Production Design Workbook: Papa

ProDUcTiOn DesIGn
LinDsAY goRAnSon

Together TodayIdentity Time Kitchen Urban decay

Little moments Music

Love Living room Reality LadybugsImagination
Layers
UpliftAssimilation dragon HistoryStark
McKees rocks Texture
FoodTicking Broken memory
Flamboyant
HomeFantasy Chinese

Change Family

Inspiration

Sketches

Color palet1te 2 3

4

Concept

Projectable surfaces in yellow.
Drawing is opened more than it will be on the actual design. Once approved, I will do a detailed floor plan.
Additional objects will be added as available.
Window is optional. I think it may be a bit cramped, but maybe it could work.
“Floating” panels will be in multiple textiles. Some will have additional objects hung from them.
Floor lamp drawn here is not the actual desired shape, will be selected specifically for the space.
Refrigerator is included here with the hope that one can be found.
Stairs/Platform need further refinement.

Floor Plan

Stage right

Flat #3

Flat #1

Flat #5

Flat #2 Flat #4
4´ x 8’ 4´ x 8’

Stage Left

Flat #6 Flat #7 Standard Exterior Door
4´ x 8’ 4´ x 8’

Flat #8
4´ x 8’

Costumes

Papa

Bailey

…is described by her mother as creative, idealistic, imaginative, and emotional. We see her
exploration of identity through her textured, unpredictable combinations of clothing. She lives in
NYC, so her wardrobe is a mixture of modern and vintage with comfortable, cool walking shoes. She
is a star in Papa’s life, so her primary color is the gold from the stars of the Chinese flag. Bailey is
also undeniably American, which manifests in her relationship with denim and Americana t-shirts/
brands. She wears her hair pinned back at the temples.

…as Warren is wearing a classic American brand t-shirt and running shorts/socks. He has a light
windbreaker. He is also wearing large, metal glasses from the 70s.

scene 1: The Letter

This is the first time we see Bailey. I want to Bailey Lee
establish an urban, youthful ease and
approachability. In the script we learn Bailey
frequently doesn’t feel like she is Chinese or white.
There feels like a hesitation in her style as if she is
still figuring it out. She has an eclectic, mismatched,
textured style. Her primary colors are mustard/gold
and denim blues with accents of red. Her textiles
combine classically American brands/fashion.

We see Bailey for the first time. She is youthful,
urban and approachable. This is her lightest costume
as we are transitioning from summer into fall. The
back of the denim jacket will have an OX for the
Zodiac

Next Change:

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Businessman #1

Season: Early Fall

Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Layered
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Phone, bracelet

Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

Important: Tiger scarf

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Mom has been rushing around all day running errands. Character: Henry
She has the large, brown leather/pleather handbag Season: Early Fall
that she has everything in. She is carrying a canvas Decade: 1950s
tote with the orange juice and the pie tied up in a
Eat ‘N Park plastic bag. None of her clothes Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim
necessarily match, just worn by convenience. She Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
always wears simple, black ballet flats and lives in Style: Casual/Layered
her dark denim jeans. Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
It is fall headed into winter, so she is layered but Accessories: Phone, bracelet
doesn’t have a coat. She has thrown a sweater
cardigan and scarf on over what we have seen her Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
wearing in the previous scene. Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Warren brings in the microwave.

Character: Warren
Season: Early Fall
Decade: 1950s

Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Layered
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Phone, bracelet

Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

scene 5: Casting Director

This is the first time we see Bailey. I want to
establish an urban, youthful ease and
approachability. In the script we learn Bailey
frequently doesn’t feel like she is Chinese or white.
There feels like a hesitation in her style as if she is
still figuring it out. She has an eclectic, mismatched,
textured style. Her primary colors are mustard/gold
and denim blues with accents of red. Her textiles
combine classically American brands/fashion.

