The Production Process
• Essentially to produce a play all you need are some actors, a script, and an audience
• The production team are there to enhance this and take it to the next level and give it a sense of ‘theatricality’ or reality, taking a simple structure and creating an elaborate scenario
• Its also necessary as theatres need to fulfill audience expectations
The Production Team
• The production team uses their specific skills and knowledge to realize the creative team's artistic vision for a production
Stages of the Production Process
pre-production
• Play is discussed by producers/artistic director
• Creative team are put into place and come up with a concept for the play which the present back to the theatre
• Designs are produced and presented in the form of model box and costume designs to producers and production team at the theatre
• The show is costed and timescales are set
• The play is cast
• Tickets go on sale
• Construction team begin to draw up build plans
• Stage management team are hired and may do some pre planning
rehearsal and build period
• Cast are in rehearsal room to rehearse play
• Set, costumes and props are built and made
• Weekly production meetings happen to make sure everything is on track
• LX plans and sound rig is finalised
• Costume fittings happen with the cast and costumes made
• Prompt copy is created in rehearsals
• Marketing to sell the show
prodction week
• Fit up the set onstage
• Rig and focus and plot lights
• Rig and plot sound/ sound checks • Lay out props tables off stage
• Set out quick change areas
• Technical rehearsals
• Cues go into Prompt copy
• Dress rehearsals
perforances
The technical team run the shows as coordinated by the SM team DSM calls the show from the prompt desk
Preshow and post show checks
Daily maintenance
end of run
• STRIKE
• Pack away show – maybe for tour or transfer or storage
• Returns
• A production file is compiled for archive – the prompt copy is key to this
Common themes and goals
• A key element to all of this is that the tech team, SM team and production team all work as teams
• There needs to be clear lines of communication, good organisation and hard work.
• A firm respect and an understanding of what each department does
• EVERY SHOW IS UNIQUE AND EACH ONE WILL CREATE ITS OWN SET
OF CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME
Stage Management Team
• assistant stage manager — ASM (assists DSM and SM, gathers all rehearsal and actual props and furniture, runs rehearsal errands, maintains and resets all props)
• deputy stage manager — DSM (presents in rehearsals full time, creates daily reports from rehearsals and calls for the acting company, creates the prompt copy, runs/calls the show)
• company stage manager — CSM (in overall charge of the team and rehearsals/company/props, in charge of the budget for SM and props, runs the tech in production week, runs the show)
• company manager — CM (pastoral care and welfare of actors and creative team, payroll, contracts, union rules and regulations, works closely with SM, works closely with creative teams and producers)
• Can also have TSM, DSM on the Book, Props ASM, ASM Book cover
Lines of communication
• The SM team are key to feeding information from the rehearsal room to the rest of the production, team and also the creative team.
• This is channelled from rehearsals by the DSM and backed up and supported by the SM and ASM to follow up on these communications
• Remember the DSM acts almost like a secretary – making notes on every part of the rehearsal
Rehearsal notes
• Written every day in rehearsals by the DSM and sent out to all production, FOH and creative team
• When you receive the rehearsal notes you MUST read them all – not just the ones for your department.
• Its up to the ASM and SM to follow up on these notes with each department to make sure they are being actioned and then in turn feed back into the rehearsal room
Call Sheets
• Produced by the DSM with help from SM each day
• Must be sent to all company and creative and production departments
Email/hardcopy/whatsapp/teams/facebook
• Need to include everything happening on the day and in each location
• Rehearsals/wardrobe fittings/wigs fittings/ vocal calls/marketing calls/meetings/fight calls/music calls/solo call
• All breaks need to be on the call for Equity purposes
Rehearsal Calls I Need to include
• Date and times – and show
• Who called – alphabetical order
• Whereneeded
• Whatfor
• End time
• Breaks
• Signed by
• Notes
Show report
• Written by SM and DSM after EVERY show
• Needs to include
• Timings of show
• Audience number
• Staff on show FOH and BS
• What went wrong/right – including actions for these • Understudies
• Illnesses/accidents
• Call for next day
• Signed off by SM and DSM jointly
Show Report distribution
• Distributed to same people as rehearsal notes
• These do not go on backstage notice boards and do not go to cast
Types of props
Personal prop - USED BY ONE ACTOR IN THE PLAY; USUALLY SET IN THEIR DRESSING ROOM; JEWELRY, HANDKERCHIEF OR HIP FLASK
Practical prop - SOMETHING WHICH WORKS; IE BATTERY, GAS OR ELECTRIC; LAMP, PHONE, KETTLE
Hand prop - SOMETHING WHICH CAN BE CARRIED BY THE ACTOR; HANDBAG, BRIEFCASE, MOBILE PHONE
Consumable Prop - SOMETHING WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ON A REGULAR BASIS – FOOD, DRINKS, CIGARETTE
Breakaway - SOMETHING WHICH IS MADE SPECIFICALLY TO BREAK ON Q; BOTTLE, PLATE, WINDOW
Dressing - PROPS THAT 'DRESS' THE STAGE TO MAKE IT LOOK NATURAL BUT ARENT INTEGRAL TO THE PLOT; CURTAINS, RUG, ORNAMENTS
Paper prop - SOMETHING MADE FROM PAPER – DOCUMENTS, MONEY, NEWSPAPER
What is a props list?
•A props list is initially taken from the set design and script and is a list of all the props and furniture needed for the show. It is compiled by the ASM.
•The props list is a working document throughout the rehearsal period
PROPS LIST
• READ THE SCRIPT
• NOTE WHAT IS NEEDED FOR A SCENE - HOW MANY ARE NEEDED?
• THINK ABOUT HOW A PROP IS USED – IS IT JUST TO LOOK THE PART OR IS IT PRACTICAL AND USED BY SOMEONE
• THINK ABOUT THE SHOW , WHEN AND WHERE IT IS SET?
• WHAT BUDGET DO YOU HAVE/HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?
• IS THE PROP EATEN/SMOKED/DRANK?
• DO YOU NEED HELP FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT WITH THE PROP?
• HOW VISIBLE WILL THE PROP BE? HOW CLOSE TO THE AUDIENCE?
• HOW LONG DOES THE SHOW RUN FOR – DOES IT TOUR?
MAKE A PROPS LIST
• Page number/act/scene
• What the prop is
• Who uses it/context
• Notes from design/rehearsals
• Notes on sourcing
• Cost
• Rehearsal/actual
Make hire or buy a prop/furniture
HIRE
• The prop is unique and cannot be found in a shop
• The prop is very expensive, and the budget doesn’t allow for it to be brought
MAKE
• The actual object is too heavy or impractical to use
• The prop needs to be used in a fight sequence and it's too dangerous to use the actual item
• Legally you cannot use the actual item
BUY
• It's cheap to buy and time consuming to make.
• The prop gets broken each show so need multiple
• You can buy something similar and then adapt it to fit the design
• The table/furniture piece needs to be stood on so needs to be reinforced The show runs on tour for a year and so it's cheaper to buy rather than pay a hire fee
Mark outs
• Read the scale
• The Setting Line
• The Centre Line
• Use different colours
• Which way round in the room you layout – what do you need to know?
• Think about what you can fit in
• What wing space/cross over you need
• Space for the DSM and director – relation to door
• You need to be able to explain the mark up to the director and cast
• Where the ground plan goes
Tool kit
• LX tapes – different colours
• Tape measures – at least 2
• Scale ruler
• Chalk
• Pencil
• Scissors
• String
Sourcing Props – what do you need to consider?
• Can you buy the prop?
• Can you make it?
• Can you borrow /hire it
• Can you get it for free?
