Technical Theatre

We reached out to you, our amazing community, through social media to ask, What are your biggest props/costume challenges for your productions or upcoming show?.Turns out, there are lots of challenges that drama teachers are facing when it comes to props and costumes! Here are just a few of the concerns that came up, with some suggestions for dealing with these issues. 1. Dealing with those crucial, yet difficult, costumes or props that are specific to a particular show.There is always something that is absolutely necessary to the plot of the show that is a royal pain in the butt to try and create or acquire – either it’s super-expensive, technically difficult, or just really hard to find. Some of the challenges mentioned included acquiring the printing press and loads of newspapers in Newsies, finding sardines and fishing lures (without hooks) for Noises Off, and creating an amulet that lights up and that the actor can control (possibly for a show like The Little Mermaid or Peter and the Starcatcher). • For these crucial items, make it the highest priority to get them taken care of early. Don’t leave these items until the last minute to try and find. • Search out other productions and see what they did with that specific prop or costume and how. For example, for the light-up amulet, I have seen similar items made out of a battery-operated tea light or lit up with a flashlight. Try posting on a theatrical message board or Facebook group (like the Theatrefolk Facebook page!) to see if other directors have ideas or creative solutions. • Sometimes talking to friends or other teachers not associated with the production can help to gain a new perspective or great idea for creating or acquiring a particular item. They also might have a connection that you weren’t aware of. For example, a friend of mine was directing The Music Man and was having a tough time finding the matching band uniforms. I just happened to know a friend of my mother’s who is associated with our local university’s marching band. I was able to make a connection between the director and the marching band leader, who was willing to rent the items out for the production. You never know where a connection could occur. • Try Getting Other Departments Involved in Your Production. Again, your colleagues and other students at your school can be great resources for new, fresh ideas. 2. Dealing with soooooo many costume changes!Some shows have what seems like hundreds of costume changes, which creates a whole host of issues: finding/creating/acquiring all the costumes, staying on budget, storing the costumes during the run of the show, and general chaos in the backstage area. Consider the following: • See if there are costume items that can be worn layered for faster changes. • Could you go deliberately minimalistic and have your students wear a set of basics (for example, a black shirt and black pants and add/remove items as needed? • Don’t feel that you need to change every single item for a costume change to be effective. Sometimes just changing a hat, jacket, jewelry, or other accessories can make all the difference. • Be sure that every item backstage is labeled with the name of the student who wears the piece. • Arrange students’ costumes so that those with the most or fastest changes have quick and easy access to their stuff – i.e., put their costumes nearest to the stage. • Rehearse any difficult or particularly fast changes as part of your standard run-throughs of the show. Have extra costume team members or assistant stage managers available to act as dressers and help with quick changes. • Start working with costumes early and do as many costume run-throughs of your show as possible so students can be organized and familiar with their costume items. 3. Needing to get period costumes and props for low- to no-budget productions.We’ve got you covered! Check out these articles from the Theatrefolk blog for help: • Props on a Budget: A Resource Guide • 3 Tips: How to Stage a Show on a Small Budget • Small Budgets: Doing so Much with so Little in a Drama Program • How to Effectively Communicate with Rental Sources • Using One Item to Show Character

In the drama classroom and rehearsal space, drama teachers work with students to express themselves in a variety of ways. We encourage our students to push their boundaries, to explore new thoughts, characters, and situations, to move their bodies differently, and to share their stories. To do this, we must establish an atmosphere of safety and trust. And that begins with creating a safe rehearsal space. By considering both the physical and emotional safety of students, teachers can get their classes and rehearsals started out right, as soon as students walk through the door. Here are some tips and ideas for making your rehearsal space a safe one. Physical Safety• Ensure the floors are mopped and swept clean and are free of any debris (such as staples, nails/screws, safety pins). • Be aware of “secondary targets.” That’s a stage combat term for anything that could pose an inadvertent threat, such as furniture in the room, curtains, set pieces, other nearby students, dangly or flowy costume items, wayward props, and personal items that may be on the floor. • Ensure that risk-associated props (such as stage weapons), set-building tools, and cleaning supplies are securely stored when not in use. And make sure they are only used while in class or in rehearsal and under the supervision of the teacher in charge. • Have a first aid kit easily accessible and fully stocked in case of an emergency, as well as incident reporting sheets available. Be sure to know where the nearest washroom, smoke detector, and fire extinguisher are located, and the nearest exit should you need to evacuate. • Have appropriate garbage and recycling containers available to keep the space tidy and free of junk. Emotional Safety• With your class/cast, come up with your classroom code of conduct and share ideas on how to treat everyone with respect and dignity. • Always have at least two artistic staff members present during rehearsals, for the safety and comfort of both the students and the staff. If you must rehearse with only one student, ensure that the door to the room is kept open at all times. • For sensitive scenes (such as scenes with kissing) or emotionally charged scenes, schedule those rehearsals first for only the students who are actually in the scenes. That way they don’t have to rehearse these scenes for the first time in front of the rest of the cast, which could be awkward or uncomfortable. • Consent is crucial. Explain what needs to happen in the scene and break it down into easy-to-digest chunks. For example: “George approaches Lucy and places his hand on her waist.” Then check with the students playing these roles and ask, “Are you okay with this?” You never know if what you are asking your students to do may cause them concern or stress. Encourage them to ask questions and work up to the moment in question. While it is important for your students to push themselves outside of their comfort zones, it is also important for them to not be agonizing internally. Nerves are okay; anxiety is not. • Check in with your students frequently to see how they’re doing. Working on a scene over and over can be physically and emotionally taxing. • Take breaks, both for your students to recharge and refocus, but also to give your own brain a rest. Work with your students to include their ideas and suggestions into how to create a safe rehearsal space. Include them in the process of creating their space and encourage them to take ownership and pride in their surroundings. When the students feel safe within their rehearsal space, they are free to create, explore, discover, and push boundaries – which is exactly what theatre is meant to do.

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, and organized. 1. Create a designated props table or shelf backstage, with clearly marked spaces for each prop. Use painter’s tape and a marker to create simple labels, or put a large piece of butcher paper, newsprint, or parchment paper on the table and label that. Then place each prop on top of its tape/label, so everyone can see clearly where it goes. This way, people can easily see if a prop is missing. You could even outline the props on the paper so it’s even easier to see if something is missing. The butcher paper method is great if you don’t have a permanent table or shelf available in your backstage area. You can create a temporary props area using a folding table and the labeled paper. And then, after each show, the props can be packed into boxes, the table neatly folded, and the paper rolled up. You’ll just need to allow some time during pre- and post-show to set up and dismantle the props area. But the dismantled props table won’t take up much space during non-show hours.** 2. Remind all students that the props area is for PROPS ONLY. This is not the place to put scripts, water bottles, costume pieces, or personal items. Make it a rule that any non-prop items found on the props table will be dealt with immediately – whether they are tossed in the lost and found or confiscated by an assistant stage manager. 3. Arrange items in a way that makes sense to your production. For example, if a prop is used frequently or needs to be grabbed quickly, have its home on the props table be closer to the stage than something that is only used once or by an actor who has lots of time to grab it. In general, store larger or heavier props underneath the table/shelf, with smaller and lighter items near the top. 4. If you have a permanent props area in your backstage, install a bulletin board above/nearby the props area. That way you can pin up the props list on the board, and also use it for additional storage. For example, you can pin up paper props, or pin Ziploc bags to the board and store tiny props in them. This way those items don’t take up valuable table space. You can also use the bulletin board to post important notes, such as the locations of any backup emergency props, notes about the proper storage and retrieval of consumable props, and the name and contact information of the props head (in case of emergency). 5. Have a complete list of props stationed near the props area, pinned to the bulletin board or taped to the wall. Be sure the list includes the name of each student who uses the prop onstage. This will help the props head and assistant stage managers know who to reach out to if a prop is missing. You may wish to put the list in a clear plastic sheet so each item can be checked off with a dry-erase marker and re-used for each performance. 6. Tiny props (such as rings, writing utensils, coins – anything smaller than your fist) should be kept in larger, easy to see containers on the props shelf. These containers don’t need to be expensive. Use repurposed items such as plastic takeout containers or shoeboxes. 7. If possible, install a blue light next to the props table, so students can see the table in the dark. This can be as fancy as a permanent stage light or as simple as a desk lamp with a piece of blue lighting gel attached to it. During the show, the props area will be infinitely easier to keep organized when people can see what they’re doing!

