At this point, you can also note the mood of the play and common emotions that come up, and start thinking about how to match these emotions with the set design (e. g. , with colors or textures). Even if the play or opera that you’re designing a set for is a famous piece of literature (e. g. , Othello), still ask the director for a copy of the script. Directors often omit scenes or make changes to the stage directions, etc.
Local antique or vintage shops can be a great resource for a budget production. Also check garage sales.
Keep in mind that these place and time-period details were included for a reason, so ensure that you lay out the set following the author’s intentions. Productions set in historical time periods require greater attention to detail and accuracy of the dressing’s timeliness.
If there’s 1 section of the set background that will remain the same through all of the productions acts, you could hang the background with sheets of appropriately-colored butcher paper. For example, for a staging of Peter Pan, you could design a warm and whimsical-feeling interior scene for the children’s bedroom and a nautical-themed set backdrop for scenes on Captain Hook’s pirate ship.
It’s especially important that the costumes and stage setting make use of the same color palette. For example, it would confuse the audience to see fancy, rich costumes on the characters in a performance of Romeo and Juliet next to a sparse stage setting.
Leave at least 4–5 ft (1. 2–1. 5 m) between set pieces, since the actors will need to move through the set without bumping into furniture. Also have clear entrances and exits on both sides of the set (stage right and stage left) so actors won’t be confused about how they should walk on and off of the stage. This layout is often referred to as a “ground plan. ” Work with the director to ensure that the actors will be able to move naturally between the set pieces.
If you’re designing a large stage set, place the stage-right and stage-left walls at an angle that allows for maximum set area. Sketch where all movable pieces (like platforms and furniture) will be placed using an overhead perspective.
For example, if you realize that a hanging chandelier will block actors speaking at the top of a staircase, move the planned location of the staircase. When making this sketch, don’t forget to include specifics like colors, wall hangings and lighting fixtures in your plan.
For example, in the famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, compose the stage set with the balcony in the center so the audience will fully focus their attention on the dialogue. If a certain scene features the villain and should excite or scare the audience, the stage set should feature bold colors like red and yellow. For a calmer, mellower scene, use colors like blue, light green, or pale gray.
If you’re working on an amateur performance (e. g. , a community theater production or high school performance), you can skip this step. In most cases, amateur stage sets won’t be complex enough to justify making a model.
For example, if you’re designing the set for a production of Snow White, it’s important that you have an impressive-looking “magic” mirror on 1 wall. Hang it securely to a sturdy plywood wall so it doesn’t fall over mid-production. Make budget-friendly wall hangings by purchasing a few yards of fabric from a discount fabric or hobby store and sewing them together with a machine.
For example, in a production of Hamlet, be sure to find a plastic skull for the graveyard scene. In a production of The Glass Menagerie, you’ll need to fill a bookshelf with delicate glass animals. Depending on the budget, you may need to re-use props from previous productions that the theater has staged.
Set changes usually occur during the transition from 1 act to the next. An efficient set change shouldn’t take more than 1–2 minutes. If the actors will need to use different sets of props for different acts, make sure the stagehands know which props correspond to which acts.
