Exemplar for Performing Arts technology Unit Standard 28006
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Design Brief and Director’s Concept
The director wishes to present this play in such a way as to emphasise the lighter elements
within. This is to be done primarily through, and in conjunction with, the concept.
The director wants the target audience for this production to be younger children. There
must be an almost animated feel to the design of the set, costume and make up- almost
cartoon-like. The set should transition flawlessly between the primary locations within the
play. The set should be abstract and general enough to symbolise or reflect the variety of
locations within this play.
The show will be presented on the school hall stage. You will therefore be limited in your
use of wing space and will need to consider things such as actor crossover spaces. Be
aware that the audience will not be raked, and neither is the stage, so sightlines must be
considered. The show will run for one week. Budget is limited, but could be stretched to
accommodate the right designs.
Set Design Concept
My design idea for ‘A Midsummer's Night Dream’ is to give the set a look that will make it
stand out (maybe kind of cartoony in a way,) not more than the makeup or costume but
enough so that kids will not get bored when looking at the set and what's happening on
stage. I will work with the makeup and costume designers to make sure that all the
components of the performance work well together.
I will experiment with bright colours and how to move the set smoothly from one scene to
another, to do this I will look into what type of materials have more than one use and might
be easy to move and easy storage space, I will look into seeing if I could get the castle to
stay on stage the whole time (maybe cover it by some trees or something, when in the forest
scene’s). I had the idea of using light as the bigger thing when in the forest, I think this would
cut the hassle of moving on lots of trees and would give it that majestic look that a forest like
this might have. I was also thinking of maybe putting tree flats on either side of the stage for
when we were in the forest scene, or maybe even leaving them there when in the castle.
© NZQA 2016
Exemplar for Performing Arts technology Unit Standard 28006
2D and 3D CAD models
Forest scene
Castle scene
© NZQA 2016