1. Moving Thrust Stage

ES Theater Thrust stage

• • This “moving thrust stage” is located at the ES Theater. A Thrust stage is where the stage is extended and there is audience on three sides of the stage. Originally, the ES Theater is in the form of a proscenium theater, but by pressing a button, we can transform the stage into a thrust stage. While this stage is often used for fashion shows, in relation to theater, we can use this for interactive plays where actors break the fourth wall and communicate with the audience. It enables more stage areas for the actors to act in as well.

2. Cyclorama

ES Theater Cyclorama

• • In the ES Theater, the cyclorama is movable. The cyclorama is connected to the fly system which helps it to move up and down. A cyclorama is a large white ‘sheet’ at the back of the stage that can be lit or projected on. We can use the cyclorama in multiple ways. On one hand, we can simply project different colored lights to match the mood of the performance. For instance, in a very speedy orchestral music performance, we might project warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow to help convey the mood. On the other hand, we might project scenes directly onto the cyclorama. This is quite advantageous because we could project scenes without putting in the hard manual work of painting and decorating.

3. Fly Space

ES Theater Fly Space

• • In ES Theater’s fly space, there are 14 flys. A fly space is a space right above the stage where bars are connected to curtains/drapes/sceneries and can be moved up and down. Due to a newer technological system, the fly space at the ES Theater had brighter LED lights, so I could identify the features of the fly system more easily. The fly bars were numbered. Thinking of how it works and fits into theater backstage, I think the numbering would be advantageous because it helps with clearer identification of which bars to be moved up and down when communicating with the tech crew.
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  MS/HS Theater Fly Space

  • The MS/HS Theater also has a fly space. In the MS/HS Theater, there were more fly bars, so the fly space was much bigger and taller. This can be reasonably inferred that due to the bigger size of the stage, a bigger fly space is needed. The purpose of the fly space in the MS/HS Theater is also the same as the fly space in the ES Theater. The major difference is just the age of the mechanics used.

4. Roof

ES Theater Roof

ES Theater Roof Machine

• • The roof in the ES Theater is more considerate of safety. The materials used to build the roof are sturdy.  The Roof is above the fly space, and it is where all the machines that pull up the curtains/drapes are located. The machines here are automatic, and each frame that rolls the wire has dents. This is a beneficial feature to theater backstage because it will allow each wire to fit in one dent, meaning that the curtains/drapes would be pulled up smoothly with less noise and friction.

MS/HS Theater Roof

• • The Roof in the MS/HS Theater is way more darker and fragile compared to the roof in the ES Theater. Just like the ES Theater’s roof, the MS/HS Theater has machines that wrap wires and pull up the curtains/drapes. However, in the MS/HS Theater, the strings are not fixed onto the dents/grooves. This means that the wires have to be stacked on one another, which makes noise and may interfere with the performance going on in the stage.

5. Lighting Bay/Catwalk

ES Theater Catwalk & Light

• • This is the Catwalk located in the ES Theater. A Catwalk is used to hang lights directed at the stage. By having the catwalk, it enables backstage crews to have easier access to work with lighting. For instance, the catwalk can be easily used for maintenance and adjusting the different front/side/top lights. The lights in the ES Theater are LED lights, so they are more efficient in terms of energy use.

MS/HS Theater Catwalk & Light

• • This is the Catwalk & Light in the MS/HS Theater. The lights in this theater are conventional lights, so they need to be checked and changed once in a while. They are big lamps, and they require a lot of energy to operate. This generates heat in the catwalk, and that is why the atmosphere is always warm on the catwalk. Also, because the MS/HS Theater has balcony seats, crews working on MS/HS Theater catwalk must be extremely quiet because they are at a distance where words can be easily heard by the audience.

6. Dimmer Room

MS/HS Theater Dimmer Room

• • The Dimmer Room only exists in the MS/HS Theater. A dimmer room is a room backstage where all the dimmer racks are stored. The dimmer racks help control the intensity of the light as well as the on-and-off power of the lights. By adjusting the settings on the dimmer racks, you can create different moods and tones for the performance. The disadvantage of this dimmer room is that the machines are very loud.

