3. Basic Design Concept
In our production we will build a set that is enclosed on three sides to narrow down the large estate mention in the play. Due
to limited space, the set that will be seen throughout the entire play will need plenty of props to transform it from a garden to
a church and so on. Since the ruling metaphor is marriage many aspects from set, costumes, and lighting will be used
together to emphasize the significance of marriage.
• Act 1
– This entire act will only use the set that is original on display and no props are necessary
• Act 2 Scene 1
– A masked ball is taking place and there will be curtains and lanterns already on stage to give the
scene a partly-like environment
– Props: curtain and lanterns
• Act 2 Scene 3
– The set will be transformed to resemble a garden
– Props include flower- tree pots, stone chair
• Act 3 Scene 2
– The balcony is the main thing to note as most of the action will take place on it and under it
– The curtains will present a distorted image of the action and the flowers on the balcony is an element of
marriage
– Props; flower vines and curtain
• Act 4 Scene 1
– This is the most important scene as it has elements that present the ruling metaphor of the entire play-
marriage
– A wedding is taking place and everything in this scene is related to marriage from props, costume, set,
and lights
4. Basic Design Concept Cont.
• Act 5 Scene 3
– Funeral scene
– Props: Cross and paper
• Act 5 Scene 4
– Another wedding is taking place so the set will resemble the one in act 4 scene 1
• Central image/ Metaphor
– Marriage is the ruling metaphor and the entire set has floral decorations throughout
– Characters have white clothing which signifies marriage
– Act 4 scene 1 and Act 5 scene 4 is the only scene where the ruling metaphor can be completely visualize.
Prior to this scene there were only elements that made up the central image
• Themes: love/marriage, honor/reputation, deception
5. Realistic Theatre
• Much Ado About Nothing calls for realistic scenery where
the setting should look like its counterparts in real life.
The entire set will be a display that will closely replicate a
real estate in Italy during the 1800s.
• In this sense there is no need for elaborate imagination
from the audience- all aspects in the play will conform to
normal expectations
6. Locale/Period
• Messina, Italy
– Play starts on April 13, 1885 in the afternoon
– The overall course of the play will be three
days
– All actions of the play takes place at Leonato’s
estate
7. Mood/Style
• Mood
– Cheerful and relaxing
• War has just ended and there is much to celebrate
including a marriage
– Bittersweet/comedy
• Style
– We will take a traditional European approach which is
characterize by ornate, elegant, and bold
– This set will have straight lines contrast by curved
details
8. Stage
• The proscenium stage
will be the best suited for
this play because…
– It provides a central focal
point in which the whole
audience can view the
performance
– The auditorium itself is
slanted and the stage is
several feet above the
floor; this will allow greater
visibility
– Actors and props could be
concealed in the left/right
wing
9. Act 1
• The opening scene of the play takes place when the soldiers
visit Leonato’s estate after the war. Leonato is the governor so
his house would most likely be elegant and massive. I was
thinking the set should replicate the photo below
10. Act 2 Scene 1
• The scenery changes and a
masquerade party takes place. To give
a party like vibe, lanterns and other
light fixtures could be hang beforehand
and when the party takes place, the
lights will go on and stage light will be
dim. Curtains will be needed to hide
the open arches to give a more
intimate feeling of the party. The
combination of lights and other props
on the will create a festive mood.
11. Act 2 Scene 3
• This scene occurs in Leonato’s orchard where there will
be lots of green plants and flowers. To give this set a
garden we will have flower vines wrap around the arch
and bring out fake green trees, flower pots and a chair.
Inspiration piece
12. Act 3 Scene 2
• The balcony will
the main view of
this scene as it will
be cover in
curtains to skew
the truth of the
situation.
13. Act 4 Scene 1
• In the scene the set will need
to look like a church as there is
going to be a wedding. The
stage will be clear and a
podium will stand in the center.
Holy oil will be place on top of
the podium and there will be
white candles. Flowers will still
be wrapped on the
arches/poles. This the most
important scene as it is the
central image/ruling metaphor.
All themes of the play will be
encompassed in this scene.
Marriage/love, honor, and
deception. The message is
that things are not as they
seem.
14. Act 5 Scene 3
• A tragedy has occurred and
one of the main actress “dies”
so there will be a tombstone as
a prop on the stage. A piece of
old crusty paper will be used to
represent the poem that was
written for the dead character.
• This act will be the same as
act 4 scene 1 because of twist
in turns in the plot the marriage
was not complete and the play
will end by completing the
marriage ceremony
Act 5 Scene 4
16. Dress Style
• Takes place on April 13, 1885 which is in
the Spring season
• Colonial European dress style
• Military uniforms for men
• Traditional gowns for women
17. Major Character
• Don Pedro
- Nobleman from Aragon
- He is called as a “Prince”
- An old friend of Leonato
- Friendly – Claudio and Benedict
- He is generous and nice but he
judges people to quickly.
