all before any actors step on stage.

SET and SCENERY

THE SET TELLS THE AUDIENCE •WHERE THE ACTION IS •WHEN THE ACTION IS •WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECT THE CHARACTERS.

ALL BEFORE ANY ACTORS STEP ON STAGE.

IN SHORT IT HELPS CREATE

ATMOSPHERE

Scenery used to show where a drama takes place To place a drama in a certain time or place

SET

FIRST DECIDE WHAT KIND OF STAGE YOU WILL BE PERFORMING ON.

END ON STAGE

THRUST STAGE

PROSCENIUM ARCH

AVENUE STAGE

Audience follows the action on foot, moving from one location to another

PROMENADE THEATRE

CONSIDER THE EXTRAS…

APRON

Slope of stage to allow actors to be seen

RAKE

Drapes which curtain off the back or sides of stage

BLACKS

NOW THINK. WHAT ELEMENTS WOULD HELP CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR WHICH YOU ARE AIMING.

CONSIDER

What the audience sees of the stage from where they are sitting

SIGHT LINES

FLATS

----------------------

BACKCLOTH

WINDOW FLAT

DOOR FLAT

TRAPDOOR

TREADS

area above the stage from where set or actors are FLOWN In on pullies

FLIES

YOU CAN USE THIS TO DROP DIFFERENT BACKCLOTHS

Piece of scenery on wheels for ease of movement

TRUCK

WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SET CONSTRUCTED YOU NEED TO DRESS IT WITH DETAILS TO YOUR STORY AND CHARACTERS.

An item placed on the set, usually part of it e.g. a lamp, clock, picture

SET PROP

OVER ALL THE WHOLE SET

HAS A NAME……..

Resources used to create the setting where a drama takes place, e.g. backcloth, flats, rostra, furniture.

SCENERY

IF YOUR SET IS EFFECTIVE THE ACTORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THE • TIME PERIOD • LOCATION • SOCIAL STATUS • ATMOSPHERE BEFORE ANY ACTORS WALK ON STAGE!

GROUND PLAN

GROUND PLAN IS A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE SET

LET US REVIEW THE AREAS OF THE STAGE…

USR

CSR

DSR

USC

CS

DSC

AUDIENCE

USL

CSL

DSL

GENERALLY A GROUND PLAN LOOKS LIKE THIS!

KEY Flat Table Chair Entrance /Exit

A

A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE 5 INGREDIENTS

K A

EY

V E S

IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE)

UDIENCE

NTRANCE/ EXIT YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)

LET US BEGIN…. STEP ONE.

DRAW THE GENERAL ACTING AREA AND ADD YOUR AUDIENCE.

AUDIENCE

NOW ADD THE SET PIECES.

TRICKY PART IS LIKE CHEMISTRY THERE ARE SYMBOLS YOU HAVE TO USE SO LETS BEGIN THERE ….

FLAT

DOOR FLAT

WINDOW FLAT

CHAIR

TABLE

SOFA

TREADS (STAIRS)

ENTERANCE/ EXIT

~~~~~~~ CURTAIN

BACKCLOTH

GAUZE

SO THEN YOU PUT THEM ON THE STAGE

AUDIENCE

NOW ADD A KEY a key is like a legend on a map. It tells people what the symbols mean.

KEY DOOR FLAT

TABLE

CHAIR

ENTERANCES/ EXIT

AUDIENCE

BUT WHEN YOU WANT TO PUT ANOTHER PIECE OF SET ON STAGE THEN YOU GET TO MAKE IT UP!

KEY DOOR FLAT

JAIL CELL BARS

ENTERANCES/ EXIT

AUDIENCE

REMEMBER A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE 5 INGREDIANTS

K A

EY

V E S

IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE)

UDIENCE

NTRANCE/ EXIT YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)

Flat

~~~~~~~

Curtains

Door Flat

Backcloth

Window Flat

Gauze

Table

Chair

If there is not a symbol for the item here then you make one up. Eg.

Tree

Sofa

Treads

Rostra

Never EVER EVER draw any of your symbols In 3D. It must be a bird’s eye view of the stage

SCRIPT AS NIGHT TO THE DAY By Dan Ebbs Modern day. It is a gloriously sunny weekday morning. In the spring. Kitchen in the house of WINIFRED Ashcroft. Table and the three chairs centre. Counter upstage centre; on it are kettle, tea pot, cups, spoons, carton of milk, sugar bowl, loaf of bread and package of sliced mat; sink and tap in the middle of the counter. WINIFRED is at the counter pouring water from the kettle into the tea pot and humming tune. She is in her late seventies, a widow and a retired high school math teacher. She is still in her night gown. Michael

(off left) Mom? You up?

Winifred

I’m in the Kitchen

Michael enters left. He is Winifred’s only child. He is in his early forties wears factory work clothes and looks tired Michael

I tried the front door but it was locked. Must’ve left the key at home.

Winifred

Good Morning Michael

Michael

Morning. No paper today?

Winifred

You brought the newspaper? Where is it?

Michael

No. I asked you if there was any paper today. I didn’t see it on the front porch. They should have brought it by now.

Michael

It’s not- but she is gone- Whatever. He pokes around the counter; checks to see if the tea is steeped; checks a cup to see if it is clean; pours some milk in first; looks at the milk in the cup; sniffs it sniffs the carton.

Winifred

(re enters right) Do you have the paper?

Michael

Has the milk been out all night?

Michael

The milk. Smell it. (he hold carton up to her nose)

Winifred

(sniffs) That’s sour. You don’t want to be drinking that.

Michael

Yes, I know, Mom. That’s why I was asking you. Did you leave it out?

Task: Draw a ground plan of your set of Winifred’s kitchen

Design this into a Set Box Model. Include a photograph of your finished design here.