SLT PRODUCTION HANDBOOK

 

Contents

SLT PRODUCTION HANDBOOK........ 1

Contents............... 1

Time Line............ 1

Introduction......... 2

Planning Your Production............ 3

Your Theatre and GSM Reps............. 4

Budget and Expenses............................. 4

Your Production Team.................... 4

Recruiting Your Crew..................... 4

Who Do You Need in Your Crew?....... 5

Working With Your Crew..................... 8

Publicising Your Show..................... 8

Holding Auditions and Casting Your Show..................... 9

Using Your Rehearsal Space.. 10

Directing Actors in Rehearsal............ 11

Props.................. 13

Wardrobe............ 13

Getting in to the Theatre.............. 14

The Lighting System................ 15

The Sound System........................... 15

Box Office and Front of House... 15

Photography...... 15

Programme......... 16

During The Run of The Show........... 16

After Show Party 16

Get Out............... 16

Post-Production Meeting.............. 16

Appendices......... 16

 

Time Line

This lists the major milestones of an SLT production, and the main tasks that should be done in time for each one. Use it as a check list to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. If you treat these milestones as deadlines for the tasks you can avoid much stress and panic in the days before the show opens.

Before Auditions

·          Recruit production team

·          Production Assistant (PA)

·          Stage Manager (SM)

·          Assistant Stage Manager(s) (ASM)

·          Set Designer

·          Lighting Designer

·          Sound Designer

·          Lighting Operator

·          Sound Operator

·          Costume Master/Mistress

·          Make-up Artist

·          Arrange pre-production meeting

·          Arrange show poster

·          Recruit and brief Poster Designer

·          Finalise poster design

·          Arrange audition publicity

·          Place audition notices in the bar and foyer

·          Send audition information to:

·          Backstage

·          SLT web site

·          SLT discussion board

·          Choose audition pieces and place several copies in the bar

Hold Auditions

·          Cast the show and inform people who have not been cast

·          Send cast list to:

·          Backstage

·          SLT web site

·          SLT discussion board

·          Notice board in the bar

·          Set rehearsal schedule

·          Organise space  for "out" rehearsals

·          Finalise set design (and audience seating plan if in Prompt Corner)

Rehearsal Period Begins

·          Decide if you will be using a prompter and recruit one if needed

Books Down

·          Finalise costumes

·          Finalise props and furniture

·          Finalise make-up designs

·          Finalise programme details and arrange for printing

·          Finalise lighting design

·          Finalise sound design (Music and FX)

·          Arrange assistance for set building and painting

·          Arrange for blacks to be hung

·          (For Prompt Corner Shows) Inform box office of number of seats available

·          Organise people to do:

·          Front of house

·          Raffle

·          Show photography

Get-In

Technical Rehearsal

Dress Rehearsal

Performances

After-Show Party

Get-Out

Debriefing Meeting

Introduction

This is a handbook for people involved in shows at the South London Theatre, both in the Bell Theatre and Prompt Corner. If there is something you don't know how to do, or are unsure about, we hope you will find the answer in here.

It is written in terms of advice to directors, but we hope much of the information will also be useful for stage managers, production assistants and others involved in the show.

Obviously this booklet will be of most use to people involved in shows for the first time, but we hope there will be helpful information in here for everyone. We have tried to bring together ideas and experience from people with long track records of putting on successful shows at SLT, and those with expertise in all aspects of the process.

As well as practical advice on the nuts and bolts of putting on a show, there are some ideas on the creative and artistic side of directing, from planning your vision of the production to getting the best out of your actors. They aren't meant to be prescriptive - some of the time they're outright contradictory - but we hope they give you something to think about. Some were submitted by SLT members, some were offered by professional directors of theatre and film. Have fun guessing which is which.

Putting on a show can be a daunting and complicated task but there are lots of people at SLT who have volunteered to help out in various ways. These include your Theatre and General Stage Management reps, Membership Director, Publicity Director etc. Their contact details are given in a separate sheet at the back of this booklet.

Planning Your Production

Directing a play isn't only about organisation. Developing a vision for the artistic content of a show is a vital part of the process and one that it is surprisingly easy to overlook or underdo.

Here are some ideas for the things you can begin thinking about before rehearsals start.

