.
After a couple of years of teaching the course in the more
standard order, Tracey suggested we experiment with making
costume design the first field introduced to the students. It has Our Formula
remained first ever since. Pedagogically, we feel that scenic Combining both the framing topics and the structural order
design is less divisible than costumes (or even lighting). In set we’ve adopted for the class, we have a formula which applies
design, a student is asked to create a whole world on a stage, to both the macro- and micro-level projects. We’ll discuss each
from scratch, in four weeks, with no prior experience in doing of these topics in more depth as they arise in each chapter.
so, and this happens while in a feedback cycle with perhaps
unfamiliar graphic skills like drawing, drafting, and model build- 1. Analysis
ing. Moving costume design into the first slot means that 2. Design Metaphor
students now develop a project that is perceived by them as 3. Design Elements
less formidable; a handful of costumes as opposed to a com- 4. Research
plete set. Topics like design elements, the use of metaphor, and 5. Render (Design Mechanics)
basic research can be introduced, practiced, and applied more
This list reflects both the order in which these topics are intro-
effectively on a project of less daunting size.
duced to the class, and the order in which we ask students to
In class, we have found it effective to weave exercises
work through their projects. For example, for the ‘drink-can
and instructor presentation together, doing our best to avoid
label’ exercise in Chapter 1 (see Figures 1.23 through 1.26) stu-
long periods of lecture. We’ll use that approach throughout this
dents analyze the text (in that case, soda), distill their reaction
book. Presenting the bones of the topic and then moving right
into descriptive terms that suggest particular design elements
into an exercise means that students immediately use what
(line, texture, etc.), consider the context and meaning of their
they have just learned and are more likely to retain it. Each
choices, and draw a logo that expresses their sensation of the
chapter will be arranged to present material as we do in a given
soda through the intentional use of design elements. For later,
session.
larger projects, places for improvement will be identified and
Throughout this book we have scattered boxes with
students will be asked to revise and resubmit their work.
teaching tips and quotes where their content is relevant to the
We are upfront with the students about this formula, and
day’s activities. Illustrations will accompany many projects,
hope that as the semester moves along these steps become
including samples of actual student work. We do use the work
second nature. Structured practice early means that risks can
of professional designers to exemplify particular points in class,
be taken later with more confidence, with an understanding of
but for an instructor attempting to gauge what comprises solid
why those risks should be taken. To paraphrase Martha Graham
introductory work and what does not, these images are of less
from the 1957 documentary A Dancer’s World: discipline in
value and will therefore be kept to a minimum in this book.
learning your craft now permits freedom of expression later.1
Images of Broadway-level designs can be inspirational, but we
don’t want students feeling that after one semester they should
be turning out work of that caliber. We find it useful to keep the
work generated by students through the years in the classroom,

Introduction xxv
Creativity and Evaluation conceptually creaky final resting state can still receive an ‘A’ if
the process steps are clearly engaged, and the student supports
Grading art and design projects can be a tricky proposition. choices with research and textual evidence.
There are few absolutely right or absolutely wrong answers. Our current homework and project guidelines will be
Rather, there are approaches that work and those that work included at the point they are assigned. Methods of instructor
even better. Of course, the question then becomes what exactly critique and grading can be found where assignments are
is meant by something working? You might find yourself facing turned in and discussed.
students who protest that you are stifling their creative impulses,
that your teaching method is unfairly my-way-or-the-highway, or
that you simply don’t understand their out-of-the-box thinking.
Selecting Plays for Use
Critiquing and grading projects can end up seeming rather sub-
jective to both the student and the instructor.
in Class
Design is about problem solving. Granted, in the theatre When we inherited the class, students were allowed to make
we want to solve problems in creative ways, but ‘creativity’ is their own choice as to which single play they would work on
such a slippery concept so tied to personal worth and self- throughout the scenic, costume, and lighting sections. This
esteem that framing discussion of a project by commenting on meant that if the class had twelve students, we as instructors
how ‘creative’ it is usually ends up being counterproductive, not had to know all the twelve plays. While it was hoped that all the
just for the individual student but for the climate of the class in students would read all the plays being used, that was seldom
general. A focus on the steps of the process and the progress the case. Having meaningful classroom discussions about pro-
that engagement with the steps engenders is, we feel, the jects as they developed was limited, since students were
more constructive path. unfamiliar with the texts the others were using. We decided to
Our class has, at its foundation, the development and limit the numbers of plays used in any given semester to three,
application of critical thinking skills, not self-expression or the with the requirement that all students were to read them. Only
explosion of innate, raw talent. Some of that may come into play, after discussion of all three texts would they choose which one
but expression without critical self-awareness quickly leads to to work on.
self-indulgence. It’s our belief that anyone can learn to do things Exploration within parameters is an important teaching
like historical research or close readings of a text. If a student concept in our class. Students should have a certain degree of
chooses to costume Antigone in 1860s American Old West style freedom to ensure ownership in their work, but too many
it’s not the creativity of the choice that gets evaluated; what choices can mean loss of focus, or focus on something other
matters is how the student follows through with research and than the desired lesson objectives. By limiting the number of
applies that research to the needs of the text. The student must plays used, the students have time to read them all. They are
be able to adequately explain how and why the text of Antigone discussed in class, and as the projects progress not only are
allows the choice of 1860s American Old West as a format that students able to ask each other about choices made, but they
clarifies and explicates the action of the play. Maybe they will also get to see the various directions possible even though
convince you. Maybe they won’t. They still have to try. Even if they’re all working on the exact same play. The problems we
you don’t agree with their decision, letting them push through are trying to solve often have multiple, quite workable solutions
to the end so that the flaws (or successes) become manifest can and seeing this in action helps prevent students from locking in
be an excellent learning experience. A project that reaches a on a single, immutable ‘right’ answer for a play.

xxvi Introduction
There are several criteria we use when choosing plays mounted by your department. If your students aren’t generally
each year. We look at texts the students read in other parts of exposed to plays by a diverse range of minority voices, this
the department’s curriculum, such as script analysis or theatre course is a good place to get a few on the reading list. New and
history courses. Taking a play familiar from an acting or English unfamiliar voices often require young designers to explore
class perspective and looking at it from a design standpoint can beyond their comfort range.
be an eye-opening experience for students. Each year, we try to select one play that tends toward
We also see what our region of the Kennedy Center naturalistic solutions, one that could tend toward more abstract
American College Theatre Festival has put forward for that or presentational solutions, and one that is fun and unexpected.
year’s unrealized design projects. We have found KCACTF to be If one play asks for a lot of lighting looks, one should have only
an excellent resource, and use their design presentation guide- a handful. If one play features fairly familiar contemporary cos-
lines to structure project presentations. Sometimes a student’s tume, another should go deeper into period and style. Students
class work can translate into a presentation at the regional can then choose the play that most appeals to them from
KCACTF festival, giving them a chance to present their work to whichever design field interests them most and presents those
a fresh set of viewers. By participating in the festival they also challenges they feel most comfortable tackling first. When
have the opportunity to observe how their peers at other institu- taken together, the three plays offer the students variety and
tions approach the same material. Even if your institution does achievability.
not participate in KCACTF’s conference or response activities, Currently, we use full-length plays for the final projects,
we encourage familiarity with their website and the practices though the use of one-acts and ten-minute plays has been dis-
the organization espouses. cussed. If we had more time, or could focus on a single field,
We try to select plays for pedagogical practicality rather shorter plays would be an excellent way to incorporate focused
than for literary content or historical merit. Whether or not it also projects on particular design elements.
appears on a reading list for a theatre history course, we might Play trios from past years of our course include:
use A Raisin in the Sun less because it’s an Important American
Play than because there’s grounding in a very specific time and • Pseudolus (Plautus), The Royal Hunt of the Sun (Peter
place: a cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago in the Shaffer), Leading Ladies (Ken Ludwig)
late 1950s. Students can research that and readily link that • Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches (Tony
research to the needs of the world of the play. An instructor can Kushner), A Raisin in the Sun (Lorraine Hansberry), The
call out a student on a piece of clothing that a character in that Three Sisters (Anton Chekhov)
play cannot wear because it’s from the 1970s rather than the • The Piano Lesson (August Wilson), The House of Blue
1950s. If too many windows appear on the set it means that the Leaves (John Guare), The Hairy Ape (Eugene O’Neill)
student hasn’t read the play carefully enough. On the other hand, • Boeing Boeing (Marc Camoletti), On the Verge (Eric
there are non-realistic visual places you can take that play – for Overmeyer), She Stoops to Conquer (Oliver Goldsmith)
instance, exploring the ramifications of showing the city around • Getting Married (George Bernard Shaw), Jeffrey (Paul
the apartment. The bonus of a play like A Raisin in the Sun is that Rudnick), Rashomon (Fay Kanin and Michael Kanin)
you also get specific social undercurrents that feed directly and
urgently into design choices because they drive the play’s plot. Changing the plays from year to year has a number of benefits.
Intro to Design can also introduce contemporary scripts, The class remains fresh for the instructor while maintaining con-
or plays that students should know but are unlikely to be stancy in the syllabus, broadens the reading of the department

