Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2017 - Public - 32

ize that they can, and likely should, ask for specific details. I
work with them to understand some basic guidelines of flat
construction like:
a. The need for there to be framing to the outer edges of
the flat
b. The need for framing to support the seams of the
lauan being used as the hard cover (if the flat is larger
than 4 x 8 foot
i. This discovery leads them to see the need to figure
out the lauan layout before we can identify where
the framing needs to be placed.
ii. At this point, the three-question cycle may start
again around the question of how to arrange the
lauan covers.
c. Is there necessary information that has not yet been
supplied? This often leads to a discussion about the
dialogue between technical directors and designers.
3. What are you doing? This question is asked at the end
of the process as a way to re-center the investigator, who
at this point is potentially so full of information that the
path is still unclear. In the case of this flat drawing, the answers range from "trying to get through this assignment" to
"trying to understand the thought process that a technical
director goes through when building flats."
There is no wrong answer to question three because
the answer helps inform everyone involved in the discussion about the level of commitment and investment the

MFA

respondent has made to the project. Because this introductory class is filled predominantly with first-year students,
I find that many of the students have never before been
challenged to express their level of interest in a project. Admitting (acknowledging) their level of interest and commitment is an important step in establishing the context
and identifying the framework within which the decisionmaking process is being developed. And to be clear, it is
an effective process that is being developed, rather than an
emphasis on the product or output. Many times, we make
bad decisions because we are focused on the decisions as
singular events rather than processes. We spend too much
time focusing on making the right decision rather than
focusing on choosing the right decision-making process
(Roberto, 2009). The three questions are tools that help
students break the larger question into its key components,
making the information easier to process and the context
easier to see.
The flat drawing assignment helps define the context
within which the decisions need to be made. A flat of a
different size and shape, with a different material, or of
a different style will change the context, resulting in different choices. And even within the prescribed context,
there can be more than one answer. The word "choices" is
intentional: We do not make decisions in a vacuum of absolute terms. Rather, we make decisions based on available
choices. Therefore, we can help students develop their de-

THEATRE AS
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FIND YOUR EDGE.

ACTING
COSTUME PRODUCTION
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