CHOPS

Assistant Scenic Designer

Emerson Stage, March 2011

director: Joe Antoun

scenic designer: Elizabeth Breda

lighting designer: Sammy Ross

 

Chops, written by Emerson student Kirin McCrory, was the 2011 winner of Emerson College's Rod Parker Prize for Playwriting. Every year, one student-written production is chosen to be a part of the Emerson Stage season. Chops is a feminist play set in an alternative Victorian universe where the main character, Marg, is suspected of killing off the men of the town. The entire play takes place in Marg's drawing room.A main responsibility of being the assistant scenic designer was the design of two wall sconces that hung above the audience to demarcate the walls of the drawing room. These sconces, each approximately three feet tall, were fully functional fixtures. When it came to designing the sconces, it was important for them to mesh with the overall look of Elizabeth Breda's set while still having a bit of individuality and personality. Blending elements from steampunk, classic Victorian design, and organic shapes was a challenge, but ultimately successful.