Date of Graduation
7-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (MFA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Theatre
Advisor/Mentor
Riha, Michael J.
Committee Member
Irish, Shawn
Second Committee Member
Burrow, Jason
Keywords
A Little Night Music; Design; Musicals; Scenic Design; Theatre
Abstract
A Little Night Music by Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim was produced by the University of Arkansas Department of Theatre in 2018-2019 academic school year. The scenic design process entailed a series of private meetings, design meetings, independent research, and analysis that all culminated into a full scenic design package. The show itself has many locations that quickly transition into one another. It was my challenge as the designer to cohesively design the scenery so that it could be transitioned easily and in time with the music. The major themes of the show that I based the design around were magic vs. mortality and femininity vs. masculinity. I represented these themes using wrought iron as a symbol of femininity and softening it with the elegant drapery. The grandeur of the scenery and the art nouveau style wrought iron represented the magical world in which the mortal characters lived. The numerous scenic transitions challenged me as a designer to communicate my ideas effectively. Overall the show was a success. The design came together to be a beautiful and grand representation of the world created by Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim.
Citation
Holmes, K. (2020). The Scenic Design of "A Little Night Music". Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3777