Eurydice
Technical Director
Directed by Megan Carney
Scenic Design by Randy Ward
Virginia Tech - Fall 2006

This show presented many challenges. The designer requested as few legs as possible under platforms +96” and +112” in elevation. There was a curved ramp with a circular trap door, and an elevator with recessed lighting and the need to drench the character in a rain coming from the ceiling of the elevator. I used structural analysis and chose to build platforms out of 2x6 and used flitch beams to support a span of 10’-6”.

The top of the elevator was flush with the stage when in the down position and 8’-0” above the stage in the up position. Below the stage there was 8’-8 3/4” from concrete floor to underside of stage. Among the solutions investigated were a 36” hydraulic cylinder with an armature apparatus, to chain hoists, to a counterweight system. I chose to use a 96” stroke double acting
hydraulic cylinder.

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