In the Fall of 2024, I had the opportunity to design and help build Milky White for Shine Performing Arts Studio’s 2024 production of Into The Woods. I started by sketching a few ideas on a random piece of graph paper before I transitioned to making the official design digitally. I worked closely with the director of the show, Daniella Painton, to make sure the scale was to her liking and that the design fit her vision. I made small tweaks to the size and ideas before landing on the final design (see the top image to the left). I then worked with prop designer Amy Choate to make sure the cow would have every function necessary (rolling, easy to lift, opening mouth, holding props, etc.) before starting to build it. Amy, another volunteer named Russ, and I began building the frame out of wood leftover from other projects. Once the frame was built, Phoebe Choate and I worked on giving it the shape we wanted by forming chicken wire and pool noodles around the frame. Phoebe then used my design to construct the head with a moving jaw out of chicken wire and papier-mâché. After attaching the fabric cover and rope handle covers, the scenic painter came through and painted the cow to match the style of the rest of the set.

Milky White has been featured in multiple productions of Into The Woods, Including Stephen F. Austin State University’s 2025 production.