I LOVE the premise of the show! Growing up in rural Alberta, I spent a lot of time gazing at the night sky, the constellations clear above me, the Aurora Borealis dancing spectacularly. So I was thrilled that Julie Lebel asked me to design Baby Space
Opera!

From the start the show was meant to tour, and we were operating on a shoestring budget, so the design challenge was to inexpensively create a sumptuous and inviting universe that would fold down to fit in 2 suitcases. The Celestial Arch backdrop took all my tent-making skills plus some design pointers from a structural engineer. Nebula’s double-sided train measures almost 5 square meters but needs to float like a cloud when worn, requiring backpack-like straps that can be invisibly removed onstage. The costume for the Great Bear, Ursa Major, sandwiches a layer of LED lights between a lining and the outer white faux fur, which had to be removable to allow for laundering. These challenges took time and experimentation to solve.

Theatre la Seizième, our co-producers, provided unwavering support through every stage. We were able to hold numerous workshop performances for babies, essential to ensure we were connecting with our very young audiences. Creating the show over a long period (2 years) allowed deep collaboration with the other artists involved, all under the guidance of Julie Lebel, overseen by her mentor Jo Leslie. As a result, Sabrina Mo’s soundscape and Andie Lloyd’s lighting design helped shape my designs, as did each dancer (Sarah Gallos, Olivia Shaffer & Isabelle Kirouac) as their roles and choreography developed. And I was able to test the luminosity of different materials in the theatre with projections and lighting, allowing me choose textiles and objects that had the most delicious visual impact.

Minimizing our environmental footprint was important at every step. I used deadstock fabrics that were gifted to Foolish Operations, thus keeping them out of landfill, and the first stop for any shopping was the thrift store, which also fit our budget. Fabric that had to be purchased new was Oeko Tex certified (a mark of sustainably produced textiles) whenever possible. Scraps were collected for craft projects, or taken to textile recycling outlets. Batteries for the illuminated costume are all rechargeable. Also, my only vehicle is an e-trike, which drastically cuts down on carbon emissions during work trips.

Hopefully none of these efforts are obvious on stage. Instead, we let the night skies and lullabies of Baby Space Opera transport us into a celestial dream state. Enjoy the show!

Diane Park
Set and Costume Designer, Vancouver BC Canada, June 2026