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Behind the scenes with Black Swan State Theatre Company & Tommotek

Written by Tommotek & Black Swan State Theatre Company 4 September 2025 5 min

MADE WITH A TEKCEL

At the Black Swan workshop, we have a secret weapon for bringing stage designs to life: a Tekcel CNC Router. Once a designer has drawn up plans for a set, the router cuts the pieces with pin-point precision, which our crew then assembles into complete sets. This machinery is manufactured locally in Perth by Tommotek, whose team recently met with our Production Operations Manager, Stephen Matthews, to explore how a theatre set goes from concept to finished stage design. Together, they followed the making of the set we created recently the show Hoods by our friends at Barking Gecko Theatre Company.

Watch the video so see a set come to life with our Tekcel Enduro!

Can you tell us a bit about what you do here?

This is our base for Black Swan State Theatre Company production – we manufacture sets, costumes and props here. We would work on around 5 or 6 builds for Black Swan State Theatre Company a year, and up to 20 outside builds for other theatre companies. Occasionally we also do work for film and television.

Where do you start, when building a set?

We initially have a concept meeting, where the designer and director will talk about their vision. That’s a really important first meeting. We all start putting the pieces of the puzzle together and problem-solving at that point. Then the director and designer will go away and come back with a revised set of plans, expanded from their initial vision. We then move to a final design presentation where I will cost it and work with one of our fellas here to draw it and get a more detailed idea of what we need to do. Eventually when we’re happy with it, it’ll go out to the floor to be built.

When did you purchase your Tekcel, and how has it impacted your production process?

The CNC router was purchased last year, and commissioned into the workshop by the wonderful Anton. We were very fortunate to get a grant from Lotterywest for the purchase – we were over the moon when we found out that we were successful in that.

It’s changed things enormously for us. We’re the only traditional set building workshop in WA, so integrating it into the way we build has been exciting. It’s quite extraordinary to see the capacity we have now. This project for Barking Gecko Arts went from a job that would’ve taken 6 weeks for 2 people, to 2 weeks for 2 people. We were able to reduce our labour by up to 80%.

"It's changed things enormously for us"

I’d say 60% of our production now consists of pieces that have been cut out by the CNC. Whereas before, it would’ve been maybe 1 in every 5 shows, and we would’ve had to outsource that portion of it.

Black Swans Tekcal Enduro cutting the set for Hoods

Tell us more about this project for Barking Gecko Arts?

We’re currently working on the production of Hoods for Barking Gecko Arts, designed by the amazing Sam Knox. Originally when we looked at the project with Barking Gecko Arts, it was going to be out of their budget, so we just thought about it in a very different way. We were able to make it our first project that was completely cut out by the CNC machine – a massive cost-saving. The whole job was cut out with 14 sheets of plywood and it fits in a 3-tonne truck.

“We were able to make it our first project that was completely cut out by the CNC machine – a massive cost-saving.”

It was a very exciting project for us to work on because we had this license to integrate the machine. It doesn’t reduce anyone’s workload because we can put so much more into the finish. That’s what the CNC provides us – it enables us to move those labour hours to the finish. Whereas before, we could only have so many weeks or days on the finish because it’s expensive.

What happens after the set is cut out on the Tekcel?

After the set has been cut out, it then goes out to be assembled. If we have any technology or any special effects that need to happen, they’re integrated into the set at that point. Then it’s finished to a point where it can go to our scenic artist, Marek, to put the finishing touches on it. Then we’ll do a final assembly and make sure we’ve got everything on it that we need for it to work. When it gets to the theatre the set lives – it’s not just wood and canvas and metal. It’s fully integrated into what happens on stage.

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How will having a CNC Router impact the future of Black Swan's Production facility?

We’re now getting considered for jobs we would never have been thought of to do in the past. Being able to deliver jobs that would normally get cut up in Melbourne or Sydney and freighted over to Perth is exciting for us – and also exciting for companies here that no longer have to pay those very expensive freight costs.

We’re in a terrific situation, where in the future we’ll be able to expand what we do and employ more people which is important. We’ve got WAPPA 15 minutes away – it’s one of the best training institutions in the world for the performing arts. They provide the industry with amazing production design students, and most of them have to go East. But we’re hoping we get to keep the best and brightest here, so that we can provide something exciting and an interesting place to grow, develop and do some exciting work.