fbpx Design | HowlRound Theatre Commons

Design

In this section, you’ll find content that relates to theatrical design—including lighting, sound, projections, costumes, properties, set, makeup and hair, intimacy design, and stage combat. There is a huge range of topics covered here, but a great place to start is the series Design (in a Time of Reckoning), which uplifts the work of the design community and asks, What would it mean to have a culture of justice in theatrical design?

The Latest

Aerial Performance in a Wheelchair 
Podcast
Aerial Performance in a Wheelchair 
by Tjaša Ferme, Laurel Lawson
7 March 2024
A Circus Robot’s Death-Defying Act 
Podcast
A Circus Robot’s Death-Defying Act 
by Tjaša Ferme, Josh Corn
8 February 2024
Quipu: an Ancient Incan Recording Device 
Podcast
Quipu: an Ancient Incan Recording Device 
by Tjaša Ferme, Lucrecia Briceno, Eamonn Farrell
18 January 2024
The Teachings of Treefall
Essay

The Teachings of Treefall

24 September 2016

Scenic Designer Stephanie Kerley Schwartz shares her process for designing Henry Murray’s Treefall, which inspired her to work on HeatWave, a project connecting environmentalists and theatre artists.

Lighting and Media Design Part 1
Essay

Lighting and Media Design Part 1

5 September 2016

In this installment, Daniel Fine discusses working with lighting designers, explaining how color temperature and palette, and brightness of projections impact the media design for a production.

The Language of Objects
Essay

The Language of Objects

A Puppeteer in Five Acts

25 July 2016

In this installment of La Esquinita, puppeteer Stephanie Diaz shares her journey to puppetry and discusses her creative process.

Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender
Essay

Who Designs and Directs in LORT Theatres by Gender

Phase Two

25 June 2016

Porsche McGovern unveils the results of the latest phase of her study of LORT theatre designers. 

La Esquinita
Essay

La Esquinita

Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

27 May 2016

In this installment, Scenic Designer Tara Houston shares her journey to discovering her career and offers advice on lessons that she’s learned along the way.

Set and Media Design Part 2
Essay

Set and Media Design Part 2

3 May 2016

In this installment, Dan Fine continues his discussion about the intersection of media and scenic design, further examining production needs and considerations.

Political Stage Design
Essay

Political Stage Design

23 April 2016

How does Air Force One end up as a backdrop for a presidential debate? Bryce Cutler, a scenic and media designer, considers stage design for presidential debates.

Costumes and Makeup
Essay

Costumes and Makeup

Designing Temporary Body Modification

15 April 2016

Costume Designer M.L. Hart parallels the principles and concepts of costume and makeup design to body modification.

Set and Media Design, Part 1
Essay

Set and Media Design, Part 1

21 March 2016

In this installment, Daniel Fine discusses the relationship between the scenic designer and media designer, advocating direct collaboration earlier in the production process.

La Esquinita
Essay

La Esquinita

Arnulfo Maldonado

11 March 2016

In this installment, Scenic and Costume Designer Arnulfo Maldonado discusses his process and working relationship with Director Ken Rus Schmoll.

The “Real World” Dilemma
Essay

The “Real World” Dilemma

Successfully Transitioning from Student to Practitioner in the Theatre Arts

20 February 2016

Christina Cook describes her transition from an MFA program into life as a freelance designer.

Media Design and the Director
Essay

Media Design and the Director

22 January 2016

In this installment, Dan Fine discusses his background in directing and offers suggestions for directors working with media designers.

La Esquinita
Essay

La Esquinita

Pablo Santiago

15 January 2016

In the first bilingual installment of the series, Tara Houston profiles Lighting Designer Pablo Santiago about his inspiration and process.

Tennessee Williams’ The Mutilated Comes Home to New Orleans
Essay

Tennessee Williams’ The Mutilated Comes Home to New Orleans

15 December 2015

Brad Rhines reviews Cosmin Chivu’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ The Mutilated at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans.

Shaking the Box of Tradition
Essay

Shaking the Box of Tradition

6 December 2015

Scenic designer Joe Klug considers how the proscenium stage impedes engagement and connection with an audience.

La Esquinita
Essay

La Esquinita

Courtney Flores

22 November 2015

In the second installment, Regina García profiles Costume Designer Courtney Flores, who discusses her working relationship with Campo Santo.

Impulse and Desire
Essay

Impulse and Desire

Finding Humanity in Alchemy of Desire/Dead Man’s Blues

7 November 2015

Emerson College student Andrew Siañez-De La O writes about RareWork’s Theatre Company’s production of Caridad Svich’s Alchemy of Desire/Dead Mans Blues.

Accounting for Media in the Production Schedule—Part 2
Essay

Accounting for Media in the Production Schedule—Part 2

6 November 2015

In this seventh installment, Daniel Fine continues discussing workflow, highlighting key elements for media design in the production process.

Letting Go
Essay

Letting Go

How Collaborating with Designers Has Helped My Control Issues

2 November 2015

Director Lisa Bohn discusses her experience collaborating with designers for a production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Accounting for Media in the Production Schedule
Essay

Accounting for Media in the Production Schedule

29 October 2015

In the sixth installment, Daniel Fine discusses how to schedule workflow for media design during the production process.

The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition 2015 Collaboration Award Gala
Video

The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition 2015 Collaboration Award Gala

Sunday 25 October 2015
New York, NY, United States

The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition and all its member organizations celebrated the winner, honored finalists, and finalists of the 2015 Collaboration Award, designed to encourage professional women in the arts and media from different specializations to work collaboratively on an arts or media project, livestreamed at howlround.tv on Sunday 25 October at 3 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York). In Twitter, follow @WomenArtsMedia and @HowlRoundTV and use hashtags #CollabAwards and #howlround.

Are Theatre Artists Hardwired?
Essay

Are Theatre Artists Hardwired?

19 October 2015

Are you born to be a theatre artist? A three-year study on theatre artists compares how this group stands out from the average population.

La Esquinita
Essay

La Esquinita

Lupe Valdez

17 October 2015

In this first installment, Courtney Flores profiles Lupe Valdez, Costume Designer and Founding Member of El Teatro Campesino.

Media Design in the Rehearsal Hall Part 3
Essay

Media Design in the Rehearsal Hall Part 3

1 October 2015

In the fifth installment of his series, Daniel Fine wraps up his discussion on how to utilize media design in the rehearsal hall.

One Thirty-Second of an Inch to the Left
Essay

One Thirty-Second of an Inch to the Left

A Measured Look at Puppet Building

3 September 2015

Puppet builder Matthew Laird discusses the joys and challenges of crafting puppets for live performance.