OTHER PROJECTS

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SCENIC DESIGN

THE BUISNESS OF SAYING GOODBYE

White Mouse Productions | February 2021

DESIGN CONCEPT

Dodge’s Pizza and Bar is small and rundown pub where late night guests often find themselves. Despite the dirt and grime that never seem to come off the floors, the bar has a surprisingly homey charm, clearly cared for by its owners.

The walls are adorned with memories: writings left by countless drunken patrons over the years, mismatched chairs at each table, and framed pictures and playbills lovingly preserved by the owners to honor those who have come and gone. Every nook and cranny of the bar holds a piece of its history.

Yet, the charm doesn’t deter the rowdy and trashy guests, leaving behind their spills and vomit with a crumbled one dollar bill left as gratitude. But as the only restaurant open after 2 AM, such disarray becomes the way of life.

That’s why there are workers to clean up the mess and keep the oven hot, because, well, someone has to.

THE GLASS MENAGERIE

UNREALIZED PRELIMINARY SET CONCEPT

DESIGN CONCEPT

This set design is inspired by Salvador Dalí’s The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory. Framed through Tom’s perspective, the stage becomes a surreal landscape overflowing with the themes, symbols, and emotional weight he attaches to his memories. Ladders, fire escapes, and windows dominate the space, emphasizing the mundane city life from which Tom longs to escape. Along the upper border, a glowing movie-theatre marquee highlights his frequent attempts to seek adventure and distraction in cinema.

Research on Memory in Salvador Dali Paintings

Downstage, an elevated platform introduces varied levels and allows the audience to see actors even when they move behind furniture. Sheer curtains divide this area, suggesting the separations between rooms, such as the kitchen. The downstage wall continues the motif of windows, which gradually transition into picture frames displaying snapshots of memories, including moments from the play itself. At the center hangs a photo of the family’s absent father, paired with a fire-exit sign pointing stage left, a visual metaphor for his escape, and a looming hint that Tom will ultimately leave in the same direction.

Centerstage features a dining table, a daybed, a coffee table, and a side table topped with a phonograph. A rug in the middle is designed to resemble a vinyl record, symbolizing both the significance of music in the story and the idea that we are stuck in a loop inside of Tom’s mind.

Overall, the design is intentionally crowded. It reflects Tom’s inner landscape and conveys the feeling of being trapped inside his own recollection, overwhelmed by guilt and unable to escape the events that continue to haunt him.

SketchUp 3D Rendering

HAMLET

UNREALIZED PRELIMINARY SET CONCEPT

DESIGN CONCEPT

Designed for a thrust stage, this set centers around a unique and symbolic architectural choice: the playing space itself is shaped like a sword or dagger. This repeating motif underscores the bloodshed and violence that culminate in the final act. Shadows also play a major role in the design. Multiple staircases and varied elevations are incorporated specifically to interact with lighting, creating stark, dramatic shadow work. A downstage platform allows actors to stand beneath it, concealing themselves in darkness, a practical reflection of the many moments in the play when characters spy on or observe one another from hiding.

Research on Gothic Architecture

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SketchUp 3D Rendering

In addition, the downstage and side walls feature gothic-style windows, each could be paired with a lighting unit placed behind them to cast intricate shadow patterns onto the stage. Alongside the structural columns framing the thrust, these windows serve as the clearest visual markers of the royal family's nobility and the world of courtly Denmark.

On each side of the set, piles of broken bricks and debris symbolize the slow rot encroaching upon the kingdom under the treachery of the new king, as well as the psychological decay experienced by the characters. Wood and stone elements appear worn, distressed, and fractured to reinforce this atmosphere of decay.

The design embraces minimal scenic additions to maintain focus on the architecture. For example, the tapestry through which Polonius is killed could be hung from the railing, but larger elements, such as the Queen’s bed, would be omitted so the stage remains uncluttered, allowing the decaying world to speak for itself.

MARKETING

Marketing Director of White Mouse Productions

May 2025- Present

@whitemouseproductions

ANNA COLLINS

OTHER PROJECTS

SCENIC DESIGN

HAMLET

MARKETING