In order for a theater performance to be a success, it takes more than a talented cast and an experienced director. It also calls for a well-designed set.

Building a successful set is a long process that requires a number of skills. It takes a general understanding of architecture, the capability to stay within a set budget and the ability to visually translate all of the expectations of the production team as well as the script.

Brian Eagen, senior in architecture and performing arts, starts the process of designing a set six to eight months before show time. He said he begins by reading over the script several times and picking out the most important details.

Once the script has been analyzed, Eagen said he then meets with the director and the production team to discuss the concept of the show. From there, he starts to design his ideas through a number of sketches that go to the technical director. The set is then ready to build.

Eagen said one aspect of the process that is quite challenging is staying within the theater’s budget. It’s difficult because there isn’t a lot of funding that goes to the performing arts.

When he works on a show with a large budget, there are more expectations and he sometimes has to sacrifice some of his ideas. Eagen said he has always been happy with the final set.

Eagen chose to attend Iowa State so he could study architecture. During his sophomore year, he took a liking in set design in performing arts. He said he liked the flexibility of it. “In architecture, you’re bound by so many rules,” he said. The flexibility aspect was just one of the reasons Eagen was attracted to theater.

“My opinion of why I turned to theater comes out in my work,” Eagen said. “The things I enjoy most about theater are being able to create pretty pictures. So I like to create an environment that is more or less beautiful and provocative.”

Since Eagen has been at Iowa State, he has designed a few sets for the ISU Theater and is currently working on “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which hits the stage at the end of February.

Eagen’s first design project was for the show “Tartuffe” in November 2008. The second set he designed was for “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” a production from Stagewest Theater Company in Des Moines. Adam Heffernan, lecturer in music and director of “Tartuffe,” said Eagen did his job well.

“He was a joy to work with,” Heffernan said. “He was already quite a talented set designer having come from architecture school. He had a quite a unique perspective on theater design, and had some beautiful and imaginative ideas.”

In addition to currently designing the set for “The Importance of Being Earnest,” Eagen also is working on “The Pillow Man.” A student produced show that will hit the Maintenance Shop in April.