Meet the Set Designer: Pat
- Julia Dorton
- Sep 27
- 4 min read
This week in our Rudolph Team Member Spotlight series, we are stepping behind the curtain to introduce our incredible Set Designer, Pat. Pat is the creative force responsible for bringing the world of Rudolph to life. Read on to learn about Pat, and how he plans to turn our stage into a winter wonderland!
Q: Where were you born and raised?
A: I was born and raised in Westminster, CO and have lived in Denver or the suburbs my whole life.
Q: What is a fun fact about you?
A: Arthritis happened to me when I was around thirty. As time went on, I became happy that it happened, once it was under control. If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have found my way into the career I love now. Also, I would never have gone back to school or been involved with MMT.
Q: Where do you work outside of the theater?
A: I work for GoldStar Learning Options where we provide services and therapies for individuals who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Working in this industry just completely fills my heart.
Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of MMT?
A: Some of my hobbies include camping, fishing, hiking, painting, drawing, and reading.
Q: How did you become involved with MMT?
A: One of our clients was in Elf Jr. and I saw an opportunity to help with set design for MMT, where we could also get our clients involved in helping to make set elements.
Q: When and how did you first get involved with art and/or set design?
A: The play after Elf Jr., I think was Honk, was my first step into set design. But, I have been doing many types of art since I was very young, having been introduced to painting by my grandma. I have gone to two different art schools and finally graduated with a Bachelor's in Industrial Design a year ago.
Q: What are some productions you have designed sets for in the past?
A: I worked on Honk, Elephant and Piggy, Frozen, and Shrek.
Q: What is your favorite set you have helped design?
A: My favorite set so far has been the one I did for Frozen. I like how the castle turned out and the steps really came together. But the set design for Honk was also a lot of fun as there were a lot of opportunities for our clients to help with the set.
Q: What excites you most about working on this show or what is your favorite part of the show?
A: I am excited to work with a team of talented individuals to put together an amazing show. I am also really looking forward to solving a few problems that puts my Industrial Design brain to the test.
Q: What are your first impressions/ideas for this show?
A: My first impression is that we seem to have a really strong team that I think will put on an epic play. My first idea was to create a rig that will have the "Bumble" appear and hide with the minimal space that we have available.
Q: Where do you start when first designing a set?
A: The first step comes with reading the script and figuring out what scenes are most important to represent in the show. Sketches usually come next with research into what the images should portray, what the "Bumble" looks like, etc. Then comes some prototyping and studies with color and how the lighting will affect colors at the time of the show.
Q: Are there any technical or space challenges you are thinking about?
A: The shallow stage area has been a challenge as we want to keep as much area open to the actors as possible. The rig I have in mind may take up too much of the space, so I would have to pivot to a thinner design. I've also learned that although a paint job looks great in full light, it can change when lighting is used during the show.
Q: What are some of your priorities as you move from concept into drafting and building?
A: My top priorities are to keep the footprint of the designs small, both spatial and those on the environment. We try to reuse and recycle as much as possible.
Q: If this production had an unlimited budget and build crew, what wild design would you include?
A: I would try to include full sets for each change of scene: cave, entire Santa's workshop, ocean, throne for the Misfit King, etc.
We are so grateful for Pat and all of the countless hours he spends behind the scenes using his talents to create a stage that feels just as magical as the story of Rudolph itself. Be sure to come see this production to see all of the amazing work Pat has done for this show!
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