Full disclosure – lighting design is NOT my forte. I am in awe of those wonderful people with skills in creating atmosphere with just the right shade of lighting gel, an artfully angled instrument, or the touch of a programming board button. While you may have a lighting designer for your upcoming production, if you are directing the show, you still must have an overall idea of what you’d like your lighting to look like. You can’t just expect your designer to do everything. And if you are a do-it-all director or working on a shoestring budget, you may BE the lighting designer yourself! Working with a number of talented lighting designers over the years has greatly helped to make the lighting process less scary and less painful for me. What I’m saying is, if I can come up with a basic lighting design, you can too. Here are some tips I have learned over the years that have helped me a lot. • You need to have a general idea of what look you want to create, lighting-wise. What is the mood of the piece? What is the time period (era)? At what time of day do the scenes occur? Does the scene take place inside or outside? Answering these questions will help get you on the right track. You may even want to collect pictures that help to show the lighting effects you’d like to have. • Have a basic knowledge of your school’s lighting situation. Does your school have a full lighting grid or only the most basic of lights that can only be turned on and off? Do you have LED lights, PAR cans, Fresnels, a spotlight, something else? Can your lights move? What is your gel and gobo situation? Do you have the ability and/or budget to rent additional lights? Basically, this tip is to keep you in check. There is no sense dreaming about LED movers and stained glass gobos when your school doesn’t have these items. You can still create amazing lighting with minimal equipment – you just have to get creative! • Note directly in your script where you know you want lighting cues to occur. Number and highlight each cue so you can see them in your script. Don’t worry about adding a cue later and having to change all your notes – it is standard practice to put in additional cues by adding .2, .3, .4 and so on, so you don’t mess up your original cue count. Be sure to include cues for turning on and dimming the house lights at the top of the show, at intermission, and at end of the show, as well as a lighting look for the curtain call. As well, ensure that your stage manager has all these cues noted in their prompt copy of the script, so they are able to call the show properly. • If you have lighting looks that repeat throughout the show (such as an outdoor wash, an interior wash, a nighttime look, a daytime look, etc.) make a note of the repeated cue numbers so those cues can be programmed all at once. This will save you time during programming. • Note how long you want each cue to last. Do you want the lights to fade out, and if so, how long should the fade take? There is a big difference between a 3-second fade and a 5-second fade and the lights snapping out abruptly. Do you want a crossfade? Do you want blackouts between each scene? Do the lights change during a song? Don’t expect your lighting programmer to know how long a song intro or interlude lasts – give them an exact duration. • Here’s a final tip that really made me pause and think the first time I heard about it: “blackout” versus “brownout” versus “blueout.” Many directors will want to have the lights go completely off in between scenes, as a clear message to the audience of time passing or a location change. A “blackout ” means turning off the lights completely so it is pitch dark and the audience can’t see anything happening on the stage. This also means the actors and stage crew will have a difficult time seeing what’s happening on stage, which can be dangerous when people are entering, exiting, and moving set pieces and props on and offstage. A “brownout” gives a similar effect as a blackout but isn’t pitch black – a small amount of light is left onstage so actors and crew can see better. It does allow the audience to see a little bit of movement but is much safer than a full blackout. A “blueout” allows even more light onstage than a brownout but creates an interesting look and atmosphere. You can change the blue to any other darker colour (green, red, etc.) depending on your overall lighting design.

Lights, sound, special effects – these are the cherries on top of the sundae of your already amazing production. And for each fabulous effect that you add to your show, you’ll need an equally fabulous technician to operate each one. Most student technicians will have lots of excitement and enthusiasm but little to no prior experience and varying levels of confidence. Use these five tips to get your technicians trained and feeling confident before your upcoming production, and then sit back and enjoy both the performance and the growth of your students’ skills! • Have a technical training session BEFORE it’s time for tech and dress rehearsals. Try your best not have your technicians’ first time operating their equipment be at tech rehearsal. This training session should include both classroom instruction as well as a practical section where students can interact with the equipment hands-on. This is a great opportunity for senior students and more experienced student technicians to lead the training sessions (perhaps for extra credit or volunteer hours?). You could also format the training sessions not only for specific, upcoming productions, but also as general information sessions for any student who might be interested in learning more about theatre tech – such as students studying communication technology, music, or trades – as many of the skills are transferable. You never know who might show up, and these students could potentially be your technicians of the future! • Create a training manual for each role – sound operator, lighting operator, wireless microphone assistant, spotlight operator, video operator, and any other applicable roles for your theatre department. Make copies or give students digital access to their respective manuals in advance of the show – preferably before or during your pre-show training session. For each piece of equipment, create a step-by-step list of how to turn on, operate, and turn off the system. Include photographs or videos if possible. You also may want to post these lists in the area of the equipment for easy reference, whether that is the tech booth, backstage, or elsewhere. Go above and beyond by putting the sheets in a plastic page protector and providing a dry erase marker so technicians can physically check off each step as they go. If there is a specific teacher or person who is in charge of the technical equipment at your school, include that person’s phone number in the training manual or at the bottom of each list, in case there is an emergency. • Give technicians copies of the script (and score, if applicable) in advance so they can familiarize themselves with the show. Invite technicians to observe some run-throughs of the show so they can get an idea of what to expect when it comes to technical rehearsals. Hold a meeting with the stage manager and technicians (or even better – let your stage manager lead the meeting) to explain any changes to the script, potential challenges for the operators, and overall instructions and expectations for performance time. • Even if the student is a returning technician, do a refresher demonstration of the equipment at the first tech rehearsal with that student. It may have been a while since they have worked with the equipment and it is never a bad thing to be reminded of what needs to happen. There may also have been changes or improvements made with the equipment that the student will need to be updated on. • Wherever possible, have a less experienced student technician shadow or assist a more experienced student technician , to learn the ropes of the role and the tasks associated with it. This gives the less experienced student a great opportunity to learn through observation, gain confidence (“If so-and-so can operate this, so I can I!”), and grow the leadership skills of your more experienced student through training the newbie. Peer mentorship is always a good thing!

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, there will be pros and cons. Just select whatever method is best for your students, your budget, and your production. Here are some pros and cons to help you make your choice! Live BandsPros: • It’s exciting for students to get to work with a live band or orchestra. My students always say the show “feels more real” when they get to work with a band. • A live band provides a huge, powerful sound for performers and audiences alike. • Some teachers will hire professional musicians to play for their shows, which is definitely exciting for students to perform with, but many will have students from their school’s music department perform as the show band. Having a live band or orchestra provides great opportunities for student musicians to get involved in the drama department, to improve their repertoire, to grow their musical resumes, and to have a lot of fun. • With live bands, the conductor can make adjustments on the fly if something goes wrong, such as tempo changes or adding additional repeats to cover a mistake (such as a quick change or set change that is taking too long). Cons: • Live bands can overpower performers onstage. With backing tracks, you can easily bring the sound down whereas live musicians can turn their own amps up or simply play their acoustic instruments loudly and ignore the conductor’s directions. If you use a live band, your student actors will need to use microphones to balance the sound. • Live bands don’t always sound exactly like the recordings, so your students will need to really listen to the band and follow along with the conductor. • Furthermore, musicians are human and will make errors. Musicians have to learn the music just like the student performers and often in a shorter amount of time. Musicians are not making mistakes purposely to mess with the performers and vice versa. Both performers and musicians must be patient and forgiving of each other. • There will be increased costs in time and money if you are paying professional musicians to perform. A live band will also need additional rehearsal time both on their own and with the actors (called a sitzprobe) so that they are not performing the music for the first time at a tech rehearsal or cue-to-cue (those rehearsals are stressful enough as it is without adding a brand new band to the mix). Backing TracksPros: • You will always get a consistent performance with a backing track because it never changes! Your students will know exactly what to expect and exactly what the music will sound like. • Tracks can be more affordable because you don’t need to hire a full band or take the time to rehearse a band. • Tracks are more and more accessible nowadays. Many musical licensing companies provide both vocal recordings and backing tracks as part of their performance rights packages. • Tracks are easy to rehearse with. Depending on your licensing rights, students may be able to take the tracks home with them and rehearse on their own rather than sitting with the sheet music and a piano, figuring out the notes. Cons: • Not all licensing companies provide backing tracks, so with some shows you MUST hire a live band or orchestra. Be sure to research this when making your decision on what show to do. • Since tracks are pre-recorded, they do not allow for adjustments on the fly. If your students speed up, slow down, or miss a cue, the music will just keep on going without them, and it can be challenging to get things back on track. • There are a lot of different kinds of backing track systems. Some companies use computer programs or apps and some provide CDs. You must have the appropriate playback equipment and amplification equipment available for whatever format you receive. • As with any other technology, using backing tracks is not foolproof. Technology can fail through power outages or damage to the equipment (such as a skipping CD). Always have a backup method available!

