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Curtain rises on work of set designers

They must be as practical as they are creative when producing backdrops to Shakespearean dramas, science fiction and everything in between. Whether they're creating a period piece or a world of fantasy, set designers transport audiences to a world of make believe using a unique combination of skills.

LINDA WHITE

[ 2005-11-23 ]

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Judith Bowden won a Dora Award last year for Outstanding Set Design on Blue Planet, produced at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. Pictured left to right: Audrey Dwyer, Paul Dunn, Julian D'Aroy.

"Set designers come closest to the ideal 'renaissance person' in the way we talk about Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo," says Phil Silver, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University in Toronto.

"You have to love theatre as a format, this insane thing of 3,000 people coming together to watch make believe," he says. Silver has worked on more than 300 productions, including some at Ontario's renowned Stratford Festival.

An undergraduate degree in English gave him a strong foundation for theatre. "The ability to read, analyse and understand a script and to understand metaphors and historical references is valuable," he says. "A general knowledge of history and cultures and the ability to research helps with the creative, artistic side of set design. You also work like an architect. You need to know how scenery is constructed and what materials to use."

Set designers must hone other skills as well. "You need to have visual skills, a talent for understanding how images are constructed and perceived by audiences," Silver says.

"You go back between your left brain and right brain a lot. You need to deal with deadlines and a budget. The ability to work within a team and be able to communicate your ideas and understand the ideas of others is important."

He encourages aspiring set designers to see plays and write critiques. "A lot can be learned by what works in other productions," Silver says. "You have to explore. We have to let students fail and then regroup. We provide a safety net so people can try brave things, take risks and learn."

Some grads gain experience and start building a network of contacts by volunteering or working as assistants to designers, sometimes through a Theatre Ontario apprenticeship.

For Judith Bowden, working as a set and costume designer provides variety and unique challenges. "Each experience is so different," she says. "If a set design is done really well, it takes you into a world of some sort ... The job can be gruelling, but when it all works, it can be very satisfying."

Bowden won a Dora Award last year for Outstanding Set Design on Blue Planet, produced at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in Toronto. She studied theatre at the University of Alberta after completing an undergraduate degree in clothing and textiles at the University of Manitoba.

Bowden whet her chops in children's theatre and fringe festivals in Edmonton. Today, she calls Stratford home, but spends much of the year on the road.

"You don't tend to get one job with one place. I was a resident designer in Calgary, but that's unusual. It tends to be a job where you're working in different cities for three or four weeks at a time."

Set designers typically work with the same directors over and over again. "A director has either seen your work or someone has recommended you," Bowden says. "You end up with a network of directors you enjoy working with and who enjoy working with you."

Most set designers work freelance and are usually hired by a theatre company at the request of a director. "They tell you who's directing it, give you some sense of your budget and send you a script," Bowden says. "I like it to be an interesting play. It's important to me to know if it's being directed by someone I enjoy working with ... Sometimes you just say 'yes' because you need to pay the rent."

Though she understands the technical aspect of set design, Bowden still appreciates the magic of live theatre. "I can still be just as sucked in as I was when I didn't understand how it all worked," she says. "I can still enjoy it as much as I did before I became involved in theatre."

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