All of the components that go into creating a drama production.
When attending a play or a musical, you may not know the number of people who work behind the scenes to ensure the quality of the production. From the actors on stage to the people working on set and props, each person working on a play is essential. Without them, no production would be able to run. In this piece, I aim to highlight some of the hard work that goes into the artistic processes behind live shows which are commonly overlooked.
At the forefront of any production is the creative team. This includes the playwrights, directors, assistant directors, and the dramaturges. Together, they are in charge of building the creative vision for the play. They bring the written script to life and coordinate all the creative aspects of a production. They build the world where the play unfolds, whether they are working on a new production or an existing one.
The playwright is the person who originally develops the plot and characters for the play, establishing the main ideas for the production before it reaches the casting and designing stage. Directors are the primary people who shape all aspects of the final production. They oversee design choices, casting, and scene rehearsals. Assistant directors help with daily operations and planning. The dramaturg provides vital information, research, and interpretation of scripts to the director, cast, and designers, ensuring everyone has the necessary information to do the production justice.
The members of the design team are the backbone of any production. Their job is to bring the director’s vision to life through costumes, sets, props, lighting, and sound. They take the play setting and characters established by the creative team and use their skills to communicate all these ideas nonverbally to the audience. The costume designer is responsible for creating outfits for the cast that fit with the world of the play. They work closely with the director and other designers to ensure the costumes align with the overall setting and work well with other design elements.
Set designers create the artificial world where the production takes place. They build the scenery, crafting an environment that captures both the audience and actors into what is occurring on stage. Prop designers work closely with the set designer, costume designer, and director to create what the actors will use on stage. They understand what props the actors may need to access easily and use during the play to support the story.
Lighting designers focus on creating the lighting schemes that set the mood and highlight relevant characters. They create the cues in coordination with the stage manager and the lighting operator, who indicates when certain lighting changes will occur. Similarly, sound designers choose and compile different sound effects or music that will be used in the production, as well as the amplification of the actors’ voices on stage. Like lighting, sound cues are coordinated with the stage manager, for when certain sounds or music will be played to emphasize what is occurring within the production.
Another important role is the production team, which takes care of all sorts of things, from the financial logistics behind the scenes to the coordination of the design aspects on the stage. The producer is the one who secures funding for the production, overseeing ticket sales and hiring staff, including directors. The stage manager is the right hand to the director and oversees the props, set, lighting, and sound. They call out technical cues during each performance as well which indicates when things need to happen on stage with lighting, sound, and changes in set. This is vital to ensuring that everyone can do their jobs promptly, ensuring that shows can run smoothly. assistant stage manager assists them with whatever they may need, which is understandably a lot when organizing every aspect of the production behind the scenes.
Lastly, are the performers. They are the ones that are seen most often when going to see a production. The performers are the ones who take the script off the pages and onto the stage to be told again night after night. They work very closely with all the other designers, directors, and managers to build this world and depict the story accurately for the entertainment of the audience. This includes the actors who, of course, are the ones who step into the place of the character and depict them as accurately as possible but also the understudies, who will study a role to step in for an actor if for any reason they are unable to act that night. Choreographers are also often considered in this category, as they choreograph elements like dances or fight scenes.
Overall, many different people work on plays and musicals that are not often spoken about. Besides those who I have listed here, which are essentially the basics of what is needed for production, most productions will have additional personnel assisting with running shows. Every person brings their own skills and expertise to the table and works for months or even years to put productions together for an audience. Next time you see a production, or even watch a movie (because many of these roles apply to film as well), think about the number of people who worked to put it all together. It is passion, time and extremely hard work that has allowed you to witness it, which is truly something to reflect on and appreciate.