Let Your Imagination Play

As a director you should read and re-read your script and let your imagination play. How will this scene look? How will the characters move? What music will be playing? It might be helpful to read a script through several times, specifically focussing the imagination on a single issue each time such as lighting or sound or costume.

Have a Clear Vision

It seems to me that the best directors I have worked with have been those who had a clear vision of the piece beforehand. They have been the directors who have managed to get the best performances from the cast. This clarity of purpose has to exist in order for the director to achieve what I think is the fundamental aim - entertaining the audience.

And, as you say, be prepared. Do your homework. Before the rehearsals begin you should have studied and lived with this script for months. You should be able to see the shape of the words on the pages. Read everything you can get your hands on about the author and the play, search for reviews of past productions. Above all when you go into that rehearsal room know what you want to achieve.

Try Researching Your Subject

If your script includes specific historical figures, events or times you can might find fresh ideas by researching what you can about them - histories, biographies, diaries, pictures, places and objects can all help you get a feel for the thing you'll be portraying. This is something that you can carry on with the cast too. While rehearsing "Terra Nova" about Scott's mission to the South Pole the whole cast read books by and about the subjects, studied photos of the characters and environments of the expedition and had a group visit to the National Maritime Museum where there was an exhibition on polar exploration that included real objects owned by the characters. The research process wasn't only a great source of ideas but it was great fun and helped the cast to really bond.

Even if your script isn't strictly historical you might find some research helpful. If you're setting your show in, for example, the 1960s or 1970s then contemporary films and magazines could help you get ideas for the right style of decoration, props, costumes, hair and speech.

Tell The Story

We are, first and foremost, trying to communicate the playwright's intent to the audience. In order to do so we must fully understand the meaning of the play and ensure that the cast do also. Right down to the level of individual words if necessary. We must also at every turn, after every new idea or change, ask ourselves "how will that work from the audience's point of view." "Does it help communicate the meaning of the play?" If it doesn't or if it serves to obscure or appears at all self-indulgent chuck it out. Tell the story.

As a director, you have to ask yourself whether the writer was trying to achieve a very specific effect by a descriptive piece of stage, scene or lighting direction, or just trying to demonstrate a missed vocation as a novelist.

I strongly think that the single most important thing when directing is to allow the script to speak for itself. This may be because so much of my experience is dealing with Shakespeare, where it is so difficult to know exactly what the author intended. At the end of the day, we have words on a page, and we have to find ways of making every one of those words count, while simultaneously removing contradictions. You cannot direct a successful production by going against the script. A reason must be found for why every character says every line. We've all seen disasters (and, indeed, pretty good shows) where a character is saying one thing and doing something completely different - it doesn't make any sense, and makes a mockery of a show.

Make It Interesting

A play is like a concerto. It has dark moments, light moments, fast moments, slow movements. Getting a feel for this is key. I like to see the piece as a whole and also as truly individual segments. An audience cannot sit through an hour of frenetic, fast moving, unrelenting action. They need a breather. Finding those breathing spaces is key.

I hear the play in my minds eye ... That makes no sense.. what I mean is I hear how each line will be said and then how it fits in jigsaw like to the other lines.

Make It Visual

A director is also a painter. I like to frame each scene - every movement tries to create a tableau that is interesting to the eye. Of course, where someone stands in relation to another has huge implications on the power structures of the relationships.

Lastly I see the staging and how the movement and the lines work together with the story to actually work as a piece of theatre, when I have visualised all of these components I try too imagine staging and a set that will tell the story the way I want to tell it.

It's great if you make a pleasing stage picture, but some of the most brilliant and exciting plays have seen have been with a few people sitting around talking - if the script, the direction and the acting are good, who cares what else they're doing? - The right audience for the show will appreciate it in the right way.

Your Theatre and GSM Reps

The process of directing a production at the SLT stage is quite unlike any other role in the theatre and at times the responsibility can seem overwhelming.  For this reason all productions are appointed a representative who will be on hand to offer help and advice to directors if required. You will also have a representative from the General Stage Management (GSM) team who can advise you on technical issues. With up to eight shows in production at any time, your reps will work with you to ensure that you are making the best use of your time available and that every show respects and supports the others.

