EDDIE AND DAVE

AMY STAATS

ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY , STAGE TWO

2019

Directed by Margot Bordelon

Set Design: Reid Thompson

Prop Design: Andy Diaz

Costume Design: Montana Levi Blanco

Wig Design: Cookie Jordan

Projection Design: Shawn Boyle

Lighting Design: Jiyoun Chang

Sound Design: Palmer Heffernan

Photographs: Ahron R. Foster

Actors: Amy Staats, Megan Hill, Adina Verson,Vanessa Aspillaga, Omar Abbas Salem

Eddie and Dave is a comedy about the relationship between Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth and the rise of the band Van Halen into 1980’s rock and roll superstardom. The play comes at the story from a feminist perspective by reversing the genders of the performers. The design was an installation into Atlantic Theater’s intimate Stage Two space; we wanted the audience to feel like they were entering a grungy rock club. The design was a sythesis of influences from different phases of the band’s career - The columns from the birth of the band in wood panel clad basements, the side walls from the gritty backstage of LA’s Whisky-a-go-go, The back wall of the space was a faux speaker wall insipired by the band’s 1984 tour - the height of their superstardom. The side walls were encrusted in graffiti and rock and roll memorabilia. The back wall contained doors and windows to facilitate entrances and transitions, and served as a projection surface. The multi-level floor of the space was covered in a pattern inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s iconic “Frankenstrat” guitar. I had a blast with this team immersing ourselves in the world of 1980’s rock n’ roll!