Introduction xxvii
as a whole, and prevents students from passing down project students have space to draw and draft, whether on a drawing
components from year to year. Plus, if you are able to display table, or a table with a portable drafting board. However, for the
student work in your building’s public areas, variety provides lighting section to be most effective some sort of light lab needs
interest, and potential students can see the breadth of the to be assembled. We work with dolls as models in the light lab,
department’s curricular investigations. which means that the size of the lab need not be huge; hard-
After making their choice of play, our students use that ware store clip-lights clamped to a light wooden frame sitting
play for their costume and scenery projects. At the beginning of atop a table can work quite well.
the lighting section, they are then assigned one of the other A chapter on sound can be found at the end of the book.
students’ play choices for their lighting project. For example, We do not teach a section on sound in our single semester
student X designs costumes and scenery for Pseudolus, but design course, but find that our pedagogical approach to cos-
then must design lighting for student Y’s scenic and costume tume, scenery, and lighting can also aid those students
design of The Royal Hunt of the Sun. Students get to work on interested in sound design. To work with sound in the class-
plays they did not choose or possibly do not even like, which room, a playback system is necessary. While a tablet or phone
models professional life. Not only will they have to pose ques- may not offer the highest quality of sound, the dramaturgical
tions about their classmates’ work, but they will have to face aspects of sound design can still be explored with those
those very same issues with their own work as they field ques- devices.
tions from their own lighting designers. It becomes not just an
exercise in design, but also in collaboration.
Portfolio Development
The Classroom For a designer, the portfolio is an important communication
tool when seeking employment. It contains samples of the
We are fortunate in our classroom space; before we joined our designer’s work, showing completed projects and materials that
department, earlier faculty members assembled a room that contribute to an understanding of the designer’s process. By
well supports the department’s design and technology teaching reviewing the portfolio, a potential colleague or client can get a
efforts. Our classroom contains drawing tables, blackboards, sense of whether the designer is stylistically the right person for
bulletin boards, projection equipment, a small light lab, and a the job as well as a sense of his or her collaborative qualities.
small computer lab. On the other hand, in the past both of us Building a portfolio, particularly at the undergraduate level,
have taught courses in a variety of less than optimal spaces. is an activity that can easily fall through the cracks. As students
As we have written this book, we have done our best to reach the end of their senior year, they begin to realize that
keep in mind that not every department or institution has the portfolios are part of the upcoming job interview process and
same classroom resources available that we do. If you have no discover that they haven’t saved anything from their production
projection equipment, you may find yourself making a lot of work to put into it. Getting design/tech students to think about
color photocopies. If no costume shop is accessible, it will be building their portfolio should happen as early as possible.
necessary to visit your local fabric and crafts stores. If you have Students should get into the habit of updating their portfolios
no light tables, tracing paper will do. after every production they are involved with, replacing older
Most of the exercises and activities in the costume placeholder or classroom work with their most recent
and scenic sections of this book will work well as long as the achievements.

xxviii Introduction
A student portfolio serves many uses: put in the portfolio. At the end of each chapter, we will offer
suggestions and exercises on how that week’s projects and
• Tracks the learning process exercises can be used to guide students through the process
• Informs students of their improvement through the of building a portfolio.
semester
• Models the collection of work kept by professional
designers
• Creates a ritual for the presentation of work in the future
Book Recommendation
• Gives students a platform by which to introduce themselves
to employers even before graduation. Show Case, by Rafael Jaen (published by Focal Press), is a
handy reference tool, full of do’s and don’ts not just on
We ask students to save everything produced from this class
portfolios but on resumes, vitae, business cards, and the
regardless of how they feel about it. This collection, from note
general presentation of work to clients across the
cards to swatched renderings to storyboards, represents the
entertainment industry.
journey of the student designer.
Your own portfolio can serve as a valuable example to the
class. Walk your students through it as you would when present-
ing yourself to an artistic director or other potential client. Explain
which show is about to be rotated out and why. If you’re in the
process of adding a recent show, bring in all the parts and pieces Books We Want to Share
you’ve collected and lay out the page as a demonstration.
If you’re new to design in general and do not have a port- With You
folio of your own, there are organizations whose websites,
At the college level, many of us are designers who moved side-
commissions, and bulletin boards can direct you to images their
ways into education. We’ve trained extensively in one field and
members have posted to share, or put you in contact with
are now being asked to teach other design fields, to be a techni-
designers willing to share portfolio items with your class. Three
cal director, or even start directing.
to start with are:
As we backfill our education, the two of us constantly
• The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival discover books and texts and films that people in other fields
(KCACTF) (www.kcactf.org) know to be essential building blocks but for some reason or
• United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) another were never mentioned in our own, now distant, educa-
(www.usitt.org) tional experiences. Throughout this book we periodically
• United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 (www.usa829.org) recommend texts that we hope are useful for someone catch-
ing up in a particular field. Some of these texts are still in print;
If you are able to bring in guest designers, whether for produc- others may be moldering in a forgotten corner of your institu-
tion work or a short classroom visit, be sure to ask them to bring tion’s library. Whether you press them, complete, into the hands
along their portfolios. of your students or introduce excerpts for use alongside class-
Building a good portfolio, like anything else, requires prac- room exercises is up to you – but we find these texts to be
tice and experimentation. Above all, the student needs items to useful ladder rungs laid by those who have gone before us.

