Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2011 - 25

construction. There are practices common to academic
and professional theatres that need improvement, but many
lessons on environmental stewardship can be drawn from
the scenic studios and stages of today as well as more traditional approaches from the past.

lessons from scenic traditions

he term sustainability (a term derived from ecology
studies) in a generic sense means something that is supportable,
bearable, or enduring over the long term (Oxford 2010). Using
this definition and an examination of past scenic traditions, a
sustainable model develops.
Entire sets, multiple acts of operas, and productions of
the Ring Cycle were built out of nothing more than one-bythree pine, clout nails or wood screws, and yards of muslin
fabric with animal glues and some whitening. Scenery was
framed, covered, textured, repaired, and replaced for decades
with nothing more than those few products on the shelf and a
few recipes for textures. Little else was needed, or available,
although a good stock of dry pigments and someone who knew
how to use them was ideal.
Although today it is unheard-of to wash a flat, this onceprevalent method was practiced until the mid 1980s. The
concept is now foreign to academic theatre programs and
contemporary textbooks. Imagine that scenery construction
begins with everyone scrubbing clean the paint from a flat
back down to the raw muslin in preparation for applying
new sizing and painting new scenery on the same flat. The
supplies necessary to this process (dry pigment powder paints,
hide or gelatin glue, and whiting) have been supplanted by
ready-mixed water-based paints that are widely available.
But the principle should not be dismissed as it represents a
strong example of an exceedingly inexpensive and sustainable
methodology for scenery deeply rooted in theatrical tradition. A
modern audience enters the theatre with a sophisticated set of
aesthetic expectations that these past scenic techniques may not
meet. This, however, should not exclude the technique of nonpermanent paint binders and washing flats from consideration
as a meaningful application of sustainable principles to modern
scenery. Waste disposal issues may become the new issue to
address, but this is just one of the many lessons that can be
drawn out of traditional scenic techniques (Brockman 2011).

theatre sets: an Example

heatrical traditions are rooted in efficiency, reuse, and
low-cost solutions-all models for sustainability. The paradigm
of dry pigment paints and washing flats leads directly to other
examples that are deeply rooted in the construction of modern
scenery. In fact, the green construction industry is already
taking lessons from theatre as they implement two "new" ideas.

First is designing rooms in four-foot multiples to accommodate
standard-sized wallboard or plywood sheets. Second is the idea
of designing and engineering structures to be recycle-friendly
at the end of their lives by making the structure easier to
disassemble, and either recycle the materials or reuse them in
new buildings (Calif. Forest 2008). These two recommendations
are ingrained in theatre today. It is commonplace to design and
build scenery in four-foot increments to make the most efficient
use of standard size sheets. Furthermore, it is commonplace for
a scenery designer or technical director to carefully consider
how scenery is constructed with the goal of increasing the
amount of salvageable material during strike.
That regional and academic theatres commonly practice
these fundamental principles of scenery construction validates
the assertion that the majority of scenery is already sustainable
and conforms to green-construction ideals. The meticulous and
efficient designer or technical director who practices prudent
construction methods is likely to produce sustainable scenery.
Scene designers and technical directors are expected
to think outside the box in order to create unique and
interesting environments for performances. Sustainability,
however, tells theatre to look more carefully inside a box that
already exists. Theatre often teaches the idea of devising new
solutions to problems. Revisiting historic scenery methods,
theatre can develop modern sustainable theatre techniques.
For example, stage scenery is commonly built in a fashion that
is both modular and temporary. The concept of buildings as
temporary structures that can be systematically disassembled
so the materials can be recycled or salvaged for reuse is also
a relatively modern tactic for the building industry. Modular
homes are one example. Theatre has employed these measures
as common practice for decades, and even centuries.

sustainable scenery at indiana University

he reuse of stock platforms, flats and walls, and slop
paint is common to academic and regional theatre. The reuse
of these stock items as scenic materials is rooted in financial
incentives under the premise that reusing scenery elements
from show to show reduces overall costs. The scenographic
tradition of dry-pigment painting conforms to this concept. Just
because the reuse of stock scenery is financialy motivated does
not, however, discredit the end result that reusing platforms
and other scenic elements represents a strong sustainable
effort. Stock scenery is inherent in theatre, and, by continually
improving and refining approaches to stock, the result is
improved sustainable scenery.
To draw the discussion towards some tangible techniques,
the layout and management of a scenic studio plays an
important, though often overlooked, role in the efficient use
of materials. If a theatre endeavors to implement sustainable
scenery ideals in its scenic studio and stage scenery, a place to
start is by providing well-organized scrap wood storage. This

spring 2011

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2011