The role of your reps is to assist and advise you on the smooth running of your show.  Obviously, some directors may need more assistance than others from their reps, but it is important to remember that a rep is not there to replace any of the essential members of your team.

Due to the variety of experience of directors, and different requirements of each show there are no hard and fast rules, but in general your rep will:

·          Be present at the pre-production meeting to talk through the plans for the production, budget and any other matters that arise.

·          Be available throughout the rehearsal period to provide any help or advice that may be required.

·          Attend at least two rehearsals to offer any feedback and advice that may be appropriate

·          One member of the TC team will be present at the get-in and get-out

Budget and Expenses

Prompt Corner shows have no allocated budget, although the theatre will cover the costs of the rights. If you feel that you will need some money to help cover expenses, please discuss this with your Rep. No spending will be reimbursed unless it has been agreed in advance.

The budget for each Bell show is decided by Theatre Committee prior to the approval of the production and is done so in discussion with the various directors with the view of providing a balanced season.  Some shows, e.g. musicals, are considerably more expensive to stage than others and need to be balanced with productions which, while no less entertaining, require less expenditure by way of sets, costumes and royalties.

Your theatre rep will let you know the specific budget for your show.

To claim back money you have spent on the show, fill in an SLTC Limited petty cash voucher, which is available from behind the bar. The voucher should be signed by the director, countersigned by one of the three Theatre Reps and accompanied by the relevant receipts. The completed voucher should be left in the Treasurer’s pigeon-hole in the Box Office.  No-one involved in the show should incur expenses of any sort on behalf of the production unless previously authorised by the director.

Do not feel that you must try to underspend – you are perfectly entitled to spend every penny of your budget, as it has been allocated to you to ensure that your show looks and is the best it could possibly be. However, do be aware that Theatre Committee cannot guarantee reimbursement for any unauthorised over-expenditure.

If you need to purchase any general items such as paint, brushes, timber, etc. speak to the General Stage Manager (GSM) or your Theatre Rep beforehand, it is possible that some of these items may be purchased from the GSM budget.

After the production it is important that any expense claims are submitted promptly in order to correctly calculate the figures for the season.

Your Production Team

Directing is a big, complicated job and you will need to have capable people to help out. This section is on two parts. The first lists the people you will need on your team and gives a brief outline of their roles. The second suggests some ways to go about recruiting your team.

We can't emphasise this enough - recruit your team as early as you can. Before you hold auditions for your cast, you should have recruited as many of the people you will need to help you with your production as possible. It is always harder to recruit people at the last minute, and the earlier the crew comes on board the better job they can do and the more ideas they can offer you.

It is up to you as a director whether to recruit experienced or inexperienced people. It will depend on your own level of experience and confidence, and how complex your show is in terms of organisation, set, sound and lighting. In general we would like to encourage directors to use at least some new members in every show, either on stage or behind the scenes. If you would like to recruit a new member into your crew and need help in training them for the job please let your theatre or GSM rep know and we will try to help.

Be aware that the equipment used for lighting and sound in SLT is valuable and complex. Your sound and lighting designers and operators must be approved by the GSM team as suitably qualified to use the equipment. Please let your theatre or GSM rep know as soon as you have appointed these roles, and whether the people chosen will need assistance or training. Reps can arrange for training, for example by having someone shadow a more experienced person on a prior show.

Recruiting Your Crew

Recruiting a backstage crew at SLT shouldn't be difficult, but it does require some organisation.

Our top tip - start early. Directors at SLT have plenty of notice of when their shows will be on. You can start recruiting a team as soon as you know you know the dates of your show, and ideally your full crew should be in place before auditions.

First of all, have your patter ready. When you made your submission to direct you described what your show is about and why you want to do it. Keep this to hand because you'll need it when you describe your show to people you want to join your team and when you put together written notices to recruit your crew.

There are lots of people willing to get involved in backstage work, you just need to find them and convince them that they want to work with you on your show. There are lots of ways to do this, some of which we have found achieve better results than others. Here are some ideas - if you use these you shouldn't have any problem at all.

·          Use new members nights. New people who want to get involved join SLT every Wednesday, and once a month there is a special event in the bar to welcome new members and help them get involved. (Check Backstage for dates.) Go along, talk to the new members and sign them up.

