Set and Lighting Design
Act II, Scene I
Scenic Design, Colors, Lighting, & Symbolism
Scenic Design, Colors, Lighting, & Symbolism
Act II, Scene I is set in the hallway of the bride’s home as she is getting ready for her wedding. Guests arrive during this time, and she is confronted by Leonardo, who makes many people tense due to his presence. Everything in this scene is white; from the walls to her dress to the chair she is seated in, the set is almost entirely white. In this context, white is symbolic of her wedding. White has also represented purity and innocence throughout history, and in this scene, the bride’s innocence is questioned when the audience learns she is suspected of cheating on her fiancé. We used the stage directions from the script to get ideas of what the set would look like. One of the most important quotes was, "The hallway of the Bride's house. The doorway is at the back. It is night. The Bride appears wearing a white petticoat heavy with lace and embroidery, and a white bodice. Her arms are bare. The Maid is similarly dressed," (Lorca). This gave us an understanding of what the scene and lighting would look like, as well as the colors the bride was wearing.
We have designed the set to be a hallway consisting of walls angled diagonally with a doorway at the back of the stage. The walls are white with mirrors on them, symbolizing reflection, as the bride reflects in this scene on what she has done (possibly with Leonardo) and contemplates whether or not to go through with the wedding. Another main symbol in this scene is orange blossoms, which are small white flowers that a bride wears. Historically, orange blossoms are a symbol of honor and dignity. In this scene, many characters discuss whether or not the bride has too many orange blossoms, which points to the fact that she may have little to no honor.
Act II, Scene I takes place in the evening, and we were hoping to have a very natural lighting design. Moonlight will stream in from the windows, bright enough that everything is clearly seen, but dim enough to appear to be nighttime. As the scene grows tense, the lighting will follow. At the moment where the bride and Leonardo are arguing and screaming at one another, the light will have a more red tint to it, symbolizing passion and anger. When the scene is less tense and the guests are talking amongst each other, the light will be a cooler blue-white. This will soften the stage and reflect the colors of moonlight. Overall, since the set is completely white, the scene will rely on the lighting to convey the mood. As the moods change, so shall the lights, adding to the intensity of the scene.
We have designed the set to be a hallway consisting of walls angled diagonally with a doorway at the back of the stage. The walls are white with mirrors on them, symbolizing reflection, as the bride reflects in this scene on what she has done (possibly with Leonardo) and contemplates whether or not to go through with the wedding. Another main symbol in this scene is orange blossoms, which are small white flowers that a bride wears. Historically, orange blossoms are a symbol of honor and dignity. In this scene, many characters discuss whether or not the bride has too many orange blossoms, which points to the fact that she may have little to no honor.
Act II, Scene I takes place in the evening, and we were hoping to have a very natural lighting design. Moonlight will stream in from the windows, bright enough that everything is clearly seen, but dim enough to appear to be nighttime. As the scene grows tense, the lighting will follow. At the moment where the bride and Leonardo are arguing and screaming at one another, the light will have a more red tint to it, symbolizing passion and anger. When the scene is less tense and the guests are talking amongst each other, the light will be a cooler blue-white. This will soften the stage and reflect the colors of moonlight. Overall, since the set is completely white, the scene will rely on the lighting to convey the mood. As the moods change, so shall the lights, adding to the intensity of the scene.
See the lighting collage with our initial inspirations, the ground plan of our set, and check out the photos of our model, finished and lit.