Stage Productions

Theater teaches children important values, such as commitment and dedication. Most importantly, theater teaches children how to grow into the adults that they want to become. It helps them learn...

Find out how you can save money on entertainment expenses. Use these tips before paying full price for movies, music and entertainment events.

There's nothing like enjoying movies in your own home theater. The comfy space, the big screen, the cheap popcorn. Converting unused space into your own theater isn't hard, but it takes some...

Talent shows are a great way to show off the hidden entertaining skills of co-workers, family or students. They can also raise money for charity or simply add fun to a party. Planning a talent...

Safety light curtains are a new form of technology used in factories, warehouses, drill sites and other areas where heavy machinery can sometimes endanger the lives of personnel working around...

Stage risers or platforms are ubiquitous in the theatre and performing arts. Over many years of stagecraft, a standardized 4-by-8-foot modular design has been used for creating a riser than can be...

Making stage chandeliers is a fairly straight-forward process. Start with a traditional chandelier, adapt the wiring for direct plug in and modify the finish to "read" correctly under harsh stage...

Flats are the portable, storable building blocks of theater set construction. Traditional flats made of fabric stretched over a wood frame have long been used in theater because of their light...

If you have ever experienced Northern Lights, or the aurora borealis, you know firsthand how amazing this astronomical event is. Northern Lights are a very deep shade of color, usually lime green...

Conventional theatrical lighting fixtures (also called instruments) can be hung, aimed and focused quickly and easily. All it takes is an understanding of the instrument's basic components and a...

Stage fright is very common among people who are new to getting up in front of a crowd, as well as for professionals who speak to large groups on a regular basis. The more you worry and think...

Lighting equipment represents one of the largest financial investments for a theater organization. Keeping the equipment in good operating order, repairing it when necessary, and installing it in...

A proper mirror for use while applying makeup should illuminate the face with the correct color of light and without casting shadows. The problem with standard bathroom mirrors, and many popular...

There are many things a judge needs to take into consideration when trying to pick a winner at a talent show. The talent is a major part of the overall score, but other factors also come into play...

Spiking a stage is the process of placing pieces of colored tape at the base of set pieces so that the running crew knows where they go during scene changes. Spiking a stage is a very important...

One object that says "a theater" or "a movie set" is a Fresnel lighting instrument with its trademark circular stepped lens. Fresnel lighting instruments are ubiquitous on both theater stages and...

Use cardboard cutout figures of fantasy characters, actors or other objects in a variety of effective and creative ways during live stage shows. Construction methods for these cutouts will vary:...

Light gels are used in theater, photography, film and video production to either create mood or to balance out uneven temperatures from different lighting sources. Light gels were once made from...

Burns to the skin, whether they are mild or severe, have a unique look to them that sets them apart from other types of injuries, presenting challenges to a special effects makeup designer more...

Casting props with soft polyfoam centers is a delightful "mad scientist" type of project. By mixing two inert liquid chemicals together, you can instantly produce fluffy foam rubber material...

While polymer clay is not flame resistant and therefore can't be used to make a functional smoking pipe, polymer clay is an excellent choice for making a realistic-looking prop suitable for...

If you can weld steel, you can create trusses for carrying the weight of platforms and lighting equipment. Make trusses from round steel pipes for holding lighting instruments. Make trusses from...

From "Mary Poppins" to many other Dickensian stage productions, chimney sweeps need their signature brooms to make the scene authentic. Modern chimney brooms are not only expensive but are also...

Pneumatic engineering uses compressed air to power a specially designed piston. You can harness this unique system to operate several types of special-effect props or use it to automate common set...

Portable stage units are a necessity for any theatre organization that wants to go on tour or compete in educational theatre competitions and festivals. While there are sophisticated and expensive...

Whether appearing to be made of wood or stone, columns are an interesting design element on any stage set. A variety of materials and building techniques will mimic the look of fluted columns,...

Life sized stand up characters, based on photographs or drawings, are easy to make thanks to computer graphics technology and widely available printing services at neighborhood printing and copy...

LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes. They're bright, compact, use very little energy, create very little heat, have a long life, and they're all the rage. LEDs seem to be the ideal lighting product. But...

What constitutes the "best" black light effect is up for debate. The best effects are those that offer an element of surprise and create that "Ooo, Ah!" response from an audience. Black light...

Several stage musicals call for a car on stage, especially "Greas," where the car is the center of much of the action. An important consideration is how real the car needs to be. If actors do not...

A well-known principle in the theater is that if a mirror must appear on the stage, handling it with care is important. This isn't to fend off the threat of seven years of bad luck but to avoid...

You have plywood, but you want hardwood. You could either spend a lot of money to buy hardwood, or you could paint your plywood so that it looks like hardwood. Knowing how to upgrade the look of...

Hanging a lighting instrument is an essential part of preparing for a show. After the light is hung, it can be focused and added to the lighting panel for use throughout the show. Failure to...

Of all the elements in a theatrical production, lighting may be the most important. While it's possible to do a play without a set or intricate costumes, you will not be able to see your actors...

Classic, medieval or Gothic stone columns can set the scene for any stage play. Building realistic "stone" columns takes some research and preparation. Along with being designed to scale, they...

Staging is a term used in theater that refers to setting up props, blocking actors, and making sure lighting is in place. These elements, and several others, need to come together to ensure a...

While professional stage lighting equipment is more affordable than most people would imagine, there are situations where building your own lighting equipment "from scratch" is necessary. Homemade...

There are several plays, particularly musicals, which specify a background scene illustrating New York and "The Great White Way." Musicals like "Guys and Dolls," and "42nd Street," require this...

Almost all types of theater facilities have some kind of permanent hardware in place for the positioning of lighting. How lighting instruments are installed on this equipment is a vital artistic...

Cabaret theater can be one of the most lucrative forms of live performance. Part of the attraction is the seating, since it is more comfortable than auditorium seating. The seating plan at a...

Lighting equipment represents one of the largest financial investments in any theater organization, regardless of size. Lighting instruments, especially the lamps, are expensive. Much needless...

Good sound is very important to achieving a professional performance result. Flying microphones over the stage area to amplify sound from a chorus or an orchestra is a common practice but careful...

Incorporating a working water fountain into a stage set is not as challenging as it may sound. The project is often worth the time and modest expense because "practical" water fountains always...

Whether you are designing the lights for an off-Broadway musical, or simply creating a set of cues for your local community theater, the alteration and manipulation of stage lights is crucial for...

A great and relatively simple special effect used in theater is a scrim. A scrim is a netted curtain that when lit in different ways can appear either translucent or opaque from the vantage point...

In the 1930s, the idea of turning an old barn into a stage and putting on a show was popularized by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney movies. In reality, however, there are a lot more issues involved...

A realistic and reusable plaster arm cast can be constructed for theatre productions from materials found around the shop and at hardware and medical supply stores. A little careful engineering is...

The world of stage lighting can be a promising and fascinating field. But you cannot walk into the door and find work right away. Employers will expect you to know what you are talking about and...