Technical Theatre Basics

What is Technical Theatre?

Technical theatre, a.k.a. "Stagecraft", provides the visual, sound, and mechanical elements in a theatrical production which support the writing, direction, and acting. It's made up of five essential elements: scenery, lighting, costumes, props, and sound. All of these elements help set the production's mood, time period, and place, transporting the audience to the world of the play.

Technical Theatre: Skills to Pay the Bills

Working in Technical Theatre can be a valuable career building skill, teaching and honing skills that can be applied in a variety of different industries. A theatrical production is a collaborative effort, which involves technicians working closely with others to accomplish a goal. In order to work well together, learning how to communicate clearly and effectively becomes a vital skill. Technicians from the various disciplines bring their own expertise to every production so much can be learnred from peers, especially how each stagecraft component affects and complements the others. Projects usually have strict timelines so technicians must learn to become adept at adjusting for and accomodating changes on the fly, always keeping the project deadlines and goals in mind. Finally, with any project, unforeseen events can occur, forcing technicians to actively and creatively troubleshoot in order to overcome a challenges. Whether technical theatre simply starts your career or IS your career, it can provide you with a wardrobe of useful business skills.

Technical Theatre Jobs

If working in technical theatre sounds interesting, challenging and enriching, it is! Listed below are some of the jobs that make the magical world of theatre possible.

Designer

A Designer oversees elements like sets, scenery, costumes, lighting, and sound. Basically anything that helps transport the audience to "the world" of a play is the Designer's responsibility. A Designer works closely with the director and other creative staff to achieve this. Some Designers employ an Assistant Designer to help with moving the design process along, keeping on schedule, or when a special skill is needed. Some Assistant Designers aspire to become a Designer while others choose to make a career out of being an assistant. Most Designers have a bachelor's degree, while some have a master's degree. Learn more about set design here.

Property Master

The Property Master is in charge of building and/or purchasing all props for a show. Property Masters have a crew that oversees all props, ensuring that they are properly maintained, stored and put in place for each performance. Property masters have an extensive knowledge of decor and furniture throughout history.

Technical Director

The Technical Director oversees all technical elements (and sometimes technical budget) of a show. Technical Directors are often well-versed in scenery construction and rigging. Consequently, they are also responsible for the safety of performers and technicians. As with Designers, their responsibilities encompass many elements so they often employ an Assistant Technical Director. Technical Directors typically have a bachelor's degree and sometimes a master's degree.

Production Manager

The Production Manager oversees the budget, logistics and scheduling of a show's technical elements. If a show tours, the Production Manager coordinates the movement of technical elements from one location to another, sometimes coordinating with outside entities.

Programmer

Modern day productions utilize hardware and software to control lights, sound, and other technical elements. A Programmer is the specialist who programs and operates these computer-managed elements in a way that enhances the Designer's creative vision.

Master Carpenter

The Master Carpenter plans for scenery construction with the Designer. He or she then oversees the construction of scenery by Shop Carpenters and the movement of scenery by Stage Carpenters.

Master Electrician

The Master Electrician works with the Lighting Designer to prepare purchase and rental orders, ready all gear for installation, and oversee the installation. The Master Electrician also manages any electricians hired to install, focus, maintain and operate lighting. In some cases, they also install sound equipment.

Stage Manager

The Stage Manager is the eyes and ears of a production. The Stage Manager is in rehearsals with actors and the director. During that time, he or she collects and passes information between the rehearsal room, designer, and construction teams. Once the show enters production, the stage manager calls all cues, ensuring that the director's vision is upheld. For larger productions, the Stage Manager may employ assistant stage managers, who may be in charge of a specific location exclusively, like stage right, for example.

First Hand, Cutter, Stitcher, and Draper

These crew members work in the costume shop, sewing and fabricating a production's costumes. A Costume Craft's responsibility is creating props like hats, canes, purses, etc..

Wardrobe

Wardrobe maintains a production's costumes, ensuring they are cleaned on schedule and repaired when needed. A Dresser is a technician that assists actors with dressing, especially when a "quick change" is required.

If you're a technical theatre wiz who is considering a career change, check our current job openings here.