Curse of the Starving Class
Props Supervisor
The New Group
The Griffin Theatre at Signature Center
February – April 2025
Written by
Sam Shepard
Directed by
Scott Elliott
Scenic Design by
Arnulfo Maldonado
Associate Props:
SJ Reynolds
Props Intern:
Isabella Morrow
This revival Curse of the Starving Class embraced slapstick, physicality, and violence, with an incredible cast (including a beautiful sheep named Lois) hurling their appendages (and many, many props) around the stage on a nightly basis. This is one of the largest props packages of my career, and easily the most destructive and consumable, making this production an extremely rewarding challenge.
A short list of some of this show’s major projects: a reinforced collapsible sheep pen, a practical urinating prosthetic penis, fresh jumbo artichokes (to be hurled repeatedly at set cabinets), a functioning refrigerator, microwave, and stove, custom-drawn anatomical chicken charts (to be consumed, via onstage urination, on a nightly basis), shards of epoxy “glass,” two versions of a skinned sheep carcass, a practical (and period) pooper scoop for Lois, and an upstage “junk world” of chicken wire, safety netting, broken appliances, etc, requested ad hoc at the top of tech.
The process of sourcing props for this massive show aligned with my affinity for upcycling and reusing: at least half of the set dressing was salvaged or donated from friends and family, and much of it was able to find a new home after we struck the set. Overall this project was a major triumph, and I am very grateful for the amazing team of artists that made everything happen.
