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ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Contamination: A Lighting Design of "An Enemy of the People"

Baker, Thomas Andrew
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2693-0084
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461163744

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Fine Arts, Ohio State University, Theatre.
For my final production design at The Ohio State University, I was assigned the position of lighting designer for Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama, An Enemy of the People, directed by Lesley Ferris. The play was produced in the Thurber Theatre at the Drake Events Center during Fall semester of 2015. An Enemy of the People was originally written by Ibsen as a contemporary criticism of an engrained belief in society that the community and it’s leaders were both honorable without moral fault and could be trusted. Ibsen goes on to portray the social spectrum as full of self-serving, dare I say corrupt, individuals concerned with personal gain rather than attending to the needs of the community. Even though written in 1882, the story resonates through time and easily relates to current events in which the smaller voice is covered up or deemed a nuisance by the powers at large. All script references refer to the 2008 version written by British playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz. All referenced production photographs were taken by Matt Hazard. With the idea of modern ties in mind, it was the goal of the production team to take the story and draw parallels to modern society. As stated in the director’s concept, the idea was to produce a show that blended a suggestion of styles from 1882 (when the play was written) and 2015. The challenge was to develop a visual style that transcended a set period in order for the audience to find similarities to the story of Dr. Stockmann ii against the town officials. As quoted by the director, “An Enemy of the People is an attack, not merely on those who lead people by the nose, but on those who allow themselves to be thus led.” During early design meetings, the concept of creating a fragmented world using scenic elements and defined lighting areas became the foundation of the production. I reinforced the story by showing a slow decay throughout the show. Images of water damage to walls, light passing through broken windows, and a color palette inspired by Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershoi really spoke to me. I illuminated and defined locations, as well as illustrated the downfall and corruption of the people within the story while conveying the mood and feeling Ibsen intended. This was the basis and challenge for me as the lighting designer for An Enemy of the People.
Mary Tarantino (Advisor)
Leslie Ferris (Committee Member)
Brad Steinmetz (Committee Member)
166 p.
Theater History; Theater Studies; Toxicology; Water Resource Management
An Enemy of the People; Andy Baker; Hendrik Ibsen; Ghosts; Thomas Stockmann; Flint Michigan; water; poison; theatre; drama; Ohio State; Vilhelm Hammershoi; lighting; stage; Rebecca Lenkiewicz

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Baker, T. A. (2016). Contamination: A Lighting Design of "An Enemy of the People" [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461163744

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Baker, Thomas. Contamination: A Lighting Design of "An Enemy of the People". 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461163744.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Baker, Thomas. "Contamination: A Lighting Design of "An Enemy of the People"." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461163744

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1461163744
324
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.