A play’s setting is everything that appears on stage—scenery (background), furniture, and props. “It’s often the first thing in a production that the audience sees,” says Deb Sivigny, who designed the set for She A Gem. Sets can be realistic or fanciful, complex or simple—it all depends on the production needs of the play and the creative vision of director.

Think about:

• The uses of color in the set, costumes, lighting, and language.
• The phone lines arcing above the stage and what they resemble.
• The three onstage buildings in She A Gem. What does the set and its buildings tell you about the neighborhood and the changes it has seen?

Deb says, “My job is to interpret where words can’t go.” What are experiences you have had that require something more than words to express them? What are other art forms that tell a story “where words can’t go?”

Imagine you were designing a set based on your own neighborhood. What would you choose to present on stage?

Concept Sketch

Take a closer look at Deb Sivigny's initial concept sketch for She A Gem! Concept sketches are often freehand drawings and are used by designers as a quick, simple way to illustrate initial design ideas.

Credit: Deb Sivigny

Ground Plan

The ground plan shows the exact locations of all scenic elements, including walls, windows, and doors. It communicates exactly what the set will look like to the creative team, actors, and technicians (click for a larger version).

Credit: Deb Sivigny

Digital Rendering

Digital renderings are created using 3-D modeling programs to render a realistic image of a design. Designers use digital renderings to communicate design elements like scale, color, and texture.

Credit: Deb Sivigny

Final Scenic Design

This production photo shows the final scenic design for She A Gem! unter theatrical lights. What elements from the concept sketch, ground plan, and digital rendering can you spot?

Photo: Yassine El Mansouri

Ground Plan

The ground plan shows the exact locations of all scenic elements, including walls, windows, and doors. It communicates exactly what the set will look like to the creative team, actors, and technicians.

Paint Elevations

Paint elevations illustrate the colors and painting techniques the designer intends to use to create the finished look of the set.

Sightlines

Sightlines describe what of the stage is visible from the seats in a theater. They are lines of sight between the audience and the stage.

Wing Space

The wings are part of the stage that are out of sight of the audience, and are typically used for performers preparing to enter, storing scenic elements and/or props, and housing technical equipment such as the fly system.

Downstage

The portion of the stage closest to the audience.

Upstage

The portion of the stage furthest from the audience.

House

The portion of the theater where the audience sits. 

Pre-Production

Pre-production describes the planning process in a theatrical production where creative team members like the director, dramaturg, and designers collaborate to create the concept and aesthetic of the show.

For more about the parts of a theater, check out It's Not Just a Stage: A guide to what's what and where's where in a theater.

Kennedy Center Education

Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Bank of America; Bender Foundation, Inc.; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Trust; Carnegie Corporation of New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Estée Lauder; Flocabulary; Harman Family Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; the Herb Alpert Foundation; the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; 

Music Theatre International; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; the National Endowment for the Arts; Newman’s Own Foundation; Nordstrom; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Prince Charitable Trusts; Soundtrap; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; and Volkswagen Group of America. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

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