·          If you can't make it personally to new members' night, you can still take advantage of it. If you already have a PA or SM you could ask them to go on your behalf. You can leave a message for the person leading membership stating which posts you want to fill and describing the show - if you can't reach them personally leave a message for them at the bar.

·          There is a red folder kept behind the bar with a sheet which lists the backstage crew for each show in the season. It is your job as director to keep this up to date and have your contact details on it. As your show nears the start of its rehearsal period your sheet will be moved to the notice board in the back room of the bar so that people taking new members nights and anyone wanting to get involved backstage can easily see what vacancies are available.

·          If you specifically require an experienced person in a role your theatre or GSM rep can help by suggesting people you could approach.

·          Contact members individually. Ask your rep or the membership director for a list of people who have expressed an interest in working backstage and call or email them. You may be able to use the telephone in box office to do this, if box office isn't open at the time.

·          Network. Ask your friends and people you meet around the theatre. If they can't get involved themselves they might know people who can. Let as many people as possible know what positions you are looking to fill. If you still don't have a full crew by the time of auditions, ask the auditionees to indicate on their contact forms whether they would be interested in helping out backstage if they aren't cast.

·          Place a notice in Backstage. The notice should be a very brief description of the show, the roles you want to recruit and your contact details. Email it to backstage@southlondontheatre.co.uk or place a written version behind the bar marked "FAO Backstage." The notice can go in as many issues as you want but remember to let the editors know when you have filled the positions.

·          Use the notice boards around the theatre. Place notices on the boards in the foyer, outside the bar and in the bar.

·          Place a notice on the SLT internet discussion board. Follow the link to "Discussion Board" from the SLT home page at www.southlondontheatre.co.uk.

If you still have problems filling any roles, speak to your Theatre or GSM rep who will try to help.

Finally. everyone recruited to your production in any capacity must be a fully paid-up members of SLT.  If you are not sure please verify this with the Membership Director.

Who Do You Need in Your Crew?

This section deals with the different members that you might need on your team, and gives an outline of what their duties might be. Not every show will need all of these roles filled, but most will need most of them. There is more detail on the roles of some of the team members later in this booklet, but we hope these brief descriptions will help you understand who you need to recruit and will help you explain to the people you find what is required of them.

If you need any advice on the size and make-up of the crew required for your production, speak to your Theatre or GSM rep who will try to help.

Production Assistant (PA)

The Production Assistant is the director's right hand in all aspects of the production and typically comes to every rehearsal and is involved throughout the process.

For new directors it is wise to appoint an experienced PA. More experienced directors might consider taking on a new member in this role, or someone who is keen to direct in the future.

Some of the jobs a production assistant might take on include:

·          Helping communicate with cast members outside of rehearsals

·          Taking cast warm-ups

·          Prompting in rehearsals

·          Taking rehearsal when director can't attend

·          Acting as a "second unit director"

·          Making notes in rehearsal - blocking and acting decisions, things to do, props or costumes to find etc.

·          Acting as sounding board and creative second opinion for the director

·          Getting hold of hard-to-find props

·          Helping with costume issues

·          Helping rig lights

·          Helping build and paint the set

·          Just about anything else that needs doing

Stage Manager (SM) and Assistant Stage Manager(s) (ASM)

The Stage Manager and ASMs take over from the director during the run of the show, but also need to be involved in the planning of the show - especially in all decisions about set changes and props. Their responsibilities include:

Before rehearsals start:

·          Helping plan the show, especially with regard to set designs, set changes and props. The SM should be invited to any meetings with the set designer to make sure that the ideas being considered are possible.

·          You might want to ask your SM to recruit ASMs for the production. Make sure you agree who will recruit ASMs.

During the run:

·          Making sure the cast and crew are on time and have everything they need to do their jobs.

·          Carrying out set changes

·          Cueing the show: using the radio cans to keep in touch with the technical team and give them cues for lighting, sound, flying, curtain changes etc.

·          Managing props: making sure props are stored safely, available to the actors when they need them, and accounted for at the end of each performance and the end of the show's run.

·          Bringing up the audience from bar: announcing 10 and 5 minutes to curtain-up for the start of the show and the start of the second half.

