"The Revolutionists" by Lauren Gunderson

Director: Asia Meana -- Scenic Design: Lindsey Taylor -- Costume Design: Nathanael Tria -- Lighting Design: Andrew Neal -- Sound Design: Jordan Harris // The Morton Theater, Athens, GA

Designer Note:
What makes a memorable revolution? The art! Even a failed five-day revolution can spawn an iconic musical. The Revolutionists takes place during the more effective French Revolution in an uncertain time for the women of the show. The fragility of circumstances is represented in the “paper theater” style of the set. Our main character, Olympe, is a playwright who has attached her worth to her art, but her art block has made her into a perpetual bystander. This perspective leaves her impotent as her world changes far too fast for her pen to keep up with. The paper theater is her safe space, but even that is affected by the revolution. Feeling swept up in societal upheaval is not reserved for the folks of the French Revolution, so inspiration was drawn from other historical revolutions like the Cuban Revolution and the ongoing struggle in Palestine. Graffiti has existed alongside humanity since the beginning of learning we can make our marks; in the set, graffiti is stylized on the walls as Olympe’s frantic scribbles. Finally, the color palette was inspired by Che Guevara's appreciation of modern art, the French film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and being unabashedly feminine, respectively. Vive The Revolutionists!