7. Booth 

ES Theater Control Machine 1

ES Theater Control Machine 2

• • This is the control booth in the ES Theater. It has control machines that can control light and sound. Usually, control booths are located on the ground level and is in an enclosed space. However, in the ES Theater, the control booth was located in an open space. I think that there are advantages and disadvantages to this open-space-control-booth. It can be advantageous because the tech crew can hear directly about what is going on in the play and adjust the sound/lighting accordingly. On the other hand, it can be disadvantageous because it is not in a soundproof room, you have to be extremely careful about what you say in the control booth, or else, the audience would hear everything.

MS/HS Theater Control Booth

• • The control booth in the MS/HS Theater is quite different from the ES Theater control booth. Here, the control booth is located on the ground floor, in a soundproof room. The purpose of the control booth is the same: to control sound and lights. In some situations, the MS/HS Theater control booths can be more advantageous because what the tech crew says and communicates with the other crew members cannot be heard by the audience and thus would not interfere with the ongoing performance.

8. Spot Light Room

MS/HS Theater Spot Light Room

• • Another unique feature in the MS/HS Theater is the Spot Light Room. The spotlight room is where a big powerful stage lighting instrument is located and is used to project a bright beam of light onto the stage. The spotlight is referred to as the ‘follow spot’ as well. The spotlight is used to highlight the figure/object on the stage and draw the audience’s attention to it. The machines consume a lot of energy and produce loud sounds, so it is important to have the spotlight room in a higher elevation, so that what goes on in the spotlight room does not mess with the performance and the audience’s experience.

Tell me a little about yourself.

• I am from Korea. This is my 2nd year here at ISB, and before that, I lived in Chennai, India for 9 years. My hobbies are: playing the piano, swimming, and painting. I also like listening to music.

What interests you most about this class?

• In this class, I am most interested in sound and light design. In my previous class, I have not done sound design, so it’s something new for me that I would be engaged to participate in. Also, I want to explore the light-controlling machine in the control booth because I have done a virtual light design lab only.

What are you concerned about/least excited about.

• I am concerned about the prop design – because I do not have great artistic skills, and I am worried if I would be able to meet the standards that the play department wants the props to be.

What experience do you have with “crafting”?

• In the previous year, I experienced making a Hollywood stage flat and doing a scenic painting. I have also crafted a scenic design on Geliophobia – an overwhelming and abnormal fear of laughter and/or being around others who laugh.

Here are the pictures of my final scenic design:

30-seconds Video Navigation

Front Elevation [without & with lighting]

Birds Eye View

Side Angle View

My model is a representation of Geliophobia, the fear of laughter. It is designed to present to the audience feeling threatened and mocked by people laughing. People with Geliophobia perceive all kinds of laughter – whether it has good intentions or not – as mocking.  

The stage design is set up in a proscenium stage with an arch around the rims of the stage set. The arch works as a gateway to make one aware of the separation and to enter another domain. You can see on my model various features that stand out; an oversized smiley that looks menacing, a person figure folded like a womb on center stage that is overwhelmed by laughter all around them, a depiction of pointing fingers from all directions, and the floor filled with a text representation of laughter but all in caps.  

The prominent colors used in the model were taken from images on the mood board. The colors are white, black, yellow, and red. Yellow was mostly found in creepy smiling emojis, so I used yellow only on the oversized smiley to cast emphasis, contrast, and capture the audience’s attention. Likewise, White was used on the pointing hands and texts, which not only portrayed contrast from the backdrop, but also the innocuous innocence of laughs. Adding on, Black was used in all spaces of the model. By using black, I wanted to portray the darkness and threats of this phobia that people experience. Similarly, Red, used in the backdrop of the stage, indicated the contrast and danger.  

