Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2017 - 43

The statue resided on a rolling platform that contained the
equipment for the fog machine and lights. Photo by Michael
Thomas Driggers.

glow of the various flicker candles that were placed on
the statue throughout the action of the play. To eliminate the need for an umbilical, the electrics team also
mounted a battery and portable dimmer pack inside the
statue.

artisans in the props and paint shops. After all of these
custom details had been applied, the statue was ready
to receive its final application of paint to complete the
marbling process.
FINISHING TOUCHES
The team knew, from the beginning of the project, that
the final product would be very heavy, so Technical
Director Mark Rapach planned and engineered a base
into the structure. This base was constructed with a steel
frame and allowed the statue to be moved with just a
pallet jack as the assembly process progressed. Once the
piece was nearing completion, the statue was forked up
and onto its rolling pedestal where it could be easily
wheeled around on its own. Because the unit moved frequently throughout the course of the show, zero-throw
swivel casters were mounted to the base to help eliminate any jerky movements that might cause unnecessary
stress on the unit.
The hollow steel frame of the base also allowed
our lighting department to hide a number of lights and
special effects inside the unit. A small fog machine was
mounted inside the base that allowed the fog to escape
from the perimeter of the shape and create a floating effect for the structure. Lights were also mounted
throughout the base of the statue to add to the ambient

OTHER APPLICATIONS
Throughout the process, it became obvious that this
technology could be used for a variety of different applications across various disciplines within the entertainment industry. The ability to alter the thickness of each
slice allows for a real flexibility with scale and material
choices. An artist could, for example, use a thicker material to create large scenic structures for abstract units
like rocks and trees. Using a smaller material would increase the layers but enhance the detail for things like
props and replica pieces. Choosing to use a foam material would greatly reduce the weight and machining
time of any structure and allow for much easier carving and manipulation. A costume shop could even use
a scanned model of a performer to create a foam replica
for fittings that would be the exact shape and size of the
individual.
The Autodesk 123D suite of apps also has a growing online community that can provide a wealth of resources and ideas for new projects. There are thousands
of projects uploaded on the website and they make a
great jumping off point for anyone new to 3D modeling. The projects range from dinosaurs to phone cases
and showcase the software's versatility.
This project is a prime example of how new technology and traditional artistry can work together to create amazing results. Instead of isolating the project to
one shop within the production department, the collaboration between the scenic, props, paints, and electrics
teams throughout the process created a truly unique
and awesome piece of art. Both The Clarice professional
staff and UMD student employees participated in navigating the journey of the Apollo and Daphne statue.
Michael Driggers is the assistant technical
director at The Clarice Smith Performing
Arts Center at the University of Maryland.
His work centers on engineering scenic
elements and integrating new technology into
theatrical scenery construction. Driggers came to the
Washington, DC, area from Valdosta State University,
where he was a faculty member and technical director.
Previously, he has worked at the Santa Fe Opera, the
Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Central Piedmont Summer
Theatre, and Peach State Summer Theatre.

W i n t e r 2 0 1 7

theatre design

& technology

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2017