CWU Pulse Magazine

Scenery “We create a world for the characters,” says Cayla Raymaker, scenic designer and artist. That world starts with a drawing done by the scenic designer which is approved by the director. The artwork is sent out to the scene shop so that the drawing can be pulled off of the paper and onto the stage. The technical director and students are the ones who build the sets. With each step of the way, there is collaboration between the scenic designer, the director, and the scene shop. “We need to work with and trust each other and each other’s opinions,” Raymaker says.

Raymaker was a scenic artist for CWU’s production of Nanawatai and did a majority of the painting. Raymaker's job is to supervise the backstage crew as they do the scene shifts as quickly and as proficiently as possible. She will also be scenic designer for Polaroid Stories in March. “The best part of what I do is watching it all come together,” Raymaker says. “The most awesome thing about scenery is seeing it with the lights and costumes and actors.”