Sean Hennessy: Lighting Design Portfolio

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• Staged at 12 Miles West
• from Jan. 7th − Jan. 15th, 2005
• Written by Eric Weinberger
• Directed by Elaine Bromke
• Lighting Designer: Sean Hennessy
• Location: Bloomfield, NJ
• Costume Design: TBA

Synopsis of Tea for Three Tea for three presents a glimpse into the often theatrical and always dramatic lives of three consecutive first ladies: Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, and Betty Ford. Weinberger and Bromka capture and recreate the powerful, vital, and remarkable moments in the lives of the president's wives. Often funny, and always intriguing, this trip down a memory lane reminds us of the political past, but provides a fresh, feminine angle from which to examine the inner workings of the White House, and moreover, an opportunity to be touched by the lives of three extraordinary women.

Ticketing Information

To purchase advance tickets for this production, please visit RepeatSeat.com

You may alternatively call the 12 Miles West Theatre Company Box Office between the hours of 12:00PM and 6:00PM Monday through Friday, or leave a message anytime on the ticketing voicemail system at (973) 259-9187.

Lighting Design Concept Summary for Tea for Three Tea For Three brings its audience into the elegant and regal surroundings of the White House. The scenery and lighting are designed to evoke a sense of formality while maintaining an inviting quality. Despite being a political and historical landmark, the room of the White House we imagine occupying is also an important piece of the First Lady's home: a tea salon suited for conversing and entertaining.

The atmosphere is warm and rich, there is some texture and uneveness to the light as if cast through giant paned windows along the fourth wall. The colors imply elegance and attention to detail while attempting not to appear imposing. There is a certain thickness about the created environment that is enticing and sharing in a tremendous legacy.

The challenge of designing Lights for Tea for Three is in the necessity of providing three distinct environments — one for each First Lady — that reflect both the character and decor of the woman, and the mood and tone of the scene. Lady Bird's room is to appear more Southern, but not quite as warm or inviting as Betty Ford's, while Pat Nixon's is subdued yet disturbed, with cooler and more isolated beams — its action occuring during the evening, as opposed to late afternoon.

I felt honored, as a man, to be allowed to share this very intimate and beautiful look at three women who have played the strange and difficult role of one married to immense power.