Theatrical Planning Guide & Theatrical Chain Of Command Flexitrol Lighting Company 311 East Main Street Carnegie, PA 15106 412-276-3710 www.flexitrol.com
About The Flexitrol Planning Guide If you only had seven weeks to put on a play or musical, how would you go about getting organized? This is the question we asked ourselves while preparing this guide. The answer, of course, is to get out a calendar and start planning. Keeping this in mind, we prepared this count-down-to-opening-night guide to help you plan and organize your production. This guide is intended to assist schools, community theatre groups or any other non-professional theatre companies in mounting a production. Along with the calendar, we have included a breakdown of the chain of command within a theatre production, as well as an explanation of each of the production team s specific responsibilities. Obviously, this is the ideal. Smaller productions will most often have individuals assuming multiple tasks. This guide is designed to assist you in organizing your production, allowing you to enjoy the experience rather than dread it. As a service oriented company, Flexitrol Lighting takes great pride in assisting our customers with their lighting design and production challenges. Whether in rentals, sales, technical service, maintenance or simply answering your questions, Flexitrol Lighting Company are available as your theatrical production resource. Designed by Matthew Shaffer-Original Concept by Bill O Donnell-Copyright 2004 Flexitrol Lighting Company-Illustrations by Gustave Dore
The Theatrical Chain of Command The Producer The producer runs the organization from the financial point of view. This could be the board of directors of a community theatre, the principal or an administrator of a high school, or simply the person or persons who provided or organized the funding for the production. The amount of participation that you can expect from the producer varies greatly from situation to situation. You probably already know the producer and what to expect from him or her. Generally, the producer stays out of the day-to-day work of directing, design and rehearsals. The producer frequently chooses the play (or musical) and then is responsible for hiring the key personnel (director, designers, etc ) associated with creating the production. Ultimately, the producer is the boss. The Director The director is the master designer of a theatre production and oversees the other designers based on the script and a vision of how the final production should appear. He or she must be organized and efficient, and above all, be able to clearly communicate artistic ideas and his or her vision of the production to the actors and design team (sets, lights, etc.). The director chooses the cast for the show and spends the majority of the preproduction time in rehearsals with the actors. The director must also insure that the designers provide the appropriate visual look for the production. A director who is unsure of that vision must work with the designers to create a concept, making certain that all elements blend together into the final product.
The Stage Manager The stage manager is the master scheduler of the theatre. He or she works closely with the director and runs the rehearsals in the director s absence. A stage manager must be well-organized, astute, and an efficient communicator. The stage manager: - Schedules the director s time. - Watches all rehearsals taking notes on blocking, actors absences, changes regarding costumes, props, set pieces, etc. - Communicates with the designers and technical director concerning changes. - Creates a call script where all of the shows cues are recorded for the purpose of calling the show during performances. - Posts all actor and crew call times. - Knows all and sees all. While this list is somewhat abbreviated, you can see that the stage manager has the most responsibility of anyone in the production. He or she is the first to arrive and the last to leave. The stage manager runs the performances and must command the respect of the actors and technicians if the show is to run smoothly. The stage manager must be able to get along with people yet still give orders when needed. No one should know the show better than the stage manager. The Technical Director The technical director (or TD) is oversees all of the technical aspects of the production. This includes managing the production budget for purchasing supplies and materials, i.e. lumber, paint, rental of props, lighting, etc. The set designer supplies the drawings to the TD who then determines what is needed to construct the set, what it will cost, and more importantly, how to build it within the budget. The TD is also the crew chief, responsible for hiring and managing the crew during the construction and production phases of the show. A good TD needs to be familiar with construction techniques, use of power tools, safety, basic stage craft, and a little engineering. The TD is also in charge of keeping the production on schedule.