Next is the oversized smiley. I found many emojis expressing laughing faces, so I was inspired by multiple emojis to create this creepy smiling face. The oversized smiley is attached to a wire that allows it to shake abruptly. I intended this to give an eviler atmosphere overall. By making the smiley shake crazily, it works as a source to threaten the audience. The smiley, at the same time, is also expressive of derision, not joy or humor, which adds to the overall creepy effect.  

The pointing hands were inspired by hand pointers that sometimes teachers use in schools and the theme of mocking. Mocking usually makes people think of pointing fingers and laughing or criticizing someone. I took this idea, and represented it on my model, with fingers pointing from various angles to one single subject – the person. I intentionally made the hands white to portray another level of eeriness to the model.  

The text is written all over the stage floor, in varied sizes and dynamics. I wanted this feature to give a feeling of intimidation and present amplification of sound. I intended to write down the laughter so that even without sound effects, the viewers will experience how stressful the laughter sounds to people with Geliophobia.  

Last but not least, the person figure is located on the center stage, and it is curled, covering its ears. I wanted to show the burden that people with Geliophobia experience. Also, by making the figure go in the center, and have all the other objects pointing directly to it, the idea of feeling mocked and pressurized is accentuated.  

In conclusion, in this model, I intended to project a dark, perilous, and pressured atmosphere caused by the deriding figures of smiley and pointing fingers.  

After receiving feedback on my rough sketches, I settled on the first design, and finalized it, adding more details.

The phobia that I am trying to express in my scenic design is Geliophobia – the fear of laughter.

I came up with 2 different possible rough designs for my scene setup.

1st Design:

Front Elevation perspective

Ground plan

People with Geliophobia are afraid of laughter. No matter what kind of laughter it is, people with Geliophobia perceive the laughter as a scoff or a mock. I tried to express this trait by using a creepy smile on the face in the back and using 3D pointing fingers from the sides.

The colors used here also have purposes. The bright yellow indicates the bright smile that others have. Around the smiley face, there is a bright shade of dark red that represents the evilness that people with Geliophobia feel. As the light fades out, only black is present to show the great fear people are leftover with.

The last part to pay attention to is the “HAHA” patterns on the stage floor. On a black floor, the text “HAHA” is written in white. In this scene setup, while the sound systems may help to establish the fear of even hearing laughter, the written text further emphasizes how people with Geliophobia are not just afraid of seeing people laugh or smile, but also hearing people laugh.

2nd Design:

Front Elevation perspective

The main idea of this design is to express the pressure and burden people with Geliophobia experience when people see others laughing. The color red is used as a tool to highlight the sneers that the Geliphobic people identify. The big eyes and mouth are 3D to give more pressure by actually extruding the figure.

This is the Mood Board for my “Geliophobia” theme.

Geliophobia is defined as an irrational fear of laughter. When someone experiences this, they experience anxiety. When having Geliphobia, you can be afraid of someone else’s laughter, but you can also be afraid of your own laughter. Because of this, people with Geliophobia have trouble visiting places where laughter occurs, such as parties, concerts, and comedy clubs.

I tried to show these concepts related to Geliophobia in my Mood Board. I have placed emojis and human laughter to indicate different types of laughter. I’ve also put in places or times where people laugh. And lastly, I put abstract art for two purposes. 1: To show how laughter can be expressed in many different ways. 2: The abstract arts included are creepy, which may be how people with Geliphobia may see laughter as.

Here is an analysis of my Mood Board:

• Color: Yellow, Purple, Red, Black, White.
• Symbol: Pointing finger/smirks for humiliation.
• Image: Modern techy emoticons, abstract art, caricature, Cartoon/movie characters, real-life captured photographs of people and locations.
• Texture: Overall smooth surface, with some bumpy features standing out. Often round, circular edges in objects shown in the pictures.
• People: Ranging from babies to old women/men. Babies and young children often resemble pure smiles and laughter, whereas the older adults resemble usually smirks, mocking laughter, and gestures.
• Locations: Birthday Party, Cinema, Comedy clubs, Bar, Park.
• Emotion: Happy, Content, Unpleasant, Ridicule, Mocking, Awkward, Excitement.
• Movement: Boisterous up and down (caused by the characters laughing), finger pointing directly at the viewer, following the eyesight direction of the characters.

