1. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. In the proscenium theatre, stage properties are the icing on the scenic designer’s cake They are the primary design tool used to provide clues to the personalities and socioeconomic status of the characters The following three slides show the same set dressed with different props

2. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.

3. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.

4. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved.

5. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. In thrust and arena theatres, the visual importance of stage properties increases significantly Because the stage space cannot house large sets, the furniture and decorative props become the major visual element of the design

6. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. The property master must have a detailed working knowledge of every craft area in theatre Woodworking Metalworking Electrical wiring and electronics Mold making Ceramics Sewing Upholstery Furniture construction Scene painting

7. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. What is a Prop? Stage properties are traditionally divided into three categories Set props Hand props Decorative props

8. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. What is a Prop? Set Props Set props are defined as larger movable items, not built into the set, that are used in some way by the actors Furniture, floor lamps, rugs, stoves, tree stumps, etc.

9. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. What is a Prop? Hand Props Hand props refer to small items that are handled or carried by the actors Plates, cups, letters, books, fans, lanterns, etc.

10. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. What is a Prop? Decorative Props Decorative props include all the things that are used to enhance the setting visually but are not specifically touched by the actors Window curtains, pictures, table lamps, bric-a-brac, books in bookcases, etc.

11. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Property Design In the commercial and educational theatre, properties are normally designed by the scenic designer The prop master then builds, buys, rents, or borrows the props for the production

12. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Property Design Real or Fake? If an actor is going to touch or pick up a prop, it should feel real A book that will be picked up and opened should feel real and have pages Props can be faked if they are not going to be used by the actors Books on a shelf may be no more than the spines

13. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Property Design Property Acquisition To create an aura of authenticity, property masters frequently try to find actual objects appropriate to the period of the play Since antiques are expensive and rare, the property master may build or acquire a reproduction of period pieces

14. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Property Design Property Acquisition Borrowing or Renting Props Any type of prop used in the theatre is subject to unusual stresses and wear When borrowing or renting, assure the lending agent that the item will be returned intact Lending agreements can make this process easier

15. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Property Design Property Acquisition Building Props Some props, such as antiques, are best not used on stage It is usually more appropriate wither to use a reproduction or to build the piece in the shop Some props, like fantasy pieces, must be built

16. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Organizing Props for Production If props are going to be effective in a production, they must be consistently places in their proper locations in and around the set Hand props and small set props should be locked up between rehearsals and performances A written list, including a map or location indicator, detailing the onstage placement of all set props must be created

17. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Organizing Props for Production During rehearsals and performances, the property crew will place the set props in their appropriate locations The organization of hand props must also be exact The prop crew head should create a precise list of what props are handled by the actors during each scene

18. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Organizing Props for Production A “prop table” on which on hand props are placed is normally set up in the wings To aid in organizing props, this large table (or tables) is usually covered with butcher paper and “mapped” with the names of the props The appropriate prop is placed in its location on the “map” on the table

19. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Furniture Upholstery Decorative Curtains and Draperies Papier-Mâché Vacuum Forming Molds Foam Carving Heat Forming Fiberglass Wood Turning

20. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Furniture Carpenter-style furniture can be built using ordinary woodworking tools and techniques

21. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Upholstery Many times the apparent age or period of a fabric-covered piece can be altered by simply changing the fabric

22. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Upholstery The fabric covering can be altered in two ways Slipcovers—covers existing fabric Reupholstery—replaces existing fabric

23. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Decorative Curtains and Draperies Decorative curtains are used by the scenic designer to help dress the set The type and style is dictated by the period being represented A variety of material can be used in making draperies

24. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Papier-Mâché One of the oldest and cheapest craft techniques used in the theatre It is used to make or cover a wide variety of shapes and objects: logs, statues, fake food, etc. Papier-Mâché is made by building up a form with successive layers of paper that are bound together with a wheat-paste binder After it is constructed, the item can be painted easily

25. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Vacuum Forming Also known as vacuforming, this process shapes plastics through the application of heat and vacuum pressure A sheet of plastic is heated by an oven and then placed over a mold When the plastic cools, it retains the shape of the mold His system can be used to form banisters, cornices, wall panels, masks, etc.

26. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Molds Molds are used to create multiple copies of a wide variety of items: fake food, decorative panels, cornice molding, costume jewelry, etc. There are two categories of molds: open and closed They can further be divided into rigid and flexible Rigid molds are made form wood, fiberglass, plaster of paris Flexible mold are made from synthetic materials, like silicone

27. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Foam Carving Expanded polystyrene foam (Stryofoam) is used in the fabrication of statues, columns, cornices, etc. Light-blue Styrofoam is fire resistant, but the white variety is not Styrofoam is easily cut with any power saw

28. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Heat Forming Heat forming refers to warming plastic until it becomes flexible enough to bend Fiberglass Fiberglass is formed by coating glass-fiber reinforcement with polyester or epoxy resin

29. Theatrical Design and Production Chapter 11: Stage Properties © 2006 McGraw-Hill. All right reserved. Craft Techniques Wood Turning Wood turning is done on a lathe Various prop and scenic items (banisters, newels, chair and sofa legs) are frequently turned on a lathe