The Set (or Scenic) Designer The set designer is responsible for designing the physical space (floor plan) and all of the elements within it. This includes, but is not limited to, the walls, floor or floor coverings, furnishings, practical (working) lamps, and the set dressings, i.e. pictures, plants, etc. The set designer creates the mechanical drawings that the TD uses to construct the set elements and works closely with the properties (or prop) person acquires all of the items called for in the script or requested by the director. This could be practically anything from glasses and dishware to a fish tank, sword, or books and magazines from a specific era. Many times the set designer will paint or oversee the painting of the set. Other times the set will be painted by scenic artists. The Lighting Designer The lighting designer creates designs based on the requirements of the script (location, time of day or night, mood, etc.), by attending rehearsals, and responding to specific requests of the director. The lighting designer must also take into account the set elements created by the set designer. Their color, texture, position on stage and importance to the action are all factors to be addressed. Costumes must also be considered. Certain fabrics and colors will look very different under different light sources. Once all of these factors are taken into account, the lighting designer can then generate a diagram or plot of where all of the lighting instruments need to be hung and/or positioned. In addition, the lighting designer provides information as to how the lighting instruments are to be connected to the dimmers, how the dimmers are controlled by the light board (or console), and their focus and color. During production week, the lighting designer, director, stage manager and light board operator get together to write and record the light cues. The Sound Designer The sound designer records, and in some cases creates, all of the sound cues and music from pre-show to walk-out. He or she is responsible for any sound reinforcement, such as microphones on the actors, or the placement of speakers. In addition, the sound designer sets up the intercom system, if necessary.
The Costume Designer The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing that is seen on stage. Based on the requirements of the script, the costume designer outfits the cast (and sometimes the stagehands) with clothing that is appropriate to the production. This may include everything from hats to shoes. The costumes may also have special needs such as Velcro for quick changes. Costumes may be acquired or constructed as necessary. The costume designer, or an assistant, also deals with costume repairs during the run of the show. The Master Electrician and Electricians Generally, the master electrician is in charge of all electrical aspects of the production. This includes hanging, circuiting and focusing the light plot, programming the lighting console (digital systems), and wiring any practical lamps or electrical devices used in the production i.e. motors, door bell ringers, special effects, etc. Many times the master electrician is also the light board operator. Electricians are the master electrician s crew assisting in whatever capacity is needed. The Carpenters and Stage Hands The people who build the set are the carpenters while the ones who move the set elements around during scene changes are the stagehands. The people who hang and fly set or scenery pieces around are known as riggers. All work for the technical director and take their cues from the stage manager. The Performers Actors, dancers, singers and musicians are, from an organizational standpoint, frequently thought of as sheep they are told what to do by the director or the stage manager and they do it, bringing their considerable talents to bear. For those of us who organize the flock, we must keep certain things in mind. People don t attend a show to see the set or the lights or the costumes. They go to see the performers. It is everyone else s job to support them and respect them, for their talents.
The Count Down To Opening Night Calendar The First Week Staff members should have already been chosen and scripts supplied to them. The designer s basic research should have begun and at the first production meeting, discussions can begin concerning a general look and feel for the production. At this time, the director should convey his or her feelings and ideas about the script and staging the production. The design team can also provide ideas and alternatives depending upon their own particular take on the script. Thus begins the collaborative process. During this first week, the design team should stay in communication in order to exchange ideas and thoughts concerning the director s ideas and their practical applications. Research into the production s specifics can now begin in earnest. Some basic questions that need to be answered are: In what time period does the play take place? Is it set in the 1200 s or the 1960 s? Is it daytime or night time? In what location does the play take place? Is it set in the interior of a castle or outside in a wooded area? Is the budget capable of supporting a larger production or will a smaller production be more financially realistic? The Design Team
The Second Week The cast has been in rehearsals for any number of weeks now and should begin getting props to work with. The set designer should have renderings and /or a model of the proposed set design for the director s approval. There should be enough information for the technical director to begin pricing and /or purchasing materials and supplies with which to start constructing the set. The set designer make arrangements with the technical director to purchase whatever paints and related supplies that will be needed in order to finish the set. This should be done at an early stage in the event that certain paints or supplies need to be ordered from suppliers. By late in the week, the technical director should have a pretty good idea if the set design can be constructed within budget. If not, then revisions will have to be made and approved by the director. By week s end, any set revisions should be approved and construction can begin. Researching the Play
