Theatre Design BOSLEY. Roles and Responsibilities.

Theatre DesignBOSLEY

Roles and Responsibilities

Director

Stage Manager Actors Costume

DesignerScenic

DesignerLighting Designer

Sound Designer

The Director is the artistic manager and inspirational leader of the production team. She/he coordinates the work of the actors, designers, and crews to express the production concept

The Stage Manager assists the director during rehearsals AND is responsible for all backstage activity – THEY ARE EVERYONE’S MOM (including the director…)

There are LOTS of other jobs

in the theatre unrelated to

design and productions such

as ticket sales, marketing,

fundraising, education, and

management.

Costume DesignerResponsible for the visual appearance of the actors. Includes

clothes, accessories, hair, and makeup

Costume Shop SupervisorBuilds or supervises the building of the costumes (reads the

designers sketches)

Cutter/DraperCreates

patterns and cuts the fabric

StitchersSew the

costumes

Dyer/PainterDye and paint

fabric

MillinerMakes hats

WigmasterMakes, styles, and arranges

wigs

CraftspersonSpecialized

work

Wardrobe supervisor

Responsible for costumes

and accessories

during production

Scenic DesignerResponsible for the visual appearance and function of the scenic and

property elements.

Scenic ArtistPaints the scenery (cool

techniques)

Paint Crew

Property MasterResponsible for the

design and construction of decorative and

functional props (welding, upholstery, electronics, painting, sculpting…)

Property Crew

Technical Director/ Scene Shop Foreman/ Master Carpenter oversees the construction, mounting, and

rigging scenery

Construction Crew

Stage Crew (answers to the STAGE MANAGER)

Move and shift the sets during production

Lighting DesignerResponsible for the visual appearance responsible for the design,

installation, and operation of the lighting and special electrical effects

Assistant Lighting DesignerLots of paperwork

Master ElectricianAcquires, installs and maintains

lighting equipment

ElectriciansHanging, focusing, and running

the lighting instruments

Sound DesignerResponsible for the design, recording,

equipment setup, and playback of any sound or music used in the play

Sound crewRecording, editing, and playback of sound

during rehearsals and performances

The Design ProcessHOW DO THEY DO THAT?

1. Read the script… duh

Scripts are meant to be read in one sitting – try not to spread it out.

1st Read: Get the general storyline, characters, and feel of the play. Read for enjoyment!

2nd Read: Look for strong visual inspirations – stuff that sticks out to you. Make some notes in the margins about that stuff – let your brain be swirly

3rd Read: Look for specific technical and mechanical demands like number of sets, required pieces, etc.

2. Questioning

Just what it sounds like: ask a bunch of questions of yourself, your team, and the director. Write these questions in your script!

3. Research

Read about/look up: Previous productions

** DON’T copy another production: you lose the playwright’s intention (script = god) and you cheat yourself out of the artistic process (also illegal and unethical)… Won’t look as good when you do it, either.

Background information

Geography and climate

Historical context

CONCEPT RESEARCH: How many ways can you solve a problem:

Example A character ends the scene in a beautiful gown and begins the next scene in the same gown but tattered and distressed.

4. Incubation

think eggs hatching – takes time

Let your ideas simmer and stew. Walk away from it.

5. Selection

Start to narrow down your thoughts and ideas into more formed concepts

THUMBNAIL SKETCHES Small, quick, rough drawing, usually done in pencil, that shows the

major outline, character, and feeling of the object but doesn’t have much detail

6. Implementation Solidify SPECIFICS

Costumes: Color renderings (detailed drawing of a character’s costumes) and swatches (small pieces of fabric to show color and texture) for all characters (detailed drawing of a character’s costumes)

Scenic: Color rendering and production model (scale model fully painted and complete with furniture and props) and details for how the set will be built

Light Plot

Scale diagram of all of the lighting instruments and the cues (a directive for action, for example a change in lighting or a character’s entrance)

Sound Plot

List describing each sound cue in the production

Gathers and records various musical and effects cues and assembles necessary equipment

7. Evaluation

Takes place during EACH step of the design process and when it is finished Not a back-patting session – objectively look at how things worked

Post Mortem is a meeting among the production designers and crew to reflect and discuss what went well, what didn’t, and how to improve for the next show

DESIGN PROCESS IS NOT LINEAR…