Richard II
Props Supervisor
Red Bull Theater
Astor Place Theatre
September – December 2025
Written by
William Shakespeare
Directed by
Craig Baldwin
Scenic Design by
Arnulfo Maldonado
Associate Props:
Kristen VanDerlyn
Craig Baldwin’s 2025 adaptation of Richard II transplants the medieval English court drama into a 1980s-inspired world of high glam and chic. The set comprised primarily of black plexiglass and a rotating cube featuring a polished aluminum frame — reflections, sheen, and glare were central to the design, and as a result whatever props, costumes, or figures entered the stage instantly became focal points.
My challenge as Props Supervisor was to fabricate and source props that looked shiny and expensive while fitting comfortably inside an off-Broadway budget. I utilized my 3D printer, glue-on jewels, and a lot of Modern Masters’ paint to achieve an appropriately bling-y look for items like Richard’s scepter and “chrome” prison bench, while relying on some niche manufacturers and rental houses (s/o to Throne Kingdom in Brooklyn and Fennick Props in Passaic, NJ) to source a couple of key furniture items: Richard’s gold throne and Gaunt’s wheelchair, respectively.
This was my first time working on a Shakespeare play, and I loved the world that Craig and the team built.
Fun props projects included: sourcing an authentic U.S. military “field phone”; learning some armorer tricks from fight choreographer Rick Sordelet; meeting Allen and his team at Thone Kingdom; fabricating a custom hand mirror for the play’s climax; taking over the Astor Place Wegman’s for the Opening Night party.
