1. A Day in the Life of a Theatre
Chapter 5
A Day in the Life of a Theatre

2. Theatre Ensemble
A creative collection that includes playwrights, actors, directors, designers, painters, carpenters, drapers, stagehands and electricians…

3. Theatre Ensemble (cont.)
…who join together to create a performance as if it were the product of a single creative mind.

4. A Theatre Ensemble Flow Chart in Detail

5. Administrative Team Producer Artistic Director Literary Manager
Publicity Personnel
Box Office
Fundraisers
Administrative Staff

6. Producer
Because money is involved, the producer or producing organization is one of the most powerful positions in the theatre.

7. Artistic Director
What prepared me for the artistic director job? Everything and nothing One of the biggest problems I face is when to be pragmatic in solving a problem and when to just insist on the art.
Irene Lewis,
Artistic director of the Center
Stage in Baltimore

8. Creative Team Playwright Director Actors Musical Director
Choreographer
Movement Coach
Fight Director
Vocal Coach
Dramaturg

9. Creative Team (cont.) Designers: Sets Lights Sound Costumes Makeup
Props

10. Construction Crews
The Technical Director (TD) supervises the construction crews:
Painters
Carpenters
Electricians
Stitchers
Wigmakers

11. Production Crews Stage Manager and assistants
House Manager (assistants and ushers)
Sound board operator
Light board operator
Running crews (stage, lighting, sound, costume, props)

12. Stage Manager (SM) Duties
Attends pre-rehearsal meetings with director and designers
Assists director at auditions
Schedules rehearsals
During rehearsal takes notes, records blocking and writes up rehearsal reports
Creates the prompt book
Calls the show
Generates detailed performance reports

13. Managing the Stage
At the end of the show, when the audience applauds—yes, of course they’re applauding the actors, but they’re also applauding everyone backstage who made the production possible.
Alan Hall,
Stage manager of the Tony Awards

14. Tools of the Trade
Flats
Props
Legs
Teasers
Scrims
Cyc

15. Lingo
The House
Prop Check
The Call
Curtain
Greenroom
Stage Door

16. Curtain Call
When theatre succeeds, it does so because every member of the ensemble understands his or her duties, yet is also allowed to solve problems, express opinions, use the techniques of his or her trade, and be creative.