When working on a production there are a number of considerations, one of the chief ones are what is the overall look and feel of the production, will it be realistic or stylized? How does this support the entire concept? When looking at the production in design of props and scenic elements. I wanted a kind of neutral harmony--something that would really make the characters stand out from the space and the text, much as one would experience when reading a book. The pages are neutral and flat but what comes out of them is the filled with life by the imagination. So, I was immediately put in mind of the pages of an old book, or parchment. So as I began to assemble elements of the production, particularly furniture I looked for things that had a soft brown hue.
For a long time here at LLCC we have been using Muslin for all kinds of things, this has served us well as the neutral background and even scenery in numerous productions and more, this mixed nicely with the stained wood tones I was beginning with. I began adding accents of muslin and, of course, the silver of the swords. When it came to drinking vessels, tankards were found as well as pitcher like flagons in silver tones. Real objects when we needed them but where they were not, for instance crates that were being carried “full” onto the ship were filled with muslin. The sailors carry large muslin bags with what we assume are sails, or flour or the like. Other props like chests were purchased with a soft color of stained wood. The flintlocks are brass, silver and wood continuing with the visual harmony of the production. From this I arrived at a stylized neutrality.That worked well with the browns of the platforms at the Theatre in the Park Stage forming a page if you will from which the characters come bursting forth with life.
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