Introduction xxix
Here are three books to start with that we feel address environments to be inhabited by actors, it’s good to have some
foundational issues in teaching theatrical design: essentials at one’s fingertips, especially since design classes in
many smaller programs will have a high proportion of acting
The Dramatic Imagination, by Robert Edmond Jones students.
Jones is still the mystic high priest of American stage design.
In this book of breathless inspiration, he ties it all together – act- A final note: We do not believe in ‘weeder’ courses. Our class
ing, design, direction, history – and urges the reader to seek must serve all the students of our department. Therefore, it’s
theatricality in the theatre. For many students, the idea that important to us that every student, through discipline and hard
theatre is born from the marriage of the dirt of Craft with the work, can be successful in developing their first designs. Their
clean burning flame of Art is a revelation. “Does this mean we designs will not all be polished, detailed, or risk-taking. We do
are to carry images of poetry and vision and high passion in our our best to measure success by examining students’ engage-
minds while we are shouting out orders to electricians on lad- ment with the process of design, acknowledging that every
ders in light-rehearsals? Yes. This is what it means.”2 Let his student starts the course at various levels in different skills.
book inspire you in low moments. By the end of the semester they will not be accomplished
designers, but they will be better at design.
Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of
Artmaking, by David Bayles and Ted Orland
This book is a reminder that making things is hard and fraught Notes
with peril, but remains an eminently worthwhile pursuit. It
1. A Dancer’s World. Dir. Peter Glushanok. WQED, 1957. Film.
explores the ramifications of putting yourself and your art out
2. Robert Edmond Jones, The Dramatic Imagination (New York:
into the world, addressing issues of craft, inspiration, competi- Theatre Art Books, 1941, 21st printing 1994), p. 128.
tion, habits, failures, acceptance, and approval and why anyone 3. David Bayles and Ted Orland, Art and Fear: Observations on the
should do art in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. “Q: Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking (Santa Cruz, CA & Eugene, OR:
Will anyone ever match the genius of Mozart? A: No. Thank you The Image Continuum, 2014), p. 114.
– now can we get on with our work?”3
A Practical Handbook for the Actor, by Bruder, Cohn, Olnek,

Pollack, Previto, and Zigler
This is a solid, practical guide to the nuts and bolts of acting
in language anyone can understand. Since designers design

Section I
Costume Design

Chapter 1
Organizing Principles of
the Class and Week 1

4 Section I: Costume Design
Session by Session the corresponding section. If your classroom time, like ours,
doesn’t have room for every student to present in each of the
Framework three sections, assign one presentation to each student. We

split the class into thirds and have each take a costume, lighting,
As we examined the course, we realized that our exercises and or scenic designer’s name from a hat.
discussions fell under one of five basic topics. We use these We knew we wanted to retain a final project of reasonable
five topics to frame classroom activities. scale as the capstone of each section. This project had to be
large enough to be an achievement, yet small enough that all
• Design Elements: The building blocks of visual expression:
the students, with diligent work, would be able to complete it
Line, Shape, Form, Space, Color, and Texture
(more guidelines in later chapters) in the five weeks allotted.
• Design Metaphor: Our primary tool to distill the script so
Once we determined what we wanted students to achieve in
that design becomes a poetic parallel of the play
each final project, we worked backwards through the weeks to
• Script Analysis: Creating a vast and deep understanding of
determine what building blocks had to be placed in what order.
the script
In our class, the costume, scenery, and lighting sections
• Research: Developing the design through the collection,
have these commonalities:
comparison, comprehension, and utilization of all things rel-
evant to the design • Fundamental concepts, and the structure of learning them
• Design Mechanics: The broad swath of communication and specific to each category of design
graphic methods used to express a design, such as draw- • Low-stakes exercises
ing, painting, drafting, and model building. • A mid-level project
• Student research projects that discuss a Broadway- or
Section by Section regional-level designer’s work

• A guest artist from the professional field recently discussed
Framework • The presentation of a final project with components often
completed throughout the section.
In tandem with determining the five framing topics of the
course, we sought a chronological ordering to the conceptual Each class period starts with the broad picture of design and applies
work and accompanying projects that could be applied to all the lessons through group discussions and hands-on projects.
three sections (costume, scenery, and lighting) of the class. Often these projects are in the form of low-stakes exercises.
The through-line from section to section begins with the Projects that require more instruction, are multi-step, or
assigning of three full-length plays. Email script details to stu- take several class periods are placed mid-way through the con-
dents prior to the start of the course. They may need the extra tent of each five-week section. These mid-level projects create
time to obtain the materials and to read them at a leisurely pace. confidence through the complex application of newly developed
Because of our rural location and a desire to relate the skills.
classroom to the world beyond, a project that researches pro- Having a systematic process means that risky exploration
fessional designers is integrated into each section. Ideally, each takes place within an increasingly familiar process-structure. For
student would research a costume designer, a set designer, and us, developing a coherent, repeatable structure was an impor-
a lighting designer, giving a presentation on each at the end of tant step in fostering student success.

Organizing Principles of the Class and Week 1 5
Supplies Needed TEACHING TIP

Instructor supplies: Lecture, Demonstration, or
• Classroom collage material: images cut from magazines. Discussion?
Avoid images with text or human faces.
The model of lecturer/note-taker has been the backbone of
Student supplies: academy learning for centuries, but doesn’t fit well into the
hands-on learning environment we try to foster in our design
• 3” x 5” unlined notecards classroom. We strive to engage students in discussion by
• Scissors asking for feedback, encouraging interruption, and testing by
• Tape or glue stick doing. If an answer can be given in multiple ways, we may
• Drawing utensil (this is a personal preference; ink pens preface discussion by saying, “I’m going to go around the
or pencils will suffice) room and everyone is likely to have a unique answer.” When
writing on the board, we may start a sentence and not finish
For the first few weeks, we will often supply smaller items it. Students will know to shout out the answers. We respond
ourselves until the students have had a chance to get to local with “yes, ok, you have a piece of it,” or “dig deeper” rather
office and art supply stores. A list of required materials and than providing the missing piece ourselves. Note taking is
tools is distributed with the syllabus on the first day of class important, but we don’t view it as an excuse to avoid
and can be found in Appendix B. participation in the discussion. In-class projects verify that the
student has absorbed and can demonstrate information from
the presentation, rather than create a set of notes to be filed
away or reviewed in the future.
The framing topics of this week are:
• Design Elements
• Introduction of Design Elements

• Expanding Students’ Design Vocabulary Discussion: Introducing
• Connecting Design Elements and Vocabulary through
Exercises Design Elements
• Design Metaphor On Day 1, we explore a handful of specific design elements that
will serve the students as the framework for all future observa-
• Introduction of Design Metaphor tion, discussion, and creation of visual material. In class, while
• Exploring the Literal and Poetic Meaning of Metaphors we isolate the elements and sometimes intentionally omit one
through Exercises in an effort to provide more focus, the others remain present by
• Applying Design Metaphor to a Dramatic Text inference.

“But a line, shape, texture, or color is a

concrete actuality. These elements are more
real than the objects they represent. Their
effect does not depend upon an appeal to our Figure 1.1 Progressive Treatment of Design Elements
intellect but to our primary instincts, which are
deeper, more fundamental. They make a direct Various texts, media, and artists define their lists of design
visual impact; they evoke an immediate, elements differently, though there tends to be a handful of core
vigorous response. The elements and principles terms common to all. Our short set of elements (listed below)
of design that govern their relationship are, serves our teaching and the students’ learning very well, as it is
therefore, real and powerful forces. If we inclusive without redundancy.
Figure 1.1 illustrates a progressive approach to the design
would control and direct these forces, we must
elements. We introduce them by drawing this progression on
understand the elements and principles of the board to demonstrate how each successive element
design.”1 connects to the previous ones, and so builds complexity.
Maitland Graves, The Art of Color and Design
• Line: How to get from one point to another; an edge
• Shape: The 2D area defined by a line or the intersection of
lines
• Form: The 3D area defined by a line or the intersection of
lines
TEACHING TIP • Space: The volume of the form or the volume not within the
form (negative space)
The similar sounding but differently defined phrase principles • Texture: The qualities/finish of a surface
of design is often discussed in other books. The principles of • Color: Any variation of the visible light spectrum, inclusive
design refer to the compositional use of the design elements of white and black.
– where things are placed and their relationships to each
other. At our introductory level, we want our students to The images in Figures 1.2 through 1.7 are relatively quick
achieve a conscious understanding of the tools to make design and basic treatments of each element, using computer pro-
(design elements) but absorb the use of those tools (principles grams such as Paint and SketchUp as well as personal
of design) at a more visceral level. Principles such as photographs. Hand-drawn images, items culled from the inter-
symmetry and balance are introduced and named as net, and actual objects can all be used to demonstrate each
opportunity arises, but limited class time generally does not element. A bent coat hanger, for instance, can illustrate line (in
allow a deeper or more formal discussion of composition. both 2D and 3D permutations), shape, and form. A pipe cleaner
adds texture to line. Fabric samples allow students a more
tactile encounter with textures.

