Ensemble Member Jack Missett Interviews HEIDI Set Designer Tim Wallace
March 31st, 2010
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS:
I pretty much read the script, get a basic idea of the set, meet with director - we’ll swap ideas. It’s the director’s show - they guide the ship. Once we have the design, if something’s not working, I change it to fit the actors and the director. The whole process at NVA is semi-collaborative, collective.
During Golden Boy, Kristianne came at it with the basic idea of the stage layout and I came up with having scrims with the boxers upstairs. The Man Who was organic. I said here’s your back wall, some chairs, and then it evolved - and then Scott came in with his toys. I’m proud of all my shows, but many of them don’t always meet my self-expectations. Four Dogs didn’t work out the way I envisioned, it was difficult. Be Aggressive, viewed in hindsight, the action of sliding the set pieces wasn’t up to my expectations.
Every show challenges you to make it more fun, inviting, an expressive experience for the audience. You only have so much money, time and help to make it happen.
Lately, I’ve been getting ready for Season 10 - scheduling my time better - when I can get in and get to work. Paint the floor, and put up walls, map out my time.
TELL ME ABOUT THE HEIDI FLOOR:
The floor for Heidi took all day 11-8 for me and another 5 hours for my helper Darin. First I bondoed and filled in a lot of holes in the floor from past shows, sanded the whole floor. Then I brushed. Then I primed and put on 2 colors, 2-tone blend - wood colors - and then I measured it out, and lined it to look like wood planks, using felt pens. Then I applied clear coat with purple, black and brown. That gives it the richness - it really looks like a wood floor - that took 2 hours.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED:
I was 20 - it was 20 years ago. I was making hand painted jackets in P.B. My Dad’s cousin was doing scenic art at the Opera and he asked me to work with him. After a week, I said this is what I want to do. His boss was one of the Old Masters - Davis West. I have super fond memories - he was a huge, huge influence. They had 3 big buildings in one: scenic studio, shop, metal, carpentry, sewing, paint and warehouses. I said I was really good at copying and they said ‘good, get to work.’
HOW HAS IT BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR WIFE - AMANDA SITTON - ON HEIDI:
Let me say how happy I am to work with Amanda and how proud I am to see her show grow with her guidance. When talking about choices for the set, it was a little challenging - making sure we both understood each other. She’s really surprised me - in a good way - with the way she’s directed, her style. I’m really proud of her, and impressed.