A Skidmore stage, a creative vision
For Adelaide Lance ’25, scenic design is about more than just props and backdrops — it’s a form of storytelling that fosters connection, creativity, and representation.
A recent ߣߣƵ graduate who double-majored in and English with a minor in media and film studies, Adelaide spent her senior spring designing the set for the black box production of “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers. The fully student-designed, student-directed, and student-stage managed show offered a vivid example of how Skidmore’s empowers students to bring complex stories to life with professional-level skill and creative freedom.
Presented in spring 2025 in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater’s black box space, “” follows eight friends — Lil (Sydney Mann ’27), Eva (Nina Renkert ’25), Kitty (Isadora Zucker ’25), Annie (Ken Caron-Quinn ’27), Rae (Lillian Forbes ’26), Rita (Emily Landolfi ’27), Donna (Sky Estrada ’27), and Sue (Sophie D’Amore ’26) — in a fictional lesbian beachside town modeled after Cherry Grove, New York. The story balances LGBTQ+ joy and serious themes with emotional nuance, made possible by the deep commitment of the student cast and crew.
Adelaide Lance ’25’s digital design of the stage for “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.”
Adelaide’s work began with early conversations with student director Lillie Shelor ’25, focusing on ways to foster intimacy between the stage and the audience.
“We had a fridge and a stove in our stock already that we could use for the set, but they're more from the 1950s,” Adelaide explained.
We ended up basing the entire cabin as if it was built in the 1950s so that it kind of has this worn look.”Adelaide Lance ’25
As a visual storyteller, Adelaide hand-sketched the set before creating a digital model using SketchUp software. Her design featured Lil’s bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom area, and the front lawn — all thoughtfully laid out to support the narrative and performers. A cleverly concealed exit through the bathroom allowed actors to leave the stage without disrupting the audience’s attention.
“Making everything as realistic as possible and trying not to break the audience's immersion” was a key goal, Adelaide said. That authenticity extended to the set dressing, which she developed in collaboration with Logan Waugh ’26. Adelaide described the aesthetic touches — like a bucket hat on a fishhook — as essential to building a believable world. After Lil’s death in the play, the set’s details became emotionally charged as actors interacted with her belongings. “We gave the actors the tools to move around and what to put away, but they really put in the emotion behind it,” she said.
Skidmore students constructing the set for “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove”, designed by Adelaide Lance ’25.
One of her most memorable contributions was “Lil’s rock” — a centerpiece constructed from foam, wood, and paint. Positioned close to the audience, the rock served both symbolic and functional purposes. “It needed to be safe enough to stand on and also needed to convey a sense of intimacy,” Adelaide explained. She partnered with paint charge Jess Goerold to give the set an oceanic palette of blues and greens, visually reinforcing the coastal setting and themes of serenity and escape.
Reflecting on the show’s message, Adelaide emphasized the importance of inclusive storytelling and representation. “It's such a beautiful moment to share, to show that these people are just normal people. This is just who they are,” she said. “The joy that they bring together is powerful, knowing that they don't get this kind of experience once they leave this safe haven. The show puts you in their shoes a little bit.”
In a late winter , Kiersten Simpson ’27 described Adelaide’s “attention to detail on the small cottage” and how it transported viewers to Bluefish Cove.
“Cher vinyl records, booze, and feminist literature lined the inside of the cabin, allowing the cabin to feel lived in,” read the review. “My mittens and scarf felt out of place alongside the sun and the sand.”
Theater students at Skidmore perform “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, on a set designed by Adelaide Lance ’25. (Photo: Sue Kessler ’99)
Adelaide created the design as her senior project in the Theater Department. It was mentored by Distinguished Artist in Residence .
At Skidmore, students like Adelaide don’t just study theater — they lead it and shape it.
The Theater Department’s preprofessional program, grounded in the liberal arts, offers students the opportunity to train in acting, directing, design, dramaturgy, and technical production, while exploring questions of cultural representation and social justice on and off stage.
In “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove,” Adelaide’s work exemplified that mission — blending artistry, empathy, and community in a production that was as emotionally resonant as it was visually compelling.