UC San Diego

The role of the scenic designer is to craft space for an event to occur. In this paper I examine how honesty is presented in a theatrical setting both by utilizing real objects which carry their own history and by presenting empty space in such a way that the audience becomes a co-imaginer of the world. By being creatively engaged, the audience puts more investment into the performance, and the performers are elevated by the deeper connection. This paper uses two productions as case studies. First is “Bunny Bunny”, produced by UC San Diego where I was a key collaborator. Second is “Is It Thursday Yet?”, produced by La Jolla Playhouse, where I served as an associate. I begin by articulating a theory of design. Then I delve into the process of creation for both shows drawing on my own records along with an interview conducted with Rachel Hauck, the set designer for “Is It Thursday Yet?”. Though the pieces were very different in style and scope, they overlapped in how the use of the real, or the feeling of truth accessed audience memory, and therefore audience response. By examining both the creation processes and pulling out specific details of the final presentation, I hope to illustrate how scenic design is able to effect audience experience.