Above are research photos, sketches, and a model of the set for Pool Boy
Q: What was your inspiration and what kind of research went into your design?
A: When creating the look of any show there are a lot of aesthetic and practical concerns to consider. With this show, of course, we started with the Hotel Bel-Air itself; looking at it’s architecture and atmosphere, signature pink stucco, mission-style arches, palm trees, etc. But we also knew the world of the play is a heightened idea of the Bel-Air, a crazier, more energized, almost animated version where Nick gets lost among all these eccentric characters swirling around him. And we also knew that, as this piece was in development, we needed to have a set that was flexible enough that it could move and shift and adapt to whatever changes happened in the script.
Q: What are the challenges of designing a show like this on Stage 2?
A: The biggest challenge was just how many different scenes and locations are in the show: around the pool, in different hotel rooms, at a party, (at one time) in a kitchen, and of course…in the pool. At Stage 2 we can’t fly scenery in, we don’t have wing space to move scenery in and out, and we can’t lift something from below, so we have to be more creative.
In this design we started looking at the pool furniture itself and imagining all the ways they could be used and transformed to create different scenes and locations. That idea freed up our practical ability to shift quickly from place to place using what was already on stage and added aesthetically to the idea that the world of the pool is always circling around Nick.
Another challenge was color. The pink of the real Bel-Air would have been a very difficult backdrop: much too bright for the Lighting Designer to control, the actors would look like they we’re disappearing against it, and the costumes would all have to be darker colors to contrast, or “pop out”, from the scenery.
What we created starts with the courtyard arches of the Bel-Air but then covers them in the silhouettes of palm trees, giving the illusion of an enclosed and private space. We also shifted everything to the greens, teals, and blues of the pool and the California sky, allowing costumes the ability to pick more vibrant and fun colors for the actors. One fun thing was our discovery of how we could add the signature Bel-Air pink in subtle ways: Nick’s poolboy shirt, Lopes’s tie, the poolside towels, the labels on the bottles, a flower arrangement, etc.
Another element of the design is the pool tile texture on the deck that grows and abstracts out like it’s going to take in the audience. You see the idea of the tile squares also reflected in the plexiglass panels that move throughout the show. They help frame different locations but are also used by the lighting designer to communicate different scenes by changing their color.
It’s a very simple set when you really look at it, but it offers a lot of flexibility and a fun backdrop for a show that has been constantly changing as we all discover new parts of the story to explore.
Q: What excited you about the piece?
A: I was actually in the audience of one of Niko’s cabaret shows two years ago and heard this song and the story behind it. Days later I was still humming it and begging more stories from Niko at the bar. I’ve watched this show being created from the very beginning and I feel very close to it. Niko, besides being quite a character himself, is also very passionate about his work. That passion, now with Janet on board as well, is infused throughout the show as well as the cast and designers. What started as a great song heard late one night from guy and a guitar has exploded into this major event, and that’s exciting.
Q: Why no pool?
A: I asked if we could break through the floor of the theatre and create a pool on the floor below, but I don’t think anyone took me seriously.
Really, there are a lot of practical reasons there’s not pool of course: budget, the deck of the theatre isn’t built to hold the weight, etc. But also, we’re only in the pool for one scene…what would you do with it the rest of the time? And aesthetically, creating a real pool is a very literal choice especially when the rest of the set is definitely not literal; for example we don’t really go into hotel room with walls and a door, we only suggest it. It’s more theatrical and imaginative to create a pool with glass and light almost instantly right before the audience. But that’s our answer for this production…who knows how we might solve that problem in another theatre space with new ideas and different resources? The possibilities are endless.
Q: In other news, you have your design for Freud’s Last Session in NYC. What was that move like and were changes needed for the new space?
A: The move went much better than I expected. With so many fragile pieces I was expecting some bad moments unpacking but everything arrived in great shape. I had been given the drawings of the new theatre well in advance of the move so I knew the set would fit into the space. We had to make some changes to the masking around the set but almost nothing needed to be changed to the set itself. The show looks great in its new home and my thanks goes out to the technical staff here and the group in NYC for making the move work so well. Here’s a sneak peak, a shot of the set taken during load-in…
