Professional Careers in Theatre [ Part 2: Technical & Designing Careers]

1.  With your CURTAINS UP! notebook and pen handy, begin by watching the first video.  Devote ONE page in your notebook to each video.  Watch the video in its' entirety, & then watch again to make notes on each point below:

• Note the name of the theatre
• Write the designer or technician's full name
• List any details they give about their duties
•  Recall any information they give about "how they got started" in this field
• Write ONE QUOTE from the interview that you think is important [and remember that quotes must be exact, with "quotation marks" on either end of the quote.]
• LIST your favorite things about this person's job, their attitude in speaking about their work & journey to it,  the city in which they're working,  etc.
• Your  list of comments about the video & bullet points above should be at least 8-10 sentences 

2.  REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR EACH VIDEO.  
3.  TURN TO THE CONTACTS PAGES in the back of your notebook.  Write the names of any of the professionals in the interviews that were especially interesting to you;  also, if you have family [aunts & uncles, grandparents, cousins, parents' old family friends,  etc.] in of the cities mentioned, BE SURE to make a note about  the theaters & professionals in these cities.  [If you happen to visit on a family trip out-of-town,  don't ever underestimate the value of attending a show in a theatre there,  and perhaps making contact with any of the designers or technicians by leaving a note, waiting after the show,etc.]

COMPLETING THE TASKS IN THIS  PROJECT  [listed below] IS YOUR ASSESSMENT. 

1. Your production group will choose a fairy tale. [One student should be deemed "NOTE TAKER" to write down all the decisions of the group, but  everyone  should be active in generating IDEAS. 

• Agree on a "time period" for the setting of your play; this will influence the style of the set, costumes, make-up , and hair designs. 
• Check out books from library/media center that have drawings of towns, buildings, and people from this time period, as a reference resource...including titles, authors, and publishers.

​2. Remember to be professional when someone else is expressing an idea; no put-downs are necessary if you don't like/don't agree with suggestions.[PROFESSIONALS  in business situations need to express concerns/different opinions politely in the workplace, assuring harmony among workers and GOOD VIBES!] 
3. Agree on & select 2 SCENES from that particular story, & 4 total characters in those scenes, for which you each will "tackle" your design work.
3. Within your project group, each student will choose a job for which they will be responsible, but only ONE STUDENT PER DESIGN JOB.   [ALL JOBS do not have to be filled, as there may not be enough members in the group, but each designer will work solo, in this activity.]

TASKS FOR DESIGNERS: 

*Set Designer-   STEP 1: Choose 1 scene of your group's play, & draw/ color a replica of the main stage for this scene of the play, on drawing paper.  The drawing should be measured to SCALE, [ perhaps 1/2" = 1 foot] using a tape measure,& the stage in your own school. Include any platforms, backdrops, room dividers, furniture, trees, or *WHATEVER* you imagine the scene requiring. STEP 2: Construct an actual model of the stage for this scene [cardboard, posterboard, balsa wood, etc.]  Be sure to construct all the trees, platforms, walls, etc. to place/attach onto your model.   [Remember that actors need enough room to exit through doors, and walk safely from one place to another on stage.] Aside from using watercolors, you can use scrapbooking paper, or old wallpaper samples as "wall coverings".

*Costume Designer:  STEP 1: Research and draw designs for 4 different costumes, 1 design for each character in the play.  Each design will be sketched & colored on a separate sheet of drawing paper.   STEP 2:  CONSTRUCT 1 hat/headpiece, *OR* alter 1 piece of apparel to become a costume piece for the production. [ The definition of "altering" in this sense is to get a thrift store coat, dress, pants, etc...THEN  cut, hot glue, stitch, add glitter, lace, etc. until this piece of apparel has become a "costume piece" for 1 of the characters.] 

*Hair & Make-up Designer:   STEP 1: Research and design make-up AND hair for the 4 characters for 1 scene in the production, producing a final "working pencil sketch" of each. STEP 3: on a separate sheet of paper, list  ALL OF THE MAKE-UP SUPPLIES/HAIR SUPPLIES needed. [Research online where to buy theatre make-up, & hair/wig needs, list prices of each product needed.] STEP 2:  Choose 2 of these "working sketches", lightly pencil EACH sketch/ design onto its' own sheets.  drawing 2 paper & colorize with a watercolor/ outline with a sharpie if needed. Step 3:  On a separate sheet of lined paper, list ALL OF THE MAKEUP SUPPLIES/HAIR SUPPLIES that would be needed if you were actually the make-up and hair designer.  [Use your online resource list provided in the RESOURCES section.]

*Sound Designer [music & sfx]:  [ List the composer  or source for each music segment]  STEP 1:   Choose 2 short segments of music for the opening of EACH of the 2 scenes [not the same for each scene!.. depending on that particular scene & what will be happening onstage],  and ALSO music for 1 other important event that happens in one of the 2 scenes; record all these music segments on a device. STEP 2:  Choose 2 sfx  that would occur in the play...list 1st or 2nd scene, describe the sound & WHY/ WHERE in the scene the sfx will happen. You will need to find them online, or physically create them yourself ...then record on a device. STEP 3:  Write all the information for STEPS 1, 2,& 3 neatly as a one page SOUND REPORT in your notebook, to turn in as part of your assessment, as well as your sound recordings, and a description of why you chose them to be effective for that part of the play.