The Third Week This is the week that things really start moving. Rehearsals continue. The lighting designer should attend a rehearsal in order to see the blocking of the show. Costume designs will need to be approved by the director. Actors will need to be measured for their costumes. The advertising committee should begin contacting local newspapers, radio and television, and begin promoting the production. (Remember, if no one knows that you re putting on a show, then no one is going to show up.) In addition, advertisement sales for the program should begin and program biographies should be collected from the actors and production staff. The set is now under construction. Platforms and stair units should be built first so that the actors can become accustomed to walking on them. More props should be made available to the actors so they can get accustomed to working with them. Costume acquisition and /or construction can progress. The weekly production meeting will help make sure that everyone is on the same page and any questions or concerns can be addressed by the production staff as a whole. Take notes. Make to-do-lists. Ask questions. Good communication by the production staff can solve problems before they occur. The Costume Shop
The Fourth Week Work on the set continues. The actors should now be spending as much rehearsal time as possible on the set. The stage manager should be communicating any changes needed in the props, set or set dressings. Costume fittings should begin and adjustments made. By this time, the lighting designer has attended a rehearsal or run through and is generating a lighting design and plot. The lighting designer needs to order any color media (gel) or patterns (gobos) that might be needed. Any rental equipment should also be ordered no later than this week. Ordering during week four will help insure that all materials will be available. As you might have guessed, the stage is becoming a rather busy place. There will be carpenters, actors, and very soon, electricians, painters, prop people and run crew all vying for time on stage. Now the technical director and the stage manager need to start scheduling time on the stage so that no one group interferes with another. As we have said before, organization is the key. The Fight Rehearsal
The Fifth Week By now everything is running like clockwork, right? Wrong. It would be wonderful if it were so, but this is rarely the case. Once again the keys to survival are organization and communication. This week costume fittings should be completed. Painting should begin on the set. Props and run crew should be attending rehearsals to become familiar with the show. All props should be with the actors. Advertising should begin no later than this week. The program should be completed and sent to the printer as soon as possible. Any lighting equipment that needs to be rented for the production should be picked up or delivered. The lighting instruments should be hung and circuited according to the light plot and then colored and focused. Due to the amount of time usually required and, at this point, the time constraints on the stage, this is often split up into two days. At the weekly production meeting, the schedule for tech week should be finalized. The Production Meeting
The Sixth Week - Tech Week (a.k.a. Hell Week) Well you ve made it this far. Now the real fun begins. The technical rehearsals. This is when all of the production s elements have to come together to make the show work. This includes everything from lights and sound cues to props and the actors knowing their lines and blocking. During this week all of the cues (actions where lights change, sounds are played, actors enter or exit the stage, set pieces move, etc ) have to be written by the director, the lighting and sound designers and the stage manager. They then have to be practiced by the run crew until they are as flawless as possible. If time permits, a dry tech should be run. This is where all of the cues are written without the actors being present. This does speed up the process and eliminates having the actors waste a rehearsal standing around being bored. The stage manager is in charge of running the tech, and during the process writes the cues in a copy of the script (a.k.a. a call script) that will be used during the performances in order to call the shows cues. Tech rehearsals can be tedious and frustrating. The better prepared you are, the easier it will be. This brings us to the dress tech and final dress rehearsals. Dress tech combines all of the productions elements including all costumes, costume changes, and makeup. Stopping this run-through to fix any problems should be avoided if at all possible. Final dress is exactly what it says. This is the last rehearsal before you have an audience. It should be treated as a regular performance without stopping for any reason.
Opening Week Well you made it. The programs back from the printer. The caterer is setting up for the opening night party. The theatre is clean and ready to receive your patrons. But before you let the audience in, there are some things that you need to do each night. All of the lights should be checked to make certain that none of the lamps have burned out. All of the props should be checked to be sure that they are in their proper places. The set needs to be checked to insure that there are no potential problems. And, of course, the stage should be swept and mopped. All of these tasks should be coordinated by the stage manager at least one hour before opening the house. This allows you time to make any repairs, if necessary. Closing Night The Critics After the final performance, comes the strike. The strike is when the entire show is dismantled. The set is taken apart and removed. The lights are taken down and any cables coiled up. The props and costumes are returned or stored away. It is recommended that the strike begin immediately following the final performance when you have the manpower. Finally, don t forget to return anything rented, borrowed, loaned or otherwise acquired. And, as a courtesy, leave the stage clean for the next group.