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TECHNICAL THEATRE “Without technicians, actors would just be people yelling on a blank stage in the dark.”
TECHNICAL THEATRE
“Without technicians, actors would just be people yelling on a blank stage in the dark.”
The Director and his helpers Producer Director
Assistant Director Stage Manager
Prompt book Assistant Stage Manager
House Manager ushers
Properties A.K.A. “Props”
Prop Master Prop table
Costume props (purse) Hand props (telephone) Floor props (furniture) Decorative (painting)
Buy Build Pull
Set- People and Terms
Set designer vs. carpenters/crew Technical Director (TD) Stagehands
Gaft tape Spiking Stage blocks
Fly system
•Batons- the pipes they attach lights and set pieces onto•Pigs- the name for the weights they use to balance the weight of the lights and set pieces on the batons (like a teeter-totter)•This is how they bring in set pieces to change the scene or fly someone like Peter Pan•Pulley system- The ropes and pulleys they use to raise and lower the set
A picture of the fly rail
Scene shop
This is where they build all the set pieces and store things until they are ready to be put on stage. There are many tools, and safety is essential!
Types of stages:Thrust stage- audience on 3 sides
Theatre in the round- Audience on all sides
Proscenium stage- Typical stage where audience in just in front of the stage
Examples of set designs and ground plans done in CAD
Examples of flats
Fun set examples:
Fun set examples:
Makeup- steps and terms Actors usually do their own-(Cats) unless
professional or extremely challenging
Clean face Base Highlight Shadow Specialty
Ben Nye/Mehron Wigs
Types of stage makeup
Basic Old age Fantasy Animal Period Gender reversal Celebrity Specialty (scars, noses, facial hair, moles,
etc.) Blood and gore
Makeup SketchWigs
Example of highlight and shadow
Animal makeup Example
Specialty makeup examples
Fantasy Period
Specialty Blood and Gore
Body makeup
Old age makeup example
Lights Lighting Designer vs. Light board op.
Lighting designer creates a light plot and gives it to the Master Electrician. The Master Electrician is the person in charge of hanging all the lights to make it look as the Lighting Designer had envisioned, and for recording all the light cues.
Blackout & Blueout Bite light Follow spot vs. Spotlight Work lights Lighting instruments Lamp- 750 watts (normal is 75w)
Fragile- sensitive to oil on skin
Example of a light plot
Details of a light plot
Light board and computer program
Lighting InstrumentsEllipsoidal PAR Can
Very specific area is lit, very condensed light. These you can use gobos for.
This creates a wash, or a broad area that is lit instead of a specific spot. Cannot use gobos with these because the light is too spread out.
Parts of a lighting instrument
Lighting colors
Intelligent lighting
Intelligent lighting is newer, and therefore more expensive, but will probably eventually replace both ellipsoidal and PAR cans.
Benefits: •Change color without changing gels•Add and remove gobos•Not stationary, can be moved around•One Intelligent light can do the same job as 10 of the older models.
Most Intelligent lighting is used these days in concerts, on Broadway, and even some DJs.
PAR Can lighting example
Elipsoidal example
Gobos
Gobo example
Gobo example (intelligent lighting)
Popular gobo example
What’s wrong with this picture? Name the 2 reasons this is not a real gobo.
Gels
Gel example
Gel example
Haze example
Haze is used in concerts and in theatre so you can see the beam of light. Otherwise it would
just be the light on stage.
Fog example
Fog stays low to the ground to help create a creepy atmosphere.
More fun lighting examples
More fun lighting examples
Sound Sound designer vs. sound board “op.”
Sound designer decides placement of speakers, what songs to play, what sound effects to use, and use of microphones. Sound board op runs the sound during rehearsals
and the show. They not only have to play the music and SFX, but also turn on and off people’s mics, and can even change the way their voice sounds.
Real sounds vs. Sound effects (Crash box- real, cat meowing- effect)
Sound cue
Sound cues
The Audio signal chain
Source
Processing Amplificati
on
Speaker
Examples:Anything that makes sound: Radio, I-pod, computer, microphones, etc.
Examples:Mixing with a sound board, adjusting volume, audio special effects (Chipmunk voices pitch, reverb).
Examples:Making the sound louder:Some speakers have amplifiers in them, usually you need to have an outboard specifically made for amplifying.
Examples: Self explanatory!
MicrophonesLavalier /Lapel Mic Condenser
MicDynamic Mic
These mics can be hidden on actors. The battery is attached to the actor’s back
These mics can be several feet away from the actors and still pick up all the sound. It picks up all sorts of noise besides the one actor’s voice.
These are the most popular mics. They can be handheld or on stands, but the actor or singer needs to be directly in front of it to pick up the sound.
Sound board
Costumes
Costume designer vs. stichers/dressers/builders
Pull (& alter) Buy Build Rent
Swatch Measurements
How to design a costume: There are certain things you need to know about
your character and the play before you can design: Gender Age Status Location Season/weather Time Period Job Personality
Other things to keep in mind- color of the set and lights, logistics
Animal costume designs and masks
And now you know EVERYTHING there is to know about technical theatre! (ok, so maybe
not everything…)
