Stage Productions

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...

Theater production designers have been manipulating the way lighting instruments illuminate the stage about as long as controlled lighting has been a part of theater history. What began as a...

Achieving rich, vibrant sound for a theater production is important, particularly in musicals. Sound quality is often overlooked in production design, but you can engineer high-quality "surround...

Until you are actually sitting in the theater watching a production, you can never be a hundred percent certain about how good your seats are. But do a little preliminary research and book early...

Theater properties, or props, date back to the Greek plays in which actors wore large exaggerated masks on their faces to represent their characters. They evolved in the Renaissance with the...

The Arlington Theatre is an historic theater built in 1931. It is located at 1317 State Street in Santa Barbara, California. The theater seats 2,000.

Effective theater lighting does not just involve the lighting effects, colors and shapes you may see during a stage production. Theater lighting also involves lighting the audience and making fine...

Theater lighting is a dangerous profession. Working with suspended, heavy lights in a dark atmosphere with high-voltage electricity poses a number of hazards to your health and safety. Through the...

Theater lighting is not merely a functional technical aspect, but an artistic statement used to enhance the visual and dramatic elements of a stage show. It is designed by experienced artists who...

A stage manager is the liaison between the director, actors, producer and the audience, and he or she makes sure that the show is running smoothly from start to finish. Discover the job of a stage...

Lighting design for the theater is based upon changes in music or mood, and there can be as many as 400 lighting cues for any given show. Learn the finer points of designing stage lighting with...

Even if you've written the greatest script in the world and have actors lined up who are enthusiastic about performing in it, it's not going to enjoy the applause and reap the benefits of an...

When it comes to lighting for the theater, it isn't all about visibility. While the visibility of the performers on the stage is an important aspect of theater lighting, lighting in the theater is...

Even if you don't want to be on stage, there are lots of ways to get involved with community theater. Although it can be a lot of work, opening night is a thrill for everyone involved.

Whether you are putting on a play or you're an aspiring studio photographer, a curtain backdrop is a necessity. Backdrops can greatly add to the scenery of a play and make an environment come to...

Rehearsals are going well, and opening night is approaching. Now is the time to make the playbill. This document provides information about the particular play as well as about the theater. You...

Set decorations can make a simple sound stage look like a ruined temple in "Raiders of the Lost Arc." Set decorations can transport the audience to a different time and space. They can give the...

Maybe you've acted in school plays or a church production and you caught "the bug." Or maybe you've never acted on any stage, but think it might be a lot of fun. In either case,...

The technology and techniques used in theater stage lighting are diverse. Stage lighting design is a key element of theater productions, because it can create mood, signal a shift in scene,...

When the lights go down at the theater, we're transported to a magic world where even the most unlikely story seems real. It doesn't just happen, though. Artists and technicians create a world for...

Stage directors are an important part of the theater world. The job is in charge of all aspects of the production. Directors are in charge of everything from casting to the final product....

Boston is a mecca for world class theater. In fact, many Broadway shows out on tour often stop in Boston. There is an opportunity to see a show almost every night, depending on what you like. If...

Call it what you will: Theater talk, lingo or jargon but learn it if you’re working in the theater whether as a performer, a stagehand or an usher. The theater world has a lingo all of its...

If you live in Connecticut, you are never far away from world class theater. Especially if you live in a commutable distance from New York City, you are never far from being on Broadway. However,...

Learn theatrical staging basics, lighting tips, set building, and stage functions - free video.

Special effects on the movie screen are becoming more awe inspiring every year with technological breakthroughs and artistic know-how. Special effects in the theater can be just as awe inspiring...

Stage managers create the atmosphere that the director is trying to achieve through direction of the various technicians. A good one can create a wonderful experience out of mediocre material,...

If you are an aspiring actor and have the misfortune of working with an intensely strict director, you need some general sense of how to go about coping with him. Follow these steps to help you...

A close friend has just invited you to attend a local live performance of a hit play and you are terrified because you haven't attended a play since your elementary school version of "The...

As a director you are challenged with more of a task than just telling your actors what to say and how to say it. You truly need to block every motion, from entrances and exits to where to stand...

The stage props in your theater production help determine how believable your show will be to your audience. With metal props, you have to balance the safety of the actors while with the effect of...

The theater is a wonderful place of dreams and magic, and part of that magic is the setting. For especially magical and unique settings, such a forest or city skyline, you must create a theater...

Adding fog to your theatrical presentation makes the difference between an average show and a great show. Use a fog machine to create a specific atmosphere, setting or look for your show.

It’s sad but true that while many stage directors pay close attention to their actors and designers, the people who are part of the stage crew often seem to fly beneath the director’s radar....

The Board of Directors plays a vital role in the operation and management of a theater company. Both nonprofit and for-profit theaters must ensure that they select the right candidates to serve on...

Every theatrical presentation begins with an important choice--what play should you perform?

In this computer age, the Internet offers a number of efficient, focused and virtually free ways to publicize a theatrical event. This tool should be used in addition to traditional methods such...

A festival of one-act plays is a good way for theaters to provide an outlet for local writers, attract and train new actors and directors as well as provide innovative entertainment for the...

Newspapers, magazine and numerous sites on the Internet are constantly on the lookout for writers who can analyze theatrical performances and articulate their thoughts in the form of a theater...

A theater scrim is a panel or back drop used in theatrical performances. The scrim allows one scene to be going on in front of the scrim while a silhouette or other scene happens behind the scrim....

Part negotiator, part diplomat, part fundraiser, part cheerleader, part publicist and part artist, a theatrical producer must wear many hats, shepherding the creative process to a successful...

The world of theater is full of energy, imagination, hard work and creative people. In this world there are many parts to play. You can work behind the scenes or under the lights. You can become a...

Today's teens are accustomed to fast action, special effects and cookie-cutter plots from films and TV. They learn in school about Sophocles and Shakespeare, but this gives them the impression...

Stage designers create scenes based on the time, place, setting and mood of a play, film or TV show. They are responsible for the stage construction, costume creation and the use of props that are...

Calling all drama queens--and kings! Community theater is perfect for serious actors as well as those who think they have what it takes to be a star. It's also a terrific outlet for directors, set...