José Rivera‘s References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot tackles the harsh themes and brutal realities of PTSD and post-war life. Housed within the framework of a luscious and sensual world, the play combines Rivera’s beautiful lyricism with a romantic Americana desert landscape that brings to mind some of Dalí’s most famous paintings. In my scenic design for nomadictheatre‘s production, I made numerous references to Dalí’s iconic works and symbols, such as the flexible crutch, the ant-covered bust, and the larger-than-life bread pieces. Most of the set pieces were hand carved using a combination of foam and wood in order to achieve the desired painterly and dream-like qualities.
[The characters’] antics are bolstered wonderfully in the set design, which incorporates a Dalí-esque household setting amidst a desert in which the cacti seem to be moving while the moon stands on a mountain nearby […] Sex, war, love, politics, and, of course, talking animals: References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot has just about anything a Georgetown theatergoer could want. And with a superb cast and stage design, this Nomadic production is sure to survive the “persistence of memory.” (Georgetown Voice)
(Photos by Meghan O’Connor)
References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot Production Credits (2011):
DIRECTOR Amelia Powell
PRODUCER Katie Chew
CAST Robert Duffley // Joe Grosodonia // Zoë Lillian // Ryan Merlini //
Miranda Rose Hall // Justine Underhill
STAGE MANAGER Tenaya Campbell
SCENIC DESIGN Swedian Lie
LIGHTING DESIGN Justin Keenan-Miller
SOUND DESIGN Whitney McAniff & Dan Subak
COSTUME DESIGN Kelley Kidd
