Theatrical Designer Makes Abstract Art
Graduate student Nao Kobayashi uses her imagination to make productions come to life.
Theatrical design is a process. The costumes, sets, props, makeup and so much more serve to realize the characters and world of the play.鈥淪he鈥檚 very committed and has wonderful ideas. She pays attention to the small details; she's a perfectionist in the best way.鈥�
Every small detail helps to ease the audience into the 鈥渕ake-believe.鈥� The talented group of artists who make up the theatrical design and technology program facilitates this journey from the real world to the fantasy world.
Few can evoke more theatrical magic than graduate student Nao Kobayashi.
She was responsible for the spectacular puppetry of last spring semester鈥檚 production of 鈥淭he Big Friendly Giant.鈥� In addition, she also served as craft artisan and costume designer for 鈥淎lice: Curious and Curiouser!鈥� and 鈥淒r. Faustus: Light the Lights鈥� in 2015.
Kobayashi received her bachelor鈥檚 degree from Sonoma State University in 2005 and worked with independent artists in Japan and other countries for 10 years before arriving at 麻豆传媒映画, where she is pursuing her master鈥檚 degree in theatrical design.
鈥淚 love using my imagination to create abstract designs,鈥� she said.
Kobayashi鈥檚 work was instrumental in bringing Roald Dahl鈥檚 classic novel to life.
She created the majority of the titular, big friendly giant as well as his foes. She admits that the process was challenging yet rewarding.
鈥淭he BFG was a huge thing for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I really wanted to expand my possibilities as an artist.鈥�
Every production requires a high degree of care and dedication from artisans like Kobayashi.
鈥淚 start with the script, then I research, collecting information according to what the designer wants and what the director wants,鈥� she said. 鈥淓specially for BFG, I did lots of research for the type of structure we could create for a puppetry system. My sketches were very helpful for me to go through what kind of designs I wanted.鈥�
Kobayashi loves the collaborative nature of theater. For 鈥淭he BFG,鈥� she designed the giants鈥� faces to reflect the features of the actors playing them. She said this not only helped her to form the characters, but that it also gave an added layer to the actors鈥� performances.
Margaret Larhlam, director of 鈥淭he BFG鈥� and 鈥淎lice,鈥� has praised not only Kobayashi鈥檚 talent but also her work ethic.
鈥淚t was wonderful working closely with Nao,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 very committed and has wonderful ideas. She pays attention to the small details; she's a perfectionist in the best way.鈥�
With the immense success of the show, it鈥檚 not surprising that Kobayashi is currently shifting her focus from costume design to puppetry.
However, whether she鈥檚 constructing a costume or a giant, Kobayashi鈥檚 philosophy is the same.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always about supporting the story,鈥� she said.
Despite her knack for design, Kobayashi鈥檚 background is actually in performance art, specifically in dance.
鈥淚鈥檓 really into the art of movement,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y interest was in dance and body movement and the body鈥檚 involvement in performance. I don鈥檛 just design what I personally want to see, I design to explore the way that the body moves. The body is always interesting to me.鈥�
Kobayashi believes that her dancer鈥檚 sensibility has enhanced her ability to replicate movement in her creations. Since her puppets move in a realistic manner, the audience is able to suspend its sense of disbelief that much easier.
鈥淣ao鈥檚 multidisciplinary background endeared me to her,鈥� Larhlam said, 鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 restrict herself to one medium and that makes her an absolute joy to work with.鈥�
Just as she draws inspiration from movement, Kobayashi is endlessly fascinated with what inspires others as well.
鈥淚鈥檓 always interested in what local artists in Los Angeles or here in San Diego are doing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like looking to all disciplines. I鈥檓 quite curious about how people create art based on their environment and their background. I鈥檓 curious about their honest vocabulary as to each discipline.鈥�
It is this openness to new experiences that makes Kobayashi a great artist. This creative freedom is essential to honest and evocative storytelling.
鈥淪he is first and foremost a real artist,鈥� Larhlam said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 an artist to the bone.鈥�
Kobayashi does not confine her ambitions to the theater world. It may only be a matter of time before she moves on to master yet another medium.
鈥淎nything I can do using my skills, I鈥檓 open to,鈥� she said.
This article originally appeared in .
