Playing with Imagined Set Pieces in the Rehearsal Space
While rehearsing a show, the actors do not have access to the actual set pieces or the theatre space where they will eventually perform. Instead, they use rehearsal cubes in varying sizes to approximate set pieces. This can make blocking (setting the stage movement) and rehearsing interesting, especially when moving into the theatre and finally interacting with the full set.
During this rehearsal process, director Adam Houghton emphasized to the actors taking the set into account when they were developing their characters and movements within the world of the show. This was accomplished by printing out the renderings and drafts of the set, designed by Cosette Philbrick and Rylie Graham, and hanging them in a prominent location in the rehearsal space.
Their set design utilizes periaktoi, which are rotating triangular, three-sided set pieces. They originate from Ancient Greece and can be used for rapid scene changes. Because the renderings were pasted on the wall of the rehearsal room, the actors could refer to them often.
There are many moments in the show when the actors take the opportunity to interact with the set. For example, while blocking Act 2 scene 5, the actors had to find places to hide using the set. In order to accomplish this without the set, the actors and director consulted the renderings, imagining the rehearsal blocks to be periaktoi.
