(Excerpt..)

"Nothing is, as it seems. Deadly, dangerous deeds wrapped in a crimson and purple bow. A tale of masked intrigue, courage, betrayal, lust and love, sprinkled with outlandish amusement. This is The Scarlet Pimpernel- the musical, a.k.a. SP2. The goal: seamlessly blend fiction and moments of heightened theatricality into an honest, emotionally driven, quick paced entertainment with a nod to historical perspective.

Three people of passion, who once had glistening dreams, now face a tarnished reality in a lethal labyrinth of suspicion, betrayal and loss. Where in that labyrinth love is found, love abandoned, lust tempted, lust recanted and love reborn..."

18th Century paintings. The first thought that came to my head when approached by the Barter to direct The Scarlet Pimpernel. I had no clue as to what it meant. I had no knowledge of canvass artisans of the era. But the phrase "18th century paintings" haunted me as I began my journey into Pimpernel.

That journey led me to the works of Jean-Honore Fragonard (1732 - early 1800's) and his bitter-sweet romantic oils on canvass. I knew I found the design and overall feel of Pimpernel when I came across Fragonard's, Renaud dans les jardins d'Armide (Renaud in the gardens of Armide (pictured to the left & seen in the top production photo). The work refers to the unhappy love of the female magician Armide for the knight Renaud. I found, on canvass, a parallel to the relationship of Marguerite and Percy (the Scarlet Pimpernel). Not only did the theme strike me as appropriate for our tale at Barter but the colors, tones and soft shades that masked strife would fulfill the richness the story required. The main act curtain (which was also a scrim) was a large reproduction of Fragonard’s Renaud dans les jardins d'Armide, often utilized, and at one point was the backdrop for the wedding of Marguerite and Percy. As the wedding ceremony continued, the area behind the scrim was lit and the wedding party became visible; then joined the action as the Fragonard flew out.

Scenic designer Richard Finklestein, a brilliant artisan of stage design, expanded on the 18th century painting theme; most notably reflecting Fraganoard throughout the entire design of Pimpernel. With the skillful aide of the Barter scenic artists; a dazzling three dimensional appearing set, rich in depth, was, like the story, deceptive. For it was astonishing that what was painted onto a one dimensional surface visually tricked the eye into believing what was seen was three dimensional.

There are occasions when a director falls in love with a set design. This was one of those rare occasions. Sadly, like most of the sets at Barter, after closing, the stunning work was put to flame for disposal. Below are just a few of the hundreds of archival photos of this glorious production.

production...