That is the question…and it is yet another decision you must make while producing your upcoming school show. Yes, your students are making smart character choices and acting their hearts out; yes, the show is brilliantly written and staged; yes, the audience is packed with eager friends and family who cannot wait to see your students perform… But none of that matters if the audience can’t hear what’s going on. Luckily, we have an amazing invention, the microphone (or “mic” for short). These wonderful devices that help to amplify voices can absolutely be an asset to your theatre program, but they do come with some challenges. Consider the following points when you are deciding whether or not to use microphones for your upcoming show. 1. Do you absolutely need to mic the show?First and foremost – are microphones absolutely necessary in your performance space? How big is your theatre? If your theatre is a giant cavern of an auditorium with hundreds of seats, then mics may be necessary. But if your show is going up in a small studio theatre, then don’t bother! Is the show a play or a musical? Plays generally do not need mics unless you are in the aforementioned giant cavern of a theatre. Musicals may need microphones depending on if you are using a band or orchestra (versus backing tracks), how loud the musicians are, and where the musicians are located in relation to the performers and the audience. Are your students loud already? If your students have loud, healthy voices and great vocal technique, using microphones may be overkill. If not, work with your students on projecting their voices and vocal health and hygiene. Check out these Theatrefolk articles for tips: How Do I Solve Projection Issues, Projecting Your Voice Without Yelling, Why Isn’t My Actor Projecting Their Voice, 3 Tips for Keeping Your Voice Healthy, and 3 More Tips for Keeping Your Voice Healthy. Remind your students that they still need to project their voices while using microphones. A microphone cannot amplify a small, whispery voice enough to be heard. The sound operator can always bring down the volume on a big voice, but they can only crank up the volume so far, and that risks creating feedback. Who will put the mics on the students during showtime? Do you have enough crew members available backstage? Is your sound operator skilled enough to run the sound mix and turn different microphones on and off at the same time? And remember, technology can fail. Do you and your students have a troubleshooting plan in place in case a microphone breaks or dies during a show? Will your performers still be able to be heard, or do they depend on the mic? 2. What kind of mics are you going to use?This will depend on the kind of show you are doing. Some schools have an overhead microphone system that will amplify the general stage area but won’t specifically amplify any one student’s voice. It also will pick up non-voice sounds such as footsteps, set-moving sounds, and other ambient noise. The most common microphone types that are used in theatres are: • • Handheld mics (Wired or wireless; can be attached to a stand) • Lapel mics (Clips onto a shirt or jacket and attaches to a transmitter that is generally clipped on a microphone belt and worn under clothing/costumes; can be difficult to hear if the student is not facing forward) • Hair mics (Tiny mics that are set in the hairline with the wire going through the student’s hair and down their back; again usually attached to a transmitter worn under clothes. These mics generally come in black or tan. Can be difficult to use on students with very short hair or shaved heads.) • Countryman mics (Over-the-ear mics that go across the student’s cheek. These mics also generally come in black or tan. They are fragile and can be difficult to place on student’s heads. Thicker, newscaster style mics tend to be less expensive than the thinner, subtle mics, but are super-visible and distracting to audiences.) 3. How many mics do you need?You’ll need to decide who gets a microphone. Are you going to mic everyone or just the leads of the show? Will you mic any of the ensemble members? If so, who? More microphones means higher costs. Do you have enough money in your budget to mic the show? If your school already has a mic system in place, that’s great. But if yours doesn’t, will you purchase or rent microphones? Do you have the correct transmitters and receivers needed? You will have to do some research to figure out what microphones are available to you and your school and whether there are funds available to your department to make the necessary purchases or rentals for your show. Don’t forget about additional costs: batteries, chargers, body tape, hair clips, and disinfectant (if you’re using hair mics). You’ll also want to consider time: the time you will need to set up the equipment, to train your crew members and performers on correct microphone use, and the additional time at each performance to put on the microphones, do a sound check for each student using a mic, to remove the mics after each performance, put them away safely, and clean up.

“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 director and artistic team to ensure that rehearsals and performances run smoothly. Often, this role is assigned to a senior student as this is a great way to learn and develop leadership skills. But what does a stage manager do, anyway? Let’s take a look at some common duties and responsibilities of the stage manager. Assist with administrative and preparatory tasksThe stage manager must be an organized soul, as they are in charge of keeping track of lots of important administrative information. They maintain a company roster (a contact information list for all cast and crew members) as well as keeping track of attendance and calling cast and crew members when they are late for or missing from rehearsals. Stage managers keep track of any pre-scheduled conflicts and assist with creating schedules as they will know what has been rehearsed already, what needs to still be rehearsed, and who will be at each rehearsal. The stage manager is frequently the first one to arrive at rehearsals and among the last to leave. They help to set up the room at the beginning of rehearsals and help to tidy up at the end. CommunicationStage managers are the communications centre for productions. They will often give announcements at the beginning of rehearsals, pass along messages to and from the cast and crew, and email rehearsal schedules. The stage manager is the person who everyone can go to when they need answers to questions or help solving problems. Take notes in rehearsalThe stage manager works closely with the director and artistic staff during rehearsals, recording all blocking, entrances, exits, changes, etc., so the director can focus on actually directing. The stage manager must observe and listen carefully to ensure that no detail is neglected. The stage manager is responsible for creating a master copy of the script – called the prompt book – that contains everything pertaining to the show. The prompt book is kept in such a manner that in the case of an emergency anyone could pick up the book and run the show. The prompt book contains blocking notes, any changes that have been made, and all technical cues, in a tidy and easy-to-read style. Stage managers also use this master script to prompt actors if they forget lines during rehearsal. Call the showDuring the actual performances of the show, the stage manager will be in the booth, on a headset, and “calling” the show. That means telling the various operators (lights, sound, microphones, spotlights, running crew, and assistant stage managers) when to make their various cues happen. It takes an immense amount of care and focus to make sure that every cue is called and executed with correct timing. This is particularly true when stage managers get few chances to practice calling the cues before the actual run of the show (often as few as three times – a cue-to-cue rehearsal, a technical run, and a dress rehearsal). How’s that for pressure? “Other duties as assigned”The stage manager is truly the unsung hero of any production. They are usually the go-to person for any additional tasks that need to be done. At the very least, they are responsible of delegating these tasks to others. A student who wishes to be a stage manager needs to be confident, mature, hard-working, and organized. So the next time you see your stage manager, be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them. They are the glue that holds the show together!

Do you consider yourself a theatrical specialist with one definite focus? Or are you more the multi-passionate type? I certainly don’t ascribe to the “jack of all trades, master of none” train of thought. I believe that taking a chance and trying out a new area helps you to become that much more knowledgeable, creative, useful, and appreciative in the theatre world. Teachers, encouraging your students to try new theatrical areas can really help to grow your drama program. The more students you have available with different experiences and skills, the better. Plus, they can reach out to other students, to help lead and mentor them for future productions. Having volunteer experience in different theatrical areas could help your students if they decide to apply for post-secondary education. But it’s also important for teachers to try new theatrical areas as well! Teachers must always continue to grow and develop their skills in order to educate and guide their students in the ways of the ever-changing theatrical world. So, teachers and students alike, I challenge you to try out a new theatrical area this year. If you have students who are normally technicians, encourage them audition to be part of the cast. If you are a director, try set-design. If you are a props maker, try operating the lighting board. If you are a choreographer, try designing the program or the show poster. Here are three reasons you should try a new theatrical area: 1. Grow your skill set and develop an appreciation for the hard work of othersThe more skills you have, the more you can contribute to a theatrical production and the more opportunities can become available to you. You never know where your theatrical journey will take you. And who knows, you might find a new passion! Trying new theatrical areas also gives you a greater appreciation of how hard other departments work. It takes a variety of talented people to make a show happen, and being able to understand and appreciate the time and talents of others only makes you a better theatrical leader. This also gives you the opportunity to then pass along your knowledge to others and help to develop a new crop of theatre people. For example, my primary focus in my youth was acting. I even wrote in my eighth grade yearbook that my goal for the future was to become a professional actress. While that didn’t pan out, I still act at the community level, and acting did lead to my love of stage combat, which led me to training to become a fight director. After I graduated from university, I worked at a summer theatre camp, which gave me the opportunity to direct and start teaching. It’s especially wonderful when you see and hear your students going on to do wonderful things in the world of theatre (and beyond) in lots of different areas, and how they’ve applied their learning beyond the classroom. It has all come around full circle, and it’s been a lot of fun! 2. Challenge yourselfYou might think you’re not crafty or tech-savvy, or that you don’t have the proper background or all the knowledge you should have. But be open to learning. Just try it and see what happens. You don’t have to jump immediately to heading a department. Start small. Join a backstage team and work with people who are experienced. Find a teacher or mentor, check out YouTube tutorials, find books on the subject, and read theatre blogs (like this one!). Last year, my friend offered me the opportunity to be the dance choreographer for her show, which I took on even though I was terrified. I love to dance and I have taken lessons on and off over the years, but I do not have the dance vocabulary or extensive dance background that most choreographers have. I’m so glad I took the chance though – I had a blast! I still have lots of room to grow and I hope I get the opportunity to choreograph another show in the future. 3. Demonstrate life-long learning to your studentsIt’s okay to be new at things. I think that many teachers struggle with this. We expect ourselves to know everything and to have all the answers. But that puts a lot of stress and pressure on us. Everyone was once a beginner at everything they do, and everyone has to learn somehow. We ask our students to try new things every class, to be brave, to put themselves out there. Let’s lead by example and demonstrate bravery to our students. If you are taking on a new area in your current production, share your growth with your students and reflect on your learning. Discuss challenges that you’ve had and listen to your students’ suggestions (e.g. “Here’s what I did. Does anyone have suggestions of how this could have been done differently or better?”). Demonstrating vulnerability and the concept that adults are always learning, making mistakes, and growing from those mistakes is so valuable for students to see. Learning doesn’t end once school is done. If you do try a new theatrical area this year, drop us a line and let us know how it went. What were your challenges and triumphs? What did you learn?

