"Trifles" Set Design

"Trifles"

by Susan Glaspell

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Set Designer

Technical Theatre and Design Class

November 2019 - Phillips Exeter Academy

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1/2 inch scale

Ground Plan

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1/2 inch scale

White Model

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This was a final project for class. My partner, who designed the costumes, and I decided to set the show in the 1910s because of the play's discussion of feminism and its historical relevance to that time. It is set in rural Iowa based on the text.

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I wanted the kitchen to be practical, as it is in a farmhouse. I wanted to stay true to the time, which is why I included a Hosier cabinet. Hosier cabinets were very popular at the time, as they were practical and ideal for lower-income families who could not afford built-in cabinets. The sink, next to the cabinet, is overflowing with dirty dishes to demonstrate the chaos of the house. There would however be some clean dishes on the rack attached to the sink, as I would imagine Mrs. Wright would have started the task but never completed it. The iron wood-burning stove is based on a model from the late 1800s. I chose this one because, although it was more expensive when it was released, I imagine the family would have bought it second hand. I wanted the kitchen table to be downstage so that it could act as a grounding point for the actors. They could put items on it and sit at any of the chairs, which could be re-arranged around the table throughout the play, and remain a main focus of the audience. By sitting down, the women might seem more passive to the show, but they would remain downstage of the men, who are going between the door (upstage) and the stairs (upstage), and therefore the women would retain some power. I wanted the rocking chair to be downstage for a similar reason, to give it more power. On the bookshelf next to the rocking chair would be the quilt. Seeing as the moment when the two women inspect the quilt is so crucial, as it reveals that Mrs. Wright was guilty, I wanted to give that moment as much weight as possible.