Exploring the Collaborative Artistic Process in Drama through Jobs & Production skills ©2006 EvaMedia

What are some of the

jobs / careers

in theatre?

playwright

•

person who writes a play

•

also called a dramatist

producer

•

arranges for funding

•

hires director & production staff

•

sets budget

•

pays bills & salaries

director

•

brings together all the artistic elements of a play

•

casts actors

•

develops a ‘vision’ for the production

cast

•

a group of actors selected to portray characters

crew

•

a group of people selected to do the technical work of the production (lighting, sound, props, etc.)

designer

•

makes sketches, builds models, describes concepts

•

instructs technical crew

•

collaborates with director

How is a play or film created?

It is a Collaborative Artistic Process that takes a long time & a great deal of effort from many people.

First, arrangements must be made for use of a script.

This includes financial considerations.

royalties

•

money paid to playwright or publisher for permission to stage a particular play

script

•

printed copy of a play

Then, the director analyzes the script & casts actors in roles. Together they begin to rehearse for upcoming performances.

act

•

a major unit or division of a play

scene

•

a small section of a play within an act

language

•

lines in a script

•

also: words, stage directions, & movements (body language) used to tell the story

dialogue

•

two or more people talking

monologue

•

one person speaking (called a soliloquy in Shakespearean drama)

action

•

what happens onstage to hold the attention of the audience

plot

•

story

•

sometimes called ‘action’

conflict

•

dramatic opposition (internal or external)

•

also called ‘suspense’

theme

•

message, meaning, moral or lesson of the story

•

basic idea of the play

•

not the same as plot

character

•

a person or an animal

•

occasionally, an object or a place

characterization

•

putting together all aspects of a character

motivation

•

reasons for a character behaving in a certain way

•

includes character’s past, present & future

empathy

•

the ability to relate to the feelings of another person or character

discovery

•

a revelation

•

something that is revealed about a character or situation in a play

The designers & production crew take care of the show’s physical & technical needs.

spectacle

•

visual elements: sets, lights, makeup, costumes, props

•

the “look” of the production

designers & crew

•

design/build sets

•

hang & focus lights

•

find or make costumes & props

•

design & create sound

•

create make-up

A tech rehearsal is necessary before the show opens to the public. Things like lighting cues must be tested.

During performances, technicians & stage managers make sure everything runs smoothly.

When the run ends …

strike

•

to remove props from the set

•

to dismantle the set after the production closes

After the PLANNING , PLAYING & (performing) RESPONDING … those involved EVALUATE to determine whether the show ‘worked.’

But most of the time, the Audience is the best judge of a show’s success!