Costumes, whether fabulously extravagant, simple and functional, ragged and threadbare, or anything in between, are lots of fun. Costumes help to tell the story of the show visually, and really help students to fully embrace their character. Costumes are also frequently a cause for concern. You have to deal with finding the perfect item for each student and taking care of each item so it doesn’t get dirty or damaged, or disappear. Here are some common costume concerns with suggested solutions. 1. What happens if a costume gets ripped or is damaged during a show?• Create an emergency sewing kit and have it available backstage in an easy-to-find spot. Include items such as: • Safety pins (lots and lots of safety pins) • Needles and various colours of thread (at the very minimum: white, black, navy, and brown) • Scissors (small, sharp, and pointy – round-tip scissors aren’t particularly useful when working with costumes) • Seam ripper • Clear nail polish (for stopping a run in a pair of stockings) • Temporary hem tape • Various sizes, shapes, and colours of buttons • In a pinch, gaff tape can temporarily solve many costume issues! • You may want to have a backup item for any costume pieces that are particularly fragile or delicate. • Always have a couple of extras when it comes to large groups of accessories, such as hats, belts, gloves, or kerchiefs. Someone will always lose one at some point. • Remember: Always stay calm during an emergency! 2. The backstage dressing area stinks!• Have a frank conversation with your students about the importance of personal hygiene. Showering and deodorant are absolute musts. Avoid heavy perfumes and body sprays though, as many students are sensitive to the chemicals in scents. • Assign and schedule costume team members to launder and/or air out sweaty costumes throughout the performance run. • Ensure that students are hanging up their costumes neatly after every performance – clothes that are balled up on the floor not only get dirty and wrinkled but retain their stink. • Spread out the hung-up costumes throughout the dressing area so the costumes are able to air out while not in use. Don’t pack all the items together tightly on a costume rack. • Place half a dryer sheet in each shoe to reduce odors. • Bring in some large household fans and run them overnight after all the students leave. If weather and security permit, leave some windows cracked open as well. 3. A student hates their costume.• Have the student try on the costume so you can see them in it. If you like the costume, let the student know how great you think they look. Sometimes students need reassurance that they look good. • Have your student explain to you why they hate the costume. Do they have a genuine concern about it (perhaps it doesn’t fit properly or it itches) or do they just not like the item itself? • If they have a genuine concern, see if you can find an alternative item or a solution to the problem. For example, if the item is too tight, can someone let out the seams or add a panel of fabric? If the item is itchy, can the costume be laundered or could a base item (such as a tank top or slip) be worn underneath? • If a student doesn’t like their costume item, explain why the item is appropriate for their character. Remind the student that their character may live in a different time period or have different likes/dislikes than the student does. The student must separate their own personality from that of the character they are playing. • Give the student the opportunity to suggest what they think their character would wear and why. Have them create a sketch or bring in items that they think might work. Be open-minded – if the item does work, why not let them wear it? • Some students are weirded out by the idea of wearing clothing that someone else has already worn. If possible, let the student take the costume item home and wash it. That sometimes helps ease their mind. • When all else fails – tough love. Sometimes, as performers, we have to wear a costume we don’t like, and we just have to deal with it! 4. Other costume concerns and solutions:• Dealing with a messy cast? /blog/backstage-blues-deal-messy-cast/ • Need help taking costume measurements? /blog/measuring-costume-measurements/ • Wondering how costumes affect a character? /blog/how-costumes-affect-your-character/ • Need help creating a costume vision board? /blog/create-costume-vision-board/ • Thinking about how much money you can spend on costumes? /blog/how-to-create-a-budget-when-youve-never-done-it-before/ • Need help approaching rental sources for costumes? /blog/effectively-communicate-rental-sources/ • Do your students balk at the idea of wearing special shoes onstage? /blog/need-rehearse-characters-shoes/ • Wondering where and how to store your costumes? /blog/great-storage-struggle-stuff/ • Need help knowing when quick changes occur during the show? /blog/running-list-need/ • Do you only have the budget for one special costume item per student? /blog/using-one-item-show-character/ • Need help recruiting costume team members? /blog/recruiting-crew-members/ • Using stage blood in your show? /blog/working-stage-blood/ • Have you scheduled a costume run into your rehearsal plans? /blog/rehearsals-need-include-schedule-may-not-thought/ • Do students have the appropriate hair and makeup items needed to finish their look? /blog/make-basic-hair-makeup-kit-student-actors/

Teachers, the following list of dos and don’ts is a great way to introduce costume care etiquette to your students. Whether your students are beginning actors or seasoned drama department pros, costume care is a vital skill that all students must have._ With proper knowledge of costume care etiquette, students who are interested in costume design and creation, as well as parent volunteers, will be empowered to both enforce these rules and receive the proper respect from the rest of the group for their time and hard work. Mutual respect between the performers and crew members goes a long way! Have all your students to read these dos and don’ts, and challenge them to come up with some more examples to add to the list. Discuss why costume etiquette is so important for both performers and costume team members. Divide the class into small groups, assign each group a Do or a Don’t, and have them create an attractive poster illustrating the rule. Display the posters in your classroom or costume storage area. Do listen to and respect the costume team. They are there to make you look great onstage and they have an entire cast of students to focus on, not just you. Whether your costume was pulled from stock, purchased, or created from scratch, it was assembled specifically for you. Listen, be polite, and thank the team for their hard work! Don’t treat the costume team as if they are your personal maids and butlers. They are not there to pick up your costume or clean up after you. Hang up your costume neatly rather than leaving it in a heap on the floor. Do wear your costume how it is supposed to be worn. Maybe you don’t like wearing a skirt at your natural waist or you feel silly wearing a neckerchief, but it is meant to look a certain way onstage. Be sure to wear all the parts of your costume. For example, you may not like your costume hat and want to “forget” to put it on, but you will pull focus onstage without it and not in a good way. Don’t reject a costume just because you don’t like it, or before you’ve even tried it on. Items always look different on a hanger or lying flat than they do when they’re actually worn on a person. Remember as well that while YOU, the actor, may not like a certain costume item, it is entirely appropriate for YOUR CHARACTER, who may have different likes or dislikes from yours, or live in a different time period than you. Do speak up if a costume doesn’t fit properly or pinches, pulls, rides up, or digs in. You need to be comfortable onstage in your costume, and you will not be able to focus if you are constantly picking or adjusting it. Also, be sure to tell the costume team if you have to do something particularly physical in a costume, such as a high kick or the splits and you have concerns about the fabric tearing. Don’t wait until the last minute to let a costume team member know about a broken or damaged costume item. If you let them know as soon as possible (preferably as soon as you notice the damage), they’re more likely to be able to help replace or repair the item. If you bring them a problem half an hour before the performance starts, they are less likely to be able to solve the problem. Do ask for help (politely!) if you need assistance with a quick change, or help with a particular part of your costume – for example, zipping up a zipper on the back of your dress, or buttoning the cuffs of your sleeves. Costume team members are happy to help, but they can’t help you if you don’t ask. Don’t touch or try on other actors’ costume items. Just like props, if it’s not yours, don’t touch it. (You wouldn’t like it if you went to do a quick change and discovered an item of yours was moved, missing, or damaged.) Do bring in requested items from home (such as dress pants or black shoes) in a timely manner, clearly labeled with your name. Don’t eat or drink anything other than water while in costume. If you need to eat something, either change out of your costume or cover it up with a coat or robe. Do not risk spills or stains on your costume! Do pay attention to details – ensure that your socks are the correct colour to go with your costume, that your shoes are clean and polished, that all of your accessories are on properly, and that your undergarments are not visible.

