Set Design is the ability to make dreams into realities.

         “As a designer on the stage you get to conjure an entire world. It starts with nothing, a blank stage, and you get to fill the entire box up with a full world. What’s so interesting that’s happened over the last 15 years, and especially the last five years, is that the entire world has become theater,” Hamilton’s David Korins Explains.

Set Design is applicable in every area of our modern world, from consumer retail, to school projects, business proposals, museums, amusement parks, and more.  This class will start with the basics-terms, space, how to present and take feedback, and how to collaborate as a team.  It will lead to higher level classes and challenges in future classes. This is a foundational class.

Supply fee separate:

• Ruler
  
  
• Scissors
  
  
• Exacto knife
  
  
• Black foam board
  
• Graph paper
  
• Hot glue
  

Week One:

1. What is set design
   
   • Purpose
     
   • Stage types
     
   • Design vs. properties
     
   • Script requirements
     
   • Terms
     
   • Tools
     
   • Collaboration 
     
     • Design team
       
       1. Director
          
       2. Choreographer
          
       3. Lighting
          
       4. Costume
          
       5. Sound
          
       6. Set
          
     • Production team
       
       1. Build team
          
       2. Paint crew
          
       3. Set dressers
          
       4. Running crew
          
   • Problem solve
     
2. Assign set location (#1)
   
   • Research
     
   • Sketch
     
3. Pick a stage type to build
   

Week Two:

1. Pick a play from hat (#2)
   
   • Review current designs
     
   • Themes
     
     • Feel
       
     • Inspirations
       
       1. Conventional vs. abstract
          
       2. Historic 
          
       3. Nominal
          
       4. Fantastical
          
       5. Surreal
          
       6. Misplaced
          
2. Presentation
   
   • How to present
     
   • How to take feedback
     
   • How to build on ideas/collaborate
     
3. Build stage
   

Week Three:

1. Finish stage
   
2. Work on current assignment
   

Week Four:

1. Present and discuss
   

Week Five:

1. New and improve
   
2. Demands of a script
   
   • Entrances and exits
     
   • Furniture
     
   • Spaces
     
   • Cast size
     
   • Movement
     
   • Specials
     
3. Demands of a production
   
   • Space/Location
     
     • Limitations
       
     • Special design elements
       
   • Budget/Cost
     
   • Traveling vs in house
     
   • Time
     
4. Pick a familiar show (#3)
   

Week Six:

1. Work on show designs
   
   • Bring:
     
     • Preliminaries
       
     • Research
       
   • Present and discuss
     
2. Begin construction
   

Week Seven: 

1. Present
   
2. Color discussion
   
   • Theme
     
   • Lighting element
     
   • Costuming
     

Week Eight:

1. Present and discuss
   

Week Nine: 

1. Fieldtrip!!!