DESIGN’S ROLE IN THE REPRESENTATION OF COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR ON STAGE

Abstract

The following thesis reflects on the importance of authentic representation of communities of people of color using scenic design. It outlines the scenic design process of two shows as case studies, A Bicycle Country by Nilo Cruz and for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange, produced by the School of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park in November of 2023 and February of 2025 respectively. Tools used to convey the design to the creative and production teams include research images, concept renderings, ¼” scale model photographs, drafting plates, and paint elevations. Additionally, this paper includes process and production photographs and a reflection of the entire process.