GCC Set Design of "In the Blood" Earns TANYS Award

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A rendering of GCC's award-winning set design for the production of “In the Blood” .

BATAVIA, NY (12/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Genesee Community College is pleased to announce Ed Hallborg, director of Technical Theatre, was recently awarded the Best Scenic Design Award in the BMI Supply Design Competition at the Theatre Association of New York State's (TANYS) annual festival. Mr. Hallborg's set design for the production of "In the Blood" was awarded top honors at the festival held November 18-20, 2011.

The set depicted an overpass bridge adorned with graffiti set in post-hurricane Katrina New Orleans and consisted of a wood, steel and foam "bridge" under which homeless family lived. Four working TV's would turn on during key moments of the play when the actors would "confess" their sins to the audience.

"One interesting aspect of this show was the confessions which occurred throughout the play," Ed Hallborg noted. "At these moments, the actors step out of the show and attempt to justify their behavior to the audience. To enhance this moment, we decided to imitate a confessional booth of reality TV. I used real-time cameras and old TVs on the stage. At the appropriate moment, the TVs and cameras would switch on and show the actors on the screen as they spoke their monologue. The images would stutter and jump. The effect was surreal and a little spooky."

The set was constructed from structural lumber, 16 gauge steel studs (for the bridge), cardboard Sonotubes and a foam skin. The structurally sound bridge could support up to four people walking across the 16 foot span at any one time, and it took nearly three months to design, prepare and construct. Following Mr. Hallborg's set design, GCC's Forum Players aided in the intricate and safe construction.

"There was a lot of engineering in the details. Particularly in calculating a safe span we could create with the steel studs," Hallborg said.

For further information please contact Ed Hallborg at 585-343-0055 x6618 or erhallborg@genesee.edu.

A rendering of the set design is available at http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Set_Sketch_Up.jpg A photograph of the "In the Blood" set is available at http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Set_Design.jpg

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