By: Andi Grene September 13, 2024
Colm McNally and Orla Long have been working behind the scenes on Nancy Harris’ THE BEACON, EXTENDED through November 24, 2024 at Irish Repertory Theatre.
Colm is the set and lighting designer for the show. He’s currently director of Technical and Production at Z Space in San Francisco, and was trained at Trinity College Dublin and the Lir Academy. He’s an Irish Times Theatre Awards and Bay Area Theatre Awards nominee.
Orla designs costumes for THE BEACON. She holds an MFA in Design from Tisch NYU and a BA in Drama & French Studies from Trinity College Dublin. She was nominated for a Lucille Lortel award for Outstanding Costume Design for Irish Rep’s production of Endgame last year.
Irish Rep sat down with Colm and Orla and asked them how the design elements of the show came to be. Check out their interviews below!
How did you each go about visualizing the play? Which scenes and pieces came to you first?
Colm: Nancy Harris says it at the very top of the script: it’s the window. That’s where you have to start. BEIV, played by Kate Mulgrew, is looking out at the sea; the whole play revolves around it. How can we maximize the window in the play, making it as big and impactful as possible? How far can you go with it? That was really my focus. My mission was to maximize its power.
Orla: It’s BEIV’s home. So costume design really started with her. She’s an artist. She’s all about practicality. Every day is a work day for her; she’s all about her work and her painting.
What are the particularities of the set of THE BEACON? What’s important on stage? What sets THE BEACON apart from other productions you’ve worked on?
Colm: THE BEACON is set in BEIV’s home. This means it must feel as real as possible. Scattered throughout the set are books she might read, bills from her phone and electricity providers. It’s a cottage that BEIV, herself, has renovated. She’s an artist with an eye; this means the set must be stylish, the perfect blend of vintage and contemporary.
This style of set is quite different from ones I usually work on. I tend not to lean toward naturalism, and find myself in the world of design gestures that are larger, more symbolic and allegorical. And, of course, Irish Rep’s theatre layout presents a unique set of challenges – the stage is asymmetrical, complete with a big ol’ pillar in the middle of it. The unusual geometry of the space made it necessary to use every inch of the stage.
What did the costume designing process look like during rehearsals? Who, and what, informed the articles of clothing seen on stage?
Orla: Costume is a communicative tool. The body of an actor is a vessel for the development of their character. This means a costume designer has the responsibility of making sure actors are comfortable, and are able to engage in open dialogues about their characters.
Which costumes are you most excited for audience members to see?
Orla: I hope they won’t notice the costumes at all! These costumes should just feel like a second skin. I feel this way about all of the shows I work on. Costumes shouldn’t be noticeable unless there’s a grand reveal or transition in the script which might align with a new piece of clothing. I’ve done my job when nobody’s talking about what I’ve done.
How do you strike a balance between their own creative visions and the director’s?
Colm: The most important thing in a play is the story itself. Everyone’s reading the same text, and THE BEACON is an exceptionally narrative play. If you go back to the text, disagreements are fairly easy to solve. There’s usually a right answer for art.
What advice might you have for aspiring designers?
Colm: Avoiding external pressures and centering yourself in your own artistic journey. Do what works for you, and try to do a lot of different stuff.
Orla: Being a designer is a privilege. Ask yourself if you really like the work you’re doing, and then hone your craft.
Colm: And take inspiration from the other projects you work on, even if they’re not your style.
Orla: So it’s really just, steal everything.
Colm: Oh, steal everything. Nothing is new, everything is theft!