Theatre Design Archives - Dramatics Magazine Online

Set Strike 101

Andrew Koch — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:35:18 +0000

The curtains may have closed, but your work isn’t finished! The last step for most theatre productions is the set strike, where everything from the show comes down. While your theatre teacher or director will help guide you, if this is your first strike, you may have plenty of questions. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Set Strike?

After the final performance, oftentimes the cast and crew come together to pack up everything that was created for the production. At strike, you’ll essentially return the theater to how it was before the show. This leaves a blank slate for other groups using the space, including your troupe.

According to the American Association of Community Theatre, the word “strike” has been used by theatre groups for at least 100 years. Sailors from as early as the 1300s used “strike” to mean “lower a mast or sail,” usually when preparing to drop the anchor (such as at the end of a journey).

Set strike generally takes place immediately after the final performance, but (depending on the venue and other factors, such as school schedules) it may be held a couple of days later.

What Will I Do at Strike?

Your theatre teacher will assign tasks to make sure everyone’s time is being used efficiently. A “strike plan” collects their notes in an organized document that might be shared with cast and crew before strike day. The crew will likely work in their respective departments, with cast members assigned tasks where needed.

During strike, you might:

Deconstruct set pieces.
Determine what set pieces, props, and/or costumes will be kept.
Move items into storage.
Take down lighting and sound equipment and return them to their rightful places.
Remove posters, banners, and other promotional materials.
Recycle any leftover programs, tickets, and so on.
Tidy up and sweep/vacuum the wings, green room, and any other common area (possibly including the theater’s lobby and house).
Return borrowed costume pieces.
Collect scripts/librettos to be returned to the licensing agency.

Safety is paramount! Listen carefully to instructions and be aware of your surroundings – especially around power tools, ladders, and sharp objects like loose nails and screws. Not to worry though, you’ll always have an adult nearby if you have any questions or concerns.

What Will I Need for Strike?

Because you’ll be moving around quite a bit (and likely on the ground), you’ll want to wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Depending on the job you’ve been assigned, you’ll be provided tools (screwdrivers, drills and bits, etc.), work gloves, sewing essentials, or trash bags.

Also, be sure to bring some refreshments to stay energized and hydrated, although this will likely be coordinated by the teachers.

You’ll also need to bring any materials that you rented from the licensing company, including scripts and scores. Follow your director’s instructions on erasing any marks you’ve made from them—licensing companies may have rules about this.

What Will the Theatre Department Keep?

Your director, producer, or technical director likely has ideas about what materials should be saved for future productions and what can be discarded.

Items designed specifically for a show (say, a bejeweled handheld magic mirror from Beauty and the Beast) probably can’t be used in other shows. But they might be saved and loaned out if a nearby troupe will also be putting on that show soon.

Here are some factors your company’s decision-makers might consider:

What shows your troupe will be doing next, if known.
Other uses: Basic items like stairs, platforms, or simple furniture can easily be adapted for other shows.
The item’s condition: No need to save splintered wood, costume pieces that have holes (although your costume shop will likely want to make repairs), or paint splotches.
How difficult the item was to find or make.
How much storage space you have (and how tricky a piece is to store safely).
Your troupe’s typical budget: some troupes keep each and every screw for reuse in future productions as a way to cut costs.

The troupe will also obviously need to return anything that was borrowed from cast/crew members, costume shops, or other theatre groups.

Should I Expect to Attend Strike Even if I’m Not on Crew?

Yes! In school and community productions, strike is usually an “all call” for everyone involved: cast, crew, and directorial staff.

Even if attendance isn’t mandatory, you should help your cast and crew mates. It’s very rare that a theatre teacher will pass up unsolicited support. In addition to being the right thing to do, your enthusiastic participation will leave a lasting good impression if you want to work with the troupe again.

Plus, this will likely be your last opportunity to see most of the cast and crew in the same place. Over the course of a production, cast and crew can become a kind of family. Cherish the remaining time you have with each other.

Theatre is a team sport. Roll up your sleeves, grab a hammer or drill, and pitch in!

Andrew Koch is a writer and editor from Cincinnati.

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3 Tips to Improve Your Theatre Design Skills

Dylan Malloy — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:32:01 +0000

You’re preparing to design your first production! Any form of theatre design – scenic, light, sound, prop, makeup, or costume – requires a close read of the script. Here’s how to study a script so that your design highlights the story happening onstage.

1. Take Note of the Basics

Before you start designing, take time to understand the basic elements of a piece. For example, if you’re doing scenic design, the playwright might indicate there are multiple doors characters walk through. If you’re doing lighting design, the playwright might want a specific-colored light in a certain scene.

The earlier you note these specifications, the less chance there is for surprises halfway through the rehearsal process. Playing catch-up in the final weeks before opening night is stressful and often expensive. Some elements to look for:

Time Period & Setting: Creating a collage or vision board full of pictures from this time/place will give you an idea of the colors and textures of the world you are creating. If the play is a period piece, you may find it helpful to talk to a history teacher about what life was like in that period so you can hear even more perspectives.
Language: The playwright’s language can give you a deeper sense of the story world. Is the language poetic and lyrical, gritty and rough, or somewhere in between? If the play is experimental and less tied to reality, you will have some additional freedom in your design choices, so long as the choices you make are directly related to the story. Ultimately, an experimental comedy will likely not look the same onstage as a realistic tragedy.
Tone: Paying attention to tone is also important so your choices amplify the emotions of the story. A more optimistic, comedic tone can possibly result in brighter lighting colors, more vivid makeup, and wackier sound effects than you would use if designing for a more grounded, realistic play. You want your design choices to make the story come alive, not feel like a distraction.

Once you have a list of the basic elements in the script, you have the foundations of your design plan.

2. Study the Characters

Next, take note of each character and personality traits you associate with them (happy, sneaky, angry, kind, proud, etc.). The designs you create can subtly tie back to the personality traits the playwright explores in the script.

Say you have a character that is enthusiastic and encouraging. This character could wear yellow (a happy color), the lights could become slightly brighter when they enter the room, or they could wear makeup that emphasizes their smile. Each character changes over the course of the show, and your design choices can reflect this change to make it more poignant for the audience. For example, this enthusiastic character might become discouraged over the course of the story and start wearing bleak, bland colors. Whether the play ends hopefully or tragically (or something in between), the design should emphasize the journey of emotions being felt.

Similarly, large-cast shows may divide characters into groups, for example, different families or social classes. Take note of these groups. If these differences are important to the meaning of the story, you can use your design skills to emphasize them. For example, characters in different social classes can wear different colors or carry unique props. No matter what you notice as you read the script, if you ground your design in the characters and the arcs they follow, your design will feel cohesive with the story.

3. Discuss with the Director

Before you get to work and start designing, you’ll want to sit down with the director and share ideas. The director has also been intensively studying the script, and they might have thoughts about certain design elements. In the rehearsal room, part of the director’s job is to guide the actors towards a deeper understanding of the characters, so they’ll be especially attentive to the tone and arc of the story. Bring pictures, sketches, collages, or digital models to the conversation to share your ideas.

During your conversation, there might be some differences of opinion. Be sure to let your director know if you feel certain design choices they want are unachievable, whether it’s due to your budget, the amount of time you have, or your ability/knowledge. Being honest at the start of the process can prevent challenges down the line, and coming up with alternative ideas reminds your director that you’re a flexible team player.

No matter what, you’re now an expert on this script and have a multitude of excellent ideas to make the story world come to life!

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