Bearskin

Set Design Concept for the fairie tale Bearskin
Designed for the Trinity Reportory In Providence Rhode Island

The story of Bearskin is about a person’s journey. A man makes a pact with a devil for him to recieve great wealth if he does not clean or groom himself for seven years. The devil provides him with a coat that will always have gold in the pockets. The man proceeds to use his wealth and skills to help people. However, it becomes hard for him to purchase food and shelter because of his apperance. He helps an old man who offers up one of his daughters as a wife to Bearskin. Only the youngest of the three daughters agree to be his bride. Bearskin leaves his bride for three years,  before the end of the seven years is up and he is able to groom himself. He then returns the daughter as a groomed and wealthy man. This design is meant to have many entrances and exits to explore the wadering and lost element of Bearskin. Instead of creating a literal forest the many pillars of the structure work as maze of trees. The fan trees would either be planted in the ground gowing and shrinking during the show or could be hung from the grid. Strips of scrim playing with light that would raise or lower.