Theatricals Blog
Getting Back into the Game…
It has been over a year since I had a blog post. February 2017, to be more precise. I spent last summer extracting myself from the architectural practice and simultaneously preparing for my first year of teaching full-time. All the while, I managed to get Sweet...
Rob’s “hell week” begins…The set is installed
For most involved in a production, hell week begins the weekend or so prior to the show's opening, when we begin putting all of the tech together with costumes, on a finished set, etc. My "hell week" always begins with load-in and becomes a mad dash leading up to...
The art studio is in “ruins”…
Over the weekend, we began building like mad. Saturday, Richard met me about 10 and we worked until 3. First item on the agenda were to make columns. I had ordered 12' long, 12" in diameter sonotube concrete forms. They are a coated, heavy cardboard tube that are...
Getting all Greek
So, it has been a stupid long time since my last post. Let's just say that, for the last 6 months, my job status didn't leave much time for creativity or blogging. But, now that is done, I am back on track. Starting "Zorba," I really didn't know the show, but love...
What a CRAZY month!
I closed Atomic at New Line Theatre on Jun 25, struck the show on June 26, and at 5AM in June 27 was on a plane for 3 weeks in Europe and NYC... I landed back in St. Louis on Friday, July 15 and Saturday morning, I was at Stray Dog Theatre, starting the mad dash to...
Sometimes, you just gotta make it…
So, the past week or so I have been focused on getting "And Then There Were None" on stage and then struck at Thomas Jefferson School. All in all, it went great and the kids did an awesome job. I couldn't be prouder and neither could they. In addition, at New Line,...
And we are loaded…
Yea, it's not the way it sounds... This weekend, we loaded two shows in two days. On Friday, I loaded the set for "And Then There Were None" and Thomas Jefferson School. While there is still plenty to do before it opens, they have a set to rehearse on this...
Step up to the bar…
This week has been a challenge. After a long but productive weekend last weekend, I was unable to work at all this week. A battle with the common cold curtailed my activities in the scenic shop. So, today I got back at it. Last weekend I detailed the bar and built...

A productive weekend…
Well, we had a productive weekend in the shop. I had committed to spending Friday evening and Saturday designing, focusing and programming lights for a friend who is directing a production of "Fiddler on the Roof" at Looking Glass Playhouse. So, I didn't get into the...
First major piece, ready for paint…
Our set for "Atomic" consists of two major playing areas, the bar area, and the ROOM. The ROOM is a fairly generic, 1930’s era room with the ceiling defined by the floating beams and dish lights.
The ROOM serves as locations for almost the whole show and varies as a college classroom, a lab, Leo and Trude’s home, and some location for a wedding/funeral. So, it has to be a bit timeless and