One of my favorite things at APAC is watching as people walk into the theater in anticipation of how the space inside is transformed.

Since we’re not restricted by permanent seating, the way we use the space changes based on how the story needs to be told.

When The Human Comedy opens on May 5th, I’m positive there’ll be plenty of smiling faces as they walk into the room.

This is thanks to the thoughtful and stunning work of the two-time NY IT Award winner for Outstanding Set Design (APAC’s Ragtime and Children Of Eden) Michael P. Kramer.

I’m always thankful for the opportunity to work and chat with smart artists and Kramer is no exception. There’s a calm and humble confidence to his manner and approach to scenic design. Please enjoy the following interview in his words.

It’s bigger than supplying a backdrop

“Oftentimes the set is the biggest character on stage. It sets a tone throughout the piece. Finding what that is, is vital for the entire production and not just for the audience, the actors feel that too. So it helps to put them in some type of world that they understand and can grow from.

It’s also important that the set grows throughout the show and reintroduces itself to the audience throughout the night in ways that help to further the storytelling.

I do theater to help facilitate telling a story. It’s bigger than just supplying some kind of backdrop the actors can be in front of.”

Finding a conceptual essence

“If I can find that one idea that’s out there in space somewhere, the conceptual essence about a piece, and can link to it and put it on stage that’s what good design is.

I listen to the songs from the show over and over again, no matter what I’m doing, whether I’m paying attention or not. I let it incubate. I let it sink into me and later on I feel like I understand the piece. I want to understand the piece somewhere emotionally inside. So I can keep referencing that feeling whenever it’s time to make those choices.

All of your choices go back to that nugget of an idea

“Everything you pick and everything you do is vital to reinforcing that idea. I go back to that feeling in my gut and make the choices based on that. So if you make a choice that contradicts that feeling, that’s a problem. That’s something you have to fix. You may have to find a better idea.”

The best idea wins

“Tom (Wojtunik, Director) says “The best idea wins.” That’s a great way of thinking because it’s not just me or Tom it’s all of us. It’s a communal effort, we’re all throwing out ideas. Together we find what’s best.”

Getting into the mindset of the show

“Sometimes there’s a song or two that you instantly say ‘Yes, that’s what it’s about.’ This one took me a while to get to that point. So the bigger challenge was to get into the mindset of the show.

Finding out how to put it on stage was hard and I think it may have taken me a little longer than other shows have. But I think what we’ve done is exciting. It’s something I’m thrilled about.

Walking around in this space the last couple of days I feel more excited than I imagined I would because I’m starting to really see it come together in a way that I didn’t imagine before.”

Something to be proud of

“For me personally, I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to be pursuing my career. I’m from New Orleans originally so I’m far away from my family at all times. It’s a choice that you make to go on and live your life somewhere, to try to reach your goals and your dreams. For me it’s important to do good work all the time because of that sacrifice.

When I look back at the work I’ve done, I want it to be meaningful and something that I’m proud of. Otherwise, I’m making that sacrifice for no reason. I don’t think it’s fair to my family.

It’s important for me to respect my home and respect where I’m from and to respect the memory of home and try to go back there just in my heart and whenever I can physically.”

It’s mostly about relationships

“I’ve been at APAC longer than anybody it seems, and I love it. Number one I’m in this neighborhood, and I’m happy to build in the community. I’m also happy to help make this theater grow and be more vital.

More than that I’ve built a lot of strong relationships here, with Taryn and Tom and with everyone at APAC. The theater has grown a lot. That’s a testament to the good work we’ve done. And it’s something that I consider my own because it’s in this neighborhood and because I’ve worked here so long.”

Working with the people you trust

“APAC gives me a lot of freedom and because of that I love to work here. I feel like I’m doing good work because of it. It’s also a testament to APAC because we’ve won two years in a row for Outstanding Set Design.

I’m thankful for the trust that they give to me. I feel that helps the productions as a whole. Everyone who works here gives a lot of trust to it and that helps make our shows better.

Raising the bar

“I think that people are always astounded by our level of production. That’s because most theaters our size can’t accomplish what we do. These shows are always bigger than we could probably do theoretically, with money, with time and effort. Yet we somehow pull it together.

We have a really good team right now and I think that everyone is striving to match the quality of everyone else and that’s a great thing. It’s not necessarily competitive, it’s just we’re raising the bar for each other and we want to be sure we continue to raise the bar in these productions.”

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See how the bar has been raised in this beautiful ode to “home.” The Human Comedy begins May 5, 2011 and runs through May 21, 2011 at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (@30th Rd), Astoria, NY 11102.

Get your tickets here.