An Introduction to Theatre Design

231 Pages·2012·8.159 MB·English

by  Stephen Di Benedetto

An Introduction to
Theatre Design
This introduction to theatre design explains the theories, strategies, and tools of
practical design work for the undergraduate student.
Through its numerous illustrated case studies and analysis of key terms, students
will build an understanding of the design process and be able to:
• Identify the fundamentals of theatre design and scenography
• Recognize the role of individual design areas such as scenery, costume,
lighting, and sound
• Develop both conceptual and analytical thinking
• Communicate their own understanding of complex design work
• Trace the traditions of stage design, from Sebastiano Serlio to Julie Taymor.
Demonstrating the dynamics of good design through the work of influential
designers, Stephen Di Benedetto also looks in depth at script analysis, stylistic
considerations, and the importance of collaboration to the designer’s craft.
This is an essential guide for students and teachers of theatre design. Readers will
form not only a strong ability to explain and understand the process of design, but
also the basic skills required to conceive and realize designs of their own.
Stephen Di Benedettois Associate Professor of Theatre History and Theory at the
University of Miami, USA, specializing in scenographic design and the senses in
performance. He is author of The Provocation of the Senses in Contemporary
Theatre(2010).
An Introduction
to Theatre Design
Stephen Di Benedetto
First published 2012
by Routledge
2Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
©2012 Stephen Di Benedetto
The right of Stephen Di Benedetto to be identified as the author of this
work has been asserted by him 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 utilised 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.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Acatalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Di Benedetto, Stephen.
An introduction to theatre design / Stephen Di Benedetto.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Theaters–Stage-setting and scenery. I. Title.
PN2091.S8.D45 2012
792.02’5–dc23 2011031826
ISBN: 978-0-415-54753-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-54754-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-13386-6 (ebk)
Typeset in FS Albert and Gill Sans
by Keystroke, Station Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
1 The theatre designer’s job 1
2 Traditions of stage design 25
3 The vocabulary of visual thinking 47
4 The artistry of the set 72
5 The artistry of the costume 98
6 The artistry of light 125
7 The artistry of sound 158
8 The collaborative process 177
Glossary 192
Bibliography 209
Index 216
v

Preface
This book is designed as a supplement to introductory design classes. While specific
practices differ around the world, the basic aesthetic concepts used to create designs
are common. With all the advances in technology that began in the last century the
design elements of production have become increasingly important and increasingly
complicated to execute. By no means are the examples in the book representative
of definitive design practices, however, they are common enough that they will be
familiar to a general university audience. Generally, the practitioners included here
have won multiple Olivier or Tony awards for their designs. Descriptions of working
practices as well as quotes from the designers have been extracted from trade
publications, monographs on specific designers, and from production reviews. The
designers’ own websites and the educational material provided by the producing
theatres that these designers work at have been invaluable. Increasingly, recorded
interviews with designers are available in both the United Kingdom and the United
States. Students should be encouraged to search for podcasts that will give them
access to these designers’ views and descriptions of practice. The case studies are
included as supplements to the activities that instructors will assign to teach how to
make settings, costumes, lighting, or aural effects.
Iam fascinated by the continually evolving practices of designers as they find
new ways to evoke new interpretations of classic plays and musicals. The worlds that
these designers create for the actors provide a background for action and create
visual variety and interest for the audience. In my experience, the images that are
made possible through the work of the designers and the feelings they evoke are the
means by which I remember the performances I attend. Designers are often
the unsung heroes of a production because their work is less often recognized
publically. How many plays that you have gone to do you know who designed the
sets, lighting, costumes, or sounds? Yet their work is the underpinning of our
experience and understanding of a performance. I hope that by spending a few
vii
PREFACE
hours appreciating the complexity of the decisions that designers make to bring
what looks obvious to life, perhaps we can more publically celebrate the creativity
of the theatrical designers who create the spectacles that we love.
Miami, Florida
viii
Acknowledgments
This project could not have been completed without the help of so many over the
last couple of years. First I must thank Talia Rogers and Ben Piggott for their generous
patience, encouragement, and advice that guided me through this and other
simultaneous projects. Special thanks go out to my colleagues Robert Perry, Michiko
Kitayama-Skinner, and April Soroko at the University of Miami for taking time out
of their production schedules to critique chapters, and to Anthony Di Benedetto and
Maria Gali Stampino for their advice organizing and honing ideas. As well, the
comments that anonymous readers have offered have been indispensible in shaping
the book. My summer honors research student, Bethley Cameron, went to great
lengths early on to find material and offer a student’s perspective on the book.
Thanks as well to my students from Script Analysis for Designers and Theatre History
who participated in the project. Finally, Juliet and Francesca you will always have my
undying gratitude for your everlasting support.
Routledge would like to thank all of those who have allowed their words and
imagery to be reproduced. If any words or images have been inadvertently repro-
duced without the correct permission or been miscredited in any way, the errors will
berectified in future editions of the book.
ix
1
The theatre
designer’s job
Key Topics:
’What do theatrical designers do?
• Set design, costume design, lighting design, and sound design
’An overview of the designer’s job from conception to realization
• Ground plan, rendering, models, load-in, and tech rehearsals
’Types of theatre spaces
• Proscenium, thrust stage, arena, black box, non-theatre spaces
’Designers looking at the world
• Peformance designers and scenographers
Examples:
• August: Osage County(2008) / Todd Rosenthal
• Hamlet (1909) / Edward Gordon Craig
• Death of a Salesman(1949) / Jo Mielziner
• The proscenium configuration
• Berkeley Rep’s thrust stage
• Anadapted proscenium configuration
• Athree-quarter thrust configuration
• H.G. (1995) / Robert Wilson
1