TEACHING TIP Book Recommendations

Tracey once took a tap dancing class where the teacher used In-depth analysis of design elements common to theatrical
the last five minutes of each class period to demonstrate a usage can be found in any number of textbooks, such as
new tap move. At first, it seemed infuriating to present Kaoime E. Malloy’s The Art of Theatrical Design (published by
something and give no time to practice. The teacher’s Focal Press), or The Magic Garment: Principles of Costume
methodology was to introduce the step, let it stay with a Design, by Rebecca Cunningham.
person, and revisit the item when the idea of the dance move
was no longer new, even if the specifics were unknown. It
worked. Because of the effectiveness of this style, Tracey puts
a great deal of emphasis on early and thin introductions,
feeling that the details of a concept are often best when
added to a familiar foundation of vocabulary.
Figure 1.3 Shape
Figure 1.2 Line Figure 1.4 Form

Figure 1.5 Space
Figure 1.7 Color
Discussion: Exploring
Design Elements
Within each of these six design elements comes a host of varia-
tion and associations. As we introduce them, a brief definition is
accompanied by blackboard or slide image exploration of that
element. Students are asked to describe the qualities of a straight
line, a wavy line, a jagged line before straying into the application
of emotional inferences: for example, what are the physical attrib-
utes of a line with regular points as opposed to one with irregular
points? This is the first occasion students observe something and
Figure 1.6 Texture are asked to describe what they actually see before jumping to
association and connotation. Only after the physical attributes of
the element are exhausted do we move on to what that diagram
or image suggests. There is a difference between the object
itself and the associations it carries. We tell students that if you
know that a particular type of line carries a particular connotation
and why, it can then be intentionally applied in the creation of a
garment’s or environment’s specific qualities.

If time allows, follow up the introduction of each design

element with pieces of art or graphic designs that speak to that
TEACHING TIP element. For example, the drawings and etchings of Albrecht
Durer, Rembrandt, and Andy Warhol present a sense of line’s
While it may seem limiting at first, sticking reasonably close expressive potential.
to the names of colors on the average color wheel can help Work with your students to build up their descriptive
students become more comfortable in discussing color vocabularies. For example: “The lead character is in a pink dress
choices, as well as avoid some of the emotional or with soft lines and a full skirt.” This statement notes the color,
atmospheric baggage inherent in some of the color names. line, and space of the garment and hints at the texture. It is a
This reinforces the use of color itself (rather than the name of more effective description than: “She wears a pretty dress that
the color) as a tool. flatters her figure.” Model the vocabulary that best suits you
Hollow terminology such as neutral or natural means and your students’ needs.
that the student has either not looked closely enough at the From now on, whenever an image is discussed, use the
qualities of the item or space or is resisting making a choice. design elements to initiate description of the content. This
Beige is a decision. Symmetry is a decision. Emptiness is a begins a semester-long conversation that allows students to
decision. A sterile waiting room is not a neutral space; it is a practice translating images into words, and words back into
machine for the act of bored waiting. If you ascribe to other images. Almost every session from this one forward will review
rules about vocabulary, be sure to explain this to your students the design elements in some brief manner.
early on rather than letting it be a later mechanism for
ambush.
Figure 1.8
Color is a
Sledgehammer.
Which of These
Girls is Passionate?
Which One is
Melancholy? Which
One is Sad?

• Ask the students to call out the dominant design element.
• If there is a difference of opinion, ask the students to

TEACHING TIP
support their decision with evidence from the image.
Composition (design principles) is, of course, more complex
• Ask for adjectives that describe the action or inaction of the
than tossing a few lines on a page. Classroom drawing
main elements.
exercises are excellent places to gently introduce vocabulary
• Exhaust their vocabulary on that element before moving to
such as symmetry, unity, balance, the golden rectangle,
the next one.
proportion, foreground, and background, especially since
students use them without realizing they have names or Focus on what is actually in the image, rather than how
rationales. One early opportunity is the upcoming discussion the students feel about the image, or what cultural connotations
of the notecard exercises we use to explore the design they might discern.
elements.
Exercise: Building Presentation Skills

for Designers
Put students in pairs. Assign a collection of related images to
Hands-on Projects with each pair (see Figures 1.9 through 1.14 for examples).
Design Elements • Ask them to isolate a dominant design element from each
collection of images and make a list of words that describe
To fit all of the exercises from each chapter of this book into one how the design element is used.
semester would require skill and endurance exceeding our own. • Each pair, with equal contributions from both students, pres-
Each chapter will present an exhaustive number of activities, ents their image collection to the class and explains what
many of which explore the same parameters but in slightly dif- element they addressed and how it is revealed throughout
ferent ways. Choose from them. This is your course; use those the collection of images.
things that will work best for you and your students in the time
you have together. Since communication is an essential part of designing for the
The following exercises are small-scale, low-stakes theatre, this will be only the first among many presentations to
explorations of each element. Their goals are to: the class.
• Help students become more comfortable with drawing Exercise: Take Nothing for Granted
• Begin expressing textual qualities through graphic means
• Reinforce design vocabulary. Ask students to look around the room.
• Find a particular design element and describe it.

Exercise: Developing Students’ Vocabulary • Consider how it contributes to the overall mechanics and
Prepare projectable images, each of which prominently features atmosphere of the space.
one of the six design elements.

Figure 1.9 Line Figure 1.11 Form
Figure 1.10 Shape Figure 1.12 Space

We are surrounded by colors and textures we take for granted

– even institutional cinderblock has qualities to be explored and
exploited – and being aware of the details around you means
that you can use them later. We are surrounded by research
materials every moment of the day.
TEACHING TIP
Drawing and painting are often daunting to beginners,
especially to the non-design students in class. As scholars
ourselves, we’re interested in the idea of low-stakes practice.
That is to say, many of the exercises we employ have little
effect on the student’s final grade and the mere finishing of
these tasks keeps the student on track for learning. If a
Figure 1.13 Texture student is unskilled at color mixing, there is still great
opportunity of success and no harm (no depletion of the
overall grade) for trying. It’s necessary to ensure that projects
are achievable within the range of abilities of the class, but
also that the projects stretch abilities without convincing the
student that painting and drawing skills are only natural born
talents. There have been plenty of student meltdowns, or
apologies for something considered inadequate. We ask them
if they’ve ever done the task at hand before. Usually they say
no. Then we tell them to adjust their expectations and dig
back in. Instilling confidence is sometimes more important
than accomplishment.
Exercise: Evoking Emotional Response

through Design Elements
Figure 1.14 Color This exercise involves the interpretation of subjective terms and
how the various design elements can be used to evoke them.
It can help break some of the preconceptions students have

about certain compositional elements by getting them to use

those elements counter to how they might be used to experi-
encing them. It also helps introduce the idea that there are often
many different routes to the same destination. There are any
number of variations to this exercise, and it can be a good quick
design element refresher. The use of 3 x 5 notecards is
preferred.
Some examples:
• Using only straight, vertical lines, on three separate cards

evoke a sense of: 1) isolation, 2) happiness, and 3) anger.
• Using only circles, on three separate cards evoke a sense
of: 1) anger, 2) euphoria, and 3) melancholy.
• Using only squiggly lines, on three separate cards evoke a
sense of: 1) boredom, 2) joy, and 3) fear.
Figure 1.17 Straight Lines/Isolation (Annie Kailhofer)
Figure 1.18 Straight Lines/Isolation (Molly O’Hearn)
Figure 1.15 Circle/Anger (Annie Kailhofer)
Figure 1.19 Squiggly Lines/ Figure 1.20 Squiggly Lines/Sadness

