Scenic artists prepare for the opening of Festival
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

News Herald Photo by Lester Murray HeeYoung Son (left) and Rory Kugellberg work on the floor for the 12th Knight. Kugellberg is the scenic artist for the Texas Shakespeare Festival and Son is an assistant scenic artist for TSF. Both women are part of a team that will do all of the artistic work for the four plays.

The first performance in the Texas Shakespeare Festival doesn't open until July 3. But that doesn't mean the company is relaxed... unless you consider tenhour days relaxing.

Rory Kugellberg, a scenic artist from Sugarland, is one of three people responsible for making sure each piece of scenery for all four plays is done.

Jimmy Humphries, the festival's scenic designer, is in his eighteenth year with the Shakespeare Festival and he oversees the work being done by the scenic artists.

Humphries said his work started last June when he learned of what the plays were back in Springfield, Ohio. "I start with renderings of what I believe each set should look like based on reading the play and talking on the phone with directors," said Humphries. "Even though I think at the time, wow these are great, after the directors and costume designers get a look at them and give input, its back to the drawing board."

Once the renderings are approved, a mock-up of each set is prepared by Humphries. The scenic artists will use that mock-up as a guide. "These artists are working on four plays at the same time," said Humphries. "As construction is done on a piece for a set, the artists will start painting, so it is important they have a model or rendering to work from."

Kugellberg said this is her second season at the Shakespeare Festival. "I am working professionally as a scenic artist at this time with the Hartford Stage Co.," said Kugellberg. "When I am done here this summer I will be going to Indianapolis to work for the Indiana Repertory Theater."

HeeYoung Son, from South Korea, is a graduate student at the University of Purdue studying scenic design and in her first year at the TSF. "I hope to be a production designer for films when I graduate," said Son.

Kugellberg said working on any particular set is no more difficult then any other, it is just that some sets are more time consuming.

The floor in the photos is done one sponge at a time following a rendering done by Humphries and is just one of four floors that will be prepared in the next three weeks.

"This year the toughest play for me is The Royal Hunt of the Sun," said Humphries. "When putting together the sets of this magical place I used architectural designs from Italian, Islamic and Spanish architecture. There are a lot of things I still need to overcome for this play, such as a river of blood and a room full of gold."

Kugellberg said coming back to TSF is just a lot of fun. "I will only be here for six weeks, once the plays start I will leave," said Kugellberg. "Son, who is an assistant scenic artist, will stay for the full ten weeks to do touch ups on any set piece throughout the performances."

Humphries said in his first year at TSF he only stayed for six weeks, but since then he has been at TSF for the full ten weeks.

"There will be a lot of challenges this year also, with one set being the highest ever done at TSF and floors with up to a three-foot curved ramp that actors must dance and move on. It will definitely be a challenge this year," said Humphries.

These artistic artists and designers are just one piece of the puzzle for the TSF to be successful, approximately 60 people working together in preparation for opening night.