Costumes are such a fantastic way of making the story of a show come alive. Costumes help students really understand and embody their characters. Costumes can also clearly and easily demonstrate the time period of the show – think about the immediately identifiable costume items of the Swinging Sixties (go-go boots, mod mini dresses, wide lapels and trouser legs), the Roaring Twenties (flapper dresses, bobbed hairstyles, cloche hats, and three-piece suits), or the Renaissance (tight bodices, floor-length skirts, muffin hats, and doublets). Students interested in costume design can take their choices further than just selecting appropriate costume items – they can choose a specific colour palette for their show. A colour palette is a range of colours that are carefully selected and put together. Unless students are doing some sort of a rainbow-themed show, a colour palette will only include particular colours, and particular tones and shades within those selected colours, while excluding other colours, shades, and tones. Colours could be bold, muted, pastel, jewel-tone, dull, bright – or a combination of all of these. It depends on the show itself, and the look and feel that the costume team wishes to present. The most important concept for students when they are selecting a colour palette is to know WHY they are selecting those specific colours. Ultimately, their choices must support the story being presented onstage. Here are four ideas to consider when students are selecting costume colour palettes: 1. Historical accuracyIn certain time periods, such as the Renaissance, some colours were reserved for those of royal or noble birth. Purple is generally considered to be a royal colour, as is true red. Peasants and merchants didn’t wear these colours because they simply didn’t have the means to purchase fabrics or dyes in those colours as they were imported from distant countries and tended to be very expensive. Lower-class people generally wore earth-toned fabrics – browns, greens, blues, and so on – as they were much easier to acquire and maintain. In this case, colour is a great way to show class distinctions as well as representing the time period. 2. The mood or emotion the character is intended to evokeIn the Disney/Pixar movie Inside Out, each of the personified emotions has a distinct colour. Joy is sunshine yellow, Sadness is (clearly) blue, Anger is passionate red, Disgust is envious and jealous green, and Fear is light purple – a colour often associated with spooky Halloween. The colour is an easy identifier of each emotion’s primary purpose in Riley’s “head”quarters. Think of the mood that each character is meant to evoke. A villainous or scary character might typically be dressed in black, green, or purple – think of Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series. A heroic character might dress in a strong jewel tone – think of Spiderman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman in their bold red and blue outfits. A cute character might wear pink, a powerful character might wear red, while a depressed character might wear blue. However, creating a contrast is also an interesting concept. A villain dressed in a pastel costume, such as Dolores Umbridge in her pink wardrobe, or Velma Von Tussle (from Hairspray) in her fancy dresses and perfectly coiffed hair, can be fascinating as well. 3. Showing connections or contrasts between characters or groups of charactersColour palettes are a simple and clear way to group similar characters together, or show difference between the groups. When I directed The Little Mermaid, the merfolk and under-the-sea creatures were all costumed in bright, bold, glittery costumes in primary colours, while the land folk were dressed in soft pastel colours. This created a fun contrast between the two worlds. More recently, when I directed Heathers: High School Edition, the character J.D. is known for wearing black jeans, combat boots, and a dark trench coat. However, we went a step further by showing his changing emotional states through the simple t-shirts he wore under his trench coat. In Act 1, he wore a royal blue t-shirt that matched Veronica’s royal blue blazer and plaid mini-skirt, to show their eventual love connection. (Veronica’s parents were also costumed in navy blue, to show their family connection to their daughter.) In Act 2, after having committed many villainous acts, he appears in a red t-shirt, as a contrast to Veronica’s blue. Costuming similar groups of characters in similar colours is a great way to show connections between families, class distinctions, similar trades or employments, cliques, or friend groups. Think about the signature pink of The Plastics in Mean Girls, or the red and white of the East High Wildcats in High School Musical – these colours bond the characters together. 4. Creating an overall look or concept for the showSometimes convention is entirely thrown out the window and shows are costumed in a style that may be anachronistic or stylistically unusual for the time period or subject matter of the show. This is most evident in a show like Chicago where, despite the Jazz Age time period, most productions costume their performers in various modern, tight-fitting dance ensembles – and entirely in black. Everybody – from the Cook County Jail inmates to the members of the press to Roxie and Velma themselves – is dressed in different textures of black lace, mesh, fishnet, spandex, and frills (and despite being entirely the same colour, each fabric looks very different under the stage lights!). Obviously, that is not what prison inmates in the 1920s would actually wear, but it does create a striking look onstage. I was in a production of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II, which is set in the 1300s. Rather than costume the show with historical accuracy, the director and costume team selected a sort of space-age, cyber-punk, rock-and-roll look, with all the characters dressed in a palette of black, grey, and silver. Everything, from our costumes to our shoes to our jewelry and makeup were in the black/grey/silver palette, and created a jarring yet memorable effect. Not to mention, it was a lot of fun to wear! Exercise: Have your students come up with a colour palette for a show you are currently studying in class, or that your school is currently working on. Students will illustrate their colour palette choices using magazine tear-outs, fabric samples, hex colour codes, Pantone colour systems, or another method of their choosing. Have them reflect on their choices using the provided Reflection sheet. If choosing a colour palette for an entire show is too large a project, have students choose two characters from the show and create colour palettes for those two characters only. Remember, students must be able to explain why they chose those specific colours!

Getting to try on a new costume for the first time is one of every student’s favourite parts of the rehearsal process. A costume helps so much to tell the story of the show, and helps students really become their characters. But before that, it is useful for students to have the following costume basics in their possession. The following items should be staples in every drama student’s closet. 1. A plain black long-sleeved shirt and plain black dress pantsThese are called “rehearsal blacks,” and in many cases, can be used as actual costume pieces either together or separately. The purpose of rehearsal blacks is to create a blank, neutral canvas for the actors so they can truly embody the character without having their personal choice of clothing influence their performance, intentionally or not. The shirt can be a button-down or a long-sleeved t-shirt. Long sleeves are preferable over short sleeves, as they cover more of the body and make students look more neutral. The type of pants will depend on the preference or requirements of the teacher or director. Some directors will permit black jeans, yoga pants, leggings, or athletic/sweatpants, but, personally, I think dress pants look the best onstage. Try to find pants with a bit of stretch to allow for movement. If students choose to wear leggings or yoga pants, be sure to check that they are not sheer or see-through under the stage lights! This should go without saying, but any basic costume items should be logo-free. Try to acquire clothing without visible logos. But if it is impossible, cover up the logos with a small piece of black gaff tape. Avoid details such as stripes, dots, and glitter. Even if the designs are black-on-black, they are still visible onstage underneath stage lighting. 2. A plain white long-sleeved dress shirt with buttons and a collarA crisp white dress shirt has so many uses – it’s great for portraying a businessperson, a server in a restaurant, wearing under a suit or for any formal occasion, and much more. It can also be worn dressed down with jeans, open over a fun t-shirt, or even as a beach cover-up. Make sure the dress shirt is clean! If it gets weird stains around the collar, cuffs, or armpits, it’s time to replace it! 3. Appropriate undergarmentsFor the gentlemen, a plain white T-shirt or undershirt and neutral-coloured boxer shorts. For the ladies, a skin-tone bra, bandeau, or undershirt, and neutral-coloured dance or yoga shorts. Black shorts are generally appropriate and easiest to acquire, but it will depend on what colour the student’s costume is. Black wouldn’t work underneath a light-coloured pair of trousers. Nothing is worse that seeing visible undergarments under a beautiful costume, and wearing a layer of basic, appropriate undergarments will also preserve students’ modesty if they need to make a quick change. Again, students should stick to plain colours and avoid large prints or logos. 4. A plain leather (or leather-looking) beltIt can be black or brown, depending on the rest of the costume. Having a belt is useful if a student is using a sword onstage, or simply for holding up their pants. 5. Plain black dress shoes for everyone!For the gentlemen, lace-up shoes are probably the most versatile. Slip-ons or shoes with buckles can be appropriate for certain shows but can look too modern for shows set in earlier time periods. And don’t forget a pair of tall, plain black dress socks. Socks should match the shoes, and they need to be tall so audiences don’t see bare ankles – especially if the student is wearing a suit! Leave the athletic socks and ankle socks at home! For the ladies, “character shoes” are the most frequently requested by directors. These are a flexible, heeled dance shoe with a strap (Mary Jane style, t-strap, or cross strap) and they come in black or tan. It’s important to note that character shoes should never be worn outside of the theatre or dance studio – they are specifically made to be worn indoors and don’t hold up well on asphalt or concrete. Depending on the show, a simple black flat shoe may also be acceptable. For younger students or certain shows with lots of movement, black slip-on jazz shoes or black tennis-style shoes may also work. When in doubt, students should always ask the teacher before making a purchase! Please note that these items need not be expensive. Families may initially be concerned about the cost, especially if their student is still growing, but the majority of these items can be found at department stores, big box stores, or thrift stores. Focus on finding neutral and durable items that can withstand sweat and lots of movement. Recap:• Basic, neutral costume items are staple items in drama students’ closets! • Select items that are plain (stay away from patterns and glitter) and avoid visible logos. • Keep basic costume items clean – once an item start to get worn or weird stains appear around collars, cuffs, and armpits, the item needs to be replaced. • Be aware of what colour the costume is when choosing undergarments so they don’t show through the material. • If students are unsure as to whether or not an item is acceptable, be sure to ask the teacher before purchasing the item.

