PICNIC
Seattle University, April 2015
Director: Ki Gottberg
Lighting Design: Lily McLeod
Scenic Design: Shawn Ketchum Johnson
Costume Design: Michael Notestine
Props Design: Emma Ambacher
Seattle University’s small-but-mighty theatre department is one I was lucky to have stumbled into for a number of reasons, but their commitment to consistently high production values and dedication to providing mentorship and opportunities to student designers they think are up to the task are ones that have served me particularly well.
Though not my first sound design, Picnic was the first show I solo-designed on the Seattle U mainstage, and I had a fantastic time getting to work alongside seasoned theatre professionals and emerging artists alike. Director Ki Gottberg’s vision was one that sought to incorporate a great deal of abstract elements while still retaining the quintessential 1950’s feel of the piece, which allowed me to stretch creatively while still creating a rich sound palette for a classic show.
I presented a sound collage of my proposed design concept at the first rehearsal of Picnic at Seattle University in 2015, but of course as the show took form in rehearsals, the sound palette became more specific and stylized. This is a collage I put together from the sound cues that I built and pulled, to give a taste of the word I tried to place the show in.