Set Design

For the play Bus Stop

by: Shanelle Martinez

What

typ

e of

spac

e?

A proscenium theatre would be the right theatre space for the play Bus Stop because the audience can see what is happening right in front of them and from how the play is being portrayed this theatre is the right fit.

Act

1

Act 1 takes place in a Kansas City bus stop restaurant and from reading the play the restaurant has a rustic country diner feel to it.

Our Bus stop production in act 1 would have at least two tables and the bar with 5 bar stools. Try to make the kitchen look like it has everything but not really. The audience can just try to connect the dots by what they see. Most of the set would look rustic with wooden chairs, tables, etc. The backdrop on the stage would be a window to show what time of day and weather.

Act

2

The play is still taking place at the restaurant and just a few minutes have passed. The focus is more the characters Elma and Dr. Lyman in their conversation.

Act

3

The time of the day is a little more earlier so then the set show be more brighten up than before the the window curtains are out to show the foggy windows. Most of the characters are about to depart from the restaurant, so to show that there must be a makeshift bus.

Use bus seats to make a bus.

Foggy windows indicates the weather and time of day

Mood &

Sty

le

The mood and style for this play would be a happy, rustic, western/modern collided look, with a home feel and diner look a like set.

Loca

le &

Tim

e

Peri

od

The time this play took place was during the 50’s since the whole diner feel and the costuming is more of the 50’s. Also, the location of the play is in a little restaurant in Kansas City.

Final P

roduct

The set will look like this but less sets. Where the magazines are located will be the door. Behind the benches will be the window for act 1 and 2 it will be covered with curtains and in act 3 it will be opened. The heater will be located where it is located on the picture above. There will be two tables with four chairs and the bar counter and stools will stand where it stands on the picture. The kitchen will have a coffee maker and other assorted diner items. Then when it is time to get on the bus, the bus chairs will sit in the middle of the stage and the audience will have to imagine it is a full bus.