·          Handling any problems during the show - if lights fail, if the curtains stick, if the auditorium floods - it's the stage manager's job to sort things out.

·          ASMs will also usually manage front of house duties on show nights - taking audience tickets and handing out programmes.

Set Designer

The set is a vital element of any show and it plays a number of roles. Among other things, it is the practical space in which your actors move about, it tells the audience about the location and time of your story and it helps convey the mood and tone of the production.

You can't begin rehearsing with actors until you have an idea of the space you will be performing in. That's why you need to get your set design sorted out as early as possible. When briefing your set designer some of the things you need to think about and discuss include:

·          What does the production require in terms of entrances and exits? Where do they need to be? How big do they need to be - do large items of set have to come on?

·          Where does the action take place? Is it indoors or out? A single location or many?

·          When does the action take place? Is it modern or period? If it is period, what details will be needed to indicate the time?

·          How many set changes might be needed? Can a single set stand for many locations?

·          Are there specific needs mentioned in the script? A view from a window? A balcony scene? A fountain?

·          What is the artistic tone of the production? Is it a comedy or a tragedy? Is it boldly colourful or sombre? Is it realistic or stylised? If it's stylised, what is the style? Surreal? Cartoonish? Film noir?

·          How will the set be lit? What colours will be used? Will light come from the side through doorways or windows?

Designing for Prompt Corner has its own unique challenges.

·          Part of the strength of the space is the flexibility that it offers. Before you start rehearsals you should have a clear idea how you are going to stage your production.

·          The staging you choose has a knock-on effect to how the audience will be seated, and the number of seats available. If you believe that you are going to be able to sell a show (for example a Shakespeare), and feel the need to maximise the number of audience, you should think about it now. It is much easier to plan and rehearse a show in a smaller space to begin with, than contract the space by putting in more seats during the run. It will also dictate the blocking of the piece, and for this reason alone you should have a fixed idea - there is no point blocking a show to be performed in the round if a week before performance you decide to stage it end-on.

·          Let your imagination run riot, and do not feel that you must stage your play in a way that has been done before. The flexibility of the space should allow you to bring the most out of your production, and the interaction between actor and audience that the space allows.

The set designer is also responsible, along with the director, for making sure all materials used on the stage are fire-proofed. If flammable materials such as fabrics, paper or straw are to form part of the set these must be treated with flame-retardant. Please speak to your GSM rep if you will need this.

Set design involves two distinct sets of skills. One is constructing the set from flats, rostra, wood etc, and the other is decorating the set with paint and props. While there are many experienced set designers at SLT who combine both these sets of skills, you might want to consider using a team of two for your set design - one for construction and one for decoration.

Whatever you decide, the jobs of the set designer include:

·          Reading the script and noting down initial ideas for the set.

·          Meeting with the director, PA, SM and lighting designer as far in advance of the show as possible to discuss what is needed

·          Designing a set that takes account of all the production's needs

·          Attending some rehearsals to make sure the set design is right for the blocking being used and to generate ideas for detail

·          Recruiting people to help construct and paint the set

·          Leading the building and decoration of the set during get-in

Once you have agreed a set with your designer it is best to stick to it, but if during rehearsal you decide you want to make a change (for example to put in extra rostra or a new staircase), let your designer and SM know at once and discuss whether what you have in mind is possible.

Lighting Designer

Your lighting designer works with you and the set designer to agree a lighting plan for the show. Lighting design is about much more than making sure the actors can be seen. It can give the audience information about the place and time of the scene, and the mood and style of the piece. It can be unobtrusive or it can be astonishing. Designs can vary from the very simple (switch 'em on at the beginning, switch 'em off at the end) to the very complex (disco lights, glitter balls, dawn breaking at sea, magical green smoke etc.), but there are some questions you need to answer with your designer for every scene in every show.

·          Where does the scene take place? Is it indoors or outdoors? What is the weather like? Is it on a sunny beach or a grey windswept moor? What time of day is it? Bright morning, golden afternoon or blue night? Is the light changing as dawn breaks or the sun sets? If it's indoors, is the lighting daylight from a window or artificial from a light bulb? Sometimes specific times, places and effects will be called for in a script. Other times you as director will have to make these decisions.

·          Which areas of the stage will the actors be in? Where will they be moving to?