King Lear: A Gilded Age Tragedy

Abstract

KING LEAR A GILDED AGE TRAGEDY Master of Fine Arts in Scenography Thesis under the direction of Delbert Unruh, M.A., Professor of Theatre and Film This theatre design for Shakespeare's King Lear sets the play in late Victorian America. The character of Lear is a wealthy industrialist. The other characters make up the remainder of his corporation. This premise reveals the play's themes of greed, ambition and family ties while exploring the extreme nature of this time in American history. Using a neutral, yet evocative, scenic design allows for the numerous locations and recalls the simple aesthetic of industrial architecture of the time. The period details of the costume design grounds the show in reality and provides distinction between social classes and character loyalties. The production uses contemporary stage technology and design to bring to mind the 1880s through a thought-provoking and relevant theatre experience.