By BRANDON MULL
Set construction, costume creation, light design — all are important elements of a BYU main stage that play audiences can easily overlook.
Thousands of man hours go into the production of a main stage play at BYU.
The process begins with a selection committee, said Tim Threlfall, director of the upcoming musical “Children of Eden.”
“We ask if it’s appropriate for BYU. Lots of new material isn’t,” Threlfall said.
The committee tries to choose pieces the students can get excited about, Threlfall said.
Once a play has been selected, the director conducts meetings to communicate his vision for the show with key members of the production team.
Key players in such meetings include the choreographer, set designer, lighting designer, music director, costume designer, properties designer and stage manager.
The director needs to unify the efforts of the production’s many creators.
“My job is to make sure everyone’s art goes back to the initial concept — so it all looks like it belongs on the same stage,” Threlfall said.
Each designer leads a team that helps make plans a physical reality.
The set designer works closely with a technical director, who in turn leads a team of craftspeople, said Randy Mugleston, technical director for “Children of Eden.”
“I consider myself an artist because I have to translate mechanical elements into an artistic picture the audience will view,” Mugleston said.
Mugleston examines the set design and plans how to construct it. He begins his efforts about two months before a play opens. Among his deliberations are what materials to use, how many man hours to allocate to individual projects, and whether a design can be realized given the budget, he said.
Once plans are set, Mugleston orders whatever materials he needs through an expediter. Then his team of 15 workers spends four to five weeks carrying out his plans.
Costume creation constitutes another facet of the finished production. Searching the script and communicating with the director provide necessary background for designing costumes, said Janet Swenson, costume designer for “Children of Eden.”
A costume team helps Swenson’s designs become tangible. Emily Hoem, 23, a graduate student in theater design and technology from San Jose, Calif., is in charge of crafts for “Children of Eden.”
Crafts include parts of the costume other than the actual garments — including hats, shoes, gloves and embellishments to fabric, Hoem said.
Hoem has to interpret the renderings she is given to make the crafts needed for a show.
“Sometimes items look great in the shop but look different under the stage lights. We are constantly adjusting things,” Hoem said.
From the broad plans of designers, to the specialized efforts of painters and carpenters, a BYU main stage play blends the efforts of dozens of individuals to create an enjoyable experience for audiences.