Figure 1.16 Circle/Anger (Rick Grischow) Sadness (Madeline Mehnert) (Rick Grischow)

After the students complete three or four, collect them all Exercise: Less Control, More Designing
but keep them anonymous.
On a piece of paper, ask students to write down the name of a
• Ask the students to gather around, and randomly select a geometric shape.
few to discuss. Don’t announce the emotion that was the
• Have them fold the paper over to hide the name of the
subject of the card, but let the class determine the artist’s
shape.
intention.
• Pass the paper to another student, who writes down an
• Be sure they use design element language to explain their
emotional state, then passes it to a third student.
conclusions. What words describe the observed line, shape,
• The third student uses a blank note card and attempts to
form, space, color, and texture?
evoke the emotional state using only the named geometric
• Note similarities and differences between the cards. Part of
shape.
the fun of this exercise is to see how students succeed
with very different techniques. Limit time to prevent over-thinking. Collect all the cards.
The notecard exercises are equally about individual work • Ask the class to gather around; select a few cards for
and audience perception, so be sure to follow up the drawing discussion.
with observation and discussion. This critical reflection and • Ask the students what emotional state they thought was
forum of public discussion shares the students’ discoveries and being evoked and why.
develops new ideas. Dexterity with the use of design elements • How did the arrangement of shapes contribute to express-
and the associated vocabulary contribute toward building better ing the state?
design skills.
When the discussion has gone as far as it can:
• Ask the student who drew it what emotional state was given.
TEACHING TIP • Were they surprised at the other students’ conclusions?
Why or why not?
For many in-class exercises, we employ very short time limits.
This not only helps the session roll forward at a steady pace,
but prevents students from getting hung up on seeking the
‘correct’ answer or becoming paralyzed in over-thinking a
response. Quick responses often bring forward gut-reactions,
and one of the purposes of this class is to examine gut-
reactions and understand why they contain the content they do.
Figure 1.21 Parallelogram/Despair (Madeline Mehnert)

Bring in a soft drink or other beverage (poured into a non-

labeled container) and opaque plastic cups. Be sure to ask about
allergies, sugar, and caffeine sensitivities. Supply colored
pencils or markers for the application of color.
Pour individual small samples and have the students taste
the drink.
• Using the elements of design, instruct them to write down

terms that describe their taste experience. They should not
attempt to figure out what brand of beverage they just
tasted; the focus should be on what they experienced
directly.
• For example:
• Line – smooth, wavy, or sharp

• Shape – round, circles, melted, liquid
• Form – bubbles
Figure 1.22 Triangles/Euphoria (Molly O’Hearn)
• Space – overwhelming, dwarfing
• Texture – reflective, slippery, sticky
• Color – brown, caramel, black
On a notecard, and with a brief time limit, have the stu-

Book Recommendation dents create a logo for the soda by expressing their list of
For further exploration of design principles (as opposed to adjectives as design elements.
design elements) we recommend Visual Grammar, by Christian
• Ask them to try to evoke the sensation of tasting the drink
Leborg. This highly diagrammatic book is sure to suggest a
in their logo.
wide range of exercises and in-class projects.
• Do not allow them to use any word other than ‘drink’ (and
perhaps not even that) in their logo.
The card can be taped into a cylinder for presentation.

When everyone is done, have the students present their
Exercise: Design a Drink Logo logos to the rest of the class. Ask the class to identify evident
design elements, how each are used, and how they work
This is a low-stakes drawing exercise, and since it focuses on
together to create an overall effect.
descriptive terms and connecting them with basic design ele-
ments, it’s not about drawing ability but instead about becoming
familiar with the tools just discussed. We use this exercise to
close the class session in which design elements were
introduced.

Figure 1.23 Descriptive Words: Fruity, Vacation, Refreshing, Smooth, Tangy,

Thin, Soft, Roundness (Kelsey Smyth)
Figure 1.26 Descriptive Words: Smooth, Easy, Thin, Cool, Watery, Bubbly
(Eric Guenthner)
This is an early project, and some students will struggle with

translating adjectives into design element building blocks. If picto-
rial images appear on the logo it may be less a response to the
dynamic qualities of the flavor than an automatic pictorial associa-
tion. This is okay, though, as these automatic images can spark
further investigation. What is it about the lines, textures, and
Figure 1.24 Descriptive Words: Circular, Curvy, Citrus, Bright (Mason Ronan) shape of the palm tree that connect it to the flavor of the drink? Is
a drawing of an orange the only or best way to express a citrus
flavor? What are the physical attributes of an actual orange?
The soda can exercise is the final effort of our first day of
class.
Discussion: Concept and

Design Metaphor
We use the idea of design metaphor as a through-line for think-
ing about a play. Design metaphor differs significantly from the
more traditional idea of design concept, and we feel it provides
Figure 1.25 Descriptive Words: Smooth, Relaxed, Playful (Bridget Kelly) a more narrowly defined, more helpful text-based foundation for
beginning designers.

Metaphor is the implied relation of two different things,

transferring meaning from one to the other without explicit con-
nective words such as ‘like’; for example, “All the world’s a “It is the dramatic metaphor, probably, which
stage.” Metaphor is a poetic parallel to an object or event, and sums up, for each setting, all the thoughts
design is a visually poetic parallel of the script. We define a which the designer may have. This metaphor is
design metaphor as a brief, expressive, poetic parallel relating
a piece of dramatic compression. Thus, the
a script’s dramatic arc to an active external visual image.
‘Concept’ is a term applied to the overall stylistic approach
attic bedroom of the Three Sisters is not only
of a production, and represents an effort to coordinate both the an attic, not only a bedroom, not only a
visual and performance components into an integrated whole. European room, not only a room of the period of
At first, this may sound similar to the idea of a ‘poetic parallel.’ 1901, not only a room belonging to the
Concept, though, tends to be something applied to a production gentlefolk whom Chekhov wrote about. On top
and serves the explication of themes or audience expectation. of all that, it may be, for the designer, the
The problem with concept is that we, as educators, often
scene of raging fever. There is a fire going on
ask students to consider the destination before examining the
journey. The destination transmutes into themes and meanings outside. The whole house is restless, tossing
and overshadows all subsequent work on the text, distilling the about in this fire-atmosphere, unable to
experience of theatre into a meaning delivery system where sleep . . . . Rightly done, the setting has an
the first moment foreshadows the inevitable end and undercuts electric effect on the audience.”2
the suspense that creates interest. For example, a set design for Mordecai Gorelik, “Designing the Play,” from Producing the Play
The Crucible that displays obvious gallows imagery from the
beginning is, yes, using a symbol derived from the text, but is
applying that concluding image to the journey of the play. By
considering theme and meaning (and the symbols that stand in
for them) right off the bat, we risk losing sight of plot and charac- The consideration of a script as a whole is an enormous
ter and start bending things to accommodate the destination undertaking, and development of a useful metaphor that speaks
rather than the journey. A designer may end up with visuals that to the entirety of the text takes time. Often only after the first
are blunt and superficial rather than woven into the fabric of the reading can a designer overlook the thrill of the story and read
play itself. for larger scale. A metaphor suggested in the first reading might
In the Mordecai Gorelik quote above, nowhere does he later slip away in favor of something that speaks to another,
mention the meaning of the scene. Instead, he discusses action even more exciting aspect of the text. Some metaphors offer
– what is going on in the scene. No matter how much historical better visual components. Some metaphors are dated and not
verisimilitude is to be found in the scenery, the room doesn’t part of the students’ common cultural literacy.
become a living theatrical environment until it’s connected with Eventually, we ask our students to distill the text into a sin-
the life of the moment through the actors. Something is going gle metaphor that speaks to the whole arc of the play; the journey
on that puts the Sisters in a state of feverish excitement. How rather than the destination. This condensed, visually rich state-
does their room speak to this moment? It’s a scene of raging ment then becomes a powerful tool that can be used to explicate
fever. and unify character and environment in service to the plot.

