Director: David Herendeen
Music Director: Jan McDaniel
Associate Music Director/Choral Master:
Joe Fitzgerald
Scenic Designer: Jason Foreman
Lighting Designer: Jackson Maner
Costume Designer: Natalie Jacobson
Sound Designer: Jacob Henry
Properties Designer: Dixie Huckabay
Technical Director: Brian Coleman
Stage Manager: Lauren Whyte
The Ballad of Baby Doe is a two-act American opera. It follows the rise and fall of real-life Colorado silver tycoon, Horace Tabor, from 1880 through the end of the century. The story focuses on Tabor's relationships with his first wife, Augusta, and new love interest, Elizabeth "Baby" Doe. I acted as the prop designer for Oklahoma City University's production of the show directed by David Herendeen. I managed the acquisition of more than 70 props, including the furniture, and built or modified most of them myself.
Production photography by Michael Anderson
Director: David Herendeen
Music Director: Jan McDaniel
Associate Music Director/Choral Master:
Joe Fitzgerald
Scenic Designer: Jason Foreman
Lighting Designer: Jackson Maner
Costume Designer: Natalie Jacobson
Sound Designer: Jacob Henry
Properties Designer: Dixie Huckabay
Technical Director: Brian Coleman
Stage Manager: Lauren Whyte
The Ballad of Baby Doe is a two-act American opera. It follows the rise and fall of real-life Colorado silver tycoon, Horace Tabor, from 1880 through the end of the century. The story focuses on Tabor's relationships with his first wife, Augusta, and new love interest, Elizabeth "Baby" Doe. I acted as the prop designer for Oklahoma City University's production of the show directed by David Herendeen. I managed the acquisition of more than 70 props, including the furniture, and built or modified most of them myself.
Production photography by Michael Anderson
Silver plays a huge role in this opera. It is Tabor's entire livelihood. It's how he built up his great wealth and is symbolic of everything he holds dear. Even as time progresses and the gold standard begins to take over, he refuses to let go of silver. Therefore, I worked silver into everything I could relating to Tabor, such as his office lamp, the quill nib in the hotel he owns, and all of his wedding décor to name a few. I used gold motifs for props relating to characters he felt were betraying him to mirror the incoming gold standard replacing silver. Some examples can be seen in his skeptical friends' poker light, Augusta's cane, and his daughter's bottle of gin.
Silver plays a huge role in this opera. It is Tabor's entire livelihood. It's how he built up his great wealth and is symbolic of everything he holds dear. Even as time progresses and the gold standard begins to take over, he refuses to let go of silver. Therefore, I worked silver into everything I could relating to Tabor, such as his office lamp, the quill nib in the hotel he owns, and all of his wedding décor to name a few. I used gold motifs for props relating to characters he felt were betraying him to mirror the incoming gold standard replacing silver. Some examples can be seen in his skeptical friends' poker light, Augusta's cane, and his daughter's bottle of gin.
