DESIGNER Alex Casillas ON Her CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR DECEMBER BY MARISELA TREVIÑO ORTA
If you are reading this then you are in the enviable position of either waiting to see or having already witnessed the profound and masterful romantic journey that is December by Marisela Treviño Orta. A story of a connection that makes useof poetic language, music, and physical magnetism, this piece deserves more than just a backdrop of furniture and walls. It requires a silent third character to help tell the story.
In an effort to utilize the intimate qualities of Alley’s Hubbard space in 3/4 thrust configuration, a manipulation of the layout of a realistic home is necessary. Much like a book of poetry, the opening up and expansion outward of the space lends it much more adeptly to the fluidity and dynamicism this show needs. Key items such as the record player, the area designated for dances and arguing, and the front exit are pushed downstage to inevitably pull the characters downstage together. This magnetic energy mimics the relationship between Carolina and Benjamin: pulling apart only to be drawn back together like a tide to its shore. In addition to this energy is the vibrancy of Carolina’s home itself. Colorful, eclectic, and full of affects from her life and travels, it was important to me to discuss her vivaciousness and personality in every part of her home.
