Scenography in Canada: Selected Designers 9781487571924

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SCENOGRAPHY IN CANADA

■

SELECTED DESIGNERS

Scenography, the design for live performance, conceives of the creation of an environment rather than merely providing decor or background. Scenography in Canada: Selected

Designers is a new departure in the critical discussion of theatre in Canada, in which Natalie Rewa examines the work of seven of the country's important theatre designers: Susan Benson, Astrid Janson, Mary Kerr, Michael Levine, Ken MacDonald, Jim Plaxton, and Teresa Przybylski. These artists have been responsible for exciting initiatives in design during one of the most dynamic periods in the history of Canadian theatre, from the early 1970s to the late 1990s, when new companies were founded and new theatre facilities were created. Juxtaposing commentary by the artist and her own analysis, Rewa discusses the interactions of light, sets, and costume, and demonstrates how a multifaceted visual text that includes human performance is created in the works of each artist. The volume includes a collection of sketches, photos of work in progress, and completed designs, many of which have not been previously published. NAT A 11 E RE w A

University.

is Associate Professor in the Department of Drama at Queen's

Costume sketch, The Mikado, by Susan Benson. Private collection.

SCENOGRAPHY IN CANADA ■

SELECTED DESIGNERS

NATALIE REWA

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS

Toronto Buffalo London

© University of Toronto Press Incorporated 2004

Toronto Buffalo London Printed in Canada Reprinted in 2018

ISBN 0-8020-0685-x (cloth) ISBN 978-0-8020-8554-2 (paper)

Printed on acid-free paper

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Rewa, Natalie, 1956Scenography in Canada : selected designers / Natalie Rewa. Includes bibliographical references and index. 0-8020-0685-x (bound). ISBN 978-0-8020-8554-2 (paper)

ISBN

Set designers - Canada. Canada I. Title.

1.

2. Theaters - Stage-setting and scenery -

PN2087.c3R49 2004

University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).

For MJS

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

ix

Portfolios

3 17 31

ASTRID JANSON SUSAN BENSON MARY KERR JIMPLAXTON MICHAEL LEVINE

45 59

KEN MACDONALD

77

TERESA PRZYBYLSKI Portfolio Captions Introduction: Recognizing the Place of Scenography in Canada

chapter one chapter two chapter three chapter four chapter five chapter six chapter seven

ASTRID JANSON SUSAN BENSON MARY KERR JIM PLAXTON MICHAEL LEVINE KEN MACDONALD TERESA PRZYBYLSKI

Notes Bibliography Index of Names Index of Theatres

91 107 119 129 143 157 171 183 199 213 225 239 243 247

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Among the highly significant changes in the making of theatre in Canada since the late 1960s some of the most exciting have been developments in scenographic design. The number of theatre companies and venues has grown exponentially in the past forty years and with this expansion opportunities for designers to work in diverse kinds of theatres have opened up. Their designs have been realized in all manner of architectural setting, from renovated vaudeville and opera houses, to multi-theatre civic arts centres, to the post-industrial spaces reclaimed for performance. This book is an attempt to bring the discussion of scenography to the forefront, and to the draw the reader into the imaginations of artists. Without the full cooperation of the artists whose work is included the project would have been impossible. From the initial letter of inquiry each one of these artists has been wonderfully generous in answering questions leading to more questions in the midst of the pressures of their current work. Access to their personal archives has allowed me to study what happens in the studio, as well as what we as spectators see in performance. For their unstinting support and kindness I warmly thank Susan Benson, Astrid Janson, Mary Kerr, Michael Levine, Ken MacDonald, Jim Plaxton, and Teresa Przybylski. While the commentary about scenographic design may be relatively recent, the interest in theatre designs is not. Special tribute is due to Heather Mccallum, who as the prescient Head of Theatre Department of the Toronto Reference Library started its distinguished collection of costume and set sketches, and to Lee Ramsay, the current Head of the Arts Department who continues to build the collection with energy and acumen. The Special Collections at the Toronto Reference Library and the expertise of curator Anne Sutherland and other staff members have been invaluable resources for this book. Other archives have also been productive and I particularly thank those who

x

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

have made them accessible for me: Bernard Katz and his staff at the Archives in the McLaughlin Library at the University of Guelph; Lisa Brant and later Jane Edmonds of the Stratford Archives; Lee Milliken and Mark Zurowski of the Production Department of the Canadian Opera Company; Greg Parry of the Banff Centre for the Arts; Clare Seed of the English National Opera Company; Sharon Vanderlinde of the National Ballet of Canada; Nicola Woods of the Royal Ontario Museum; Jonathan Tichler of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. For financial support my thanks are especially due to the Woodlawn Foundation whose support of the publication of materials about theatre in Canada has made this publication possible. Thanks are due also to the Academic Research Council of Queen's University, which has supported my research confidently and generously, and the Office of Research Services, which has supported the publication of this research. I am especially grateful to Suzanne Rancourt of the University of Toronto Press,

whose patience and commitment to the project have been so consistent, and to the design and editorial staff. On a personal level, I offer heartfelt thanks to Tetiana Rewa, whose passion for theatre, opera, and ballet I have come to share. For his continuing intellectual support, sense of equilibrium, encouragement, and love I thank Michael J. Sidnell.

PORTFOLIOS

The illustrations are intended to convey some sense of the artistic processes and excitement of scenographic design, not just to show finished stage settings. As designers conceive of a three-dimensional theatrical space for actors, they also develop a visual narrative for the spectators. The maquettes, sketches, excerpts from notebooks, and production photos are traces of this dynamic scenographic creation. Each designer demonstrates an idiosyncratic approach to seeing the evolution of the scenography, so the documents that chart their process are varied and are presented to emphasize the diversity of approaches. The photos have been organized by designer, but the reader is encouraged to provide her or his own entree into the study of scenography as they look at drawings or elements of design. These photos are matched to the subsequent chapters concerning specific designers.

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