Julius Caesar Props
Where it began, Professionally
Beginning in Fall 2021, I began working in the BYU Prop Shop. Julius Caesar was the first show that I was assigned as Prop Master.
Et tu, Brute?
Set in Italy, pre-WWI, one of the key props that the director requested was a specific WWI bayonet. As renting/buying the real deal would have quickly depleted the prop budget, I asked for a quick chance to see if I could make an affordable replacement. As my first chance to professionally make a prop, I modeled, 3D printed, and painted the knife. When I pulled it out at our production meeting, there were audible gasps at the plastic knife. This would then go on to be the symbol of the rebellion and assassination.
The Seal of Caesar
Created by our Set Designer, this face was created to represent the power of Caesar. In celebrating his victories, banners were flown about with his face on it. As the man was made into a god, his symbol grew and would appear more frequently. We created posters, letters, and seals that showed his power reaching even beyond his death. One of my favorite uses of this is the will of Caesar in his passing. The seal on his will was 3D printed and finished to look like wax. The document was then sealed with putty to be reusable while still achieving the satisfying sound of a wax seal breaking.
Battle Standards
Requested by our set designer, our prop team worked together to each make a variety of battle standards like what would have been carried into the real battles of Caesar’s time. With research on the symbols commonly used in the time, and some discoveries of celebratory coins actually minted by Brutus after the real life assassination, I headed the modeling and creation of these symbols of war.
