Alice Through the Proscenium: more scenic set design

by Clare Devries

Overview

Alice Through the Proscenium is THE traveler's guide to the strange world of theater set design.

Written with wry humor and based on the author's wide experience in regional and civic theater at all budget levels, Alice takes the reader step-by-step through the process: first reading the script; then design, drawing, and modeling; into set building, painting, and dressing; and right through to final strike. Along the way, this slim volume explains working with the rest of the characters - the design and production teams of director, producers, designers, builders, and actors. Even how to deal with critics. Because not all the drama is on-stage.

Filled with examples and down-to-earth suggestions, Alice is a resource for both new and seasoned designers... who may find themselves laughing out loud. (Not all the humor is on-stage either.) Theaters, producers, and directors will find insight into theater sets and their designers.

There are comprehensive chapters on design methods and elements. The text has helpful illustrations, an index/glossary, tool and material lists, a romp through interior design history, and suggestions for further reading. The final chapters discuss film and television production design and the realities of a design career.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012257550
Publisher:	Wing'd Tower Press
Publication date:	02/24/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	115
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Clare Floyd DeVries is an architect, an award-winning scenic designer, a collage artist, and, at this moment, a writer…

She has a Bachelor of Architecture cum laude from Syracuse University and is a licensed architect in Texas with NCARB certification and thirty years experience. About ten years ago Clare hopped the fence into theater design - well, it looked like fun.

It is.

Alice Through the Proscenium is the result of all those notes Clare made to herself as she taught herself set design. (Often the note read: "Don't do that again!") As she stumbled her way around the stage, she fell into every possible pothole (no, that would be trap door, wouldn't it?), learning from most of the situations young theater designers struggle with. She brings wry humor to the job of Theater Tour Guide. And wide experience - having now designed well over a hundred professional regional and civic stage productions, one critically praised Indie film, and an obscure TV game show.

Clare has spoken and written on aspects of theater and production design to audiences including: the MFA scenic design program of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville; the Dallas Museum of Art/Dallas Film Society; kids’ summer theater camps; the Whedon Studies Association conference; her blog; a documentary film; assorted high schools; Stage Directions magazine; and the NPR series “American Stages.”

Well, and then there’s this book, of course.