A Sinking Feeling: Scenic Design for Joe Tracz's Phenomena of Decline
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Authors
Sabourin, Michael P.
Issue Date
2006
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Theater -- Design
Alternative Title
Abstract
Sometimes an opportunity appears in exactly the right place at exactly the right
time. As I approached my senior year here at Kalamazoo College, one such opportunity
came into focus. I am primarily a student of design. From the time I declared a theatre
major, I had my eye out for a production to design for my senior individualized project
(SIP). While I was looking, a young playwright, Joe Tracz, was refining one of the most
promising scripts ever produced by a student at this college. When Phenomena of Decline
was invited to full production at the American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) in
lllinois, Kalamazoo College's Festival Playhouse quickly scheduled it for full production
as well. This was the project I had been looking for.
This production of Phenomena of Decline was unique in several ways. First, it
required a set that was small and lightweight enough to be moved by the cast and crew in
a limited time frame. Second, The textual challenges of Tracz's script call for solutions
that are both practical and visually poignant. Lastly, as a one-act staged away from the
main stage theatre, Phenomena worked on a relatively small budget in a relatively short
time frame. By fully embracing the inherent physical metaphor of the script, I was able to
use scenery to clarify the plot and the characters. The challenges of this scenic design and
the overarching concept combined into a dynamic, versatile setting for Phenomena of
Decline.
Description
ii, 27 p., photos
Citation
Publisher
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.