Looking back five years ago this month to 2007, I was working on a set design for "The Defenders," written and directed by Brian Frette. This play was done in association with the Zoo District Theatre Company, and was performed at the Inside the Ford Amphitheatre space. "The Defenders" was a stylized spin off parody of the popular television show, "The Avengers." The show was a success and full of dark humor, original music and exciting combat scenes. Our team earned five Garland Award Honorable Mentions for this production. I was also nominated as an Honorable Mention for Best Set Design.
Though this show was in many ways your typical small theatre experience with late nights and total exhaustion; this production was an incredibly rewarding and educational experience. I learned my physical limits and the depth of my dedication to theatre. I also learned to push my designs to be more functional while remaining very abstract. In the end, I was very pleased with the outcome of my scenery design which was only enhanced by strong collaboration with the lighting designer, Rachel Myles, and the director Brian Frette, who also did the props and furniture for the production. For me, this show was one of the "good ones" that comes along every once in a while and stays with you over time, reminding you why you love theatre.
