RACHEL LEAH
  • Home
  • Artwork
  • Theatre
  • About
  • Contact
  • Events
  • SHOP

THEATRE

Failure: A Love Story - Scenic / Lighting / Props / Sound Designer

This show is a dark comedy about 3 sisters and the man who falls in love with each of them. We had a concept of the chorus acting similarly to a Greek chorus in that they were narrators and also players in the story, so we had the actors who played the chorus also play clocks and various players in the story that the siblings and their love interest interact with. To unify the chorus we had a concept of having them look like workers on a steel beam - inspired by an old photo, so we took the set in this same direction - simple and gray, like a steel beam.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

Eleanor and Dolly - Scenic Designer

This show was all about two high school girls during their senior year so it encompassed a lot of different areas. We performed this in the alley setting to lend to the many different locations and the small changes between locations. Much of this production was student designed, including Lights, Costumes, and Props.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
​Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

A Midsummer Night's Dream - ​Scenic / Props Designer

I was the scenic and props designer for our 70s set rendition of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. We performed our groovy adaptation at the Iowa Culinary Institute on our campus in its atrium full of windowed walls so the lighting was all natural. We had a different special guest from administration take the small role of Theseus, and we also had a one night only performance on our Newton campus outdoors. The idea of the scenic set-up was to be able to have actors constantly be on stage and moving throughout the audience.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

Is He Dead? - Scenic / Lighting Designer / Painter

I was the scenic and lighting designer for this production of Is He Dead?. This comedic show was about a struggling artist who fakes his death and pretends to be his sister to make his paintings more valuable. This idea behind this set was to make the transition between poor-struggling artist and rich-beneficiary sister be night and day, so for the first act we had everything cramped and claustrophobic, and the second act more spacious and luxurious. For this show, since the artist is based on an actual artist, Jean-Francois Millet, we had local artists paint recreations and studies of some of his actual paintings that got used onstage. I also got to paint one of these recreations - The Sower.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

Tiny Houses - Scenic / Lighting Designer

I was the scenic and lighting designer for this production of Tiny Houses. This show is centered around a couple and their friends as they build a tiny house to live in. As the show takes place over 9 months, the actors build an actual tiny house in stages throughout the course of the show. They build the house in a friend's backyard so we put the audience as if they were looking from the end of the backyard towards the main house.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov


The Turn of the Screw - Lighting Designer

I was the lighting designer for this Live Radio Play. We had live foley for the show and very simple lighting to help evoke the horror-esque feel of the story. Because of the fact that this was a radio play we didn't have the actors physically interact with each other so we had them mime interactions and kept them in their own separate areas.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov


Romeo & Juliet - Scenic / Props Designer

I was the scenic and props designer for this shortened and adapted version of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. The idea for this modern adaptation was to focus on the teenagers of the story, and that this group of teenagers found an abandoned construction area that they have turned into a playground/meeting type of place.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov


The Creative Age - Scenic Designer

I was the scenic designer for this production of a children's show about a post-apocalyptic troupe of actors. This show was presented originally outdoors as the acting troupe gets ready for shows and meet new people to add to their group, with the idea of the space being a found space where the troupe lives and performs. The production was moved indoors due to weather.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
​Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

2020 Bingo - Scenic / Lighting Designer

I was the scenic and lighting designer for this production that was devised by students and staff. Th production was centered around the idea of the audience playing an unwin-able game of Bingo that was intercut by monologues and scenes of the actors lives during the pandemic. The scenic and lighting designs were meant to compliment these ideas and scenes.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov


Romeo & Internet - Stage Manager /Costume /Props Designer

I was the Stage Manager as well as the Costume and Props Designer for our made for Zoom, virtual production. This was a production chronicling college students going through a rehearsal of their production of Romeo & Juliet at the start of the pandemic.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre


Circle Mirror Transformation - Lighting / Costume Designer

I was the lighting and costume designer for this show. The show chronicles an acting class over six weeks, and the costumes were designed to reflect the characters personalities. The lighting also reflected this by being simple to emulate the feeling of classroom lights.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

The Matchmaker - Scenic / Lighting Designer

I was the scenic and lighting designer for this show, while also mentoring a student on props design. This was a very modern take on the classic show, with stylistic lights, a simplified set, and the concept of technology being brought into the mix by having actors on their phones for parts of the show.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

A Midnight Dreary - Co-Director / Lighting / Props Designer

I co-directed as well as designed lights and props for this show. The lighting had a stylistic feel to compliment the fact that the show bounced around between reality and memories, dreams and nightmares.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production Photos: Krister Strandskov

