As the Technical Director and Scenic Designer for this production of Into the Woods produced by Illini Student Musicals, I used a set of previously fabricated poplar trees, stock platforms, and 2x4 framing to maintain a budget of $300. Most of this budget went to afford the fabric drop and paint. This show built in four weeks using actors and run crew as construction and paint labor and installed in one day.
Beyond the static platforming, three wagon units were created for the baker, the princess, and the boy. These units were hard to produce cheaply because we reused old flats, had to maintain proper FR treatment with the hay roof, and keep them upright while staying as slim as possible.
The fabric walls were instrumental in enhancing the show's impact, not only by providing context to the room where the characters were situated but also through their transparency and integrated blocking. By mounting fixtures on upstage booms and using muslin on the steel frames, we achieved an eye-catching shadow play effect during the major party scene.
Because this set had so many angled walls with angled connections, I had to find a way to attach them together quickly and efficiently while accommodating those angles. By using loose pin hinges on the backside of the seams, and anchoring the legs with lag screws into the deck below, these walls were climbable and secure.
Focusing on the center of the stage where the elevator was positioned, we faced design challenges on how to incorporate railings and other features to keep actors away from the trap opening when the elevator was in the down position. Another major focus was accommodating larger costumes on the lift as seen in this image. Keeping multiple sets of eyes on the lift at all times allowed us to make these transitions safely and smoothly.