How I Built a Tiny Theater Set of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles

How do you tell a story without words? How can space, silence, and small objects reveal something huge?

That’s exactly what I explored in this Instructables. For my theater design class, I built a miniature stage model of Trifles by Susan Glaspell, a one-act play where nothing explodes, but everything matters. It’s a quiet farmhouse kitchen, but it holds a powerful mystery. My goal was to bring that world to life using cardboard, textures, hand-made props, and a deep understanding of what’s not said onstage.

As I moved from sketches to the final model, I used a mix of digital and physical tools to bring the set to life. I started by imagining the space in CAD software like Autodesk, which helped me visualize proportions and layout. From there, I built the physical model using foam board, paper textures, and handmade props. I even used 3D printing for certain elements to capture finer details.

This project was more than an assignment for me . It combined literature, architecture, storytelling, and design thinking ,making it perfect for students, educators, and makers who want to explore the connection between space and meaning.

Here’s what I used to build my Trifles stage model. Most materials are affordable and easy to find at craft stores, with a few tech tools for added precision.

1. Foam board or thick cardboard
2. Balsa wood sticks
3. Glue gun
4. Craft knife
5. Ruler and measuring tape
6. Pencil and eraser
7. Acrylic paints and Paintbrushes
8. Sandpaper
9. Printed texture sheets
10. Printable props
11. Printable character silhouettes or mini paper people
12. Autodesk
13. Printer and paper
14. 3D printer

1. I started by reading Trifles closely. It’s a one-act play set entirely in a farmhouse kitchen, where two women uncover the emotional truth behind a murder that the men overlook. I made notes about everything mentioned, the rocking chair, preserves, dirty towels, broken birdcage, because these are clues in the story.
2. Then, I looked up photos of early 1900s farmhouse kitchens and collected references of old stoves, wallpaper patterns, furniture, and shelves. I kept asking myself, “What would Mrs. Wright’s world look like, and how would it feel?” That’s when the emotional part of the design clicked for me.
3. If you're doing this, take your time with the research. Let the story guide your design choices, the kitchen isn’t just a setting, it’s a character too.

1. After gathering references, I drew a rough layout of the stage. I figured out where to place the stove, kitchen table, windows, and the doorway to the upstairs. Since this was a class project, I also recreated the space in Autodesk to plan things out to scale and get accurate proportions
2. This digital sketch helped me understand how much space I’d need and made it easier to build later, even a clear sketch with a ruler works, as long as it’s scaled.

1. For the base, I cut a piece of foam board to about 12x18 inches to match the scale I picked. I then cut out walls from foam board and attached them with hot glue, keeping the corners square. I left space for windows and the upstairs door.
2. I made sure the walls were around 5 inches tall to keep it proportional. If you’re doing this, be gentle with the foam board, it dents easily, but it’s perfect for this kind of model. I also added wood strips inside the corners to help the walls stand strong.

1. This was my favorite part. I made a kitchen table and chairs from scrap foam and sticks. For the stove, I used a mix of cardboard and some 3D-printed parts. I added shelves, boxes, jars (using beads), and even a quilt made from cut-up fabric scraps.
2. Don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect. I focused on what felt right emotionally. The birdcage, for example, had a broken wire door, a big clue in the play. These small props made the story come alive.
3. If you’re building your own version, keep the furniture simple but symbolic. Use any materials you have around, the story matters more than realism.

1. To make it look more realistic, I printed out old wallpaper patterns and wood flooring textures I found online. I cut them to size and glued them to the inside walls and floor using Mod Podge.
2. I also made curtains with tissue paper and printed little picture frames to hang. These finishing touches really helped sell the idea that someone lived here. If you’re doing this step, print textures on regular paper and take your time cutting clean edges.

1. I printed and cut tiny paper figures to represent Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and the Sheriff. I placed them around the kitchen to match scenes from the play. I also made sure emotional props like the broken birdcage and sewing basket were placed in focus.
2. You can also add character tags or quotes to certain props, I didn’t in mine, but it’s a great idea if you’re presenting the model. The goal is to create a feeling of quiet tension, not clutter.

After finishing the model, I honestly felt like I understood Trifles in a much deeper way. While building each wall, placing every object, and thinking about where characters stood, I started noticing the emotional layers of the play more clearly. The birdcage wasn’t just a prop anymore, it felt like a symbol of everything Mrs. Wright had lost.

Working on the model helped me realize how design isn’t just about looks, it’s about storytelling. Every decision I made, from how lonely the walls felt to where I placed the dirty towel or the half-finished quilt, helped show the emotional world that the text only hints at. It became clear that even the smallest object can carry meaning, something the play itself teaches us.

I also learned how powerful visual thinking can be. I used to think of theater design as something technical or distant, but through this project, I saw how design can bring empathy to a story. It helped me think like a director, a designer, and even like one of the women in the play who finally saw what others ignored.

So if you’re building your own version: don’t just focus on getting the structure right. Ask yourself, how does this space feel? What story are you telling, not just with the dialogue, but with every corner of the room?