ROLES

Stage management is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal process and coordinating communications among various production teams and personnel. Stage management requires a general understanding of all aspects of production and offers organizational support to ensure the process runs smoothly and efficiently.

A stage manager is an individual who has overall responsibility for stage management and the smooth execution of a theatrical production. Stage management may be performed by an individual in small productions, while larger productions typically employ a stage management team consisting of a head stage manager, or production stage manager, and one or more assistant stage managers.

At Breck we typically have one student Stage Manager and when possible Assistant Stage Managers and Deck Captain.

See Mr G and Mr Sullivan if this is a role that interests you.

The scenery is the world the actors perform within to tell the story. It can be a simple as a chair or an elaborate series of platforms, stairs and ramps. These are designed and decorated to be either minimalist, extremely simple or highly detailed and full of texture.

In collaboration with the Director and other designers, the scenic design is based on the Scenic Designers research and drawings. Once those designs are finalized they are handed off to the Technical Director to be constructed and painted by the scenic carpentry crews.

At Breck we've focused on the aspects of Scenic Construction and Scenic Painting. These will include the safe use of power tools, building methods, and large scale painting methods.

Scenic Knowledge Page

Sound is the role that makes sure the performers and musicians and sound effects are heard by the audience for an event. This might be as simple as a Microphone and connecting a laptop to the projector for a video's audio can be heard.

For a play or musical, the sound designer will read the script for clues to different sound effects and the times the actors enter and leave the stage so to unmute and mute the mics accordingly. The choices for these sound effects and actor cues are made in collaboration with the design team.

Setting up for an event is putting all the planning in to practice. Mics are distributed or placed, computers are connected and sound levels are checked and troubleshooting is done when things aren't quite working right.

The Sound Team's responsibilities during productions here in the Breck Performing Arts Department.

Reading the script to understand the requirements of the play or musical and generate any or all of the following:

Mic Schedule --

Number of Needed Mics

Mic Swaps?

Monitors Set up for cast/Band

Build Sound effects/ Cues in Qlab.

• Titles of the saved Qlab file and the audio source folder should be something identifiable with the show it is being used for.

• Learning the basics of Qlab

https://qlab.app/docs/v4/general/getting-started/

Youtube video on the basics of Qlab

• Pre recorded sound effects can be found at https://soundbible.com

-Microphone set up.

Set Sound levels

-Mics

-Levels/EQ set for each cast member and recorded in the board for tech week.

Setting these first will make the work easier later.

-Program cues for mic mute, unmutes, phantom power, and other effects

-Speakers/Monitors, set for the audience and cast/band to hear what is happening on stage.

-Sound effects, set for the appropriate volume for the desired effect.

Sound Knowledge Resource Page

In live music performances, concerts, and other entertainment, stage lighting technicians (also called a lighting tech, lighting operator, stage electrician) set up lighting and make effects for live performances, concerts and any other show/production involving lighting.

Lighting technicians are responsible for the movement and set up of various pieces of lighting equipment for separation of light and shadow or contrast, depth of field or visual effects. Lighting Technicians may also run electrical cables, wire fixtures, install color effects or image patterns, focus the lights, and assist in creating effects or programming sequences.

A lighting technician's work concerns safety of rigging and working with objects which can be very heavy and get very hot.

Duties include:

• Setting up and focusing lights

• Patching and or wiring up lights to dimmers or Light boards

• Changing the set-up of lights from one performance or concert to another.

(e.g., changing color gels, refocusing the lights.)

• storing lights after the show

The Lighting Team's roles are described below:

Lighting Designer: works with the Director and Set Designer to determine what effects need to be created, creates a plan to achieve the desired effects, and then directs the other members of the stage lighting department to set up the appropriate lighting equipment.

Lighting Board Programmer:

Works with the Lighting Designer to program the lights using the light board and associated software. The goal is to create light and color effects and sequences that enhance the onstage performance.

Lighting Board Operator:

Runs the cues created by the designer and Programmer during the show. They will sometimes be called upon to aid in running lights during light hang and focus.

Lighting Technician:

Sets up and focuses lights and runs cable, sometimes also called Stage Electrician.

*Designers, Programmers and Operators are sometimes done by the same person and may also operate as technicians in many circumstances. This is most common in schools and community theater settings.

Lighting Knowledge Page

Properties or "props" are any elements handled by the actors. This includes but is not limited to a table setting like, plates, forks, knives, and cups. props can also be tools, stuffed animals, and set dressing (curtains, hung pictures, and keepsakes).

Props in a production start from off stage unless they have been preset on the stage before the show begins. Props are stored on a prop table backstage near the actor's entrance during production then generally locked in a storage area between performances. The person in charge of handling the props is generally called the property master. Other positions also include coordinators, production assistants and interns as may be needed for a specific project.

At Breck we generally have one props person who can be supported by our scenic builders during pre-production and run crew members during a performance.

In collaboration with the Director and Technical Director, Props are responsible for the following:

• Reading and understanding the hand held props needs of the play.

• Determining which props can be pulled from storage, built in the scene shop, bought from stores, or rented.

• Finding (not buying) where the appropriate props can be purchased, found or rented.

• Supplying the list of purchases or rentals with links to websites or store addresses to the Tech Director. (The TD can provide direction here.)

• Creating a props schedule that determines where props will be stored throughout the performance (on a props table or preset on stage for the show.)

• Taping out the props tables so the performers can find their props in the same place every night.

• Ensuring props are Set at the top of every tech rehearsal or performance and stored at the end of each night.

• Reporting damaged props to the Stage Manager and Tech Director.