It’s never a question of “if” something will go wrong during a theatrical production…it’s completely a case of “when” something will go wrong! But when things do inevitably go wrong, will you and your students panic or persevere? Here are four common production challenges, rapid-fire style, with suggested solutions. 1. Your budget is not nearly big enough for the grand ideas in your brain (or, you’ve already over-spent your budget).• If your budget isn’t big enough, you’re either going to have to figure out ways to save money, or start figuring out ways to drum up more funds. • Contact other schools in the area to see if they have costumes, props, or set pieces they’d be willing to loan. • Get a local business to sponsor your production. • Have your students brainstorm a creative way to raise some funds for the show – a bake sale, a karaoke event, a show merchandise sale, an auction? • Rather than purchase new, see if there are items in your department’s props and costume stocks that could be repurposed, repainted, redecorated, or resized. • Think creatively – if you could have only ONE fantastic theatrical focus, what is your priority? Costumes, sets, technology? For example: Would you rather have your actors in fabulous costumes on a bare stage, or have the latest lighting instruments and gobos with actors in basic blacks? 2. Props and costumes seem to vanish, or they mysteriously get broken.• Remember the most important rule: If it’s not yours, don’t touch it! • Establish clear rules and consequences for not taking care of items. For example: If a costume piece is found on the floor, the actor must pay a fine of 50 cents or do 10 push-ups to “buy” it back. • Make a rule that nobody leaves after the show until the backstage is tidy and all props and costume items are neatly put away. • Have clearly marked areas for each actor’s costume(s) and each prop. Ensure that actors and crew members are putting each prop and costume item away carefully when they aren’t using them, not just tossing items on the props table haphazardly or leaving a trail of costume pieces all over the place. (This will ensure that everyone can leave on time, since you’ve established the above rule.) • Have backup prop items available, especially for fragile or consumable props. • Assign a costume and props head crew member to oversee the storage and care of each costume and prop item. • Check out this post (Backstage Blues: How to Deal with a Messy Cast) for more solutions. 3. A tech disaster arises – your lights/mics/sound equipment stop working.• Preemptive idea: Have a clear, step-by-step list near each item indicating the proper method of using and caring for each piece of equipment. Bonus points if you put together a troubleshooting manual or list as well. • Try to assess the situation as calmly as possible and figure out the reason for the failure. • Ensure that the cast, crew, and audience are safe. For example: If the reason for a power outage is a storm, take all necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. • If you have technical issues during a rehearsal, look at it as a great learning experience (like a real life “What If” game). What would you and your students do to keep the show going? • If the technical issues occur before or during a show, remember: The show must go on. • If you are producing a musical, have a backup CD with karaoke tracks and a battery-operated boom box available in case the sound equipment fails. Or have the students sing a cappella. • Can you get backup lighting equipment or found lighting (such as flashlights, floodlights, etc.)? Can you just turn on the work lights or house lights and continue with the performance? • Can you move the performance to another room/venu or outside? • Work with your students to practice projecting their voices, even if they are using microphones (a thin, wispy voice will still sound thin and wispy when using a mic). This way, if a mic fails or the battery dies, you’ll still be able to hear them. 4. Your ticket pre-sales are terrible.• Get into publicity mode! How can you drum up more interest? Check out this post (10 Ways to Publicize Your Show) for some ideas. • Offer a ticket deal – BOGO, student rush, one-weekend-only deal, coupon code, a ticket contest… • Start a social media contest with your cast and crew – challenge each student to come up with a creative post on their choice of social media channel (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) to advertise your show. • If you notify your audience that one of your performances is close to selling out (or even has significantly fewer tickets remaining), it spurs them on to buy their tickets because they’re afraid the rest of the run will sell out too. (Such as “Only ____ seats remaining for Saturday’s matinee performance!” or “Limited availability for the April 28th performance of _______.”)

Show programs (also known as playbills) are the easiest way to share important production information with the audience. Programs are a method of acknowledging all the hard work done by the cast and crew to bring the production to life. They also make a nice souvenir for audience members after the show. Programs should be visually appealing, easy to read, and succinct, while including all the necessary personnel information and proper credits. Programs can be as simple as a one-page flyer or as elaborate as a fully illustrated booklet. Programs can also be themed towards the production – for example, a production of Newsies might want to make their program look like a newspaper, while a production of Treasure Island might make their program look like a pirate’s treasure map – or in a completely different medium entirely, such as a display board, or even a digital program that patrons can access on their cell phones. There are online resources for creating and printing programs, such as Playbillder, but teachers and students can also create a simple program themselves by using a computer program such as Word or Publisher. Exercise:In this exercise, students will create a traditional printed program for their actual upcoming production or class performance, or they can create a program for a fictitious production. The program will be printed and submitted on a minimum of one standard sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper, folded in half (front cover, inside left cover, inside right cover, back cover). Additional pages are optional. The cover and any images or photographs should be in colour. Spelling and grammar definitely count! What to include: • Show title and graphic (for the cover) • Show dates and times • Location of performance • Production credits (playwright/book writer, lyricist, composer, and any other important credits that were indicated when you purchased the rights to the show – these credits cannot be omitted!) • Director’s note and/or brief summary of the show • Cast list with actors’ names and role(s) • There are many different ways of crediting the performers! • Alphabetical by actor’s last name • In order of appearance • In order of speaking • In groups (for example: “Kansas,” “Munchkinland,” “Forest,” “Oz” in The Wizard of Oz) • Size of role (I try not to use this ordering method if I can help it, as it encourages a “leads are more important than the ensemble” mindset.) • Whatever order you choose for crediting the performers, be sure to indicate this order underneath the “Cast” title, for ease of understanding. • Crew list, including all artistic staff members (producer, director, musical director, choreographer), stage management team members, assistants, designers, operators, band/orchestra members, and additional crew members • Special thanks to anyone who assisted with the production (such as rental sources, dramaturgical assistance, people or companies who donated items or services, financial sponsors, etc.) Optional (include at least two): • Cast and crew headshots and biographies • Scene and/or song breakdown • Principal’s message • Advertising spaces or “good luck/break a leg” messages from friends and family (can be sold as a fundraiser) • Additional photographs (cast, crew, performance photos) • Blank page for autographs • Advertising for an upcoming production or special event

Real talk: Teachers, it is likely you won’t have every item on your props, costume, and set wishlists for the show. It is also unlikely that you are staging your show with an unlimited budget, a massive design team, and an extensive props and costume storage warehouse. In that case, it will be necessary to reach out to other schools and drama departments in your area, community theatre groups, or other resources, to rent or borrow items for your show. Renting and borrowing items is a great way to help you to fill your costume, prop, and set requirements without having to create or buy everything yourself (and eat up your entire budget), and to forge relationships with fellow community members. Here are some tips to help you navigate this situation, and thoroughly impress your rental sources with your professionalism – which will make it more likely that they’ll rent to you again in the future! 1. Give the source as much information as you can.When you approach the potential resource, give them as much pertinent information as possible right away, including: • Your name, as well as the names of any other people who may potentially act on your behalf (assistants, parent volunteers, etc.) • The name of the school you represent, as well as the age/grade level of your students (this gives the rental sources an idea of how roughly their items might be handled) • The title of your show • The performance dates of the show, how long you’d like to rent the items for, and when you would be able to return the items • Your budget allocation for rentals or, if you have no budget, some way to “pay” for the rented/borrowed items (advertising space in the program or an exchange offer, such as loaning items from your stock to their production) 2. Have a clear and specific list of what you need.Please don’t contact a source without having a clear list of what you’re looking for, along with sizes and quantities. Yes, it’s easy to say “I need costumes for our production of The Lion King, I’ll take anything you have,” but that doesn’t give your source much information. Be specific – for example, if you need to costume fifteen hyenas and twelve lionesses who range in size from small to extra large, your life will be much easier if you know exactly how many students are what size! This way you won’t end up with a bunch of useless costumes that don’t fit, or only five matching costumes when you needed twelve. Or, if you’re looking for a particular set piece or prop, have the ideal measurements of the item, or the measurements of your performance space available to compare. There is no sense in trying to rent a prop coffin for Oliver or a torture rack for The Addams Family, only to find you can’t get the item through the door of your space. (Side note: Be sure you have a large enough car or truck at your disposal to pick up the item. Don’t expect the source to deliver to you unless they offer.) 3. Have a clear idea of the design vision for the show.Are you setting your show in the period in which it is written, or are you setting the show in a different time period? There’s no sense getting a renaissance-style cottage flat if your Hamlet is set in outer space. Having a Pinterest inspiration board or inspirational sketches to show your source can help them to help you find exactly what you’re looking for – no wasting time looking at ruffs and robes when blasters and space suits are what’s needed. This will also help your source to quickly identify what they have in stock that will work for your show. For example, you and your source may both have done Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but they may have dressed their Oompa-Loompas in orange overalls, while you were hoping for green. Would the orange overalls work with your show, or will you have to look elsewhere? 4. Be flexible and prompt.The rental sources are doing YOU a service by lending or renting their items to you, so be as flexible with your time as possible. If their office hours for pickup are between 10 am and 4 pm, don’t ask them to stay until 7:30 just for you. Make arrangements to go at the time they indicate to you, and arrive on time. This may mean sending someone on your behalf if their hours are during school hours, or going on your lunch hour or during your prep time if that is possible. Being extra early can sometimes be as inconvenient for them as being late – sources usually book their meeting times for a good reason, and if you arrive super early, they may not have had a chance to pull the items in question out of storage. 5. Do not alter borrowed or rented items without the express permission of the source.The pants you got for your leading actor are nearly perfect – they’re just a little bit too long for the student. It’s fine to go ahead and hem the pants, right? NOPE! Always be sure to contact the source and ask permission if you want to make alterations, and be sure that any alterations are reversed before returning the item unless arranged otherwise. For example, if you hem a pair of pants, be sure not to hack off the excess material – hem the pants carefully and then remove the hemming stitches after the show. Or if you have permission to paint a flat, paint it back to its original colour after the show. 6. Return items in the same or better condition than you got them, and in a timely manner.Make a detailed list of every item you rented or borrowed, and which source it came from (especially if you rented or borrowed from multiple sources). It might be useful to photograph all rented/borrowed items for this purpose. If you can, label each item as well. That way, rented items are less likely to go missing. Find out how to properly care for all the items, and return the items in as good or better condition than you got them. Make sure all costume pieces are properly washed and/or aired and that there are no rips, stains, or missing/broken trims. Make sure that the props are in good working order, and that flats or set pieces are touched up and looking fresh. If something happens and an item does get broken, contact the rental source right away. This is to not only inform them that the incident happened, but to find out how they’d like to proceed – do they want you to fix the item, do they want to fix the item themselves, do they want the item back or not, will there be a damage fee, and so on. Honesty is the best policy in this case. You also need to ensure that your items are returned in a timely manner – on or before the source’s due date. They may have the items going out to another production after yours, or they may be planning to use the items in an upcoming show of their own. Be respectful of the source and return all the items on time. Don’t make them have to hunt you down to get their items back! 7. Be courteous.Find out the full name of the person in charge of rentals so you can credit them in the program (such as in a “Special Thanks To” or “_________ Provided By” section), and send a thank you card afterwards. Small gestures like this go a long way to creating a positive relationship with rental sources.