We see Bailey for the first time. She is youthful,
urban and approachable. This is her lightest costume
as we are transitioning from summer into fall. The
back of the denim jacket will have an OX for the
Zodiac

Next Change:

scene 6: The Cemetary

Add coat, scarf, and hat.

scene 8: Bailey calls papa

scene 9: Birthday Party

scene 10: Bailey Sees someone

scene 11: Pack The House

Mom has been rushing around all day running errands. Character: Henry
She has the large, brown leather/pleather handbag Season: Early Fall
that she has everything in. She is carrying a canvas Decade: 1950s
tote with the orange juice and the pie tied up in a
Eat ‘N Park plastic bag. None of her clothes Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim
necessarily match, just worn by convenience. She Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
always wears simple, black ballet flats and lives in Style: Casual/Layered
her dark denim jeans. Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
It is fall headed into winter, so she is layered but Accessories: Phone, bracelet
doesn’t have a coat. She has thrown a sweater
cardigan and scarf on over what we have seen her Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
wearing in the previous scene. Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

Mom

… is described as Pittsburgh-raised, but never tied down. A widowed mother of five. She is bold,
competitive, unpredictable, and confident who’s grounding love and wisdom for her family holds
them all together. Her primary colors are rust and green inspired by the contrast of Pittsburgh’s
urban decay and sweeping thickets of green. She is always off to somewhere. She is a busy
woman. She wears clothes she likes without much regard for how well they match. Bailey gets
some of her free-spirited style from her Mom. You’ll never see her without her jeans and flats.

… as Bonnie is described as a big-boned West-Virginian mountain mama, with the warmth of a log
fire and the grit of burning coal. Fleeing her ex-husband, she found safety for her and her four
children in the hills of McKeesport. Bonnie’s story exists across several decades starting with the
50s where we see her in a flannel and jeans, which would have been very provocative at that time,
to her pregnancy in the 60s, to when Warren is a teenager. We always see her in a big pattern with
big hair.

scene 2: Mom Phone Call

Character: Mom NEXT LOOK:
Season: Early Fall
Decade: Present This is the first time we see Mom and it is
the only time we see her wearing simply one
Color Palette: Greens/Patterns, Denim layer. Here we establish the ease of her
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized style. She sees something she likes, buys it,
Style: Casual/Layered and wears it without a lot of fuss. She thinks
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, textured of herself not necessarily as fashionable, but
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats believes she has a certain amount of style.
Accessories: Phone, bracelet Which you could argue she does, though it is
in no way contemporary or urban.
Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, rushed

scene 2.3: The Zodiac

Character: Mom NEXT LOOK:
Season: Early Fall
Decade: Present It is fall headed into winter, so Mom’s look
is layered but lacking a coat. She has
Color Palette: Greens/Patterns, Denim thrown a sweater cardigan and scarf on
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized over what we have seen her wearing in
Style: Casual/Layered the previous scene.
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Phone, bracelet, purse,
canvas bag/tote

Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

Important: Tiger scarf

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Character Name: Bonnie NEXT LOOK:
Season: Summer
Decade: 1950s This is the first time we see Bonnie.
Because of her connection to WV we first
Color Palette: Sea foam greens/blues see her in a plaid or flannel tucked into
Fit: Mid-Century Body Conscious rolled-up dark jeans. When she first
Style: Outdoorsy enters the restaurant she won’t be
Textiles: Patterns and Denim wearing the apron. After she gets the job
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats she can put the apron over this costume.
Accessories: None
She is in red to carry through the idea
Red Flannel Button-Down Shirt, rolled that important things to Papa are in red.
sleeves
White T-Shirt
Dark Denim Jeans, rolled
Black Ballet Flats
Hair back in a ponytail.

Important: Apron
Option: Wig

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Character Name: Bonnie NEXT LOOK:
Season: Summer
Decade: 1960s Bonnie is wearing an oversized pregnancy
shirt over a dress (or jeans for transition).
Color Palette: Sea foam greens/blues She has on her pregnancy belly. Because
Fit: Mid-Century Body Conscious we are headed into the 70s in the
Style: Outdoorsy timeline her hair will be down and flowing.
Textiles: Patterns and Denim She doesn’t keep up on trends, so she
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats was likely given this maternity shirt from
Accessories: None someone a bit more fashionable.

