Download Production Organization and Management

Production Organization and
Management Staff
Introduction to Theater Organization
and Brief Job Descriptions
 “Theatre folk have always delighted in
surrounding the process of putting on
plays with an aura of mystery. The
tradition stems from the probably
accurate belief that a play’s
entertainment value increases if the
audience thinks that the production
spontaneously happens.” -J.M. Gillette
 Going from the page to the stage takes
planning, time, effort, and a lot of challenging
work.
 The PRODUCTION TEAM works hard to create
a product that is meaningful and artistic but
also appears to be seamless.
 Good Theatre requires good
organization
 Every successful production has a
strong organizational structure.
 Each company’s structure is unique to
its own needs but they tend to follow a
pattern.
This is specific to this company
Production Meeting
 The PRODUCTION MEETING or “Prod Meeting” is
probably the single most important device for
ensuring smooth communication among the various
Production Departments.
 The production meetings tend to happen once a
week to keep everyone on the same page as the
production develops
Who attends the Production
Meetings?
 Usually only the top tiers of the organization attend
the production meetings. That being said, it is still a
conference of 11-14 people
Typical Production Team is made up of
 Director, Playwright, Production Manager, Technical
Director, Designers, Prop Master, Stage Manager, and
Managing Director
Production Time line
 Every company operates on a different schedule, but
the following is a base time line of a production of a
professional company




4 weeks of Concept/ Design Meetings and Planning
6 weeks of rehearsals and construction
1 week of Tech and Dress Rehearsals
2 Weeks of performance
 Total from concept to closing= 13 Weeks
Producer or Board of Directors
 The Producer is the ultimate authority in the
organizational structure of a theatrical production.
 The producer secures the rights to the play, leases the
theater, hires the director, and production staff, and
is the financial backing of the production.
 Sometimes this job is the responsibility of a few
people who make up a Board of Directors
Managing Director
 The M.D. deals with all the business
aspects of the production.
 The are responsible for acquiring and
managing funds for contracts,
fundraising, ticket sales, publicity, and
box office management.
Playwright
 The playwright creates and develops the ideas
that evolve into the finished script.
 If available the playwright will often help the
director explaining their interpretations of
plots and characters
Director
 The director is the artistic manager and inspirational
leader of the production team.
 The director coordinates the work of the actors,
designers, and crews so that the production
accurately expresses the production concept.
 The director is ultimately responsible for the unified
creative interpretation of the play as it is expressed in
production
Stage Manager
 A good stage manager is essential to running a
successful production. They keep a production
moving forward by anticipating problems and
keeping open communication between all
departments.
 They assist the director during rehearsals and are
responsible for all backstage activity after the show
opens.
Scenic Designer
 The scenic designer is responsible for the
visual appearance and function of the scenic
and property elements in a production
 Through research and renderings they convey
the concept to the technical director.
Scenic Artist
 The scenic artist, under the direction of
the Scene Designer, is responsible for
the painting of the scenery.
 They have to be able to work with many
different mediums on a wide range of
materials on a large scale.
Property Master (Prop Master)
 The Property Master is responsible for the
design and construction of the various
decorative and functional props that are used
in a production
Technical Director
 In smaller theaters, the T.D., may just be responsible
for the construction, transportation, and installation
of all scenery and and properties on the stage.
 Larger theaters may have multiple venues,
simultaneous shows, and multiple crews that report
under a T.D.
 The T.D. will facilitate communications of the
production teams, keep track of construction
process, oversee budgets, and manage crews.
Lighting Designer
 The lighting designer is responsible for the
design, installation, and operation of the
lighting and special electrical effects used in a
production
 To show where lighting equipment will be
placed they create a light plot showing where
lights will go in the theatre
Costume Designer
 The Costume Designer is responsible for the
visual appearance of the actors.
 They create costume renderings to reinforce
the directors concept with also giving the
audience visual information about a character
(age, gender, social class, occupation)
Sound Designer
 The sound designer is responsible for the
design, recording, equipment set up, and
playback of any sound used in a production.
 The are also responsible for the
reinforcement of sounds made by the actors
on stage
Personnel
 Each department has multiple crews that work
together to mount a show
 Assistant Stage Managers, Paint Crews, Props Crew,
Run Crew, Master Carpenter, Construction Crew,
Assistant Designers, Master Electricians, Stage
Electricians, Costume Shop Supervisor, Costume
Crew, Sound Crew, Box office crew, and House Staff
all work under the guidance of the Production Team
Challenge
 Take a moment in your notebook to create an organization
Box chart for the Quincy High production staff
 Be sure to include the following
 Producer, Director, Designers, Stage Managers, Box Office,
Performers, Run Crew, Construction crew, Technical
Directors, Costume Crew, Scenic Artist, and Props
Management
 Under the job title write in the name(s) of who currently
fills those roles. (Teacher, Student, Parent, Administrator)