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Production

From first read to final bow.

Get practical tips and resources to plan, organize, and run a successful school or classroom production.

Putting on a Class Production Part 4: Problem Solving
Production

Putting on a Class Production Part 4: Problem Solving

This is the fourth part of a five-part class production series. Check out Part 1: What to Produce?, Part 2: Who Does What?, and Part 3: Casting. By this point your students are in the thick of the...
Putting on a Class Production Part 3: Casting
Production

Putting on a Class Production Part 3: Casting

**This is the third part of a five part class production series. Check out Part 1: What to Produce? and Part 2: Who Does What?. Things are moving along well with your class production. You’ve...
Putting on a Class Production Part 2: Who Does What?
Production

Putting on a Class Production Part 2: Who Does What?

This is the second part of a five-part class production series. Check out Part 1: What to Produce?. So you’ve decided to put on a class production and you’ve chosen your play. Now you need people...
Why Productions Need Collaboration
Production

Why Productions Need Collaboration

Between the actors, stage management, technical crew, design teams, publicity team, and front-of-house staff, you’re going to need a veritable army of people to make your upcoming school show...
Practice Makes Progress
Directing

Practice Makes Progress

Everyone is familiar with the term “practice makes perfect,” right? But in the theatre, there’s really no such thing as a perfect performance, and there is especially no such thing as a perfect...
Rehearsal Exercise: Turn Up the Volume
Classroom Exercise

Rehearsal Exercise: Turn Up the Volume

Acting is supposed to be real, right? We talk with our students about bringing honesty and realness to the stage when they are performing. With that in mind, however, how often have you heard...
Encouraging Process over Product: The 90/10 Idea
Production

Encouraging Process over Product: The 90/10 Idea

Theatre is a funny thing, isn’t it? Teachers and students spend hours upon hours rehearsing, exploring, practicing, and reviewing. And that’s not even counting the hours spent working on the show...
No one is Less. Ensemble is More.
Production

No one is Less. Ensemble is More.

Working together, supporting each other, accomplishing something as one. This year’s theme for the Alabama Thespian State Festival is “be a pop of colour on a dark stage”. Upon hearing that theme,...
Creating and Maintaining an Organized Props Area
Production

Creating and Maintaining an Organized Props Area

The backstage area can be chaotic enough without having to worry about all the props for the show. Help to reduce backstage stress by using these seven tips to help keep your props area neat, tidy,...
How to Create a Master Props List
Production

How to Create a Master Props List

Having a master props list makes everyone’s life easier when it comes to knowing exactly what props are needed for your show, how each item is being acquired, and if a certain prop actually exists....
Pros and Cons of Live Bands versus Backing Tracks
Production

Pros and Cons of Live Bands versus Backing Tracks

When working on a musical with your students, you will need to decide whether you will use a live band or backing (karaoke) tracks for the music. Whether you use a live band or backing tracks,...
How to Prepare a Stage Manager’s Prompt Book
Directing

How to Prepare a Stage Manager’s Prompt Book

One of the stage manager’s most important tasks is to create and maintain the prompt book – sometimes known as the “show bible” – which is a master copy of the script and contains everything...
So, What Does an Assistant Stage Manager Do, Anyway?
Production

So, What Does an Assistant Stage Manager Do, Anyway?

As we all know, the role of the stage manager is a large and challenging one. And, while the stage manager is an amazing person, it’s always useful to have help. Enter the assistant stage manager!...
5 Qualities a Stage Manager Must Possess
Directing

5 Qualities a Stage Manager Must Possess

The role of the stage manager is a vital one in the theatrical process. Stage managers truly make the show happen. Without a great stage manager, rehearsals go awry, cues don’t happen, and the show...
So, What Does a Stage Manager Do, Anyway?
Directing

So, What Does a Stage Manager Do, Anyway?

“The show must go on” is a common phrase in the theatre world, and a stage manager is one of the crucial people who ensures that the show does go on. The stage manager works side by side with the...
Picture-Perfect Poe: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe
Production

Picture-Perfect Poe: Shuddersome: Tales of Poe

Looking for a way to bring the works of Edgar Allen Poe to life? Shuddersome: Tales of Poe by Lindsay Price is a vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Poe’s best known works. The thumping of a...