Green Maternity House Dress The baby will be swaddled and have a
Maternity Dress ribbon to tie around her waist to remove it
OR easily during the scene.
Dark Denim Jeans, rolled
Black Ballet Flats
Hair: down

Important: Baby
Option: Wig

scene 4: Yee Ole McKeesport

Character Name: Bonnie NEXT LOOK:
Season: Summer
Decade: 1980s We have moved into the 1980s when
Warren is more grown up. Bonnie maintains
Color Palette: Sea foam greens/blues her love of patterns, but is more muted.
Fit: Mid-Century Body Conscious Still rocking those dark denim jeans and
Style: Outdoorsy ballet flats. She could even have a robe or
Textiles: Patterns and Denim something over this outfit.
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: None It feels like we’re at the house on a Sunday
morning. Could we work in the exercise
Green Short-Sleeved 80s Button-Down Shirt machine here?
White T-Shirt
Dark Denim Jeans, rolled
Black Ballet Flats
Hair down
80s Glasses

scene 5: Casting director

Character Name: Casting Director NEXT LOOK:
Season: Fall into Winter
Decade: Present Day The Casting Director is a non-nonsense
dresser. She wears a uniform of sorts: t-
Color Palette: Black and Blue shirt, jeans, blazer. She has her hair
Fit: Fashion Forward hurriedly pulled up and back out of her way.
Style: Urban Professional She always has her cell phone in hand.
Textiles: Suiting and denim
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Phone, necklace

White T-Shirt
Dark Denim Jeans, rolled
Black Ballet Flats
Hair in a bun

Optional: Reading glasses?

scene 9: Birthday Party

Character: Mom NEXT LOOK:
Season: Winter
Decade: Current As usual, Mom has been running around all
day getting ready for the party. She looks
Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim more put together than usual, but there is
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized still an ease to her outfit. She has her
Style: Casual/Layered trusty handbag always at hand for
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured anything she might need.
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Handbag It is winter, but we only see her inside, so
she is not wearing any outerwear.
Button-Up Denim Shirt
Green Sweater Cardigan
Dark Denim Jeans
Black Ballet Flats
Brown Leather/Pleather Handbag

scene 10: Bailey Sees Someone

Character: Mom We catch Mom in warm and fuzzy
Season: Winter clothing. Maybe she just finished walking
Decade: Current Frick Park with a friend or going to a
movie. She is comfortable and layered.
Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and Denim
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Layered
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Handbag

Button-Up Denim Shirt
Green Sweater Cardigan
Dark Denim Jeans
Black Ballet Flats
Brown Leather/Pleather Handbag

scene 11: Pack The House

Character: Ladybug
Season: Winter
Décade: Present Day

Color Palette: Greens/Patterns and
Denim
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Layered
Textiles: Soft, unpredictable, and
textured
Shoes: Black Ballet Flats
Accessories: Phone, bracelet

Patterned Floral Sweatshirt, oversized
Dark Denim Jeans, contemporary fit.
Black Ballet Flats
Bracelet
Cell Phone
Hair down or back, slightly rushed

Important:

Papa

… is described as a man of few words who has lived alone for the past 25 years. He has been
caught between the old and new country, he lives a life of service, pouring all he has into the next
generation. Intelligent, always surprising, and loved by many with a Hallmark-card charm. Papa
surrounds himself with things that remind him of his family. The same is true of his clothing. He
always wears something that has been given to him. Sometimes they are oddly sized, but he keeps
them and wears them with pride. Papa has a neutrality to his colors. He enjoys observing and has
spent a life trying to assimilate into the country he came to.

