Dead Design

Q: What was the biggest challenge that you had in designing the Night of the Living Dead set?

CFA: Well, the biggest challenge for that set was, because the stage at the Hippodrome is so small, to create a set with the main acting areas are above and below, to signify living room and cellar. Also, we're not only limited in size in terms of width and depth, but also in terms of height. Every time that we have a two-story set at the Hipp, we have to be really careful with the scale. So scale becomes extremely important.

Q: And how did you approach the challenge of fitting all of that action into the space that you're given?

CFA: Carefully. Every inch counts, so you have to be very clever with the way you scale down the doors, the openings, the windows, the walls, and the furniture. Sometimes I just do a rendering [of the set design], but in this one I built the model just to make sure that the director and everybody else understood what we were dealing with.

Q: What's the most exciting thing to you about the set design?

CFA: Well, it's that. There's never been a set where the main acting area is up and then you go down to the basement, so it was exciting doing that on the mainstage.

Q: What's different about designing the set for this show as compared to a regular comedy or drama?

CFA: I don't think there's anything different. I approach everything the same way. Of course, each director is going to influence you, because each has a concept about the show of what they want to do, and you just take it from them and follow through.

Q: Speaking of working with the concept of the director, what about the concept of this show was challenging or fun for you?

CFA: Lauren, the director, of course, has a lot of input…actually the script is very specific in terms of action, so a lot of [the concept] is found in by the script, but since the show is being localized in Alachua County, rather than Pennsylvania, the visualization of greenery in the scenic design has changed.

Q: What is your favorite thing about this play, in general?

CFA: Well, in a play like this, I think it's realizing all the special effects, whatever they are. We're in the process now of creating them, and seeing what works and what doesn't, and that's the most exciting thing about the show. Especially when you're doing a show like this, everybody has expectations because of the success of the film, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to repeat it, but it's developing those things that are going to make the story come to life and make it scary onstage. So, the challenge is creating that successfully for the audience.