After a show closes, there is often a ton of stuff left over – set pieces and flats, furniture, costume items, props, makeup and hair products… the list goes on and on! Ideally, your school would have some sort of storage area where you can keep items to reuse for future shows, which saves time and money in the future. Depending on your school’s facilities, this may be a full-sized room for your drama department, or it may be as small as a closet within your classroom. Either way, there’s always only a finite amount of space. So what do you do with all your production stuff? Here are some suggestions for you! • Cull ruthlessly. If an item can be easily replaced (from the dollar store or a thrift store, for example) or found in a student’s closet (such as basics like jeans and t-shirts), you don’t need to keep those in stock. If an item is worn out or broken, let it go. If an item hasn’t been used in a really long time, get rid of it! • Keep a strict inventory of what items you have in stock. Make a note of anything that has been added, removed, or altered, and the last time it was used. This way you’ll know exactly what you have and how often it’s actually been used. • Repurpose as much stuff as you possibly can. Set pieces can be changed with paint and décor; furniture can be reupholstered or covered with slipcovers and blankets; lumber can be cut down and reused; costumes can be altered (just be sure that any alterations can be reversed). • Try to dismantle large items (such as flats or set pieces) so they are as flat and compact as possible, which makes them easier to store. Wood can be stacked neatly. Large pieces might be able to be stored upright in a garbage can (or something similar). • If you know another school or theatre company is doing the same show as you in the near future, find out if they would like to rent or borrow your items. They may be willing to hold on to your items for an extended period of time, with the understanding that your school can get the items back in the future if and when you need them. Or, rather than keep oversized items in stock all the time, see if you can borrow or rent what you need from other schools or theatre companies. • Speak to local thrift stores to find out if they’d be willing to arrange a rental program with you – in exchange for frequent or bulk purchases for your production, they might be willing to give you a price reduction, or let you return/exchange the items or give you store credit for future productions. This way you don’t have to keep as many items in your storage area and can save a bit of money on future productions. • Give other departments leftover items if they are useful to that class (wood/metal for shop classes, fabric/costumes for fashion or family studies classes, paint and art/craft supplies for visual arts classes, and so on). • If you know you won’t be using certain props or costumes again in the future, let the students keep them as souvenirs. • Alternatively, you could auction or raffle off props or costume pieces (maybe even have your students autograph the items) to raise a little cash! • Some hair and makeup items can be sanitized and carefully stored for future use. Items such as mascara and eyeliner should either be supplied by the students using them or disposed of after use, to avoid germs. • If you are disposing of items, be sure to research proper disposal rules and regulations for your municipality. Try to donate or recycle as much as possible, to keep items out of the landfill. • If it’s possible within your budget and okay with school regulations, look for alternate, off-site storage possibilities such as renting a storage unit. If you have some more great storage ideas, share them with us! Good luck, and happy organizing!

Once the final performance of a show is completed, what comes next? It’s time to tear down the set, clean the theatre from top to bottom, and return the space back to its regular, unadorned, clean and tidy state. This process is called the strike , and it is an important part of the theatrical process. In professional theatre, strike is handled only by specific crew members, but in school shows everyone is needed to help! It’s natural that after the final performance, everyone will be eager to get home (or, more likely, to get to a closing night party!). But the faster and more efficiently the strike is completed, the sooner everyone can get out of there. Moreover, since the full cast and crew helped to make the show, it’s only proper that the entire cast and crew work together to finish the process through the strike. Read on for four tips to help make your strike efficient, positive, and stress-free. 1. All hands on deckFrom the very beginning, make it clear that every single person (students, teachers, parent volunteers, etc.) associated with the show is expected to attend strike. This is non-negotiable. Everyone – from the actors to the crew to the producers – needs to attend strike. The phrase “Many hands make light work” applies here in spades. Include strike in your schedule from the get-go, and make it clear that everyone is to attend for the duration, whether it be right after closing night or the day after. That way the excuse “I didn’t know about it” doesn’t apply. As well, make it a rule that nobody leaves until everything is done. Letting some students leave early can create resentment: “Why did so-and-so get to leave early and I didn’t?” Everyone helps – no ifs, ands, or buts. 2. CommunicateA few days before strike, make sure to inform the full cast and crew of what needs to get done during strike. Make specific lists and post them backstage. The more people who know what’s going on, the fewer questions will have to be answered later. 3. DelegateSeparate students into groups and assign areas of responsibility to the groups. Think in terms of categories: set, costumes, props, technical areas (such as lighting and sound equipment), backstage areas, green room (if you have one), dressing rooms, washrooms, kitchen/food area, etc. Assign specific tasks to each student in the group. You could make a checklist and have students initial their tasks once they’ve been completed. Assign one member of the group to act as leader and have them sign off on the entire area once it’s complete. Once those tasks are completed, students should move to another group to assist them. There are also those last particularly tedious jobs that get left until the end, such as sweeping or emptying garbage containers. Have a master checklist with those tasks that can be assigned once the major tasks have been completed. 4. Safety firstBe sure that students wear work clothes (as they will get dirty and sweaty) and sensible, closed-toe shoes. If necessary, provide personal protective equipment such as gloves, hard hats, or dust masks. Dismantling some large sets may require the use of drills, other tools, ladders, or lifts. Only students who have been properly trained and/or certified to use these items should use them. Students must not be assigned tasks that they cannot complete safely. As well, have water and some small, healthy snacks available for your students. Everyone is generally hungry and tired after a show, and having something to nibble on can definitely help students work more effectively. What are your best tips for an effective strike? Share them with us!