… as a young man is handsome in an awkward way. He is always tidy if a little hesitant about his
style.

scene 2: Papa’s house

This is the first time we see Papa. This is his go-to Season: Fall into Winter
outfit. Something comfortable and no-fuss. Decade: Current
Everything is oversized and gently worn. Clothes are
just not something he thinks about. He has on a Color Palette: Gray and Tan
nicer sweater than usual because he knows that Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Bailey is coming over. He wears the same white shirt Style: Casual/Comfortable
he wore in his youth. He doesn’t get rid of things Textiles: Soft, worn
easily. He is often cold and is almost always in a
sweater or sweatshirt. White Short-Sleeved Button-Up Dress Shirt
Thick, Neutral Winter Sweater
Oversized Khakis
Black Tennis-Shoes

scene 4: Yee ole McKeesport

This is the first time we see Papa in the past. He is
young and hip, if a bit awkward. His clothing is tidy
even if it is a bit worn. He’s had a long day already at
the restaurant. He could have his sleeves folded up
from the heat in the kitchen.

Character: Papa
Season: Summer
Decade: 1950s

Color Palette: Red and Neutrals
Fit: Modern
Style: Youthful
Textiles: Light, Colorful

White Short-Sleeved Button-Up Dress Shirt
Black Work Pants
White Socks
Black Tennis-Shoes
Accessories: Glasses, Hat
Optional: Wig?

scene 4: Yee ole McKeesport

We have advanced in time to the 1970s. Papa is now
the father to a teenage son. He’s aged, but still
young and aware of fashion trends. I imagine it is a
Sunday morning, so he’s a bit more casual than he
might be on any regular day.

Character: Papa
Season: Summer
Decade: 1970s

Color Palette: Red and Neutrals
Fit: Modern
Style: Youthful
Textiles: Light, Exuberant

Polyester Patterned Shirt/Sweater
Black Work Pants
White Socks
Black Tennis-Shoes
Accessories: Glasses
Optional: Wig?

scene 5: Casting Director

Our White Director believes that he is a person of
vision. With hip, worn style and a slouchy stocking
cap. His clothes are worn, but it looks as though he
might have bought them that way.

Character: White Director
Season: Fall into Winter
Decade: Current

Color Palette: Browns and Greens
Fit: Contemporary
Style: Hip, Urban
Textiles: Scratchy and Sloppy

Polyester Patterned Shirt/Sweater
Brown Badly Damaged Cardigan Sweater
Black Work Pants
White Socks
Black Tennis-Shoes
Accessoires: Stocking Cap
Optional: Wig?

scene 6: The Cemetary

Papa is bundled up for the walk outside. He brings
along his cane to steady him.

Character: Papa
Season: Early Winter
Decade: Current

Color Palette: Gray and Tan
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Comfortable
Textiles: Soft, worn

Heavy Winter Sweater
Olive Drab Barn Jacket
Oversized Khakis
Black Tennis-Shoes
Accessories: Cane

scene 8: Bailey Calls Papa

Papa is in his home when Bailey calls. He’s in his
comfortable clothing. Maybe his favorite sweatshirt.
He wears the same khakis and shoes.

Character: Papa
Season: Winter
Decade: Current

Color Palette: Gray and Tan
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Comfortable
Textiles: Soft, worn

Oversized Sports Sweatshirt
Oversized Khakis
Black Tennis-Shoes

scene 9: Birthday Party

Papa has dressed up for the day. He got his shirt
new for his birthday. He is wearing a sombrero and
has seemingly forgotten about it. He wears a white
undershirt and his khakis and tennis-shoes.

Character: Papa
Season: Winter
Decade: Current

Color Palette: Gray and Tan
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Comfortable
Textiles: Soft, worn

Oversized Knit Polo Shirt
White Undershirt
Oversized Khakis
White Socks
Black Tennis-Shoes

scene 11: Pack the house

Papa has dressed up for the day. He got his shirt
new for his birthday. He is wearing a sombrero and
has seemingly forgotten about it. He wears a white
undershirt and his khakis and tennis-shoes.

Character: Papa
Season: Winter
Decade: Current

Color Palette: Gray and Tan
Fit: Relaxed/Oversized
Style: Casual/Comfortable
Textiles: Soft, worn

Oversized Knit Polo Shirt
White Undershirt
Oversized Khakis
White Socks
Black Tennis-Shoes

WIp