Scenic Design - Musical Theatre 
02
2023

The Merry Wives of Windsor — The Conservatory at Stephens College

Stage with brick columns, wooden panels, a green rectangular section with a large blue circle in the center, and two actors standing together at the front.
Stage backdrop with a green textured wall, a large blue circle with a sign saying 'Welcome to WINDSOR' and decorative elements, brick columns on sides, wooden panels, and a tiled floor.
Stage set with six colorful doors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) arranged in front of a brick wall and a green circle backdrop.
Three women in colorful costumes perform a theatrical scene on stage, with a woman in the middle wearing antlers and a crown gesturing thoughtfully, and the other two woman pointing at her.

Design Notes

For The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Jamey Grisham, I reimagined Shakespeare’s farcical world through the bright lens of 1950s American sitcoms. Embracing the mid-century modern aesthetic, the scenic design was infused with bold colors, clean architectural lines, and a spirit of suburban playfulness that echoed the stylized charm of classic television comedies.

The set was structured around a modular concept that allowed for fluid storytelling across multiple locations without slowing the play’s momentum. A series of color-coded flying doors—rendered in red, yellow, green, blue, and violet—became the central mechanism for transitions. Each door was both functional and symbolic, guiding the audience through a fast-paced series of entrances, exits, and comic miscommunications. The vibrant palette brought a pop-art sensibility to the stage, making each scene feel distinct while reinforcing the overall tone of levity.

To represent the pastoral shift into the forest scenes, I designed a circular green wall portal in tandem with the green door, paired with carefully layered lighting to evoke a stylized, magical outdoors. Rather than create a literal forest, we leaned into theatrical suggestion—using abstraction and color to invite the audience’s imagination.

This approach aligned with the production’s larger comedic language: clever, stylized, and visually buoyant. The scenic world reflected not only the exaggerated personalities of the characters but also the social satire embedded in the script. By channeling the format and flair of 1950s TV, we amplified the show’s themes of gossip, gender games, and domestic farce in a world that felt both nostalgic and freshly theatrical.

The result was a design that celebrated transformation, illusion, and humor—perfectly suited for the merry chaos of Shakespeare’s Windsor.

The stage of a theatrical play with multiple actors in vintage costumes, including a woman in a purple dress and several men in suits, with a large circular sign that reads Welcome to Windsor in the background.

Creative Team

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by Jamey Grisham

Scenic Design by Brandon PT Davis

Costume Design by Alice Crist

Lighting Design by Lennox Emery

Sound Design by Michael Burke

The cast of a stage play performing a musical, with groups of actors in vintage clothing, some in romantic pairs, on a colorful set with doors and large circular backdrop.
Three women and one man in a theatrical stage scene with a
Four actors on stage dressed in costumes performing in a play, with a large sign reading "Welcome to Windsor" in the background.
A theatrical stage with actors in colorful costumes performing a play. There are various doors and windows as stage props, and a large blue backdrop. The scene includes six actors engaged in a dramatic scene.
Two women engaged in a serious conversation on stage with a sign in the background that reads 'Welcome to Windsor.' One woman wears a purple cardigan and a pink dress; the other wears a red cardigan and a striped dress.
Three people dressed in quirky costumes sitting at a wooden table with metal mugs, in front of a sign that reads 'Welcome to Windsor'.
Four actors perform on stage in a theatrical production. One actor is in mid-action, reaching out with a book, while another actor dressed as a chef with a rolling pin leans back opposing him. Two other actors observe, one holding a baseball bat and
Two women in vintage clothing standing on stage in front of a large illuminated sign that reads 'Welcome to Windsor', engaging in conversation.
Theatrical stage with six actors in period costumes performing, with colorful doors and a circular prop on backdrop.