Joan Heys Hawkins is the Set Designer and Master Painter for The Realistic Joneses
What was your first show designing for Walterdale? When was it? What do you remember about the experience?
Cyrano de Bergerac (2004) This was our first — and very positive — experience with the Walterdale community, with Alex directing and me designing the set. I especially liked the ramp — it was challenging to design an abstract set that could be used to represent five distinct locations for the play.
Of your 20 designs, can you pick out 2 or 3 highlights for you? What made them highlights?
The Skin of Our Teeth (2006)
We borrowed a large turntable from the U of A, and we had a builder who was able to weld! I used a sundial metaphor for the painting of the turntable and the design of the metal sculpture pieces.
The Light in the Piazza (2019)
My design concept was a piazza with local musicians playing while tourists admired the famous landmarks of Florence. I loved the bold painting of the large panels surrounding the piazza. Altogether, there were 19 of us who painted on that set — from total newbies to very experienced painters.
Jennie’s Story (2014)
Some plays demand total realism. We were able to create a 1939 Southern Alberta farmhouse, with a working kitchen sink (with water coming out of a pump) and a plywood recreation of an old wood-burning stove.
Proof (2013)
I challenged the builders for the roof of the Chicago bungalow and back porch, and was very pleased with the realism of the set and how it changed the space on deck.
Red (2016)
The challenge was protecting the drapery from the actual painting of a very large canvas every night. I painted bricks and mortar for many hours, and had fun putting together all the elements of an artist’s studio, with the help of Geri’s old gas stove.
A Doll’s House (2017)
Although it was a realistic box set, Janet and I painted the walls, woodwork, and floor in abstract swirls to represent the cold, windy, snowy Norwegian winter. I felt this underscored the changes that transpire in the script.
There are a number of others that I are favourites for various reasons (The Lion in Winter (2008), The Mail Order Bride (2010), Rabbit Hole (2011), Next to Normal (2018) — but I’ve already exceeded the 2-3 favourites!
Were there any designs that were particularly challenging? How did you overcome the challenges?
A Man of No Importance (2015) This show was challenging on two counts: it was my first set design for a musical, and there was a miscommunication that resulted in the director arriving in town to start rehearsals without a production team in place. The wonderful Walterdale community stepped up, and we all worked fast and furiously to support this show. Yes, musicians and their instruments take up lots of space, but it’s worth the effort to accommodate them. I loved the way the director worked with the set, and I was proud of the results.
What about the current show? How has this one been like to work on?
The Realistic Joneses (2022) This has been such a calm and rewarding experience, largely due to the director being so prepared and open in working with cast and production team. I’m especially fond of my velvet painting experiment for this show.
What would you say to anyone thinking about set-designing at Walterdale? Any words of advice?
- Read the script. And re-read the script. Everything you need to know is in the text. Read it again. And again.
- Work with the director. Share your ideas and listen to the director’s ideas. Work together to make sure you’re both on the same page of that world of the play.
- Remember the actors. They need space to move freely — and safely — both on the set and backstage. The more time they have to work on set, the better your design will look.
- Use your design to support the script and director and actors in telling the story to the audience. Your set design is not like a painting in a gallery. It’s a three-dimensional environment that comes alive during performance.
- Communicate with production team members so all the design elements work together.
- Use resources, both financial and human, wisely. Do an inventory of materials available at Walterdale before making purchases.
- Embrace the challenges and beauties of the Walterdale space. Much is possible — although a higher grid often crosses my mind!
- And remember that the audience doesn’t need realism. They come with experience and imaginations. They will embrace any concept as long as it’s consistent.
