If the play is about the joy and freedom of nature, then the designer could use flowing water on stage to symbolize life and joy. For instance, if the play's point of view is about restriction and frustration, then the designer could use the metaphor of a brick wall that blocks the characters from reaching their goals. Sometimes the stage designer will find a visual metaphor about the play. This is where art departs from realism and the design becomes more powerful.
It is the designer's job to find this point of view and express it through the art of design. Usually there is a deeper meaning within the story that connects with the designer and audience. However, there is more to the art than just recreating reality. For instance, if the play takes place in a diner, then the stage designer can easily recreate that diner on stage. Stage designers must create sets, costumes, sound, and lighting to serve the purpose of the play. The main function of stage design is to support the story of the play. So how does a stage designer achieve this? Below are some basic principles and functions that all stage designers follow to create the world of the play. It is the designer's job to create a physical and theatrical world that enables the actor to do this. What Jones was saying is that the actor's job is to tell the story of the play. The famous American director and stage designer Robert Edmond Jones said that the primary function of a stage designer is support the natural powers of the actor. From a simple painted backdrop to sophisticated LED projection screens that can project almost any image imaginable, the stage designer has always been an indispensible member of the creative production team. Over the many centuries of theatre, all over the world stage designers have created their amazing art for plays, musicals, operas, and worship productions. She is the mother of beginnings and endings, constantly working and healing.Photo courtesy of New Life Church, Conway, Arkansas. She keeps it real, reminding you to start with a solid foundation while building you up through the hardships.Ī realm of knowledge, Earth represents strength and prosperity. The heart of life, Earth is stable, grounded and fertile.
She is Water: powerful enough to drown you, gentle enough to cleanse you, deep enough to save you.Ĭalm like the sea yet possessing the force of a tsunami, Water is constantly flowing, resilient despite any obstacles that may come in her path - shaping the landscape of the world along the way. Fire represents our burning need for energy, transformation, and inner strength. Her flames are a force to be reckoned with. Fire can illuminate your way or destroy your path. She has an innate intensity, both compelling and passionate. Air represents our perpetual desire to keep moving and learning.įorging will and determination, Fire provides the light that burns in every soul. Invisible yet powerful, and ever elusive - all life starts from her. Air is as fresh as a summer breeze and as unpredictable as a ravaging storm. She allows you to breathe and open your soul to freedom. Like the winds of change, Air is constantly in motion. While every element possesses its own unique properties, they work simultaneously to create a united universe. These four elements of nature are the pillars of everything we are surrounded by and everything we carry within. Each essential to life, each a powerful force of nature that can make or break you, working together in perfect harmony. We are surrounded by four elements: air, fire, water, earth.