Cedars, November 2017

November 2017 15 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT a couple of feet to give the actors more room to move, and to give the stage a more visual depth. There is constant communication with the designer, whether that is shifting windows or deciding on different color choices. In professional theater, it is typical for de- signers to hand off their design and have little to do with the rest of the process. The next step is to begin the build, which normally starts with the ground plan. “The ground plan is just the overhead view of the set,” Phipps said. “Where are the walls going to fall? What are the heights of the levels or platforms that we use? Where are steps located? Where are exits located? Where are win- dows? All that.” The ground plan is then taped out on the stage floor and the set builders begin from the ground up. Then they move to putting in walls, doors and other finishes to the frame of the set. After that, it’s finally time to paint. To put things in perspective, the walls of the set for “The Diary of Anne Frank” took seven layers of paint. The process of designing and building a set is a long one. It takes countless hours and plenty of resources to come up with a finished project that satisfies not only the creators, but also the audience that comes to witness it. After the hours of planning and labor that go into pre- paring the stage, it will only exist for a couple short weeks before it is torn down. After the final performance, the strike team strikes, or tears down, the stage to prepare it for the next set design. So one may ask whether it’s all really worth the trou- ble. Isn’t theater about acting? Both Mullican and Phipps have a great understanding of the importance of the set in a production. “The actors can’t act without a set,” Mullican said. “It can add so much more to a production.” “We’re trying to bring the audience into the world of the show,” Phipps said. “To make it — make them — just be part of the show and be there. It comes through in all the different aspects. We want to wow the audience in many ways when we build things.” The Cedarville Theatre Department prides itself on its quality and professional level set design. The stage is built in order to help bring audiences into the world of the show as soon as they step into the theater. If you read this and you find yourself intrigued, make sure that you plan to see “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” in February of 2018. You may find yourself more appreciative of the new world you enter through the doors of the theater. Nathan Robertson is a junior broadcasting and digital media major and a writer for Cedars. He is an avid film watcher, an open-minded music lover, and a devoted Net- flix binger. Photo by Naomi Harward After the final performance ends, the strike crew is responsible for clearing the stage for the next set. Photo by Naomi Harward CU alumnus Tim Phipps has served as the Theater Department’s technical director/production manager for over 10 years.