Behind the scenes of PlayMakers' 'Death of a Salesman'

Starting on Feb. 1, PlayMakers Repertory Company is presenting the classic play, "Death of a Salesman,"  giving the age-old story a modern feel using elements such as light, costume and set design. The play follows the journey of Willy Loman as he chases the American Dream, losing himself along the way.

The most technologically modern aspect of the PlayMakers production of the piece is its lighting. Using four different projectors, images created by designer Tao Wang are projected onto the set, submerging the audience into the lives of the characters, the plot and the setting of the show.  

Wang said that the projected images reflect the various characters’ inner workings as well as the physical location of the scene. This technology proved to be difficult at times, as projecting light onto an entirely black set is not an easy task. 

“As a projection designer you have to be thinking about the contrast of the composition," Wang said. "With the black material, what kind of a texture media can play on the black surface."

Visual design has evolved over time and in Wang’s opinion, will continue to do so. According to Wang, projected set designs are becoming more and more common in theatre, especially with the rapid evolution of AI. 

Wang occasionally uses AI in his projection images and has been working with it for nearly two years. He said that with the use of AI, his images can better interact with the audience. For example, AI helps designers edit their designs quickly between shows depending on how the audience reacts to them. 

These projections wouldn’t exist, however, without a surface to be projected on. Set design is a necessary component of visual design, creating surfaces and textures for images to be projected onto.

Set designer Jan Chambers said that while designing sets, she had to keep the relationship between set design and projection design on her mind. The two areas have to coordinate, she said, as Wang’s projections are revealed onto the surfaces Chambers chooses.

Not only did Chambers have to keep the lighting in mind, she also had to make sure her set design reflected the modernity PlayMakers was trying to add to the play.

“I knew that we needed to do something very different, something that would contemporize the production and yet honor [playwright] Arthur Miller,” Chambers said. 

Chambers said "Death of a Salesman" was the first play she ever saw at PlayMakers and felt that even though the original set design was impactful, she knew she had to do something different. 

Another designer for the show thought similarly to Chambers. Costume designer David Woolard said that through his costuming he wanted to make the play feel a bit more universal, in terms of the time period it was originally set in.

“The hairstyles [are] are based on period hairstyles, but they're a little bit softer, a little bit more modern feeling,” Woolard said.

Woolard’s role in costume design is to take the script and understand the characters, before creating costume ideas that help visually tell the relationship of the actors on the stage.  

The goal of costume design, along with light and set design, is to create a visual representation of the story. These three areas work together to create a cohesive aesthetic, as well as tell the story effectively through visuals. 

A challenge Woolard faced while working on "Death of a Salesman" was costuming cast members before he got a chance to meet them. 

“It's making sure that I'm building on the foundation of the actor playing the role and making sure that I'm not asking that actor to do something or be someone who they can't be visually,” Woolard said.

Visual design is an important part of theatre. The narrative and mood of the play is easier conveyed with detailed visuals, and the audience is able to fully immerse themselves into the life of the characters. 

"Death of a Salesman" will continue to show until Feb. 16. To buy tickets, head over to the PlayMakers website. 

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