The Beggar’s Opera

Scene Design Concept, Spring 2020.

Taking inspiration from the Louisiana Bayou, this imagination The Beggar’s Opera is an immersive, lively experience showcasing the unique design of the Jay & Edgar Booth Theatre at Boston University.

The playing space features a series of dock-like platforming spanning diagonally between two scaffolding features in opposite corners. The central playing space utilizes the full trap floor of the Booth to create a functional pool as part of the swamp atmosphere. Boats, docks, and tree stumps throughout the pool, all level with audience seating, help immerse the audience in the world of the opera. Musicians circle the space on the mezzanine level of the theatre, and moss hangs from low-hanging trusses, making the three-story venue feel tighter and more intimate.

Renderings, draftings, and reference images were created and collected as part of a scene design study at Boston University with the intention of exploring styles and modes of describing concepts in the early part of the design process.