Fun Facts from the Scene Shop

One of the theatrical wonders of any production is the set, which go from a set designer’s blueprint to the stage in a matter of weeks. And the department charged with implementing the director’s and designer’s vision by building those sets you see on stage is the Scene Shop.

Our next stop behind the curtain takes us to the Scene Shop. Here are some fun facts about the Scene Shop:

• The director and set designer begin work on the show three to four months before it opens. Preliminary set information is due six to eight weeks before production begins. The final design, including paint colors, is due two weeks before the build starts.
• From building the first piece of scenery to having it all ready to load into the theatre takes 15-20 days for a Segerstrom Stage show. Julianne Argyros Stage shows are built in 10-15 days and Theatre for Young Audiences and Families shows take only four to six days.
• SCR has more than 200 platforms in stock. Along with that, there are more than 100 pieces of wall, more than 40 doors (without frames), a dozen columns and approximately 20 foam or hollow rocks. Those are all kept in storage and re-used.
• There are more than five miles of wire rope used to suspend and move elements over the stages.