Building an Ice Arena on a Stage
Set Designer Andrew Boyce shares designs and insight into his process for creating the “Abominables” set!
The Abominables takes you inside the world of rink rats, hockey moms, tournament weekends and the quest to play your best — better known as tryout season in the Great State of Hockey! In this article set designer Andrew Boyce gives you an inside look at what it takes to bring an ice rink to the CTC stage.
Tell us how you approached designing an ice rink on a theatre stage.
Andrew Boyce: “Well, I always start by diving deep into researching the world of the play/musical. So we started at looking at a lot of rinks of different shapes and sizes — both practice facilities and stadiums. By casting our net wide, we were able to start identifying commonalities, but also certain type of rink spaces that felt akin to the vibe of our play. And when I look at research of real places, I’m always looking for structural or architectural elements that can be used as organizing elements in creating a similar space on stage. In this case, I was quite drawn to the huge beams and structural columns that are necessary to make these large, expansive spaces, big enough to hold a rink. Some are wood, some are metal, etc. And we began to explore that element. It became the through line for creating a rink-like space onstage.”
What might the audience find interesting to know about the set?
AB: “I hope that they appreciate how the design is both real and theatrical. It’s an interpretation of realistic elements, but reorganized for our theatrical purposes; to keep it open and flexible, to let things slide on and fly in that allow the audiences’ perspective shift — regarding where exactly we are in the story. I find it fun that we go to many different locations, but that we’re also always inside the larger container — the rink. Context is key.”
What are some considerations you had to make regarding the parts where the kids are skating?
AB: “The volume of space has always been an important consideration. Kids/actors are going to be moving through the space much more quickly than usual, and they need more room than usual to change direction, execute choreography, make the hockey action believable. So we’ve tried to make the space appropriately sized — both big enough to support the action, but in-scale for the theatre space and the production. A separate conversation has focused on creating a good, durable “rink” floor that the kids can skate on throughout the run. It’s been fun to work with our scenic charge artist — Mary Novodvorsky— to create this beautiful element.”
What was your process for determining how to set up the rink, stands and locker rooms, all of which take place at the same time in some scenes?
AB: “Well, beyond the larger organization of space built around the realistic structural elements seen in the research, the question gets at the other major challenge in creating the design. Form follows function. We are certainly leaning into, and relying on, the audience’s imagination — that we can be in two different spaces at once onstage, defined by light and action. So we’ve tried to create an environment that is flexible enough to allow those shifts of perception with careful placement of things on stage.”
Is checking allowed on your rink?
AB: “Of course. But hopefully no big brawls. :)”
Anything else the audience might find fun to know?
AB: “There are plenty of fun tricks built into a lot of the scenery that should be surprising!”
Don’t miss the world premiere of The Abominables running September 12-October 15. Get tickets today on our website. And in case you missed it, check out our fun cast announcement!
