Scenic Design - Farce
04
2024

Boeing, Boeing — The Conservatory at Stephens College

Living room with a brown couch, two chairs, a small coffee table, and a large plant. A man in a suit is standing near a blue door on a small staircase with brick walls behind him. The room has wood-paneled walls and artwork hanging on the walls. 
Scenic Design Rendering created in Vectorworks.
Two women performing on a stage set that resembles a living room, with one standing and the other sitting on a brown leather couch. The standing woman is wearing a yellow dress with white accents and a white bow in her blonde hair, while the seated woman has short black hair, glasses, and is dressed in a gray top and a long skirt.

Design Notes

For Boeing Boeing, I leaned fully into midcentury modernism to evoke the stylish, high-stakes world of Marc Camoletti’s iconic French farce. Set in a sleek 1960s Paris apartment, the design draws from the clean architectural geometry and masculine materiality of the era—rich wood paneling, sharp vertical lines, and a palette of warm neutrals punctuated by bold accent colors.

At the heart of the space is Bernard’s entry vestibule, framed by blonde brick and anchored by a striking cobalt-blue front door that instantly grabs the audience’s attention. This door becomes a comedic focal point, rhythmically opening and closing as the characters’ lives spiral into farcical chaos. Overhead, a sculptural orange Sputnik chandelier lends flair and period authenticity while heightening the design’s visual rhythm.

The furniture and décor were chosen with precision: the tufted leather sofa, asymmetrical coffee table, and geometric wall art suggest a bachelor’s taste—sophisticated, curated, and just a bit showy. Each door in the apartment—six in total—represents the orbit of Bernard’s complicated romantic life, each with its own spatial logic that supports the timing and choreography essential to farce.

This is a world of control and illusion: Bernard’s lifestyle teeters on precision, and the design reflects that with symmetry and order—only to unravel as the narrative does. Subtle scenic clues, like mismatched souvenirs and the plants creeping into frame, hint at the chaos brewing beneath the polished surface.

Ultimately, the set is more than a backdrop—it’s a visual partner in the comedy. Every design choice supports the pace, stakes, and absurdity of the script, grounding the action in an aesthetic that feels both glamorous and precarious. In this fast-moving world of deception and desire, the apartment becomes a character all its own.

A man and woman kissing while sitting on a leather couch in a cozy room with wooden walls and a blue door.

Creative Team

Written by Marc Camoletti

Directed by John Hemphill

Scenic Design by Brandon PT Davis
Costume Design by Fae Riemann-Royer
Lighting Design by Katie Cohen
Sound Design by Michael Burke

Photos by Rebecca Allen

A theatrical scene with a woman standing and two people sitting on a brown leather couch, set against a brick wall with dark blue double doors behind them. The standing woman is dressed in a beige apron and plaid skirt, holding a tray. The sitting wo
Three actors on stage in a theatrical play, with a woman seated in the middle gesturing and two men standing on either side, in a room with modern decor and a blue door at the back.
Stage play scene with three actors, two men and one woman, engaged in conversation in a room with wooden paneling and brick accents, featuring a leather sofa, a black chair, and blue double doors.
Two men engaged in a physical altercation in an indoor setting. One man in a gray suit appears to be pushing or grabbing the other man who is wearing a green shirt and a dark vest. They are near a brown leather couch, with a blue door and a globe on
A woman and a man sitting on a brown leather couch, smiling and engaging in conversation. The woman is dressed in a pink dress with white boots, and the man is wearing a gray suit with a tie. They are in a room with a brick wall, a wooden door, a glo
Three people standing and talking in a living room set of a theater, with a blue door, brick wall in the background, and furniture including chairs, a sofa, a coffee table with bottles, and framed artworks on the walls.
The scene is from a theatrical play with four actors on stage in a living room set. One man on the left is speaking, another man on the right appears to be explaining or arguing, a woman in the center looks confrontational, and a fourth man in the ba