Tech week…the phrase alone can send shivers down the spine of the most calm and unflappable theatre professionals. Tech week has the reputation of being long and taxing. But it doesn’t have to result in you becoming a stressed-out mess. Read on for four tips to help make your tech week a more positive experience! 1. Bring your patience.Tech week is a test of patience. Long rehearsals, technical challenges, changes and adjustments…everything is bigger and the stakes are higher, because it is so close to opening night. A good reminder for actors and directors is that, while they have had weeks to prepare and practice, the technicians and stage management team are cramming all their adjustments into a tight timeframe (often only one technical rehearsal and one dress rehearsal). They are working hard to learn everything as quickly and efficiently as possible. Remember the key to that: They are learning. And, even more challenging, they are learning on their feet. Thank them, and treat them like the superstars they are! 2. As always…plan ahead!I cannot emphasize enough the importance of planning ahead. Be aware of crucial tasks that will need to be completed during tech week, such as: • Programming lights and sound cues. • A clear plan of what the cues are. • Where they go in the show. • What they should look and sound like. I am not a technical pro in any way, so this advice comes from a true place of learning: The more you plan ahead, the more stress and heartache you will save your technical director, sound designer, lighting designer, and yourself. For sound cues, have your list of music and sound effects assembled way before tech week, so your sound designer has time to source/create the necessary tracks. Be sure to be specific about sound effects. It’s not enough to ask for a telephone ring. Is it a landline phone or a cell phone? Rotary or touch-tone? How old is the phone? Does it make a ringing sound, a buzzing sound, or a digital ringtone? How many times does it ring before it gets answered – once, twice, ten times? Your sound designer is not a mind reader. Give them the details up front so they don’t have to do it over. For lighting, come in with specific looks planned out, and knowing how long you want each lighting cue to take. Do you want a long fade or a quick snap? Do you want to go to full blackout or a less dark blue- or brown-out (which can make it easier for actors and stagehands to see where they’re going, but makes transitions more visible to the audience)? If you have lighting looks that you will use more than once, note that on your planning sheet. Depending on what kind of lighting board you have, you may be able to copy those cues forward, which will save time. 3. Determine your point people and delegate.Tech week opens the floodgates to hundreds of questions, and the director ends up receiving the bulk of the questions. Save your sanity and let your students know who the appropriate person is to handle each type of question. For example, who is the most likely person to know where a missing pair of pants might be? Who should be contacted if one of the stage lights burns out? Who should students check with if they need help reviewing their entrances and exits? (If you answered the costume head, the lighting designer/operator, and the stage manager – you would be right!) These are your point people and they are worth their weight in gold. Students should be able to approach you with questions. But get them in the habit of taking the time to think logically about who to ask instead of defaulting to you. If they ask you anyway, reply with, “Who might know the answer to that question better than me?” and let your students fill in the blanks. Tip: Do not feel guilty about delegating and depending on your point people. The whole purpose of them being there is to contribute to the production and to learn, especially students in these roles! Trust them and allow them to succeed in their leadership positions. Step back and watch with pride as they demonstrate how capable they truly are. 4. Plan breaks and take breaks.It’s tempting to try to cram as much as possible into your tech time, but you need to plan breaks – and actually take the breaks. Stand up, stretch your muscles, and get out of the theatre for a few minutes. Even better: actually go outside and get some fresh air and natural light. And while you’re at it, be sure to eat some food and drink some water. “Hanger” and dehydration are real things, and they’re not pretty! It may seem silly to have to mention seemingly obvious tasks such as eating, hydrating, and getting fresh air, but it is so easy to neglect those things when your to-do list is a mile long. Self-care is vital, and it’s important for your students to see you taking care of yourself. Lead by example. Taking a few minutes to reorient yourself will make you so much more productive in the long run.

Have you heard of Tech Challenge (sometimes it’s called Tech Olympics)? Teams compete in common tasks that every technician should know and/or participate in during the run of a show. Some examples include hanging and focusing a light, taping out a groundplan, doing a prop shift, doing a costume quick change, or setting up a sound system. Many thespian festivals include a tech challenge as part of their schedule which makes for a nice balance of onstage and offstage activities. Onstage actors often get all the accolades for a show even though any production is always a group effort of onstage and offstage team members. A Tech Challenge puts tech crews in the spotlight. How can you use this in your classroom?After you take your students through the definitions of the backstage roles (eg: stage manager, lighting operator, costume designer, stage crew), put the following two tech tasks into action: Costume Quick Change, and Prop Shift. (Note: I resourced the information regarding the Costume Quick Change and the Props Shift from four Thespian websites: Georgia Thespians, Texas Thespians, Kansas Thespians_ (they have score sheets), and_ Nebraska Thespians.) Costume Quick Change1. Identify the definition of a costume quick change. • To help an actor get out of one costume and into another costume in a limited period of time – sometimes quick changes have to take place in under a minute! • Emphasize to students how important the costume quick change is to the show’s success. Emphasize how backstage roles connect to onstage roles. Everyone is part of the same community. • Find online examples of costume quick changes to show students what a quick change looks like. Search for “Quick Change” on YouTube. Here’s one from Mary Poppins and one from The Wizard of Oz. Point out to students how the actor stands/helps during the quick change. Note that each dresser has a specific job and that no one is frantic during the quick change. 2. Explain to students that they are going to run through a costume quick change in small groups. 3. Show students the two costumes each group is going to use to during the quick change. Both costumes should include pieces that go from head to toe. For example: • Costume one: Baseball hat, t-shirt, jacket, pants, belt, running shoes. • Costume two: fedora hat, dress shirt, jacket, tie, suspenders, dress pants, dress shoes. These are just examples – modify the costumes to fit what you have available. Just make sure that each costume is a complete head to toe set. 4. As a class, identify the step by step actions needed in a costume quick change. What are the most efficient steps when changing between two costumes? If there are a couple of dressers, what can each do to make the change quicker? You could even go through the change slowly as a model to try out different suggestions. 5. Divide the class into small groups. Each group will complete the Costume Quick Change as follows: • Gather at the start/end area. Put a line of tape on the ground to identify when the stopwatch person starts the watch and when they stop. • Move to the costume quick change area • Help actor out of costume one • Help actor into costume two • Hang up costume one • Move back to the designated start/end area Identify that everything must be properly undone on costume one and refastened for costume two. (Meaning, you can’t just rip off the shirt for costume one or leave a shirt unbuttoned for costume two, to save time.) Note: The actor is allowed to help (unbutton a shirt, slip out of shoes), but only at the request of the techs. 6. Each group will compete for time. Give each group a copy of the Costume Quick Change Info Sheet (see button below for the free download!). Each penalty adds time to the final score. Penalties include: • Any items not properly placed on actor (eg: shirt left unbuttoned) – 10 seconds per item • Missing hat/tie – 15 seconds per item • Unnecessary roughness of the actor – 5 seconds • Rude treatment of actor – 15 seconds • Costume 1 outfit not hung up or not placed on hangers properly – 5 seconds • Dropping hangers or other items during the change – 5 seconds per occurrence • Blatant disregard for the rules – disqualification 7. Give groups time to discuss their strategy and practice. Don’t let groups practice with the actual costumes/pieces they will use during the challenge. 8. Each group completes the Costume Quick Change. Have someone monitor the stopwatch so that you can pay attention to the change. Watch the change to identify if any of the penalties occur. The timer will start the stopwatch when the group leaves the start/end area, then stop the watch when the last member of the group reenters the start/end area. 9. Unpack the experience. What was it like to work under a time crunch? What was it like to work together on the change? What went well? What would you change? Can you imagine doing this in a production? Prop Shift1. Identify the definition of a Prop Shift. • To take props offstage at the end of one scene and dress the set as required for the next scene. For example: a table complete with place settings and a tablecloth are removed at the end of Act 1 and is replaced with a different tablecloth and a different set of plates/glasses/cutlery for the top of Act 2. • Emphasize to students how important the prop shift is to the show’s success. If actors don’t have their props in place, it will affect the scene. Emphasize how backstage roles connect to onstage roles. Everyone is part of the same community. 2. Explain to students that they are going to run through a prop shift in small groups. They are changing an “Act 1” table dressing to an “Act 2” table dressing. They will have a maximum of five minutes to take the items from a table onstage, place them on a prop table offstage, and then re-dress the table onstage with new items. Each table dressing should include: • tablecloth • four plates/four glasses/four sets of fork, knife, spoon • napkins • centerpiece The items have to be different for each table dressing, which means that students can’t reuse anything from the first dressed table for the second dressed table. 3. Show the setup to students. Explain that there is a fully dressed table onstage and that those items will need to be placed on a prop table backstage. They will also have to re-dress the table with new items. Ask students to identify what a prop table is and why it’s important backstage. If you google “prop table,” you will come up with images that exactly visualize what a prop table looks like. 4. As a class, identify the step by step actions needed in a prop shift between the two table dressings. What are the most efficient steps? If there are a couple of techs, what can each do to make the change quicker? You could even go through the change slowly as a model to try out different suggestions. 5. Divide the class into small groups. Each group will complete the prop shift for time. Give each group a copy of the Prop Shift Info Sheet (see button below for the free download!). Go through the sheet and identify the rules for the prop shift. • The timer begins when the group leaves the start/end area and stops when the group returns to the start/end area. • Students cannot drop props during the change. • Students cannot place props in their mouths or pockets. • Students must work quietly as if they are doing the change during a show. • Students must set the props in their proper place offstage (on the props table). • Students must place all props properly onstage (the setting cannot be askew!). • If students reach the end of their 5-minute time limit, they must stop immediately. 6. Identify the penalties for the prop shift competition. Each penalty adds time to the final score. Penalties include: • Dropping a prop – 10 seconds each time • Making noise with a prop – 5 seconds • Carrying a prop in the mouth or pockets – 5 seconds • Excessive noise during the shift – 5 seconds • Wrong prop placed on table – 5 seconds per item • Prop not set properly or carefully onstage – 5 seconds • Props not set properly offstage – 5 seconds • Blatant disregard of the rules – disqualification 7. Give groups time to discuss their strategy and practice. Don’t let groups practice with the actual props for the challenge. 8. Each group completes the Prop Shift. Have someone on stop watch so that you can pay attention to the shift. Watch the shift and identify if any of the penalties occur. The timer will start the stopwatch when the group leaves the start/end area, then stop the watch when the last member of the group reenters the start/end area. 9. Unpack the experience. What was it like to work under a time crunch? What was it like to work together on the shift? What went well? What would you change? Can you imagine doing this in a production?