Digital model rendering

The budget allowed for the thrust addition to extend over the orchestra pit and the first row of seats. The Wall sat just 6'-6" behind the main curtain, effectively leaving 26' upstage of the Wall empty.

The wall was intentionally imposing, and along with building a thrust that extended over seats in the house, the action of the play was on top of the audience and no longer tucked into the safety of the stage. Much symbolism came with the wall. What was behind the wall? Was it keeping people out or people in?

Composite elevation and notes for The Wall.

Production photo. Beginning of Act II as we reveal the empty world behind the wall.

We had the timely benefit that at the time of this production, President Trump was still fighting for a wall to be built along the Mexican-United States border. The actors lining the wall felt exposed and incarcerated.

Painted on the lower/center of the wall were actual protest signs from both sides of the fight during the civil rights movement. Further up the wall the messages became figuratively and literally whitewashed. Embedded in the wall was a jukebox (or more like the wall grew around it, suffocating it like a disease) which was a catalytic element for the show.

Production photo. During "Jailhouse Rock" and the opening moments of the show.

The greyscale, whitewashed wall provided the perfect backdrop for projections. Many of the projections were contextual caveats—as if the scenes had asterisks hanging overhead to give clues to the subversive racism, sexism, or homophobia in a line, or simply the lived reality of the mid 1950s. The projections were a partner in the silent conversation being had between the troupe and the audience. I culled through the script with the director to find the best moments and how best to address them.

Ground plan and floor treatment notes.

The stage was dusty and desolate, with a circular road in the center—a roundabout with no way of escaping, with grooves in the pavement reminiscent of a record.

Rendering and notes for the stage extension.

Photo of preshow, with seats arranged.

The only other physical scenic elements centered around seats. I was struck by the importance of seats during civil rights: bus seats, school seats, diner seats, bench seats, having a “seat at the table,” “shut up and sit down,” etc. I wanted to single that element out, and give the director much to play with in the negotiation of seats. Even the motorcycles in the show were reduced to just their seats.

Rendering and production notes for Chad's motorcycle seat.

Production photo. Example of one of the "seats": Chad's Motorcycle.

Rendering and notes for one of the "seats": the bus seats.

Production photo. The actors lead the audience in a viewing of a newsreel-style video on 1950s America at the top of the show.

With over 150 projection moments in the show, there were easily more than one per minute. The biggest projection moments in the show were the two videos at the top and bottom of the show, and the projection mapping moment. At the top of the show when the cast is usually singing, the cast members instead seat themselves around the stage listening to the underscore of "Jailhouse Rock," and lead the audience in watching a video of news footage that presents the story of incarceration. It was a tough decision, but with certain graphic imagery, this video meant the show came with required trigger warning notices.

Production photo. Example of an interstitial moment between scenes as "work lights" come on and we see ASMs set the next scene while also performing costume changes with the actors in full view.