Table 1.1 presents a side by side comparison of Concept

vs. Design Metaphor:
Table 1.1
Title of Play Brief Plot Summary Possible Concept, and Rationale Possible Design Metaphor
Sweeney Todd, The A barber returns to London to Steampunk, to highlight industrial All the characters are trapped in a
Demon Barber of Fleet reclaim his former life and take qualities of London at the time and wasteland, starving for things that
Street revenge upon those who wrong present the play in a way contemporary they have been denied.
him. audiences can identify with.
She Stoops To A wealthy young woman poses Circus elements, to emphasize the three- Blinded by expectations, the
Conquer as a servant to get to know her layer plot and constant larger-than-life, characters only begin to see the
shy suitor, leading to a variety of frenetic activity. value of each other when they must
romantic misunderstandings. actually seek in darkness for each
other.
Radium Girls Young factory workers are Clocks and Time, since the young women Grace and the other radium girls are
poisoned by radioactive paint were poisoned painting watch-faces and butterflies who learn that the ripples
and must face down a major are in a race against time. they cause can eventually become
corporation in their quest for hurricanes.
justice.
The Tender Land On the eve of her high school Adapt the work of artists like Grant Wood The farm is a prison for Laurie’s
graduation, and prompted by and Thomas Hart Benton to illustrate the spirit, and she yearns to escape into
a brief fling with a traveling world of simple, hardworking Midwestern the world she can see beyond its
farmhand, Laurie leaves home farmers. bars.
to truly begin her life.
Hands-on Projects with

Metaphor “The greatest thing by far is to have command
of metaphor.”3
The goals of the following exercises include: Aristotle, The Poetics
• Becoming more aware of how we already use poetic lan-

guage (metaphor) in everyday life
• To consciously make use of metaphor
• Connection and application of design elements to a given
metaphor

George was compared to a hog because:
TEACHING TIP a) He looked like a farm animal

b) He lived on a farm, where people eat heartily
Start a class session with a brief review of the previous c) He ate gluttonously
session’s major points followed by a quick run-down of d) His personal cleanliness was atrocious
specific goals for the day. This not only gives the students an
expectation of the impending discussion and activities, but After students make their choices, discuss the literal and
helps keep you on track as well. poetic meaning of each metaphor.
Exercise: Independent Analysis

of Metaphor
Exercise: The Literal and Poetic Parts Distribute a list of common metaphorical sayings. Again, web
of Metaphor searches will help you compile it. Some examples:
Write a metaphorical statement, such as “The apple doesn’t fall
• He had ants in his pants
far from the tree,” on the board.
• She was the rotten apple in the barrel
• Engage the students in the literal meaning. Walk through • He was armed to the teeth
the words. What is an apple? Where is it at the beginning of • It was her Achilles’ heel
the action? When the apple lands, why “isn’t it far from the • That’s easier than shooting fish in a barrel
tree?” • It was more fun than a barrel full of monkeys
• Discuss the poetic meaning. What does the apple represent
in the poetic meaning? What does the apple’s fall symbol- Ask students to explain the meaning of each and its com-
ize? What, in the metaphor, is the relationship between the mon usage. (There are always a few sayings that baffle students
apple and the tree? What is the meaning of the short because they have fallen out of use amongst members of their
distance between the two? generation or geographic region.)
Exercise: From the Poetic Back to the Exercise: Linking Design Elements
Literal to Metaphor
A web search will lead you to a number of language sites that The student designers now combine their new skills in the appli-
discuss metaphor and provide many examples. cation of descriptive language. Offer a metaphorical statement
Prepare a worksheet listing a selection of statements con- to the class. For example:
taining metaphors with multiple choices as to that metaphor’s
meaning. For example: Sweeney Todd’s desire for revenge leads him down a dark
tunnel of inhumanity.
We all would have had a second helping if George hadn’t been
such a hog.

Ask the students to offer descriptive terms that provide Exercise: Deriving Design Elements from
further visual flavor to “a dark tunnel of inhumanity.” Some
Metaphor to Support Visual Choices
possible responses:
The list of terms generated in the previous exercises can inform
• Line – heavy, thick, straight, twisted a student’s choices in the formation of a collage.
• Shape – circular, repeating, linear If you have a box of classroom collage material, distribute
• Form – tunnel, tube, straight handfuls of pictures to each student. Only the images at hand
• Space – claustrophobic, imposing, endless, cylindrical, can be used. We want the student to evoke the sensation of
cavernous the metaphor.
• Texture – slippery, slimy, rough, gritty, sticky
• Color – muted, plain, dark, black, red, crimson, grey • Present a metaphor (you can use the one used in the previ-
ous exercise)
None of these terms is more correct than any other, and • Have the students make a short list of design element
if a student offers an unexpected descriptive term, be sure to terms drawn from the metaphor
dig a bit and get her or him to explain the full context of the • Direct the students to use the limited number of available
choice. images to evoke the sensation of the metaphor.
• Assign a time limit of about five minutes.

• They may rip or cut images.
• They may alter the texture of the images by crunching or
TEACHING TIP
wrinkling.
Collage is a powerful visual tool that circumvents students’
Collect the collages and present them, one at a time, to
fears of inadequate drawing skills. Designers can use collage
the class.
at any number of points in the design process, from
jumpstarting stalled thinking, to exploring the relationships of • Ask the class to determine which design elements are most
disparate visual elements, to communicating character and prominent.
environmental details to other members of the production • Ask which descriptive terms from the list are most
team. We find it useful to have a box in the design classroom evident.
cabinet filled with newspaper and magazine clippings that can • Discuss how the collage visually evokes the metaphor’s
be brought out at a moment’s notice for both planned and poetic meaning.
impromptu exercises. As you fill your box, avoid images with
text or people as students will often gravitate toward those as
shortcuts to audience comprehension – telling the viewer Exercise: Metaphor Journals
what the collage is attempting to evoke rather than actually
As students go about their day, they should listen for the meta-
evoking the sensation.
phors sprinkled into everyday conversation. If someone uses a
metaphor, the student should remember the statement, note
the context, and write it down. At the opening of subsequent
class sessions, we will ask if anyone heard any good metaphors

