BUS STOP-SET DESIGN-

PRESENTATION BY: MAKAYLA GATSON

The set designer works with the director and other designers to

establish an overall visual concept for the production and design the stage environment. They are responsible for developing the sets and objects

that will appear on stage, the lighting that will be used and also the sound.

WHAT IS SET DESIGN?

We decided have the play take place in Hamil iton, Ohio for multiple reasons. First ,

the winters up north are very cold and bl izzards are more common than in the

south. Since a bl izzard occurs during the play, we thought this was a perfect location.

We also chose a small town because we wanted to give off the sense of a small town

and not a highly populated, large city.

THE LOCATIONALVIN, OHIO

I chose to have Bus Stop take place in the 1957. In this time period, many people were in the lower class and uneducated.

During this time period film, art movements, television and and music such as Elvis Presley were popular. America was also in conflict with many countries as the Cold War, Korean War, and the Vietnam War all took place during this decade.Lastly, posters and signs started to become more colorful and vibrant with neon lights.

STAGE LIGHTSFunction:allow us to see what is happening on stage

Focuses attention on the critical area of the stage at a given time by using such instruments like a spotlight or dimming the lights

Mood Setting:Lighting can change the feel of a production

During a tragic moment in the play we would not use bright and colorful lights. Instead the lighting would be dark, dull and gloomy.

Physical Labor for Set up: in order to set the lights in the right places where scenes are going to occur, someone must climb a ladder and adjust where the lights are to aim.

They may also need to add gels (colored transparent film) and gobos (frames that produce different shapes or patterns on stage, such as snowflakes) in order to correct the look

EXAMPLES OF LIGHT EFFECTS WITHIN A

PLAY

During a tragic moment in the play, such as when Bo and Will were in a physical fight, we would not use

bright and colorful lights. Instead the lighting would be dark, dull and gloomy. It would also be a nice touch to flash the bright lights on whenever they clashed so it

would bring more of a dramatic effect.

EXAMPLE: TRAGIC MOMENT

The last scene of the play shows Grace in the diner after all the other characters have left. She starts to shut the diner down in order to prepare for a new group of people the next day. She is sad because everyone is gone and she is alone and by herself. To show the diner shutting down, I plan for the stage lights to shut off one at a time, as if Grace is turning them off herself. This will give a more dramatic effect to the scene and end the play off in a good note.

EXAMPLE: SHUTTING DOWN LIGHTS ONE AT A TIME

A scene that we decided to add to the play is where Grace brings Sherie up to her bedroom to talk. At the time Sherie was stressed about Bo pressuring her to marry him so Grace decided to have a talk with Sherie. As the two women sat on her bed, Grace told Sherie about her past husband and how she loved him although things did work

out. When Grace takes out her old wedding ring and shows it to Sherie while they are sitting on her bed, Grace tells Sherie how the wedding ring represented love and how it took time for her and her husband to feel that way about each other. This relates to our theme of the play and how it takes time to get to know and love another person. With

Grace showing Sherie the ring, Sherie made up her mind that she did want to marry Bo.

EXAMPLE: SPOTLIGHT MOMENT

SOUND EFFECTS

By having sound effects in a play, it helps create the desired mood and emotions you want the audience to explore. It adds an extra effect that makes the play come to life. Examples of Sound Effects In A

Play:music in the background (often times composers are hired to play instruments to make it more realistic)help "spot" cues in a play (decide when and where should will be played to make the scene more dramatic). Some plays only use music during scene changes

Some sound effects can be too vast in scope, too expensive or too dangerous to be presented on stageMany effects are performed offstage behind the curtains or on the sideExamples of off stage soundsblasts, shouts, clashing weapons, shots, explosions and crashes

Examples of when I will use sound effects in the play:1. Auto effects of the bus pulling up to the diner and leaving the diner at the end2. I will also have sound effects of loud smacks and punches that will either happen backstage or with auto effects during the scene when Bo and Will are fighting. I will also have dramatic, deep and fast past music playing during that scene as well

EXTERIOR OF THE DINER

I decided I wanted the diner for the play to look like the picture above. I chose this style of diner/building because it reminded me of what the buses looked like during the 1950s. Also, considering during the 1950s many people did not have a lot of money, this diner clearly shows that it is not a top of the line, fancy place to dine. I also liked how the picture looks like it is taken at desk which fits perfectly with the play since the scenes take place late at night. I plan to have a neon, light up sign like the picture above as a prop on stage as well. It would make the set "pop" and add the the 1950s period of colorful and bright signs.

Grace’s Diner

INTERIOR OF THE DINER

I specifically chose these two images to show the inside of what I plan the diner to look like inside. I plan to hire an inexpensive interior designer that can help me make the interior of the diner resemble the period of the 1950s closely. I think the interior of the diner is the most important set because this is where the majority of the scenes take place. I plan to focus most of my attention on this set.

The two pictures above have great elements from the 1950s such as the checker board flooring, red leather car seat sitting booths, chairs and stools, as well as common table topper found in the 1950s.

INTERIOR OF THE DINER CONTINUED…

Other design elements that I would like to incorporate are popular 1950s pictures and memorabilia hanging on the walls of the diner.

During the play, Grace did not have a lot of money but she tried to make the diner look as nice as possible but adding pictures and posters

on the walls.

INTERIOR OF GRACE’S BEDROOM

To the left is a picture of what I plan the final outcome of Grace's room to look like. Like I mentioned before, I plan to spend the majority of my budget on the interior of the diner since that is where the majority of the scenes will occur, so I want to spend less money on Grace's bedroom. This means that I will have to have simple decorations and a simple set. This picture resembles a basic 1950s bedroom. It is not fancy which is perfect considering Grace is not wealthy and most of her income goes into running the diner.

Grace's bedroom is a very important scene where I plan for Grace and Elma to be sitting on the bed as Grace shows Elma her old wedding ring. This is one of the main scenes in the play so I feel the setting should fit it well.

CONCLUSION

As the set designer, I hope to make the play come to life with the objects I use as sets, as well as the lighting and sound that I chose will best fit each scene of the play. By doing so, I am able effect the audience while conveying the message of the play and also give them a memorable experience they will not forget.