SET and SCENERY

THE SET TELLS THE AUDIENCE WHERE THE ACTION IS WHEN THE ACTION IS WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECT THE CHARACTERS. ALL BEFORE ANY ACTORS STEP ON STAGE.

IN SHORT IT HELPS CREATE ATMOSPHERE

Scenery used to show where a drama takes place To place a drama in a certain time or place SET

FIRST DECIDE WHAT KIND OF STAGE YOU WILL BE PERFORMING ON.

END ON STAGE

THRUST STAGE

PROSCENIUM ARCH

AVENUE STAGE

Audience follows the action on foot, moving from one location to another PROMENADE THEATRE

CONSIDER THE EXTRAS…

APRON

Slope of stage to allow actors to be seen RAKE

Drapes which curtain off the back or sides of stage BLACKS

NOW THINK. WHAT ELEMENTS WOULD HELP CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR WHICH YOU ARE AIMING.

What the audience sees of the stage from where they are sitting SIGHT LINES CONSIDER

FLATS

BACKCLOTH

WINDOW FLAT

DOOR FLAT

TRAPDOOR

TREADS

area above the stage from where set or actors are FLOWN In on pullies FLIES YOU CAN USE THIS TO DROP DIFFERENT BACKCLOTHS

Piece of scenery on wheels for ease of movement TRUCK

WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SET CONSTRUCTED YOU NEED TO DRESS IT WITH DETAILS TO YOUR STORY AND CHARACTERS.

An item placed on the set, usually part of it e.g. a lamp, clock, picture SET PROP

OVER ALL THE WHOLE SET HAS A NAME……..

Resources used to create the setting where a drama takes place, e.g. backcloth, flats, rostra, furniture. SCENERY

IF YOUR SET IS EFFECTIVE THE ACTORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THE TIME PERIOD LOCATION SOCIAL STATUS ATMOSPHERE BEFORE ANY ACTORS WALK ON STAGE!

GROUND PLAN

GROUND PLAN IS A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE SET

LET US REVIEW THE AREAS OF THE STAGE…

CSCSR CSL DSR USR USCUSL DSC DSL AUDIENCE

A KEY Flat Table Chair Entrance /Exit GENERALLY A GROUND PLAN LOOKS LIKE THIS!

A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE 5 INGREDIENTS K A V E S EY UDIENCE IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE) NTRANCE/ EXIT YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)

LET US BEGIN…. STEP ONE. DRAW THE GENERAL ACTING AREA AND ADD YOUR AUDIENCE. AUDIENCE

NOW ADD THE SET PIECES. TRICKY PART IS LIKE CHEMISTRY THERE ARE SYMBOLS YOU HAVE TO USE SO LETS BEGIN THERE ….

FLAT

DOOR FLAT

WINDOW FLAT

CHAIR

TABLE

SOFA

TREADS (STAIRS)

ENTERANCE/ EXIT

~~~~~~~ CURTAIN

BACKCLOTH

GAUZE

SO THEN YOU PUT THEM ON THE STAGE AUDIENCE

NOW ADD A KEY AUDIENCE KEY DOOR FLAT TABLE CHAIR ENTERANCES/ EXIT a key is like a legend on a map. It tells people what the symbols mean.

BUT WHEN YOU WANT TO PUT ANOTHER PIECE OF SET ON STAGE THEN YOU GET TO MAKE IT UP! AUDIENCE KEY DOOR FLAT JAIL CELL BARS ENTERANCES/ EXIT

REMEMBER A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE 5 INGREDIANTS K A V E S EY UDIENCE IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE) NTRANCE/ EXIT YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)

~~~~~~~ Flat Door Flat Window Flat Table Chair Sofa Treads Rostra Curtains Backcloth Gauze If there is not a symbol for the item here then you make one up. Eg. Tree Never EVER EVER draw any of your symbols In 3D. It must be a bird’s eye view of the stage

SCRIPT AS NIGHT TO THE DAY By Dan Ebbs Modern day. It is a gloriously sunny weekday morning. In the spring. Kitchen in the house of WINIFRED Ashcroft. Table and the three chairs centre. Counter upstage centre; on it are kettle, tea pot, cups, spoons, carton of milk, sugar bowl, loaf of bread and package of sliced mat; sink and tap in the middle of the counter. WINIFRED is at the counter pouring water from the kettle into the tea pot and humming tune. She is in her late seventies, a widow and a retired high school math teacher. She is still in her night gown. Michael (off left) Mom? You up? Winifred I’m in the Kitchen Michael enters left. He is Winifred’s only child. He is in his early forties wears factory work clothes and looks tired MichaelI tried the front door but it was locked. Must’ve left the key at home. Winifred Good Morning Michael MichaelMorning. No paper today? WinifredYou brought the newspaper? Where is it? MichaelNo. I asked you if there was any paper today. I didn’t see it on the front porch. They should have brought it by now. MichaelIt’s not- but she is gone- Whatever. He pokes around the counter; checks to see if the tea is steeped; checks a cup to see if it is clean; pours some milk in first; looks at the milk in the cup; sniffs it sniffs the carton. Winifred(re enters right) Do you have the paper? MichaelHas the milk been out all night? MichaelThe milk. Smell it. (he hold carton up to her nose) Winifred(sniffs) That’s sour. You don’t want to be drinking that. MichaelYes, I know, Mom. That’s why I was asking you. Did you leave it out?

Task: Draw a ground plan of your set of Winifred’s kitchen Design this into a Set Box Model. Include a photograph of your finished design here.