Interviewing Sara Malo on Tuck Everlasting
By Julianne Ellis
Staff Writer
After having the pleasure of seeing JAC’s theatre production of Tuck Everlasting, adapted by Marc Frattaroli, I had to contact the set designer and learn about the mechanizations behind the art. I spoke with Sara Malo, who had the drive to bring the show together on stage.
This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
To begin, I asked Sara about how she began the design process. I wanted to know where she drew her inspiration- be it from Natalie Babbitt’s book, movie, or the adapted play. What exactly led her to choose such dark colours in contrast to the saturated lights? Here is what she said on the matter:
S: I began the design process by reading the play once for an overall feel. I returned with a more critical eye, picking up on themes, motifs, and symbolism, to begin to draw inspiration. From here, I narrowed my concepts down to which would drive the whole design. My colour scheme was inspired by an abstract representation of the forest floor. My painting was an amalgamation of greens and browns- mimicking dirt and leaves. I splattered yellow and orange, playing off the sun shining down from the canopy. This really brought out the orangey hues of the lighting, which our lighting designer, Zoé implemented.
And what exactly was the concept that brought this play to life? Did it evolve from other elements, such as costumes, or characters? Was it an independent project?
S: My initial vision was to represent the cycle of life. The main concept of the play centers around how life and death are essential to a fulfilling life. Wood, being so prevalent in the story, is the medium I chose to portray this concept. I surrounded the characters with trees, a physical representation that the cycle of life is all around them. Trees served both for metaphorical and practical use, as seen in the “table” stump. It reflects how connected they are to life, and the simplicity in which they enjoy their eternity. I purposely did not watch the movie. I wanted my designs to truly reflect the play, uninfluenced by the movie. As for the “independence” of the project, there is none. In theatre, everything is connected. I worked closely in the initial design period with the lighting, video, and sound designers, communicating which elements should remain physical or otherwise. Changes are made to accommodate other departments’ needs, and to fit the vision of the director, Tracy Leigh Campbell’s ideas.
I can see that everything came together beautifully, in the end. The talent of the directors and cast shines beautifully and individually yet meshes perfectly into one scene. That being said, what is your favourite hidden detail in the set? Something we may have missed.
S: My favourite hidden detail was the large stump platform. Serving as an elevated stage, it also held a key concept in my design; it was meant to represent the idea of the circle of life. The stump has the rings of a tree, indicating the time that has passed since birth. Each ring, a ripple of life, mimicking the boat scene of the play. They are literal circles of life!