For my scenic sketching practice, I chose to draw two different perspectives of my room. I drew them in Groundplan/Birds Eye View and Front Elevation view. Here are the sketches:

Groundplan / Birds Eye View

The Birds Eye View, or Groundplan we call it, provides an overall layout of the given space. Because I had to draw looking directly down from the top, I inserted two-dimensional icons to indicate the furniture in my room. Then, I recorded them as Key for reference. The Key is going to be useful because it will help someone to easily identify what furniture is located where in my room.

Front Elevation View

The Front Elevation View is drawn from my sight-line perspective. The Front Elevation View sketches are often more detailed compared to the Groundplans as the Front Elevation is drawn with three-dimensional objects, not two-dimensional. With this sketch, you are able to visualize the actual space you will see and experience inside your mind.

• Scenic Design – The aspect of a production that gives a sense of ‘space’ or location. Can be realistic or symbolic. Aids in creating ‘atmosphere’.
• Mood Board (concept) – A poster that contains imagery that will help focus the design or conceptual weigh of a piece of theater.
• Thumbnail Sketch – A quick sketch or drawing that becomes the starting point for a design.
• Stage configuration – The layout of the stage in the theater you are producing the play.
• Ground Plan / “Birds Eye View” – The top-down look of the design. Gives you an idea of WHERE things are on the stage.
• Elevation – the FRONT look of the design. Gives you an idea of what you will see when you are looking at the stage.
• Flat – A scenic piece that is used to build doorways or walls. Light, flexible, and can. be built to order.
• Sight lines – the view of an audience onto the stage. Sight lines are taken from many different seats to see what they see.
• Masking / Masking Flats – flats or curtains designed to ‘hide’ the elements of the sage we don’t want the audience to see.

At the start of the episode, Es commented that her practice over the years has been to follow the path of inquiry and then find collaborators who are willing to share their paths with her. What does this mean to you?

• For Es, the way she works inspires others and makes them want to follow what she does. Es had prioritized her path of inquiry then finding people who are interested in her path. To me, it shows how actually knowing and understanding fully about your idea is the most important thing. It’s not just about how creative/innovative you are, but about how well you get the specific details of your path/work. Only by being aware of what you are making, the others will be able to follow your idea.

During the episode, Es stated 5 ingredients of stage design… (and perhaps photography). What are the ingredients?

• Ingredient 1: Space
• Ingredient 2: Light
• Ingredient 3: Darkness
• Ingredient 4: Scale
• Ingredient 5: Time

Pick ONE ingredient and describe or explain what it means according to Es.

Scale

• According to Es, scale is positioning humans bigger or smaller in relation to the object in the scene. A scaling scene helps you to obtain a better view of what the final product will be. For example, a scaled scene setup that you make prior to the actual set will help better to identify places of improvement. At this stage, things are easier to fix because it’s a small setup, so scaling makes work efficient in stage design.

For “Watch The Throne” tour featuring Kanye West and Jay-Z, Es questioned what the word Throne meant to the artists. For them, Throne was being on top and then having to fight to stay on top — in other words, the Throne meant the tension between power and vulnerability. Can you describe how she created a design that communicated the ‘tension between power and vulnerability”?

• A big block was set up during the “Watch The Throne” tour of Kanye West and Jay-Z. The tall height of the block and the artists performing on top of it showed the tension between power and vulnerability. In one way, the tall block could signify power because the artist was on top of everyone, and he could control everything. However, at the same time, it could signify the vulnerability of the artist because he was the only one on top, so he could get attacked/shot at any time. The ironic contrast used with the single block further highlighted “power and vulnerability”.