in the time since we last met, and then discuss that metaphor’s Exercise: Application of Metaphor to Text
literal and poetic meanings.
Distribute a piece of flash fiction, one-minute play, monologue,
This project can evolve into the review and application of
or poem.
design elements. For example, a student presents a metaphor
Ask the students to use a metaphorical statement to
from their journal: “That project was a grand slam.”
describe the arc of action or atmosphere of the piece. This can
• Dissect the literal meaning and the poetic parallel. be a quick class opener throughout the semester to review the
• List each of the design elements and explore creative words use of metaphor.
that apply to the concepts, in light of the metaphor. “What
• “It feels as if the character is shouting at the audience from
kind of LINE would describe a grand slam?”
the bottom of a well.”
We have found that the creation of a physical journal helps • “She’s trapped on a roller coaster and can’t get off.”
students keep this project in mind. Two pieces of paper, folded • “He’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
over and stapled down the fold, becomes an instant journal they
This exercise can be expanded upon by adding a notecard
can put in their packs, carry throughout the week, and make
component that focuses on expressing individual design
frequent entries in.
elements or evoking qualities through collage.
TEACHING TIP
Homework: Read the Plays
Since the students will select one of the three assigned plays for
The ability to talk about design comes with practice. Allow their costume design final project and will need to be able to dis-
students to present their work and ideas without any penalty. cuss each other’s work, we end the week by reminding the
Bring students to the front of the room often for small and students to read all three plays. They should be ready to take a brief
specific presentations. For example: the students have been quiz during the next session to see how well they’ve read the
working on costume renderings for half an hour. Ask each plays. They should also bring their copies of all three plays to
student to show their work to the class, say what they were the next few class sessions to aid in-class exploration of the scripts.
doing (focusing on a term or topic) and then allow them to sit
back down. If the student’s presentation misleads or wrongly
presents ideas, try to make your comments sound like a Building a Student Portfolio
reiteration for clarification. To make serious comments about
The following items, generated by the exercises in this chapter,
sub-par in-class work, we turn to private feedback.
can be used to begin building student portfolios. We ask students
to save everything produced from this class regardless of com-
plexity. The portfolio, from notecards to swatched renderings to
storyboards, represents the journey of the student designer.
The portfolio is an ongoing project, and should be revisited
a few times a year to add new projects and remove older ones.
At the beginning, students will have mostly classroom work to

put in their portfolios. As classroom projects become larger and

more complex, those latest projects will replace the early
efforts. When the work is part of a realized production, those
pieces will, in turn, be prominently featured.
Decide whether you wish students to build paper or elec-
tronic versions, depending on how much time and energy you
expect them to invest. If your department advocates a specific
platform or format, or includes a portfolio review as part of the
curriculum, have the students work within those parameters.
If you want students to assemble paper portfolios, two
alternatives can be offered:
• If the student is pursuing design as a career, an actual port-

folio case can be purchased. 22” x 17” is a good size (it
should fit under a bus or airplane seat). Be sure it has remov-
able, plastic-sheathed pages. As projects are added, affix
them to separate sheets that can be slipped into the
Figure 1.28 Sample Larger Format Portfolio Case
sheathed pages. This way projects can be added, removed,
or moved around without having to buy new pages.
• A three-ring binder with a healthy supply of plastic sheet
protectors is useful for students who wish to begin assem-
bling portfolio materials without the cost of a larger artist’s
portfolio case. The drawback is that everything must be
reduced to 8½” x 11” or smaller.
Figure 1.29 Sample Portfolio Pages in a Three-Ring Binder
In this digital age, electronic portfolios are popular and

widespread for a number of reasons, not least of which is con-
venience. Occasionally students are able to build a website
through which portfolio items can be viewed. We don’t require
Figure 1.27 Sample Portfolio Pages in a 22” x 17” Portfolio Case or discourage students from building an electronic portfolio, but

Figure 1.31 Sample Layout of a Soda Can Project Portfolio Page

Figure 1.30 Sample PowerPoint Portfolio Slide
note that effective layout techniques remain pertinent regard- • Create a title block for the project that includes name of
less of format. student and date of completion.
• Format a page or slide with the image, caption, and title.
• Discuss background colors and fonts that augment the
Portfolio Exercise: Laying Out the
content without distracting from it.
Drink Project
This is another opportunity to slip in the use of compositional
principles. Have the student arrange the items on a 8½” x 11”
piece of paper before moving onto electronic formats.
Notes
If you wish your students to build a practice portfolio as 1. Maitland Graves, The Art of Color and Design (New York: McGraw
part of the course, for this week’s exercise: Hill Book Company, Inc., 1951), pp. 3–4.
2. Mordecai Gorelik, “Designing the Play,” in Producing the Play, ed.
• Scan or photograph the drink exercise; crop as needed. John Gassner (New York: The Dryden Press, 1941), p. 314.
• Write a brief caption, including the descriptive words that 3. Aristotle, The Poetics, tr. S.H. Butcher (New York: Hill and Wang,
generated the design. 1961), p. 104.

References
5 Chapter 5 Week 5
Presentation by a Guest
Artist If it is possible and if time allows, this class

session is an
excellent time to bring in a guest designer. Connecting

students
with an outside professional designer reinforces your

material
and creates an excellent capstone event for the section.

Some
professionals may have many ideas or topics from which they
will wish to speak, others may be less structured. Be

prepared
with open-ended questions that could guide your guest. Here
are some suggestions:
• How did you get your first professional design job?
• Where do you start your script analysis process?
• Do you have any tips or best practices for research?
• Do you develop a metaphor to guide your design choices?

• What advice do you wish you had been given when you
were in your first design course? • Allow for students to
ask questions too. Remember to treat your guest as a VIP.
Perhaps they would like a tour of the facilities or a cup
of coffee. There might be value in having this guest speak
at other classes throughout the day. A thank you note goes
a long way. With a third of the students presenting, and a
thirty- to fortyminute presentation from a guest designer,
this concludes the first half of Week 5. The Costume
Design Final Project The Kennedy Center American College
Theatre Festival (KCACTF) has been a big influence on our
teaching and this course. This regional conference gave us
the basis of thought for developing a curriculum that
incorporated unrealized designs. “Bringing in guest
lecturers with a variety of backgrounds, personalities,
and success stories was identified as a good way to get
students motivated and informed. The students generally
believed that introducing undergraduates to guest
lecturers can also help them build connections. Students
with specific interests such as design, stage management,
and touring said they had received ‘trade secrets’ and
interview techniques from lecturers in their chosen
fields.” 2 Ashley Harman, “Student Perspectives on Theatre
Technology and Design Education,” published in Inspired
Teaching, Essays on Theatre Design and Technology
Education TEACHING TIP This is the final day of costume
design course work, and the presentation of the capstone
project within this subject matter should be a
celebration. Even at various levels of success, every
student learned about design, and specifically costume
design. There should be a big emphasis on the journey, the
process, the personal growth, and the vast amount of work
required and completed. Have the students look at their
accomplishments and at the achievements made by their
peers.
For our final projects, we duplicate the visual and verbal

format
ting of our region’s annual conference. Just like the

conference
format, our students give a three- to five-minute

presentation that
walks the viewer through the metaphor, use of design

elements,
application of research, and results shown in the final

renderings.
Even though we have seen many of these pieces in progress,

we may ask leading questions such as, “What led to the use
of metallic colored fabric?” or “Why have you moved away
from your initial ideas?” Critiques are delivered in
writing on the rubric. Distribute your time evenly to each
of the students. A rush to the finish is never fair or
desirable.
Poster
Title of show, author, designer
Minimum
Effort Some Effort Average Good Excellent

