An Entrance/Exit chart is nothing fancier than what it sounds like; a chronological listing of the characters and the scenes and who is in them and where they came from and go to! Sounds simple, no? And in most cases it is. However, the more complicated the show, the more complicated the space, the more need for an accurate and clearly defined entrance/exit chart. For example; in one of my theatres stage left and stage right are only 25 feet apart. Once an actor exits either right or left they have only one option which is to go upstage to a hallway to get to the other side of stage. Therefore the space complications of your entrance/exit chart are simple. They are exiting either left or right. In another theatre the layout is similar but the proscenium is 55 feet wide and in most cases there are multiple wings and an upstage crossover. There are two vom entrances that can sometimes be used as well. In this case you still have a stage left and a stage right exit. You also have wings stage right an stage left it is a quick change that takes place in the wings, and then the two house vom entrances. The space is only slightly more complicated. In our third theatre we have an extreme thrust stage where you have an upstage entrance, two second level upstage entrances, two vom entrances downstage, and two second level house entrances. In this case the variations are a little more complicated. Finally, in one of my favorite Theatres you have stage right and stage left entrances but you have them on stage level, one level below the stage, you have a third level below that with a difference entrance, and two house entrances. There are four elevators that travel up and down between all the levels and actors can enter and exit from any one of those. Costumes are changed in all locations so that entrance/exit information is vital. When I first started working for Radio City the entrance/exit chart was one of my assignments for the Christmas Show. I worked very had to make sure I discussed the entrance and exit actions with each performer in the show. This attention to detail can save hours of time and effort and thousands of dollars during a dress rehearsal in a theatre that size.
Secondly, it is important to know who you are making the entrance exit chart for. In most cases you are making the chart for costumes. When actors need to change clothes and don't have time to get to their dressing rooms they change clothes off stage. When there is space and time, quick change booths can be set up on stage and actors will head there to dress into their next costume. They costumes are placed their by the wardrobe crew every night and then struck for cleaning and storing. It is very important that the correct preset information gets to the wardrobe crew so they set the correct clothes in the correct place.
The more complicated the show more people become involved in the action backstage. Again, the more complicated the production the more people who have a stake in the quick change. Almost all women are wigged in Broadway musicals which means you need a hair person there if the wig needs attention. In addition, wireless microphones are almost a standard item now which means you need a sound person involved in the quick change as well. So depending on the kind of production you are doing you could have at least three people involved in a single quick change not counting the person changing clothes!
It goes without saying that some shows require no entrance/exit chart. The play Home has three actors, one act, and no one leaves the stage. The quick change chart would be useless in this case.
The Quick Change Booth
The quick change can take place in a booth if there is room and you have requested one. A quick change booth is basically a three or four sided 'box' of flats that protect the privacy of the person changing clothes. You need lighting and mirrors and a place to hang or hold the clothes being changed. The costume department provides drop cloths where the actor can just 'drop' the clothes they are wearing and put on the new costume with the help of the wardrobe crew and attending sound and hair persons.
Privacy of the actor is extremely important. Try not to put an quick change booth under a fly operating floor where the crew can look down at the person changing clothes.
Sometimes there is no time and an actor will rush off stage, drop their clothes on the drop cloth while the dressers quickly put new clothes on, then rush back on stage. If you have the personnel you can have people hold modesty cloths up to mask the quick change from the crew standing around backstage.
Making the Chart
Open an excel file. In column A list all the performers in your show. If certain groups such as a chorus or children's group always enter as a group you can just list the group. For actors who play more than one character list the actors name. You will indicate when they are what character in the document.
Assignment:
Create and entrance exit chart based on...