Lindy McCool never expected that part of her job description would be working with explosives, but that is exactly what she has to do.
As the set crew head for Bearden’s theater department, McCool helps guide the set crew on projects and helps make decisions on new ideas and design elements. For this year’s production of Treasure Island, that means she will have to work to create explosions.
“I did not know we were going to use explosion effects until I watched the show and read the script,” McCool said.
“Any kind of explosions at a high school level are very unexpected, but I’m sure we can create an effect that leaves a good impression on the audience and is safe for our actors and [crew].”
Over the past few years, director Ms. Katie Alley has overseen a variety of creative set ideas for her shows – from an on-stage pool in Metamorphoses to painting the floor in Arabian Nights. This spring, the set crew has been tasked with creating a set for Treasure Island, which presents a unique set of challenges.
“One thing that will be different about Treasure Island’s set design is that it is not one stationary unit,” Ms. Alley said. “Typically, almost all my plays have had one stationary set that didn’t move, but this year, we have a big piece that is the inn and the ship, and that will leave the stage, and then we have other pieces that will roll on to create the island and the caves.”
Ms. Alley has a reputation for creating impressive sets, but this has not created pressure to outdo her work in previous years. Rather, she simply has an expectation of excellent work.
“I have high expectations of myself and my students,” Ms. Alley said.
Alisa Apostaoei, who is both a part of the set crew and an actor in the show, understands these expectations.
“This play is incredibly whimsical and has a very storybook feel,” she said. “We are all a bunch of pirates on a ship sailing for treasure, and I can confidently say both as an actor and a crew member that the set for this show is essential.
“We have to create settings that are not only incredibly different from one another, but also on a budget.”
Added McCool: “This set is much different from my other jobs because most of those are many small set pieces, whereas this show is a few extremely large set pieces, which poses challenges like moving pieces as well as filling the open space on the pieces with decor of the time, period, and location.”
In addition to the mobile set, the set crew will have to learn how to implement new features that they have little experience with – such as a flying parrot.
“The other piece, which is really props, that will be tricky is that we have to have a parrot, Captain Flint, who is a puppet,” Ms. Alley said. “Sometimes Flint has to fly across the stage, so our plan is to have three puppets, one that is up on a zipline.
“Those are things I’ve never done before that I’m just kind of learning how to do.”
Treasure Island promises an exciting show, with explosions, sword fights, caves, and more, and these features will require hundreds of hours to perfect.
“Outside of school, rehearsal time is about 300 hours in a semester,” Ms. Alley said. “That doesn’t count in-school time, and it doesn’t count prep time, so it is a huge undertaking, but it’s fun.
“I love that it’s always a new show. It’s gonna be a great show.”
Opening night is April 19, and tickets will be available at beardentheatre.com once they go on sale.