What does it take to bring a classic farce to life on stage?
At Sunset Playhouse, the magic of theater happens both in front of the curtain and behind it. While audiences experience the actors, comedy and story, an entire world has been carefully designed and built around them—from the set and lighting to the doors, entrances and intricate movement that make a fast-paced production work.
For Lend Me a Tenor, Sunset Playhouse welcomes new Resident Scenic Designer / Technical Director Scott Wirtz-Olsen, who is helping bring the world of this hilarious 1930s-set comedy to the Furlan Stage.
We sat down with Scott to learn more about his approach to scenic design, the challenges of designing a farce and what audiences should look for when they take their seats.
Creating the World of Lend Me a Tenor
Lend Me a Tenor is a classic farce filled with slapstick comedy, twists, turns and—most importantly—a lot of door slams.
For Scott, creating the set began with understanding the world in which the story takes place.
“My job was to find elements of the 1920s–30s Art Deco period that spoke to me as part of a high-end Cleveland hotel and translate those ideas and images onto the Furlan Stage at Sunset.”
The result is a scenic environment inspired by the glamour and style of the Art Deco era, designed to transport audiences into the sophisticated setting of the story while providing the perfect backdrop for the comedy to unfold.
And with a farce, the set isn’t simply scenery.
It becomes part of the action.
Six Doors. Countless Entrances. Perfect Timing.
If you’ve ever watched a great farce, you know that timing is everything.
Characters appear. Disappear. Miss each other by seconds. Enter at exactly the wrong moment. And, of course, doors slam.
In Lend Me a Tenor, the set includes six doors, each playing an important role in the carefully choreographed chaos.
Scott explains that designing a set for this kind of production starts long before anything is built.
“This all starts with several reads of the script, then multiple versions of a ground plan to look at traffic patterns and offer options for the Director and Cast.”
Every entrance and exit has to work.
The actors need enough space to move quickly. The doors need to be positioned correctly. The audience needs to understand where characters are coming from and going to. And everything has to happen at exactly the right moment.
That’s where scenic design becomes an important part of the comedy.
A door isn’t just a door.
It’s a comedic cue.
When the Set Does Its Job, You Don’t Notice It
So, what detail is Scott most excited for audiences to notice?
His answer might be surprising.
He hopes audiences don’t spend too much time thinking about the scenery at all.
“I also hope that scenery just becomes part of the ‘world’ of the show. If I’ve done my job well, there aren’t people questioning why the set is what it is. It ALL just feels RIGHT!”
That’s the beauty of good scenic design.
The audience shouldn’t be thinking about how the set was constructed, how the traffic patterns were mapped or how many hours went into getting every detail right.
Instead, the set should simply belong to the story.
It creates the environment, supports the performers and quietly makes everything happening on stage possible.
A New Creative Chapter at Sunset
As Sunset Playhouse’s new Technical Director, Scott brings a passion for creating those behind-the-scenes elements that help a production come to life.
For him, being the artist behind the scenery isn’t about getting attention.
It’s about creating the world that allows everyone else to shine.
“It’s an interesting thing to be an artist who’s just to be the background, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do.”
And Sunset Playhouse is fortunate to have Scott sharing that passion with our audiences.
When you come see Lend Me a Tenor, take a moment to look beyond the comedy. Notice the Art Deco-inspired details. Watch how the actors move through the space. Pay attention to those six doors.
Because every entrance, exit and perfectly timed door slam is part of the design.
See Lend Me a Tenor on the Furlan Stage
Get ready for an evening of fast-paced comedy, mistaken identities, theatrical chaos and plenty of door slams.
Lend Me a Tenor runs September 10–27 at Sunset Playhouse.
Tickets are on sale now!
Come see the finished world Scott and the Sunset team have created—and experience the magic that happens when scenic design, performers and storytelling all come together on stage.
