Aline Toloto, our super-talented new Properties Supervisor, has been working particularly hard on props for this huge upcoming show! Hear more about her work as a designer and the specificities of “The Addams Family – A New Musical” here:
What makes “The Addams Family – A New Musical” different from designs you’ve done in the past?
The direction we decided to go with the Properties Design Concept for the show was not about historical accuracy, but about how we could make fun props that feel like they would belong to the members of the Addams Family. That provided a great space for my creativity and imagination as an artist that sometimes, depending on the story we are telling, is not possible in other shows.
What has been rewarding about designing this show? What has been challenging?
Connecting this answer with the previous, it’s been rewarding to be able to freely create this world of the Addams with our design team. Yet this freedom has also proven to be a challenge! We are constantly brainstorming and problem-solving–trying different things that sometimes don’t work as expected.
What are you eager for audiences to see and notice in your designs when they come to the show?
I believe the props are the “cherry on top” in theatre. In the world we create onstage it’s the little things that complement and bring life to the overall space. The goal is not to make the audience distracted by something exuberant, but the opposite: we aim for simple details that sometimes can be imperceptible to the audience. We collaborate with the actors and let them inspire the audience to believe in the story that is being told.
What creative inspiration have you been drawing from to make these designs?
In one of my first meetings with the Scenic Designer he told me he was interested in a spooky concept–not scary-spooky but goofy-spooky! I loved the direction he desired for this design and kept that in mind throughout the process. We also established a muted color palette with grays, purples and blues for both scenery and props, letting the light and costume designs bring brighter colors into the space.
