It’s that time- time to work. Actors are busy rehearsing, costumers and props people are busy crafting and collecting, and we are busy building. Most of us have “day jobs,” so this happens nights and weekends. We are very fortunate to have the use of the Puget Sound Builders cabinet shop for our set construction. When they go home for the day, we appear and work our magic. Many hours go into the construction of a full theatre set. Flats and platforms must be built and painted, but that’s not all.

This wall is twelve feet high, ten feet wide, very heavy, and at one point it must move offstage through a tricky “back alley.” In order to make this happen, the wall is hinged, and on rollers that look like big ball bearings. Much discussion and planning went into this design, because our shop is in Kent, and this piece must not only fit in the truck, it must also fit into the freight elevator at Theatre on the Square.

The “back alley” will be dark brick- or that is what you will think. Actually the brickwork is made from foam carpet padding, cut, glued to a flat, and painted. That is what I’ve been doing this weekend, fortified by mugs of tea. And Mike, one of our carpenters, has been busy building Sherlock’s fireplace and bookshelves. That’s it for now–we need to get back to work!