The set for Idris Goodwin’s “Bars and Measures,” which will end its run at B Street Theatre on Sept. 27, marries structural design with elements of movement and careful light choreography. Though many audience members probably don’t realize it, the amount of conceptualizing, visualizing and manpower it takes to be prepared for opening night is immense.
Samantha Reno, (pictured front middle) with a background in the fine and graphic arts, has spent four seasons as set designer and charge artist for B Street Theatre.
After conducting an extensive research period on the play she will be creating a set for, Reno creates a mini model of her design plan.
In the weeks leading up to a production, Reno will come in at all hours to paint, build and direct to ensure the set is perfect.
In a lot of smaller companies the designer often doubles as the set painter as well, as is the case with Reno, but she explains, ” I just happen to enjoy it very much as well. There is a lot of technical aspects that go into painting for theatre. It is amazing what can be done with a paint brush.”
“The funny thing about set design and technical backstage work is that you don’t notice it until something goes wrong,” Reno says. “We want you to walk away thinking it all looked easy.”
“My job is interesting because it is never the same thing twice.” Reno explains. “There is always an interesting problem to solve, and I never get bored.”
Steven Schmidt (pictured front), the technical director for B Street Theatre, manages the budget and technical elements of the set design.
Based on the vision of the set designer, Schmidt decides what materials will be used and finalizes the build draftings — minding the theater’s tight timeframe. “A typical theatre company will put on 6-8 shows a year, and here we average 18,” Schmidt says. “I am usually working on the budget for the next set before the current one is done being built.”
Schmidt also co-authored a graduate-level textbook on set design, Structural Design for the Stage, and runs Barnyard Theatre in Davis.
B Street Theatre’s scene shop foreman, Greg Parker , oversees the building of sets once build plans have been drafted by the technical director .
Parker (pictured left) is often brought in during the planning stages for tricky pieces of scenery — like something that will need to perform a complicated movement — to make sure the artistic vision can be executed properly.
Parker also handles much of the steel work and, most importantly, ensures everything gets done on time.
Carpenter Owen Lennox, specializes in woodwork.
Lennox collaborates closely with Parker in all aspects of building the set scenery once the draftings are in hand.
“We are lucky to work with a great team here, because this is not always easy,” says set designer Samantha Reno. (pictured far left) “You have to be flexible, you have to be quick and you have to make good, solid decisions. The schedule can be grueling, but the show must go on.”
The Team Behind the Scene
B Street Theatre