Freaky Friday
Design Notes
In Freaky Friday, produced by Okoboji Summer Theatre in 2024 and directed by Josh Walden, I set out to create a visually dynamic world that balances bold simplicity with a storytelling style inspired by the vibrant aesthetic of Archie Comics. Clean lines, saturated colors, and stylized shapes transformed the stage into a playful, comic-book setting that amplified the musical’s humor, pace, and heart.
Modular units—rotating boxes and layered platforms—suggested multiple locations with simple shifts in position or palette, enabling fast transitions while keeping a cohesive visual world. A bright palette of reds, yellows, and blues injected energy and mirrored the characters’ emotional intensity.
The design supported themes of empathy, chaos, and connection by creating a visual rhythm across the family home, the high school, and the wedding venue. Objects like the wedding cake, hourglass, and lockers were rendered with stylized clarity—grounded enough to be recognizably real while staying slightly heightened.
Much like the characters’ journey, the set oscillated between realism and fantasy. Everyday spaces were filtered through a whimsical, animated lens that encouraged expressive staging and quick movement.
This Freaky Friday scenic design embraced theatricality with a bright, contemporary visual language—inviting audiences into a world where chaos leads to clarity and understanding unfolds through color, shape, and transformation.
