Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Theatre Designer Gets First Professional Experience on The Repertory Project
 Megan Fallon, a senior majoring in theatre and art, can add her first professional scenic design credit to her resume after working on “The Crucible” and “She Stoops to Conquer” for The Repertory Project, a joint effort of The New Harmony Theatre, USI’s professional Equity theatre, and USI Theatre, its academic production arm. According to Fallon, designing one set to function for two very different productions presented a unique challenge. She said, “Combining the two worlds of these plays challenged me to be really creative. I had to merge their similarities, but at the same time, allow each play to retain its individuality. I also had to take into account budgetary constraints and the manpower required to quickly and easily transition between shows. The theatre faculty required that the set be changed from one production to the other in two hours or less.”Fallon defined the playing space with two dominant scenic elements: a canopy piece that measures 18 feet in diameter and a structured octagonal floor design. Fallon said that for both shows, the canopy provides the idea of a ceiling and gives the space a more intimate feel. “Around the Corner,” a willow sculpture installation by Patrick Dougherty commissioned by the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art in 2003, inspired Fallon’s design of the canopy. In “The Crucible,” Fallon said the canopy reflects “the tension between the natural world and the very rigid, structured way of life of the play’s characters, and it serves as a symbol of the ever-present danger that is pressing in on the community of Salem.” She continued, “Through lighting, the canopy takes on a more delicate feel in ‘She Stoops to Conquer,’ and the addition of a chandelier helps convert it to an abstract plaster ceiling.” Fallon chose the octagonal shape of the floor to echo both the natural, flowing form of a circle and the more rigid structure of a square. In “The Crucible,” it reflects the Puritan value of simplicity, while in “She Stoops to Conquer,” it serves as a sophisticated, structured pattern that represents the status of the Hardcastle family. Furniture choices and set dressing helped Fallon further distinguish the worlds of these two plays. For “The Crucible,” she designed furniture pieces that have “a very simple line and natural wood finishes instead of faux work.” The use of color in “She Stoops to Conquer” helped her underscore the play’s theme of love and marriage and the comedy that springs from mistaken identities and personality clashes between the characters in the play. According to Fallon, the light creams and golds she selected “reflect the frivolous personality of Mrs. Hardcastle, while the dark wood flooring and the punches of deep blue and red reflect the well-grounded, traditional character of Mr. Hardcastle.” In addition to designing the scenery for The Repertory Project, Fallon served as paint charge, props mistress, and graphic designer. She said, “Now that the two shows are up and running, I am looking forward to having a little more time to relax. This experience has required so much hard work, and it has been stressful at times, but it is also an opportunity I wouldn’t have had anywhere else. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” Fallon plans to study scenic design in graduate school starting next fall. She is a recipient of the USI Foundation Excellence in Learning Award and the president of USI’s chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatre honorary society. She is the daughter of Jim and Nancy Fallon of Columbus, Indiana. Amy Estes, managing/marketing director USI Theatre/The New Harmony Theatre aestes@usi.edu 812/465-7110 |
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