- Wear Blue jacket– Royalty
- Wear white – golden shirt
- Wear black shoes
- Neat hair style
18. Major Character
• Claudio
- Nobleman from Florence
- Who is in love with Hero
- Too nice, give up easily but
he has his own thoughts and
does what he wants to do
without hesitation
- Black Jacket
- Silver buttons
- Wear white shirt
- Wear black boots
19. Major Character
• Benedict
- He is a person who does not want
to fall in love with a woman
- He is a soldier under Don Pedro
and friend of Claudio
- He is funny and witty
- He has bitter-sweet relationship
with Beatrice but he falls in love
with Beatrice after
- Messy hair style
- Wear Blue Jacket
- Gold buttons
- Wear black boots
20. Major Character
• Beatrice
- Niece of Leonato
- Loves Hero a lot like mom
- Trusts Hero
- Does not like Benedict but
- she falls in love with Benedict
after.
- Wear White – greenish Dress
- Top part emphasizes the waist
- Wear black heels
- Changes to a dark color dress
during funeral scene
21. Major Character
•Hero
- Daughter of Leonato
- Loved by Claudio
- Victim of the rumor
- Innocent and kind
- Wear white – pink dress
- Wear white gloves
- Wear pink high heels
- Changes into elegant white
laced dress for wedding
22. Minor Character
• Don John
- Half-Brother of Don Pedro
- He is not satisfied with what
he has
- He wants to ruin the wedding
- He always thinks about the
revenge
- Wear Red – Revenge
- Wear hat
- Has a sword on at all the time
- Wear black shoes
23. Minor Character
• Leonato
- Respected and well known
elder
- He is an governor of Messina
- Father of Hero and Uncle of
Beatrice
- Trusts his daughter
- Old – style
- Wear grey color cardigan
- Wear white shirt under the grey cardigan
24. Minor Character
• Ursula/Margaret
- Both are servant of Hero
- Margaret is the one who
talks about the love of
Benedict to Beatrice with
Hero
- Margaret helped the
rumor with her unwitiness
- Wear neat servant dress
- Ursula wears blue
- Margaret wears maroon
- Wear black shoes
26. Wedding of Hero and Claudio
• In Hero and Claudio’s
wedding day, all of
the relatives (Leonato
and Beatrice) and
people in town wear
neat clothes and Hero
wears white wedding
dress and Claudio
wears black suit.
28. Opening Scene
Set in Messina, the introduction of all the
characters comes from a scene where they
all gather after the men, Don Pedro,
Claudio, and Benedick, return from war
making conversation with female cousins,
Beatrice and Hero. The lighting follows the
setting of Leonato’s house on a spring
afternoon with light warm colors on stage
and an even distribution of light to illuminate
the gathering of the major characters for the
first time, but not following characters as
they leave to talk in private, giving the main
conversations going on the central image on
stage. The bright, but not overwhelming light
gives a better visual of Italy in the mid
1880’s with contrasting elements that bring
out the set and stage to start the production
strong
29. Scenes In Detail:
Act II, Scene I
In this scene of a masked ball, the
beginning shows Beatrice and Hero talking
before the dancing starts with the lighting
focused on the them, giving clear visibility
of the women speaking before seguing into
a darker light as the masked men enter.
The lighting at the ball is shadowy, only
illuminating the dance partners that are in
dialogue, causing the audience to pay
close attention to the slyness occurring
between Beatrice and Benedick and
altering to Don John and Claudio as dance
partners switch as the music changes. The
lighting changes to a warm illumination as
Claudio finds out the truth, which leads him
to Hero and less of an “on-edge” mood. In
addition, there will be lanterns hanging
around the set to give a more festive look
to the ball.
30. Scenes In Detail:
Act III, Scene I
Set in the garden, in this scene Hero
plots with Margaret and Ursula to
speak in loud voices knowing that
Beatrice is in hiding listening to their
conversation. The setting of a
blossoming garden is well lit with
evenly distributed white bright lights
that not only give attention to the
characters, but also give a fair
contrast of the colors of the garden.
The visual of Beatrice hiding is not as
brightly lit, but instead a slight dim,
low lighting that give off the sense that
she is trying to keep herself unknown
while casting a shadow and in the
dark, even though it is daylight
31. Scenes in Detail:
Act IV, Scene I
In a church, this scene is the setting for the
wedding of Hero and Claudio with a spotlight on
the couple and a dimmer, but still creating a
clearly visible light on the wedding gatherers.
The mood of the lighting changes as the happy
event changes to a chaotic, hostile one and
instead of one spotlight on the couple, the white
lights are distributed evenly giving visibility to
Claudio, Leonato, the mystery man and Hero.
The lighting dims to set a darker mood as
Claudio stomps out of the church and Hero
faints, but a single spotlight is reignited
illuminating the friar and Hero when the friar of
the church steps up to speak to the crowd that
there has been slandering of Hero’s name. While
everyone finally leaves the church, the lighting
turns to almost black, except for a dull light on
Benedict and Beatrice who are the only ones
occupying the church.
32. Closing Scenes
In the scenes leading to the ending of the
production, Claudio is primarily lit in a
dark surrounding where they laid Hero to
rest, or so he thought. The lighting clearly
gives a mood of somberness and
contrasts any luminosity of hope. But, as
the sadness begins to set in the dark, the
gleam on stage radiantly gets lighter as
the wedding arrives and not only is the
realization of Hero rejoining Claudio to
wed, but also Beatrice and Benedict are
going to make the scene a double
wedding. The same lighting from the
opening scene brings life to all the
characters in a once dark setting to a
setting that is lit with cool, spring-inspired
lights that dim as the play closes
