Pirates '98 Set Design Notes
by Jason Goodman

Overview 

The set is laid out in the "usual fashion", against the south wall of Sala,
with orchestra stage left (west).  Platforms lie along the U and R sides of
the stage.  The UR platform is 48" high; it has ramps leading down L and D to
16" high areas.  There are exits off the high platforms, through a "cave"
_beneath_ the high platform, upstage center, upstage left, and through the
audience from downstage right.

In Act I, the platforms represent a rocky outcrop alongside a shoreline.
Styrofoam cutouts shaped like rocky boulders block the view of backstage and
stage right.  The floor area is a "beach", leading to a shoreline at the foot
of the stage.  The shoreline curves toward the audience at extreme downstage
right, allowing the aisle exit along the sand.  Small "boulders" (pippin
boxes) are scattered around the stage, providing places for people to sit on
and hide behind.  Extreme upstage left has a low hedge, and behind it and the
boulders hangs the sky sheet.

In Act II, the "boulder" styrofoam sheets are removed, and new sheets
representing the ruined wall of a church are installed upstage and stage
right.  A broken archway entrance is in the upstage wall.  Six broken columns
are placed along the ramps UR.  The pippin-box "boulders" are rearranged to
form loose, crumbled walls L and D.  Gravestones are placed "outside" the
church walls DL.  A wrought-iron fence (like in Patience) is placed over the
"cave", converting it into a crypt.  In the UC wall is a broken stained-glass
window.

How to Build It

Platforms:

Platforms are stock sizes and shapes: everything is already owned by us or by
MTG except for one 4'x8' triangle.  The matching half of the plywood sheet
used to make MTG's existing triangle should still be in their area: frame that
with 2x4.

The facings of all platforms are of 1" styrofoam.  Glue it on using hot glue
(I think), and cut v-shaped grooves in it to show the crevices between the
boulders.  Round the edges of the facing where it meets the platform top and
where the facing turns a corner to make the platforms seem less flat and
angular.  Dent and bruise the styrofoam here and there with fists and feet to
increase texture.  Paint the platforms and facings medium gray (~50-50 mix of
Van Dyke Brown and white), and spatter with 25% and 75% gray.  Use a somewhat
darker gray in the crevices; emphasize shadows wherever possible.

Support: The 16" levels should be supported using 2x4 legs.  You may adjust
the platform levels up or down an inch if it means you can use legs from
stock.  See sketch for leg locations.  The 48" level and the ramps should be
supported by Dexion.  I will arrange for MTG to give us the key to their
Dexion cage: if you don't have it, it's not too difficult to climb over the
cage and pass girders through the bottom.  The attached sketch shows the
Dexion construction.  Design issues: must leave space for people to crawl
beneath for "cave entrance".  Prebuild as much of the Dexion as possible, but
make sure it's compact enough to fit in the truck for put-in, and complete the
build at put-in.

Ramps: Due to the funny angles, you must build these carefully, and make sure
they're solid before allowing people to walk on them.  Use strapping to shim
in the gaps made where the sloping ramp meets the flat platforms.  If you can,
attach the ramps to the platforms using carriage bolts.

Boulders:
There should be lots of blocky boulders scattered about on the platforms and
on the sand in act I; in act II, they are arranged in the form of broken-down
walls.  They're made out of Pippin boxes: cover the sides with styrofoam board
and then cut, dent, fold, spindle, and mutilate the styrofoam to make it look
less rectangular.  Do not cover all sides with foam; only the two or three
sides which the audience can see (front, left, and top, or front, left, and
right, or front and left).  Paint them all the same medium gray as the
platforms and spatter them.  (this design calls for tons of spattering; you
might try using a paint gun or something.