Fabricating a bunch of little pieces...

The set design for 3PO is pretty different from other things that I have done at New Line.  For the past two seasons, most of the sets have been fairly representational interpretations of real places.  Probably the most abstract set that I have done to date was for Bonnie & Clyde, where the set consisted of fragments of real things that became ghosts in the memories of the two outlaws.  But even for those fragments, the execution was realistic.  I wanted each of them to be readily identifiable as a specific place.  For the set for Three Penny Opera, I took a different approach all together.

I mentioned in my previous post that the influence for the aesthetic of this set grows from tudor-style London streets.  Probably the last vestiges of the old neighborhoods that dotted the London map 150+ years ago.  Those buildings, many dating back to Medieval times, would have been the "old neighborhoods" in 1830.

Since Scott is really staging this show, not only in 1830, but 1930 AND 2015, it was important that the set, while recognizable as Victorian London, must not BE Victorian London.  Therefore the structures are not realistic representations of those tudor structures, but abstractions of them.  They are skeletons of the buildings.

Well, therein lies all of the pieces.  The "bones" of those old buildings are the large, hewn timbers that made the framework.   Building that on the stage requires me to make a bunch of timbers.  But I am applying them to platforms on legs that have to hold actors, so it is not so simple as just whipping together some big styrofoam elements and painting them.  Most of the timbers have to hide actual structure, fitting around each element like a tailored suit.  They have to fit together precisely.  I realize that I may have to do a little customization and trimming to fit during load-in, but for the most part, they need to be a kit of parts that gets snapped on after the platforms are erected and braced.

What looks like a simple set with almost no moving parts has really turned into a complicated puzzle.  Making the pieces is not terribly difficult. Making them the right shape and taking into consideration how I am bracing the platforms and how they fit together is crazy hard...

I decided that I had to tackle one section at a time. Since it is essentially 3 "structures", I needed to focus on one structure and solve it, then move on to the next.  I decided to tackle the most intricate one first...Peachum's shop.  It has the most pieces and is the most lacy.

PEACHUM'S SHOP
To get the geometry right, I made the platform legs first, then put them under an 8' 2x4, essentially mocking up the front of the platform.  Then I made the "beam" that covers the platform face followed by 3 leg covers.  Once those were in place, I could take measurements to make up the lacework in the middle that represents the windows and intermediate timbers.

The upper portion of the structure was MUCH easier.  It is essentially a couple of flats in the shape of the pitched roof with 1-1/2" styrofoam applied to the surface.  That took almost no time.











GALLOWS
While our exchange student, Kee put a coat of black paint on al of the pieces for the shop, I turned my attention to the gallows.  It is attached
to the shop, but upstage a bit and thru an archway. So, visually it is in the background.  Also, because it is off to the side, it did not need to be so transparent.  but it IS tall...it will be 9' off the stage when fully installed.

Again started with the legs. It is a 4x4 platform and needed 3 full-length legs and one short on that set on the top of the shop platforms.  Those all got covered on 2 sides with luan to make them look 4" square.

The bracing on the tower got a lot simpler when I decided that, since it was upstage, it didn't need to be transparent, only look transparent. So, We made two flats that fit between the legs and applied the timbers to it, not unlike the roofline of the shop.  A base coat of black paint on those pieces and we can turn our attention to the next structure.

BARN

This week we will make the pieces for the barn using the same process as the shop.  The jail portion is really only a platform on legs with the jail bars from B&C applied to the front, so that will be easy. I already have the beams for the area above it, I just need to make a quick flat or two to mount them to.

Hopefully, this weekend, my attention can turn to making all of the furnishings and "junk" that we need to add detail to the set.
R