How we defined the props here is “everything in the house.” Whatever is not bolted to the walls, not part of the actual physical structure, is props—from the shrubs and ivy on the porch outside to the rugs, art, curtains, even the ceiling fixtures and wall-mounted sconces are part of the props department.
In a show as detailed as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, that’s a heck of a lot.
Occasionally we have overhire if someone is going to be away for part of the build time, or it is a really complicated show. We will also occasionally contract specialists to build specifics props.(Ellen shows off the break-away bottle)
The two things that had to be exactly as they were listed in the play—had to be exact down to what is written. The breakable bottle had to be a whiskey bottle, not a glass, true to the script. And the stunt gun had to be exactly what the script called for.
Everything is a blend of bought, built, and stock, with a few specialty rentals sometimes. All the newspapers on the floor were printed in house to have dates in 1961 and 1962. The covers of the products, such as cigarettes and candy bars, were researched and then recreated here in house. The piles of magazines are a mix of a few old ones and many recreated—down a made up mailing address in New Carthage. More often than not there will be many pieces that are bought and altered, or are recreated from a mix of new and vintage pieces.
I had not worked with Lee Savage (the scenic designer) and director Ethan McSweeny before, and they gave a lot more attention to the props and set dressing than many directors do. Our usual process is that I go in, pull everything, and put it on a cart, which Lee than goes through and picks and chooses from. Once it is all on the set, Ethan goes through and makes notes, special requests. He really wanted there to be a Parcheesi set, and a chess set, things like that.
(Above: George's desk)
Some directors aren’t so worried about the set details, especially if I’ve worked with them before. There is a trust, a relationship that’s built when you work with someone a few times.
(Right: Jen and the custom Life magazines)
There are a lot of details that a lot of audience members won’t ever see. I’ve worked here for a number of years and there are things I’ve had and collected, things that I’ve wanted a chance to use. On George’s desk there is a double recliner that holds pipes that I was excited to use.
For the records, we went shopping and bought lots of old albums, there are som
e great, cheesy covers the audience never sees, such as a 1950s one with a woman in a great outfit lounging on the cover, called “Music to Read by”—really kind of camp and funny. The cover for the album that Martha plays was recreated by us [“Out of the Cool,” The Gil Evans Orchestra].One of my favorite pieces is the glass table-top lighter, which were really popular through the late 1950s, but are really hard to find. We found this one, had it fixed up by Fader’s to actually work—and it is used by the actors now in the show.
Fantastic card table downstage was a find at a going out
of business sale last year and knew we’d be able to use it one day—too much of a steal to pass up and a great period piece.We also went to the Book Thing and got about 100 books, all copyright 1945-1962, all period, all things that George and or Martha would read. My favorite is one that wa
s just a hilarious, really perfect for the time find, What We Must Know about Communism.(Above: Tabletop lighter; Right: George's books)
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Photos by Raphael Davison, Graphics Intern
All of this is achieved by a props department of four for most shows. Jennifer, Assistant Props Master Nathan Scheifele (the department carpenter), Jeanne Marie Burdette is the soft-goods artisan, and Properties Intern Ellen Nielsen.
The design team on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? includes:
Scenic Design: Lee Savage; Costume Design: Murell Horton; Sound Design: Rob Milburn & Michael Bodeen; Lighting Design: Robert Wierzel
