After five weeks of preparation the set for the upcoming play "Cabaret" is finished, and the Kit Kat Klub, the setting of the play in 1930s Berlin, will host a crowded audience at the Telfair Peet Theatre.
"I've never had a set so intricate," said Paula Bagley, freshman in theatre. "I mean its two stories; I've never had a two-story set. It's definitely been a challenge in a good way. It's easier to dig deeper with the characters and get more into the show because we can interact with the set so much."
Paul Anton, assistant technical director, said after the set is designed it's his job to build the massive structure in the most efficient way.
"We build in pieces that are manageable, so pieces that we can carry easily and aren't too heavy," Anton said. "We can't build an entire section at once. We have to build it in pieces then put it together to complete the puzzle."
Despite the size of the set, Anton said it would only take about four hours to take down and store. After a production is finished with a set, the pieces are usually used later in different shows.
"For this one, because it was so unique, we weren't able to use anything but the spiral staircase that we already had, but all the stuff we bought for the show will be things we'll reuse a great deal," Anton said.
Most of the background was sent to North Carolina to be painted, but Anton said the actors actually painted some of the graffiti on the set's walls.
"This is the first play where I've actually had a hand in painting the set," said Blake Burgis, junior in theatre. "The graffiti was a touch I really enjoyed with the show. Any time before that you have to kind of inscribe your initials and make it a secret or the scenic director will get really mad at you."
Bagley said drawing the graffiti during rehearsal was fun and was also a good exercise to help understand her character.
"When we did the graffiti we all had to do stuff that reflected our character, which also gave us a chance to dig deeper into our story," Bagley said, "so it's fun seeing things that only we probably know mean."
Bagley painted "gold grabber" at the top of the set to describe her character, Helga, and Burgis used his character's native language.
"Mine is 'vor allem Deutsche,'" Burgis said. "It's right there in the front, and it means 'above all, German.' My character Hans is a very nationalist person. He bleeds for his country."
The atmosphere of the play was not the only thing considered when building the set, Anton said safety and practicality are also important.
"We have what's called a fire curtain," Anton said. "It actually comes in the middle of the set in case of a fire to keep the fire from spreading to the audience, so we can't have anything that will obstruct that from coming in."
It is also important for set pieces to always be ready for the next scene, which is difficult for actors who have split-second costume changes between parts.
"They have several intricate costumes they have to get on and off in seconds, so a lot of what the rest of us have to do is make sure that all the set is lined up and work it over and over again to make sure we know where everything goes," Burgis said.
Though the set is safe, many of the actors are in complex scenes while interacting with it, which Bagley said can be intimidating.
"For me the only scary parts are going down those stairs as fast as we have to in heels," Bagley said. "I have to walk across the top backwards without looking behind me and that's a challenge. It's very sturdy, though. It's obviously a very safe set and very well-built, so that helps."
Burgis said the set is an extremely important part of what makes the show engaging.
"Putting it together definitely took a lot of time and effort," Burgis said. "As it comes together it's got more character, and the set itself becomes a part of the show."
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