Blues for an Alabama Sky
Written by: Pearl Cleage
Photo by Daniel Rader
For the show Blues, we needed to create a deck that served as two apartment interiors, the building space between them, the sidewalk out front, and the stoop of the building. Although this meant almost all stock platforms being used, it also meant some custom builds thrown into the mix.
Method: 2x4 platforms glued and screwed. Plywood lid glued and screwed on after being notched via circular saw with a jig.
Custom notched platforms
Co-lead deck prep and load-in.
This task felt like a monumental one and lots of great experience. Me and the Lead Carpenter Alec were tasked with laying out our stock and custom built platforms in the paint shop. We covered the deck in Maso and faced visible sections, then had to strike and load it all in once painted.
Method: Leg stock lip and ledger platforms then build from bottom layer up. Maso went over top and followed a different pattern. Inside along the plaster line is a short fire wall with thick sheet rock as the set did cover both sides of fire curtain.
Brick header walls
The set for Blues was two apartments and the area out front of the building. I order to create the feeling of other buildings or apartments, the designer added these header walls with windows and crown molding (not pictured).
Method: Attach 3 broadway flats using plywood and hogtrough to create a box. Face the front and any sides seen by the audience. Brick was added with liquid nails and narrow crowns. It was made of a formed paper pulp.
Some projects en-Door…
This set actually had a good few doorways in it, however not all of them received the honor of doors. Each apartment had a door into a room further in that went off-stage. These were the doorways I was responsible for building.
Method: 1x4 framed Hollywood style flat. Oversized doorway opening and bottom rail to be cut upon door installation. Frame is glued and medium crowned, facing is glued and narrow crowned, then it is given a pass of joint compound and sanding for a smoother and more uniform surface.
Photo by Daniel Rader
Directed by Candis C. Jones
Scenic Designer Sydney Lynne; Costume Designer Danielle Preston; Lighting Designer Adam Honoré; Sound Designer Fabian Obispo; Hair, Wigs, and Makeup Designer Earon Chew Nealy; PSM Hope Villanueva
Technical Director Tom Minucci; Assistant Technical Directors Chris Konstantinidis and Vega Hernandez; Scenic Charge Kelly Sherlock; Lead Carpenter Alec Westmoreland; Carpenters Olivia Nyman, Lily Rehberg, Hailey Sanchez, and Catina Schneck