Q: Where did you grow up? Were there any activities you did as a child that led to your passion for the arts?
I grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. As a kid, I would play Barbies with my sisters, and I would do their hair, make up their “houses,” and give each of the dolls a background story…and then I would quit. I found that setting up the story was far more interesting than living in the story itself. I drew pictures a lot as a child, wrote a play, and designed the scenery on sheets in my grandparents’ backyard, etc. When I got to high school, I participated in activities like Odyssey of the Mind – again, designing scenery and costumes for our performance/problem solving session. I also got into theatre in my sophomore year, where I helped with set construction. In fact, until I took a Set Design class in college, I thought that the set designer was just the high school art teacher – not an actual profession where people paid you money to draw pictures!
Q: Where did you receive training? How did this prepare you for your work in the theatre world?
A tiny liberal arts school in Ohio named Ashland University, where I received my B.A. My M.F.A. was earned at Kent State University, also in Ohio. I have also worked under and with amazing designers, prop artisans, and scenic artists at some pretty incredible theatres. These people believed in and invested in me, and I try to pass that on to younger artists and designers where I can. For what it’s worth, I still feel as if I am in training. There is always more to learn and ways to grow, and every person I work with helps me develop as an artist and a human just a little bit more. I am grateful for everything I have been taught in school, on the job, and in life.
Q: What other companies have you most recently designed for?
It’s been a busy spring and summer! I opened Eclipsed at Southern Repertory Theatre in NOLA and The Revisionist at Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston in April. This summer brought Hello, Dolly! starring Dee Hoty and Mamma Mia! at Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City in July, as well as a remount of an earlier set design of Iolanthe at Ohio Light Opera.
Q: Please discuss your process as the Set Designer for Mamma Mia!
Actually, this is second of three productions of Mamma Mia! for me this summer/fall but before this, I hadn’t even seen it! It’s a pretty popular show this season. There has to be enough room for some excellent dancing, so putting a lot of architecture in the way of movement was not going to work. That being said, it was important to the whole team to make sure the beauty of the architecture and landscape of Greece was present in the design. The question was how many elements did we need to accomplish this feat? What was going to evoke enough of a sense of a vacation destination that was also separate and distinct from the beauty of the Charleston beaches and vacation spots? Over the course of working on the production, I have fallen deeply in love with the music of the show (as has much of the world), so the design was also about finding moments to incorporate some disco elements into the mix, as an homage to an ABBA concert. (They’re currently making another album, and I couldn’t be more excited!)
Q: What are you most excited about that audiences will experience with your designs for Mamma Mia?
I think, if our plans work, the scenery, costumes, and lighting (along with the music, of course) will coalesce to allow the audience to dance in their seats and just ENJOY themselves. I secretly hope everyone sings along, too…mostly so that I am not the only one doing so!
Q: Tell us a little more about yourself.
I reside in Fayetteville, AR, with my husband and almost 3 year old son. I am currently working on shows at Lyric Theatre again, as well as TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, AR; Casa Mañana in Ft. Worth, TX, Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose, CA; and Orlando Repertory Theatre in Florida – with more to be added soon! I have a couple of small murals in the works as well. I try to fit those in as I have time, along with freelance scenic art. My work may be viewed at
www.kvpowersdesign.com.
Performances continue running Sept. 20 – 23 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Purchase tickets today by clicking here.