Vinegar Tom
By Caryl Churchill
Directed by Paula Sperry
Costumes Designed by Tricia Stevens
Department of Theatre
University of Denver
February 1997
Vinegar Tom was produced on the University of Denver Theatre
Department’s proscenium stage converted into a 3-sided arena
space. The playing space was 17’ wide and 20’deep.
Trim height for all battens was 18'.
The Vinegar Tom set consisted of an upstage frame of 8"
x 8" beams with a few 6" x 6" beams. At the start
of the show this structure was hidden by a series of planked
walls. Downstage of the walls was a dirt surface with the suggestion
of a circular druidical altar. During the course of the play
the walls fell to slowly cover the earth and finally reveal the
nooses. For the very end a drop was unrolled with Kramer And
Springer painted on it. Downstage left and right two platforms
were built over the entrances in order to provide additional
acting spaces from which various events were observed by Kramer
and Springer.
The lighting design was based on an abstract view of good and
evil. Rarely were lighting effects or cues motivated by naturalistic
phenomenon. This highly subjective world was dominated by Churchill's
affinity toward the woman of the village. This was a place where
power was always evil and men always wielded that power. Nine
main lighting areas were used and each was lit with three instruments.
The colors used were Pale Apricot (R304), Tipton Blue (R362),
and, from the back, Fisher Fuchsia (R349). The stage was also
washed from three directions with all three primaries.
The opening of the show with all the walls up
The village wise woman digs up sacred artifacts. Some of the
walls have fallen.
The Doctor arrives to investigate a possible "witch."
One of the young women tries to escape.
Two witches are hung
The daughter contemplates her future
By Caryl Churchill
Directed by Paula Sperry
Costumes Designed by Tricia Stevens
Department of Theatre
University of Denver
February 1997
Vinegar Tom was produced on the University of Denver Theatre Department’s proscenium stage converted into a 3-sided arena space. The playing space was 17’ wide and 20’deep. Trim height for all battens was 18'.
The Vinegar Tom set consisted of an upstage frame of 8" x 8" beams with a few 6" x 6" beams. At the start of the show this structure was hidden by a series of planked walls. Downstage of the walls was a dirt surface with the suggestion of a circular druidical altar. During the course of the play the walls fell to slowly cover the earth and finally reveal the nooses. For the very end a drop was unrolled with Kramer And Springer painted on it. Downstage left and right two platforms were built over the entrances in order to provide additional acting spaces from which various events were observed by Kramer and Springer.
The lighting design was based on an abstract view of good and evil. Rarely were lighting effects or cues motivated by naturalistic phenomenon. This highly subjective world was dominated by Churchill's affinity toward the woman of the village. This was a place where power was always evil and men always wielded that power. Nine main lighting areas were used and each was lit with three instruments. The colors used were Pale Apricot (R304), Tipton Blue (R362), and, from the back, Fisher Fuchsia (R349). The stage was also washed from three directions with all three primaries.
The opening of the show with all the walls up
The village wise woman digs up sacred artifacts. Some of the walls have fallen.
The Doctor arrives to investigate a possible "witch."
One of the young women tries to escape.
Two witches are hung
The daughter contemplates her future
