Chris Sheley, Production Manager for the FAC, took some time to share his set design concept for An Ideal Husband. To keep the audience engaged, the set is designed for quick, quiet changes.
In the initial reading with the cast, Sheley explained that this design is abstract, stripped down, modern, and basically a complete departure from the involved musical sets he has designed for the FAC in the past. Set design is critical in setting the visual tone and place for the action.
Sheley summarizes his work this way:
“When people walk in and sit down, that’s the first opportunity we have to tell the audience where they’re going to be, and to get them settled into what to expect so when we start the show, they’re already familiar and they’re already enthusiastic about where they think they’re going to go.”