An Introduction to Theatre Design
Wed, 13th Mar 13
This introduction to theatre design explains the theories, strategies, and tools of practical design work for the undergraduate student. Through its numerous illustrated case studies and analysis of key terms, students will build an understanding of the design process and be able to:
- identify the fundamentals of theatre design and scenography
- recognize the role of individual design areas such as scenery, costume, lighting and sound
- develop both conceptual and analytical thinking
- Communicate their own understanding of complex design work
- trace the traditions of stage design, from Sebastiano Serlio to Julie Taymor.
With chapters such as "The Theatre Designer's Job", "The Vocabulary of Visual Thinking" and "The Collaborative Process" this is a text clearly aimed at students of theatre design. Chapters cover the aristry of the set, costumes, lighting and sound and using extensive examples from productions as different as "Red", "War Horse" and "Shrek" the book attempts to cover a huge amount of ground in its 200 pages.
Aimed at serious students of theatre design the book is not for those seeking "how to" but those still trying to understand the "why and what" - be they budding design practitioners or other members of the creative team, even actors, seeking to understand the role of design in their productions. As such, I also see this book having a place within the more serious amateur and pro-am societies as a backgrounder for larger projects.
