Recently, I have been having challenged in Theatre History with their limited imagination in designing projects of Expressionism and Fantasy. In each of these projects, I encourage them to start with the premise that they have a multimillion dollar budget to create their stage piece. A million dollars! And yet, they come to the table with sets that have simple black floors or simple hung curtains to frame the side of the stage. They use school furniture that LOOKS like school furniture. Rather then spend a few thousand dollars on one costume (which sounds fun to me) they choose to use unitards and colored t-shirts. There costume design uses no special footwear, no thought to jewelry or accessories and nothing that makes the look anything different then teenagers in trendy clothing. Where has all of their imagination gone? Why do their dreams “settle”? What about “having it all” have they not wrestled with?
I try to draw their attention to the overused example of Disney films. Do you think THEY spared any expense? Come on folks. I am giving you millions and millions of money in the currency of imagination. Use it. Spend it.