Volunteers Put in Great Panes for Peacock’s ‘Wrong Window!’

(Photo by Pam Roman) Front row: Anthony Walter, James "Sully" Sullivan, Don Jones, Jim Oliver. Second row: Hein Vingerlin, Doug Rogers. Not pictured: Chris Kaphers and Ed Legue.          

By Harrison Keely

Guest Writer

Most plays need one set. For the Peacock’s upcoming thriller-comedy “Wrong Window!,” volunteers are building two—plus a pair of giant windows.

In the show, a couple becomes convinced they’ve witnessed a murder in the apartment across from them. What follows is a spoof of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window,” blending suspense with laugh-out-loud comedy. But before the mystery unfolds on stage, the biggest puzzle has been how to build a set that lets the audience peer from one apartment to another, across a courtyard, through not one but two enormous windows.

Tony Walter of Martins Creek has built more than 20 Peacock sets over the past three decades. He said this one stands apart: “As far as I know, these are two of the biggest windows we’ve ever made. They’re over 12 feet wide, and one of them even has to open.”

The crew raised the floor on the rear set for sight lines, Walter said. Otherwise, folks in the front row wouldn’t be able to see the action there.

The oversized windows created a few engineering challenges as well. Wooden braces normally support thin set walls from behind, but Sully Sullivan of Murphy said the large windows forced the team to rethink how to reinforce those flats.

The team quickly realized they’d need to buttress the walls from above to keep them stable during all the action, Don Jones of Hayesville added.

“I know a little bit about construction,” said Doug Rogers of Brasstown. “But building a set is a lot different.”

Even the windows’ mullions are making their stage debut, donated by a friend of set builder Hein Vingerling of Warne.

“I view it as a hobby,” Jim Oliver of Brasstown said. “It’s fun to meet up with friends as we build the set – then the painters come in and make it look much better!”

Ed Legue of Murphy said the fun is in observing the transformation: “You don’t really see it all come together until the painting’s done. Then you look back at it and go, ‘Wow, I didn’t know we built that!’”

“Wrong Window!” runs October 3–5 and 10–12 at the Peacock, 301 Church St., Hayesville. Friday/Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.  For details, call the box office at 828-389-2787 or visit us online at thepeacocknc.org. The Peacock is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an equal opportunity provider and employer.