Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 1985 - 11

terested in working with those people.
I'm in theatre because it's an art form,
not because it's a business. The older I
get the more protective I get of myself
and what I work on. I think it works
out to my advantage.
KELLOGG: It is a bit of a luxury
though.
LOBEL: It is, but it's a luxury anyone
serious about their art must take.
KELLOGG: Don't you have the bottom line of paying the rent?
LOBEL: Yes, of course, but it doesn't
seem to be all that much of a problem
to work on things worth working on

perfect, they'll shoot you down, which
is not true of the men. They get two
chances.
LANDESMAN: The stakes are so high
on Broadway that ultimately it comes
down to economics. No producer who
is already taking this three million dollar flyer off the top of a roof is going to
take yet another additional shot and go
out and hire a young, relatively untried
woman. A mistake that she makes
could cost the guy a half million
dollars.
ROBBINS: Or even a man, wouldn't
you say?

Carrie Robbins' design for Raggedy Ann at the Elllpire S{({te Music Festival,

and to pay the rent.

LANDESMAN: They're more inclined

KELLOGG: That's really lucky.

to take a shot with a young man. My
whole theory on this has to do with soft
and hard materials. It's related to architecture. How many famous and successful women architects are there?
Very few. The reason there are so many
\\'omen lighting designers and costume
designers is because it's a soft material.
Even lighting design is about a soft element that is controlled by sensitivity,
and instinct. Traditionally those are the
things that men understand women can
do \\'ell. Set design is about hard materials. Of course women are not associated with those things.
KELLOGG: Heidi came up with one
of the great all-time images, the risk
image, about how being a director is an
enormous risk. The scenery, as far as
the director is concerned, is an enor-

think that's extraordinary.
LOBEL: Maybe I am lucky but it
comes from being fairly firm and developing meaningful relationships with
directors and people I really want to
work with. I would rather scrape together an existence and develop my
work. I think it helps in the long run to
work on things you feel something
about, and with people who you really
carc something about. They will use
your work better and your work will
look better. The business guys who
might not have taken you seriously will
see what you'\'e done and that it works
well. Then you staft gelling bigger
business jobs, and a stronger voice.
KELLOGG: It is true that you have got
to protect the work. If the work is not

mous risk. Therefore the designer is an
enormous risk. If you were a man,
would you choose a woman to guard
your back?
LANDESMAN: It's a difficult subject.
I always have a lot of opinions, and I'm
a strong personality to work with. Unless I'm working with very strong directors, I think that can become a difficulty. Sometimes, I think I have more
ideas about the production than the
director does. You have to be very careful about that. Some directors who
have no ideas of their own will deliberately hire you because you are strong
and vocal. They need someone to help
them ou t.
KELLOGG: One of the things I wanted
to talk about is that double standard.
Behavior that is encouraged and tolerated in men is considered weak or too
strong in a woman, whereas a man can
do those things and he's being a hardass, or being sweet, or cute. I think
that's an important issue.
LOBEL: But what can you do except
do the best you can and try to maintain
as much integrity as possible?
KELLOGG: Being aware makes a difference. Being aware of what's going
on means that you can monitor your
behavior in a more productive fashion.
I am very conscious, too, of thinking
ahead of time of the power parameters
of a given situation.
LOBEL: Isn't that something that
everybody, whether male or female,
learns with experience in any business?
KELLOGG: We all have our various
perspectives and this is one that women
have to be aware of.
LANDESMAN: Our parameters of allowed behavior are narrower. Men's
parameters are much larger.
ARONSON: In interviewing male designers, and talking to directors who
worked with them, I found an acceptance of rashness. Male designers can
come up with all sons of wild and extreme ideas that will be tossed around
and accepted as almost equal input. I
don't know if it would be as acceptable
from women designers.
KELLOGG: It's not only that. Some
of the behavior of highly respected
male designers could be labeled irresponsible or incompetent. If the work
is good in the long run they're excused
from being late, for not showing up to
continucd on page 32 .. '

SITT SlImmcr 1985/Thcatre Design eli; Technology

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