Well, OK, so I feel guilty. I haven't written anything yet about the set or lighting for Springer. I have just been being lazy and not doing shit for months. Yea, right. Actually, I have had a good amount of my energy expended trying to make a new theater space happen, and that has been a bit of a distraction.Then there is the fact that it was 15 degrees in the scenic shop for the past two weeks. Who in the hell wants to spend hours in sub-freezing air trying to build stuff?
I have got a design for the Springer set. As we usually do at New Line, we are taking the show seriously and because of that, I have tried to adapt the flavor of the real Springer set to our stage. Our stage is not nearly as tall and there is no way, with it's pie-wedge shape, to get the identical layout.So, I captured some of the key features. I started with the center brick wall and four metal pipes. A brick wall fills between the center two, and on each side is an areaway for the "guests" to come on stage. These are backed with a frosted industrial window upstage of the opening.
The fan is an icon that everyone has ever watched a Springer episode would recognize, so I have to include one. Like I said we do not have a lot of height, so instead of a full, walkable catwalk above, I am just doing a railing to suggest the catwalk. 
The show calls for a few cast members to make up a "studios audience" and Scott decided that they would be mic'd using a hanging mic. So, I had to separate them from the band to avoid the band being picked up and amplified in an uncontrolled way. I split them with the band down right and the "studios audience" down left. This leaves a nice playing area in the middle for the "guests".
I plan to re-use the same brick walls that I built for Rent behind the band and the big fan behind the "studio audience". The two big windows from Rent will make a repeat appearance in the two gangways.So, I just have to build the center portion.
The weather has warmed up and the shop is tolerable. This weekend is supposed to be GLORIOUS! So, I plan to get a few long days in building before the weather turns nasty again.
I will write an update when we have fresh things to show...
Rob
