Table of Contents

Preface

About the Author

Acknowledgements

1 – Introduction

What Is a Design Concept?

It’s the Script

What is the Piece About?

What Is the Piece Like?

Scripts and Stories

Romeo & Juliet

2 – What’s a Metaphor?

Metaphor Defined

Written or Verbal Metaphor

A Brief History of Metaphor in Art

The Greeks

Fine Art

Cubism

Art Nouveau

Art Deco

Contemporary Architecture

Contemporary Art

Fashion

Asian Art

Music

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Fanfare for the Common Man

Memories of East Texas

Metaphor in Theatre and Performance

Dierks Bentley Riser Tour

3 – Analysis

Where to Begin

Sketch, Doodle, Collage

Develop the Design

Beyond the Reading

Record Your Thoughts

React

What If There Is No Script?

Burnham Got Game

What Are You Reading to Learn?

Character or Situation?

Characters

Situations

What Is the Dramatic Question?

Where and When

Place

Time

Text and Subtext

The Daily Show – Austin

Morals

Language

Scene Breakdown

Dramatic Structure

Aristotle

Plot

Exposition

The Inciting Incident

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Denouement

Style

Action

The Author

Angelica

Message or Theme

So Where Are You Now?

Now It’s Personal

The Dramaturge and Dramaturgy

Précis

Nuclear Cowboyz

4 – Communication

Why You Draw

The Designer’s Sketchbook/Journal

Maintaining a Library

Working with Color

Collage

The Illusion of Space

Position and Scale

Value

Chiaroscuro

Depth of Field

Atmosphere

In the End

Ballet Deviare

5 – Research

Internet Research

Library Research

The Joy of Research

Study

What to Research

Act One

6 – Choice

Means of Choice

When to Choose

How to Choose

Pros and Cons

What Were You Thinking?

Visual Language

What Is This Place?

Using Metaphor to Choose

The Elephant Man

Choice and Metaphor

Move Forward

Falling For Eve

7 – Conceptualization

Putting the Pieces Together

Getting There

Let Your Ideas Percolate

Presenting Your Concept

Personal Brand

Fonts

Page Layout

The Scottsboro Boys

8 – Elements of Design

Line

Form

The Figure-Ground Relationship

Mass

Texture

Color

CMYK

RGB

Pigment

Color Evokes Emotions

Color Is Cultural

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Art and Color

Color and Metaphor

Guys & Dolls

9 – Principles of Design

The Principles

Unity and Variety

Balance, Emphasis and Rhythm

Symmetry

Asymmetry

Proportion and Scale

Taste and Style

Space

Mise-en-Scène

Composition

The Rule of Odds

The Rule of Thirds

Simplification

Limiting Focus

Chiaroscuro

Color and Interaction

Gestalt

Prägnanz

Similarity

Continuation

Proximity

Closure

Common Fate

Does it Work?

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

10 – Collaboration

Processes

The Open Theatre

Viewpoints

Working Together

ACORD Studio

11 – Evaluation

Metaphor, Criticism, and Feedback

Negative Criticism

Check Your Reaction

Always Be Non-combative

Make an Effort to Understand

Do Unto Others

The Seven Deadly Sins of Design

Back to the Metaphor

The Rivals

12 – The Business of Show

The Work

Getting Work

Unions

Sell Your Skills

What to Charge?

Location, Location, Location

Agents

Taxes

Kit

Presentation

Visual Identity

Business Card

E-Mail Template

Resume

Documentation

Portfolio

Invoices

Précis

Wonderland