Treasure Island: A New Musical

This was my first opportunity to work with Director and Choreographer Brett Smock. Carla Vitale, who co-wrote the book with Brett, came to my studio in NYC to interview me for the job. During our meeting, I presented a photograph of a realistic pirate ship, a beach with shells and seaweed, palm trees, and ocean waves. I clarified that if a realistic set was their expectation, we could immediately end the discussion—I had a different vision. I proposed a set that would evoke clouds, palm trees, and ocean waves, elements that would be far more suitable for the darker tone of this musical theatre piece. I successfully secured the job.

Throughout the development process, I presented hundreds of images for research, focusing primarily on art and sculptures that inspired my scenic design. In collaboration with Brett, I developed multiple concept sketches and color renderings and created two half-inch-scale white models along with a full-color model by Gaetane Bertol. The model of my set remains one of my proudest achievements.

A standout moment from this project was collaborating with Jason Curtis, who painted the entire set with me. I thought it was funny that the TD at Arkansas Rep referred to my set as a pile of platforms. Jason was the scenic charge artist at 3DX, the shop responsible for constructing the 2010 non-equity tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. We had built a strong friendship through our previous work, and while painting the entire set for Treasure Island, it became evident that he would make an exceptional associate designer. Since then, we have collaborated as Scenic Designer and Associate on at least ten projects, solidifying our successful partnership.

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