13: A New Musical - Scenic Designer

I was the scenic designer for this show. The set was very simplistic with an influence of Keith Haring in the painting style.
​Production: Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre
Production Photos: Brandon James Photography


Love's Labor's Lost​ - Costume / Props Designer

I was the costume and props designer for this show. This show was a shortened and adapted version of Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost that we performed in the DMACC Ankeny library. Because of so many modern references in our adaptation I went with modern costumes and props. One of the main references have to do with a lot of pop music and boy bands so that was one of the main inspirations behind dressing the boys like boy bands.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Treasure Island - ​Lighting Designer

I was the lighting designer for this show, as well as the master electrician. This show was unique in that the entire production team was made entirely of women.
Production: Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre
Production photos by: Brandon James Photography

The Wolves - Scenic / Props / Costume Designer

For this production I designed the set and layout of the audience, in a minimalistic fashion, with just turf and risers. I also designed the props and costumes for this show.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Fuddy Meers - Scenic / Props Designer

For this production I designed the set, where we had the audience in the middle on rolling chairs and the set on three sides. I also designed the props and was the props master for this show.
Production: DMACC Ankeny Theatre
Production photos: Krister Strandskov

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown & Dog Sees God [The Blockhead Rep] - ​Associate Scenic/Lighting Designer

These two shows were done in rep with each other on the same set, with a small changeover in-between shows. I was brought on to this production as the Associate Scenic and Lighting Designer, in which I was the head scenic painter, as well as the main electrician for both shows.
Production: Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre
Production Photos: Brandon James Photography


Ghost Bike - Performer / Scenic Assistant

This production I played the character of Persephone, as well as a role in the ensemble. I also helped with much of the scenic elements, and I was in charge of building and striking the scaffolding units.
Production: Grand View University & DMACC Ankeny Theatre
​Production photos: Krister Strandskov

'Night Mother - Scenic Designer

For this production I designed the set, and I was also the head scenic painter. I was in charge of painting most of the set, which included stenciling walls and wood-graining floors, as well as dressing the set.
Production: Grand View University
​Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Miss Nelson Is Missing! - Stage Management

For this production I was the stage manager, but I also helped with scenic painting. I kept track of each rehearsal, and the blocking for each scene, as well as choreography for certain scenes. With the set I helped with painting, much of which was done with chalkboard paint.
Production: Grand View University
​Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Clybourne Park - Lighting Designer​ / Scenic Assistant

For this production I designed the lights as well as assisting with scenic elements. My main project was painting and stenciling the screens on the back wall and wood-graining much of the floors and other parts of the set.
​Production: Grand View University

No Coast - Lighting Designer / Scenic Assistant

For this production I designed the lights as well as assisted with the scenic painting. This included mostly staining wood and painting the floors.
Production: Goldfinch Theatre

Alexander Who's Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move - Lighting Designer / Scenic Assistant

For this production I was the lighting designer and master electrician. I also helped with the scenic painting, and my main project was the circles on the floor that had individual designs in them, as well as the lettered signs on the moving parts.
Production: Grand View University
​Production photos: Todd Bailey

Lost and Found - Props Master / Scenic Assistant

This production required many of the props to be built because they needed to be over-the-top. For example, I had to construct a cat that had to be drug across the stage, and I did this mostly with chicken wire and fur fabric. I was also a scenic assistant for this show, mostly helping with scenic painting.
Production: Grand View University
​Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Make Believe - Scenic Assistant / Lighting Assistant

This production I assisted with lighting design and acted as the master electrician. I also helped with much of the scenic painting as well as carpentry work, such as building the dining room chairs, and helping to rig the rising curtain.
Production: Grand View University​
​Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Dancing at Lughnasa - Scenic Assistant

For this production I was a scenic assistant and painter. My main project was the tree that hangs over the set. I stripped the bark from found tree branches and re-painted the trees to look like sycamore trees.
Production: Grand View University
Production photos: Krister Strandskov

Classwork/Educational Design

These are imagined designs in costumes, lighting and scenic. The costumes are some watercolor studies, and are designed for Caucasian Chalk Circle. The lighting design is for an imagined production of No Exit. The scenic design is for an imagined production of The Glass Menagerie.

Rachel Leah

Home
​Contact
About
Events
​Shop

Work

Prints
Paintings
Watercolors
​Drawings
Installations
Theatre
​In-Progress
Picture
© COPYRIGHT  BY RACHEL LEAH TRIMBLE.
​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Artwork
  • Theatre
  • About
  • Contact
  • Events
  • SHOP