Set Design and Construction: Christmas Carol NO SET CHANGE

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Christmas Carol NO SET CHANGE

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=5119
Printed Date: 4/19/25 at 7:10am
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Topic: Christmas Carol NO SET CHANGE

Posted By: Legacy Theater
Subject: Christmas Carol NO SET CHANGE
Date Posted: 7/07/11 at 2:48pm

Hello Everyone,

We are looking into doing the traditional Christmas Carol, Dickens. We have never had it done in our area and we are looking forward to the challenge.

The problem . . . We use a church sanctuary for our stage. There really isn't an option for set changes. We have no curtain and if we do set changes, the audience will see everything.

Do you think it's possible to do Christmas Carol in this fashion? I know there are numerous set requirements, but if anyone has a "non-traditional" idea, I'd love to hear it!

Thanks,
Erika

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Erika Hose
President Legacy Theater Company

Replies:

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 7/08/11 at 9:12am

What about rear projection? The projection surface hangs in place, the image changes--interior, streetscene, graveyard.

I'd personally for Christmas Carol prefer alternating between silhouette screen and rear projection. So for instance Kratchett's family is shown seated a table behind the screen in silhouette, while the exterior scene shows a street projected on the screen. Scrooge's gravestone is in silhoutte, but the party scene is rear projected with the performers in front.

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The theater scrim people

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 7/08/11 at 6:37pm

THe last few years I have so gotten away from sets. It is amazing what you can do without a set. Keep stuff to a bare minumum, just take it off and on. Dim lights if you like. A lamp post. A gravestone (stryofoam works great) a small table. A simple bed.

Less is more. The audience will fill in the blanks, and the whole thing will take on a magical quality.

Posted By: Legacy Theater
Date Posted: 7/28/11 at 10:49am

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am with you Maji. I have also simplified things. I think if the actors and story are top quality, the show will be awesome.

Thanks for the advice on projection. Unfortunately right now we don't have that ability :(

I will keep thinking out of the box for set ideas!

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Erika Hose
President Legacy Theater Company

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 7/28/11 at 1:25pm

Some of the most amazing theatric things I have seen have been done with almost nothing. Never underestimate the power of your audience's imagination.

Working with less...you need to start with less, right from the start of the show. The audience will "get it" right away.

Projection, skrims etc, all that is wonderful in a full theatre setting. But not at all neccessary. I work in so many diff venues, the shows I put together are all kept simple. And like I said above, it has been sooooo good for me, less to hassle with, more time to spend on cast/show, easy to load in/out, just so much better. Go for it.

Posted By: ctguerin
Date Posted: 8/26/11 at 9:13am

I have always been a fan of keeping the set to a minimum, let the actors "set" the stage. Do you have many lighting options? We recently did The Crucible with a bare stage and only a few set pieces and lots of lighting changes. It was an incredible production. You don't have to get that elaborate with the lights, going with warm tones for happy, upbeat scenes and cool tones for scenes with Scrooge will provide a wonderful under tone for the actors. Good luck!