Notre Dame's rose window central to SAACs' "Hunchback"
One of the most iconic images of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is the famous rose window, so it was essential that it feature prominently in the set of the South Arkansas Arts Center’s production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
The set, designed and constructed by the show’s technical director Justin Howard, is a symbolic representation of the interior of NotreDame’s bell towers, with the spectacular window as its centerpiece.
“From the beginning of the design process, I wanted to whisk the audience away to Notre Dame as much as possible. The set is constructed in a way that it comes toward the audience to draw their attention to every inch of the auditorium, and is brought into service by the staging of the actors,” Howard said.
The original window on the west face of Notre-Dame was constructed of stone and stained glass pieces in about 1225, but for theatrical purposes, much more modern technology was employed. Working with a local sign company, Howard commissioned a vinyl representation of the window, then suspended it high above the stage.
Coret Sublet constructed the window. To make it, the stained glass image was printed on a vinyl substrate then applied to a Dibond board, which has a polyethylene core with an aluminum surface. The window was actually printed onto two boards, which were then matched along their seams to make the 84 inch round window.
Through strategic theatrical lighting, the window takes on the magic and mystery of the production throughout its run. Of the three iconic windows in Notre Dame, the one represented in the SAAC production is the Rose North. The north and south windows were built in 1250 and 1260, respectively. At the center of the north window is Mother Mary holding the baby Jesus surrounded by kings, prophets and others of the Old Testament.
“The style of the wooden structures portrayed on stage are reminiscent of the actual structure within the bell towers. The rafters and supports in the interior of Notre Dame are an art form in and of itself, and I hope that people can see and appreciate the beauty of the architecture that is usually hidden from sight,” Howard said.
Light itself is an important thematic element throughout the show, said director Kristen Blossom.
“I love the idea that darkness does not really exist, because it is only the absence of light,” she said. “In the spirit of that idea, I want to call attention to all the light in this story. This story is an inspiring example of what happens when minds change, truth gets spoken and light pervades darkness.”
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” sponsored by Murphy USA, is onstage at at SAAC July 18-21 and July 24-28. For tickets, call 870862-5474, or come by 110 E. 5th St. in El Dorado.