Give ‘Em Props

Prop Director Mark Walston pointing out items in the soft goods section.

Soft Goods Artisan Heather Lindert sews curtains for an upcoming performance.

When Walston first started at Actors, he was surprised at how many vintage jukeboxes they had in their prop collection.

A replicated neon hotel sign from a one-act play called “Criminal Genius,” featured in an apprentice showcase.

Props Carpenter Karl Anderson spruces up the Christmas turkey for “A Christmas Carol.”

Protective gear for just about any job in the carpenter shop.

Suits of armor add to the museum-like feel of the space.

A view of the furniture aisles captures the size of the warehouse.

Not just any salt and pepper shaker will do. Effort is taken to match the time period down to the last detail.

A library of books.

General artisan Jay Tollefsen adjusts the fit on a pair of shackles for the character of Jacob Marley’s ghost in “A Christmas Carol.”

“You don’t see too many phone booths used in modern plays anymore,” says Walston, “of course we use cell phones now.”

Dress forms of various sizes, along with a few stray fiberglass body parts, can be found along the back shelves.

“We have more suitcases than anything else,” says Walston, “people donate those the most, but it’s hard to find an old suitcase that still works.”

A “museum” of special and retired props lives behind this sliding door. The A, T, and L letters come from a performance of My Fair Lady, repositioned to symbolize Actors Theatre of Louisville.

A “history of technology” in the electronics aisle.

These busts stoically wait for their chance to take the stage.

I found refuge from the pouring rain one Tuesday afternoon in the vast warehouse space of Actors Theatre’s prop shop on West 9th Street. Props Director Mark Walston lead me on a guided tour of the facility where sets are constructed, props created, and then stored for yearly use. The warehouse, built in the 1940’s, had to be retrofitted with new power and lighting before Actors moved in 5 years ago. Now a crew of 17 staff and 22 apprentices work 8-5 daily to set the stage for the theatre’s shows year round. The front half of the building is designed for  the construction process, with tall, open spaces for building large sets, a massive carpenter’s tool room, painting room, and sewing room. The back half of the building holds the treasure trove of stage props, with every imaginable style, genre & color represented. Stacked sky high on tall shelves, the warehouse is a variable department store of historical and modern objects. With a huge amount of organization, the team manages to keep everything in its place (and directional signs abound). The furniture section houses 2,700 pieces alone.

As Walston led me down the electronics aisle that he called a “history of technology,” one can’t help but consider the prop department as a museum of human advancement. From Victrola record players to flat screen TVs, telephone booths to iPads, the prop shop has it covered. One of Walston’s responsibilities is to source out props, either at yard sales, antique stores, or through donations. Walston is one of two prop masters at Actors. He alternates shows with Jay Cunningham, the mastermind behind Dracula.  When I visited, the crew was preparing for upcoming performances of “A Christmas Carol.” “It typically takes 3 to 4 weeks to get a show ready,” says Walston. “It depends on the director’s concept and how many of the props need to be reinvented.” The staff then use a large truck to transport the props & sets to Actors, usually in about 15 trips.  Actors presents over 500 performances of roughly 20 plays a year, keeping the prop shop busy all season.

–Photos and Story by Amber Garvey

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