Biography Month Design Page

Designing the set and lights for Biography Month presented an interesting set of challenges. The design had to incorporate a number of important features. Most importantly, the basic set had to provide an appropriate visual frame for three rather different plays. Next, the set had to be adaptable so that the same basic units could be modified to suit each individual play. Finally, the set had to be designed so that the change between plays could be made by a 2 person crew within about 15 minutes since the 6:00 show of Belle of Amherst ended at 8:10 with The show following set to start at 8:30.

Fortunately, all were set Victorian times or the period immediately following allowing a single base unit. The wall unit had an insert which allowed panels to be inserted to customize the units for each play. Doc and Painting take place in a single room so all units had the same inserts, fabric covered for Doc and wood for Painting. The Belle script calls for the set to suggest 2 rooms, Emily's bedroom and a parlor. The two units behind the bedroom had identical fabric inserts while the two units behind the parlor contained a fabric insert and a window insert covered with curtains. Each play used a subset of the Victorian furniture pieces available arranged in different configurations. In addition, a single woodgrain floow was suitable for all three plays.

Left: Basic Wall Units set for Doc with the Painting inserts on the floor to the left of each unit and the Belle bedroom (left unit) and Belle parlor (right unit) on the right of each unit
Right: The back of the unit showing the mechanism for holding the inserts

Left: Painting the floor, Right: close-up of the wood grain

Set configured for Doc

Set configured for Belle

Set configured for Painting