The behind-the-scenes work has already begun as Liberty approaches its annual fall play. Transforming a blank stage into a wide-range of settings is a challenging task, especially when combined with costume design and lighting configuration. Though creating a set is already a challenge, Liberty’s technical theater program is going the extra mile by making their sets eco-friendly. 

Sets can differ significantly between productions, but the budget is something to keep in mind while purchasing materials. Eden Scherrer (they/them), 12, a long-time member of technical theater, spoke on the tight budget of set design.

“[The set] depends a lot on how many locations we have, the budget we have, everything like that,” said Scherrer. “So we try to make it as universal as possible.” 

The budget has forced the program to get more creative with repurposing previous sets. Hoobie Schott (he/him), Technical Theater Supervisor, claimed that the crew rarely throws away any materials. He said that there are various reasons for this sustainable approach. 

“From my point of view [the reason] is always the ecology, and then, obviously, it’s cheaper to not buy more stuff,” said Schott. “We [also] have just a pathetically small amount of space, so we can’t save enough stuff.”

Due to of the lack of storage space, the crew has to keep the sets relatively basic so that the materials that they are able to store can be reused many times. With more space, they would be able to save more materials, and then reuse them for similar purposes, helping them last longer. 

This effort to help utilize materials multiple times in theater began in 2008 when the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) was formed. The group primarily educates the theater community on sustainable practices, along with leading events like textile drives to keep fabric out of landfills. 

The theater program at Clemson University has worked with BGA over the past few years after facing budget cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the University started a system where they trade materials with nearby high schools and community theaters rather than throwing them away. Collaborations like this are beginning to become more common for theaters all over the country. 

A similar partnership is taking place this year between nearby high schools and the Johnson County Conservation. The organization recently received a large donation of lumber and have distributed the materials to many local theater programs, including Liberty’s. For this year’s fall production, “The Crucible,” the set will be built entirely from reclaimed wood.

Through simple practices like reusing and sharing materials, theater can become much more eco-friendly. Liberty’s technical theater program has kept this in mind throughout the last few years and will continue making strides toward sustainability.

This story was originally published on The Live Wire on September 19, 2024.