Chris Tinkler Sculpting a Beautiful Beast

One of the tricky things about interviewing a productive artist of any type is finding the time to have a conversation, since they seem to spend every waking hour working on their current endeavor. Weeks ago I heard that “Chris Tinkler is sculpting the Beauty and the Beast set out of foam, you should go see what he’s doing.” But Chris isn’t just sculpting the set, he’s also directing the show. The first few times I was able to find Chris he was already answering so many questions from costume designers, parents, the producer, the music director, and young actors that all I could do was sit back and watch the rehearsal process unfold.

He has assembled a group of highly talented kids from not only Polk County, but also Landrum and Chesnee who have worked hard to learn the music and their lines. Now as the opening on Thursday approaches, the technical details of set, costumes, light, props, and make-up are beginning to fall into place to create the magically look that will be the final polish for the hard work the kids have already done. I finally caught up with Chris on Saturday night at the Tryon Little Theatre workshop where he and his six year old son Jack were spending the evening carving more Styrofoam for the set so that it would be ready to paint on Sunday.

How did you get involved directing this summer’s teen musical?
I volunteered since Donna Everett was going to London this summer and would not be able to direct.

Why did you choose Disney’s Beauty & the Beast?
Originally we were talking about High School Musical. I was looking for a show that was challenging but interesting. Not something older like Rogers & Hammerstein but something newer that would appeal to the kids and an audience.

What about Beauty & the Beast was most appealing to you as a director?
The show has to move, it can’t be stagnant. They talked about just renting drops, but I thought we could create an interesting set and props. It would also provide a challenge to me as director. I thought it would also attract people because it’s not just a kid’s show, but the story of Beauty and the Beast.

Were you daunted by the technical difficulties of putting an animated film on stage?
I was in Beauty and the Beast at Flat Rock and knew what was going to be involved technically with the production.

What has been most challenging for you?
Directing 35 teenagers and all that entails. I do like how with them you can treat them like young adults and let them know directly when something isn’t working. There’s more to it than just being in a show. They learn responsibility and commitment to the process and seven weeks of work.

What has been the biggest challenge working with the kids?
There are so many different levels of experience. Madison Walter has already done about 20 shows, and I also have kids with lead roles who are in their first show. It’s been hard adapting my direction and knowing what to say to each individual to get what I need from them on stage.

Did you design the entire set yourself?
I did. I’m making it out of Styrofoam. It’s a way to achieve a 3D cartoon look that would be hard to do with just plywood.

Why are you so involved with building the set, when other directors leave that to TLT set building volunteers?
I tend to have a vision and a visual look I want for the show. I knew I would be carving foam and that was something I had done but was not familiar to the TLT crew.
Anything Goes was the best I’ve ever been of letting someone else take the reigns with the set and go with it. But I knew from the start of this show it would take more of my time.

How did you come up with carving Styrofoam?
We did Amal & the Night Visitors in college at East Carolina and I worked on set crew for that. They delivered a tractor trailer full of Styrofoam and we created an entire set of sand dunes out of it and it looked beautiful.

What has been the process?
I started off with sketches. It’s taken longer than I thought it would take. I forgot that we stayed up all night working on it in college. And it was different having a whole crew working together on it. I’ve thought that after this I should teach a “Foam Carving 101” class because it’s cheap and it looks good.

Chris while we’re talking is carving roof pieces for the town that look like thatch and shingles. What are you using to sculpt the Styrofoam?
Hot wires. Then we paint the foam to look like stone or wood or whatever it needs to be. Keller Yates was doing very fine detail work on some of the stone, and I had to remind him that the audience wouldn’t get a close up view. You have to paint with the idea that people will be looking at it from far away.

Where did you get all the hot wires?
After I found the Styrofoam company online that is in Anderson, SC (so it would be cheaper for delivery), they told me the name of the company I could order the hot wire set from online. I think they’re in Georgia.

I imagine that with the rehearsal schedule it’s hard to get teenagers to give up more of their social summer time to volunteer for set work.
It has been. I’ve had a few of the cast members help, the Yates family, Jack Carruth, Flynn Chaplin, and the Hughes family.

How have the kids responded to the set pieces?
They love them. We finally got the costumes in last night and they got to try them on and they all got excited about that too.

As Chris holds a flower that seems to drop and retrieve its petals…What is that?
Jack (Chris’ son): It’s the enchanted rose (the rest of the answer has been edited to keep the magic in the show). If you want to know how it works find the director after the show and ask to come backstage to see how it works. I’ll be working backstage so you may meet me backstage. Is that enough information?

What are you doing backstage?
Jack: I’ll be moving chairs, and I make sure everyone is quiet backstage. I shush everyone.

Chris: Tell what you did last weekend when you painted.
Jack: We splattered. I was white, Alexa was blue, and my dad was purple.
Chris: What did it do to the rocks?
Jack: It made the colors come off it and it made it look better.
Chris: What did it look like from the stage?
Jack: You can’t tell the splatters but it makes it more cool looking.

What do you think is the coolest thing about this show?
Jack: Probably the candle and the wardrobe and the teapot and Chip and the clock and salt and pepper, china plates, forks and knives and spoons.

So these are all people playing these parts?
Jack: Yes.

How do you make a person look like a candle stick?
Jack: Those things that go on lights that make colors are on his hands and he has cufflinks that come over it and he has one on his head. He has switch to turn them on and light shows through. Miss Teapot, Chip, and the Wardrobe have no hair, until they are human again.

Do the people shave their heads?
Jack: No their costume will be covering their hair.

What about the townspeople?
Jack: They have lanterns and sticks and swords. They can burn the objects and the candle can burn people’s butts.

Do they set people on fire onstage?
Jack: No, pretend fire. It has something to do with Velcro, but that’s all I’m going to say.

Anything else you would like people to know about this production?
Chris: These kids have really impressed me. I’m really pleased with the end result.

Catch the magic for yourself this weekend at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. The show runs Thursday through Saturday at 8pm with a matinee Sunday at 3pm.