SCENERY CONSTRUCTIONMr. Bartosh

Technical Theatre I

Why Build Scenery?

Set Design Expresses the mood and spirit of the play

and reinforces the story with visual elements Historical period Location Season of Year Socioeconomic Conditions Personality of Characters

What is Scenery?

Scenery Used to convey location and/or structure

during a performance. May be permanently fixed on stage but

often moves to accommodate different settings within the play

Types of Scenery

Hard Scenery

Soft Scenery

Hard Scenery

Characteristics Hard to the touch Acoustically “live” (The way a sound acts in an

environment) Types

Two-Dimensional (2D) Non-Load Bearing Hard flats (Hollywood style)

Wood frames covered by ¼” plywood or lauan plywood. Hard drops

Cut-outs that may be hung from a batten, but need to be rigid

Three Dimensional Scenery

Three-Dimensional (3D) Load Bearing Platforms: The workhorse of scenery,

reuseable Used to create levels on stage Typical stock sizes: 4’x8’, 4’x4’, 2’x4’3/8” Carriage Bolts

Placed at a 45 deg angleLike a 2 on a dice

Lid—3/4” plywood

Cross bracing—1x4 keeps platform from twistingLegs--2x4 cut to height of platform

minus ¾”

Leg Bracing—1x4 squares up platform legs. Also called banding

Step Units

Step Units: Two types Escape units

Used to get actors on/off stage platform without being seen On Stage Units

Built as part of scenery Independent—stands alone Dependent—needs to be attached to a platform

Railings Nuel Post—large post (4”x4”) used to keep railing laterally

stable Ballusters—smaller posts (2”x2”) used to give vertical

strength Hand rail—Used to support people traversing a staircase

More about step units

Riser—how tall each step is (front of step)

Carriage—carries all of the weight of the unit (2” dimensional lumber)

Tread—the part you step on (3/4” hardwood or 2” dimensional lumber)

Nuel Post

Balluster

Hand Rail

Other 3D Scenery

Ramps

Doors

Windows

Abstract

Materials

Dimensional lumber: (Sticks) solid pieces of wood so called because each denoted by nominal dimensions

1x3, 1x4, 1x6, 1x10, 1x12, 2x2, 2x4, 2x6, 2x10, 2x12 are all common in the scene shop Nominal vs. True

2x4’s aren’t actually 2”x4”. They’ve been planed to 1 ½”x 3 ½”. The same is true for all dimensional lumber

Sheet Goods

Most sheet goods come standard as 4’x8’

Plywood Thin layers of wood laid out as a sheet.

Each layer laid perpendicular to the last. Common thicknesses ¼”, ½”, ¾”. Graded A-D on number of imperfections.

Most have different grades on different sides.

Used for platform lids & other decking

Sheet Goods

Lauan Plywood Thin plywood ( ¼”) Lighter than ¼” pine plywood Warps less than pine plywood Use care in selecting where the lauan

comes from Most lauan comes from unsustainable logging

Sheet Goods

Masonite High density, hardened fiber board. Also called “hardboard” Used to face platforms and for stage

decking Smooth on one side, rough on the back

Sheet Goods

OSB Oriented Strand Board 1”-2” chips of wood that are compressed

and glued into standard sized sheets More sustainable because it’s using scraps

Cheaper than plywood Springy-er Does not have a smooth finished look

Sheet Goods

MDF & HDF Medium & High Density Fiber Board

(respectively) Saw dust that is compressed and glued into

a sheet good Strong Very Heavy Uniform surface

Soft Scenery

Soft to the touch Flexible Acoustically absorbent

Types of Soft Scenery

Drapery Fabric that hangs on stage Not usually part of set Masking: cover areas of the stage from

audience view

Black Panel/Traveler

Curtains on tracks that can be opened and closed

Typically black velour

Legs (Tormentors)

12-25 ft wide and taller than the proscenium arch

Masks wings Usually black (light absorbing) Can be IFR or cotton velour

Borders (Teasers)

6-12 ft. tall Wider than the proscenium arch Masks fly house & battens Borders hang downstage of legs Usually black (light absorbing material) IFR or cotton velour

Grand Drape (Main Drape or Act Curtain)

Types Traveler, Tableau, Austrian & Venetian

Covers the opening of the proscenium arch

The big reveal: Traditionally used to separate acts of a show

Heavier velour than legs & borders Guillotine or travel Velour is usually a color other than black

Grand Valence (Valance)

Always just downstage of Grand Drape Same material/color as GD Masks GD tracks when in & other

downstage items

Drops

Part of the set Painted drops

No fullness Muslin or canvas Not typically one piece of fabric May be cut out or not full stage

Cyclorama (Cyc)

Greek origin: “Sky Cloth” Used to simulate sky Large (usually larger than proscenium

opening) Seamless True cycs are curved

Scrim

NOT a cyc! Sharkstooth

Knitted fabric with more open space than thread

Possesses interesting properties Light projected onto front of scrim

Looks opaque Light objects behind scrim

Objects visible to audience

Rear Projection Screen (RP)

Vinyl material More light transmitted through the

surface than fabric

Flats

Wooden frames with lightweight covering used to simulate walls on stage

Two Types

Broadway Flats

Muslin (fabric) covering Framing members lay flat against covering

(parallel)

Stiles - made from 1”X3” wood, extend from the top of the bottom rail, to the bottom of the top rail

Toggle - interior support, from 1”X3” wood Keystone - made from ¼ plywood, got its name

for its shape. Cornerblock - made from ¼ plywood (when

attached, it must be ¾” form the edge of the flat (Broadway) or 1” (Hollywood), and the grain of the wood must follow the stile)

Rails - top and bottom support, from 1”X3” wood, fit the width of the flat.

Hollywood Flats

Hard (lauan plywood) covering Framing members lay on end from

covering (perpendicular)