Rabbit Hole set
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Set Design and Construction
Forum Discription: Post your questions or suggestions about designing or building a set here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3560
Printed Date: 10/30/25 at 11:41pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Rabbit Hole set
Posted By: Bella
Subject: Rabbit Hole set
Date Posted: 10/26/08 at 1:30pm
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Anyone have any insight for set design on this piece. My stage is pretty rigid for design. I'm wondering if I could do an open concept living room/kitchen with an upper level for the bedroom. All would be visible all the time and focus would be done with lighting. Small theater space about 150 seat audience. Thanks in advance for your candid advice. |
Replies:
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 10/26/08 at 11:52pm
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I have done a few open multi zone sets, from time to time.
using lighting to define the area, which assists the punters & in turn helps the luvvies, to remember where they are.
however one thing I have found each time, your basic set idea is planned out, long before blocking & the rehearsal space is marked or spiked, from as soon as you can, if not sooner.
The worst one i have done was for 'Hotel Sorrento' a few years ago. The director could not grasp the concept, even though there was a model 7 scenoligy plans available.
Invariably she had actors talking thru walls & other ridiculous blocking aspects.
so much so one of the cast suggested, he should address the audience, before the show, to explain the set. I'm afraid I lost it there & spat the dummy.
 I must have been a bad shot, because I still missed the mark & the director could not understand, the fact that the audience would be able to see thru the walls into different rooms.It took her the full season to realise the audience actually can use their imagination & suspend disbelief as well, at the same time! Without having a road map or precurtain guided tour. { which I won out on eventually, so that the front of curtain bit, never happened. Because I threatened to pull the main fuses on the lights & have a smoke outside until the warm prop, finished his address to the punters. (Ahh the power of an Electrical Licences!  )]------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: theatremonkey
Date Posted: 12/28/08 at 4:25pm
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When we did A Christmas Story wehad a wall that went all the way across the stage with a front door, a basement door, and a door outside from the kitchen. Beside the front door there was a staicase that went up to Ralphie's bedroom. The bedroom had a bed, window, and and a big desk. On the lower level we had a kitchen set on the right side and a living room set on the left. Is that kind of what you're talking about? ------------- theatre monkey |
Posted By: DustinTurner
Date Posted: 3/24/11 at 11:19am
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I recently directed Rabbit Hole. Here's a link to our set design:
http://www.acpgallery.info/displayimage.php?album=380&pos=2 - http://www.acpgallery.info/displayimage.php?album=380&pos=2
You'll see more of it by scrolling through the photos.
We used the concept that Danny's death is the one reality all these people share. Also, everybody has something to hide. Therefore, Danny's room was the only one with real walls. The other walls were simply frames, which hid nothing.
Also, in the scene where Howie watches the video, instead of using voice-over, we actually filmed the segment at a local park and projected it onto the walls in Danny's room. It was very powerful and effective.
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