I received the invitation to design the set for The Death and Life of Sherlock Holmes over a year ago. The process started immediately. I read the script and started having individual meetings with other designers even before a director had been chosen. We discussed the play and the nature of the work. It was dark, but meant for a young audience. It had elements of real history and also told a story that is part of literary history. I was most excited that the show was unlike anything I had ever seen done at ASU.
I decided to make this my capstone project and began setting my goals for the project. I wanted this project to be bigger and more extravagant than I had ever seen. I knew the space well and knew of its size. I had seen over and over again the stage made to feel smaller than it is. Although there is a time and place for making the stage more intimate, an epic adventure-mystery like Sherlock Holmes is the perfect opportunity to show off the enormity of the space. I wanted to create a show that felt like a $120 per ticket show.