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Feature
Porfirio J. Solorzano
Porfirio J. Solorzano
A shot from Collaboration Tank 2007, where designers, directors and student playwrights in residence participate in
an intensive where production proposals are created for new works.
Andy Fitch, faculty scenic designer at the University of Alabama, provides instructions to Justin Durham,
student at Middle Tennessee State University, during a master class on Modelmaking for Scenery.
categories. As with actors, invited participants must accept
their invitation by informing the correct regional coordinator.
Rules and suggestions are available at regional Web sites.
To present their work, designers begin by making a
display. A display includes conceptual drawings, copies of
research materials, finished drawings, production photos and
other material appropriate to the type of design. Displays
are flat, mounted on matte board, but research “bibles” and
models may accompany the display. A display should look
professional, but remember, it is a frame for the work. It
doesn’t help to make the design of the display look better
than the show design itself.
In my own Region VIII, students show up the first day of
the festival to post their display. The design jury wanders
through the display gallery, usually making notes. Over the
next day and a half, each student is given a brief opportunity
to make an oral presentation followed by a Q&A with the jury.
The oral presentations are grouped by design area, so participants
can compare their work to their future competition.
Those who wish to be taken seriously as designers take the
time to prepare a neat display and an organized oral presentation.
Then, they respond clearly to jury questions.
The jury will expect students to follow professional standards
for sketches and models. Students should learn standards in
their design classes and conscientiously pay attention to examples
found in books, in magazines (like this one), in museums
and in many regional theatre lobbies. For example, costume
students should attach fabric swatches to their sketches. Also,
scenic models are being made in increasingly smaller scales and
add the architectural elements, including audience. A growing
number of lighting designers are drawing light sketches either
by hand or using pre-viz programs.
The jury needs to see and understand the show concept.
They want to know how the design suited the production as
planned by the director and in collaboration with the other
designers. Students usually provide a set of sketches to show
the progress of their design. A brief written statement about
the conceptualization of the design should be part of the
display. The statement, along with the jury Q&A and sketches,
provides the designer an opportunity to demonstrate the
communication skills needed in production meetings.
For Everyone — Even More
The formats of regional festivals vary widely in the types
of playwriting, criticism, stage management and directing
events offered. At the Region VIII festival, we actually produce
10-minute plays, from audition to performance. We do
staged developmental readings of other short plays. At many
festivals, students interested in theatrical criticism meet with
a professional mentor and write reviews of participating
shows. There are also roundtables and interviews to interest,
encourage and recognize technicians and designers, as well
as other thinkers and artists.
Many regional festivals provide direct job-hunting opportunities
and events. Where many actors, techies and designers
are gathered, there will be auditions and interviews for
graduate schools, summer theatre, and more. These activities
are open to all students, not just those nominated to
the showcase events. A regional festival typically hosts a
busy lineup of professional level workshops, too, covering
The cast of Urinetown, presented at KCACTF at Columbia Basin CC in 2006
36 November 2007 • www.stage-directions.com