SCENIC DESIGN POR ALAN AYCKBOURN'S TAKING STEPS BY

A theatrical scene designer is responsible for creating the physical space in which a play takes place. This is accon~plished through reading and analyzing the script, researching materials related to the production, discussions with the director, and collaboration with other designers. This thesis focused on the process involved in designing a set, as described by J. Michael Gillette in his book, Theatrical Desim and Production, (Third Edition) and how that process was applied to Alan Ayckbourn's farce Taking Steps. The play provided a unique educational challenge for a scenic designer, as it requires that three floors of a house be designed, built, and represented on one stage level. Consequently, a design was created and six performances of the play were presented by the Maine Masque between April 18, and April 22,2001, in Hauck Auditorium at the University of Maine. This thesis is organized into an introduction, three chapters, a bibliography, and appendixes. The Introduction begins the thesis by defining the scope of the project and giving a first look at the Gillette Design Process. Chapter One provide