1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20
Notes:
Clarity of content: color palette painting, research near

renderings,
metaphor paragraph labeled
Minimum
1–7 8–13 14–18 19–24 25–30
Notes:
Rubric for the Costume Design Final Project
Theatre Arts 242 T – TH 9:00–10:45 / COURSE TITLE:

Introduction to Design Student:
____________________________________ Does the metaphor show
through the use of design principles in the renderings?
Minimum Effort Some Effort Average Good Excellent 1–7
8–13 14–18 19–24 25–30 Notes: Five Renderings Well drawn,
with detail, hair, hats, shoes Minimum Effort Some Effort
Average Good Excellent 1–7 8–13 14–18 19–24 25–30 Notes:
The Costume Design Final Project’s Continuation We offer
every student, but do not require them to take, an
opportunity to continue, outside of class, further
development of their designs. Fully completed
un-actualized designs are allowed to compete at our
region’s KCACTF. The timing works in our favor as we teach
this course in the Fall semester with the KCACTF
conference falling three weeks after the conclusion of the
semester.
Painted
Minimum
1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20
Notes:
Swatched: almost every layer indicated with fabric. Fabric

that
supports design principles
Minimum
1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20
Notes:
Title blocked with show, character name, size of figure

dominates
that page
Minimum
1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20
Notes:
Oral Presentation
Introduction of self and project AND conclusion at the end

of the
presentation
Minimum
1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20
Notes: Summary of metaphor Minimum Effort Some Effort

Average Good Excellent 1–4 5–8 9–12 13–16 17–20 Notes:
Presentation of how metaphor is indicated in design
principles in the renderings and choices made by designer
Minimum Effort Some Effort Average Good Excellent 1–4 5–8
9–12 13–16 17–20 Notes: Final Grade: Notes:
Guidelines for the Continuation of a
Project for Competition at KCACTF Students will now work

outside of the class in a one-on
one mentor relationship with the instructor, toward the

goal of
achieving a completed design of high quality for

competition at
the KCACTF regional festival. If you are a mentor, make

clear
the responsibility lies with the student and that the

opportunity
to attend KCACTF is the reward.
• Using a calendar, have students divide the remaining

work into segments and assign due dates.
• Schedule weekly or bi-weekly meetings to address success

and deficiencies.
• Pad in some time for corrections and improvements.
• Plan a session where other faculty members will give

informal feedback to the student in a ‘mock’ presentation.
Funding KCACTF
The price to attend the conference is reasonable but hardly
free. Travel, hotel, and meals are a serious consideration

too. At
this time, we are able to draw funding from our university’s
Undergraduate Research (UR) Fund. The UR program is a model

that best fits the hard sciences but generously supports
our creative work when it is framed as research. There are
a few added steps to secure the funding, such as a written
abstract and an afternoon of presentations on campus. All
are a good mix of liberal arts training in higher
education with the added benefit of raising the profile of
theatre within our campus. Challenge yourself to find
funding for the KCACTF conference within your university.
“Regional Design Projects are intended to serve Region III
student designers with the opportunity to showcase their
work for nonrealized design projects, and to receive
response to their work that will help them improve their
design skills and grow as designers.” 3 KCACTF Region III
website With KCACTF the only constant from year to year and
region to region is change. The nature of a rotating,
volunteer-led group drawn from a variety of institutions
means that things remain in motion. Professional and
academic theatre changes too, so guiding students with the
full knowledge that they must remain open to new
approaches, ideas, and guidelines is good training. There
is a culture of competition at KCACTF, not unlike our
experiences in professional settings. It can be an
excellent wake-up call for students to see what they will
face after graduation. Figure 5.2 Bridget Kelly Presents
Her Costume Design Final Project Portfolio Development This
is the pinnacle of the costume design work and the final
project should be prominently displayed in the portfolio.
An opportunity to present other information, previously
excluded, can add support to the design. As always, the
intent of the design should be clear and the application
of that intent into the design will be the litmus test by
which success is gauged. Depending on the preferred format,
the student will find it necessary to convert the project
materials either into a size dictated by the paper
portfolio, or digitize elements for electronic
presentation. Encourage students to condense the material
to be displayed on either two facing paper portfolio pages
(22” x 17” is a good size) or two sequential PowerPoint
(or equivalent) pages. Here are some considerations when
creating portfolio pages that represent your costume
design final project: • Background surfaces and textures
should enhance, rather than distract from, the content. •
White space is important; don’t crowd or overlap content
unless there is a compelling reason to do so, such as the
visual connection of research images to a particular final
rendering. • On renderings, if the boundary between
background and image is unclear, consider using borders or
changing the background. • Prioritize and be consistent
with image size to avoid visual confusion; if something is
important, it should be easy to find. • Include labels
(unless, like the renderings, the labels are part of the
image). • A good rule of thumb is to begin with an image
of the finished product, and then organize subsequent
material to show how it was achieved. For costume
portfolios, consider including the one or two most
interesting or essential full-sized renderings with fabric
swatches, and high-quality reduced-size scans or color
photocopies of the remainder to
Figure 5.3 Eric Guenthner Presents His Costume Design Final

Project
Figure 5.4 Kelsey Smyth Presents Her Costume Design Final

Project illustrate character relationships and groupings
(the breadth of the whole show). Regardless of delivery
system, the portfolio pages should
include:
• A Title Block • Name and Author of play • Name of

Designer • Date of Design • Name of Director (if extant)
• Name of Venue (if extant)
• Design Statement (condensed to a single paragraph)
• Renderings
• Research Images, clearly related to the appropriate

renderings • If a costume had a particularly interesting
development process that illuminates the designer’s
approach, a short sequence of drafts and sketches can be
included, with brief explanations of the steps. Notes 1.
Lynn Pecktal, Costume Design: Techniques of Modern Masters
(New York: Back Stage, 1999), p. 19. 2. Erik Viker,
Inspired Teaching: Essays on Theatre Design and Technology
Education (Syracuse, NY: United States Institute for
Theatre Technology, 2013). 3. KCACTF Region III, Design,
Technology and Management (http://
www.kcactf3.org/projects_info.htm, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016).

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What are some of the challenges of teaching theatrical design?

What are some of the challenges of teaching theatrical design?

What are some ways to help students develop their portfolios?

What are some ways to help students develop their portfolios?

TEACHING INTRODUCTION

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Eric Appleton and Tracey Lyons

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ISBN: 978-1-138-19325-3 (pbk)

Visit the companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/appleton

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Section I Costume Design 1

Chapter 1 Organizing Principles of the Class and Week 1 3

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Drawing Clothing on the Human Body 39

Section II Scenic Design 107

Chapter 6 Week 6 109

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Learning to Read and Draw in Scale 124

Chapter 7 Week 7 136

Chapter 8 Week 8 156

Chapter 9 Week 9 181

Chapter 10 Week 10 196

Section III Lighting Design 203

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The Functions of Stage Lighting 210

Chapter 12 Week 12 224

Chapter 13 Week 13 241

Chapter 14 Week 14 260

Chapter 15 Week 15 271

Chapter 16 An Extra Chapter of Introductory Steps in Developing a Lighting Design 277

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Section IV Sound Design 299

Chapter 17 Introduction to Sound Design 301

Appendix A Our Current Syllabus 317

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1.1 Progressive Treatment of Design Elements 6

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2.4 Example of a Script Analysis by Character, Page 1 38

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3.21 ‘Twenty-One Black Dresses’ Rubric 74

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6.12 Locating 3/16 Inch Equals One Foot Scale 126

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12.12 Sun as Main Source and Sky as Shadow Fill 234

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15.2 Mason Presents His Lighting Project 274

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