Last update: May 2, 1997
The 1994--1995 Executive Committee believes that this manual is long overdue. Producers, directors, and show participants change each term, some of whom are new to and/or unfamiliar with MITG&SP. We cannot and should not rely on specific individuals to be always available and willing to provide information that is crucial to the successful production of a show. To that end, the 1994--1995 Executive Committee has sought to produce a document that gives producers of MITG&SP productions a starting point from which to act.
We have attempted to collect information from those who have held producer or production staff positions and arrange it in a compact and accessible form. It should be noted that all of the information here is based upon individual experiences which may or may not be relevant to any given production. This manual should be viewed as a compendium of suggestions and tips, rather than a book of rules, and it is by no means complete. It is our hope that future Executive Committees and production staffs will work together to revise and improve upon this manual as MITG&SP continues to grow and develop.
The producer coordinates all aspects of the production. All participants in the program, including the directors, answer to the producer, who in turn answers to the MITG&SP Executive Committee (ExecComm). The producer should always keep the following three principles in mind:
The producer is in charge of a production staff, generally composed of positions in the following hierarchy:
MITG&SP HIERARCHY
Producer
|
----------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | |
Music Publicity Programme Technical Stage
Director Director Editor Director Director
| | |
| ------------------------------------------------- |
| | | | | | | |
Orchestra Master Lighting Set Costumes House Props Stage
Manager Carpenter Director Designer Manager Manager Master Manager
| | |
Master Makeup Ticket
Electrician Manager
Note that this hierarchy is for financial purposes only. Artistically, things are more complex; for example, the process for set design is something like this:
In the beginning, the Executive Committee was formed. And the plans for the show were without form, and void. And the Executive Commitee said, Let there be a show: and there was a show. And the Executive Commitee saw that it was good.
And the Executive Commitee said, Let there be a Stage Director. And the Executive Commitee looked upon it and saw that it was good.
And the Stage Director said unto the Set Designer, let there be a Set Design. And the Set Designer laboured, and brought forth a Set Design: and did bring it back unto the Stage Director.
And the Stage Director did look upon the face of the Set Design: if finding it lacking, sending it back to the Set Designer with the exhortation to make it One with the Plan of the Show. But looking upon it and seeing it to be good, the Stage Director did give it unto the Tech Director.
And the Tech Director did examine it to ensure that it was, verily, possible to build, and not at odds with the other Powers That Be, including the CAC (for safety codes) and the Budget of the Producer. And seeing that the Set Design was indeed good, and that it was not necessary to send it back to the Set Designer to begin the process again, the Tech Director did take the Set Design and bring it before the Master Carpenter saying unto him, Build this, that we may all look upon it in its glory, and that it may meet with favor from the Audience.
In ASCII chain-of-command:
Stage Director's Artistic Plan
|
v
Set Designer's Set Design
|
v
(Tech Director's "OK")
|
v
Master Carpenter
|
v
A Set!
(hopefully compatible with everyone's expectations, safe, and within budget)
Courtesy Chris Marchant '98
Also, different people come to the group with different ideas about hierarchy; make sure that everyone knows who they should report to.
As much of the production staff as possible should be in place (i.e. hired) before rehearsals begin. The best source for finding production staff members is word of mouth, although many positions are filled by people responding to announcements. Good email lists to post to (all @mit.edu) include savoyards(MITG&SP's own mailing list), various music and theater arts mailing lists (music, theater, dramashop, mtg-members, artsnet---try the ``mailmaint'' program on Athena for listings of more groups), and MITG&SP's tech mailing lists (gsp-setsand gsp-lights). ExecComm should hold a list of names of freshmen and new students who have expressed an interest in the group; some of these people may be experienced enough to hold a production staff position. The president (or occasionally another officer) of MITG&SP attends monthly meetings of the Theater Arts department; faculty who attend these meetings may also be good resources for names of students (and are usually willing to make announcements to their classes). Finally, the cast should not be overlooked as potential production staff members; many of them often do have valuable knowledge or experience to bring to the process, and it is an excellent way to make them feel like a real part of the production, particularly if they are not cast in a large role.
It is extremely desirable to encourage interested but inexperienced people, especially freshmen, to accept an apprenticeship position in which they work under the guidance of an experienced production staff member. Not only does this lessen the load of the actual position holder, but it allows more people to be trained in the workings of theater in general and MITG&SP in particular, which in turn provides a larger pool of people to draw from in the future. This is often an excellent way to draw in students who are interested in working with the group but who may be hesitant due to lack of experience.
Production staff meetings are important as a way of maintaining communication among the producer and members of the staff. A minimum of two meetings a month is recommended, with more as production week approaches. Production staff members should that they must report to the producer and understand that they should approach him/her with concerns as soon as they occur.
The producer should endeavor to become acquainted, at some level, with all members of the production. He/she should get to know the cast and attend rehearsals often. The cast must know that the producer is the person who runs the show and the person to whom all concerns should be relayed. This respect and trust can be attained only by achieving a level of familiarity and mutual consideration. Likewise, the producer should work to ensure that production crew and orchestra members feel as thought they are as much a part of the production as the cast; a special effort should be made to welcome and appreciate them, as they are far too often overlooked.
Close communication between the producer and ExecComm is a necessity for a smoothly run show. ExecComm is prepared to offer any assistance necessary in terms of finding production staff members, set and lighting crew, or simply to clarify aspects of MITG&SP that may be unfamiliar or unknown. A minimum of two meetings a month between the producer and ExecComm is recommended; during these meetings, the producer should report on the progress of the show---including rehearsals, set construction, and other production considerations---and relay to ExecComm any concerns. If the unfortunate situation should arise where the produceris having difficulty interacting with someone, ExecComm should be notified immediately. The job of producer is a difficult one, and the MITG&SP ExecComm attempts to make it as painless and rewarding as possible.
Once the individual budgets (i.e. division of the money) have been determined, the producer should notify each production staff member of the amount available to him/her. IT IS THE PRODUCER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT PRODUCTION STAFF MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF AND DO NOT EXCEED THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS. Just as all budget increases by the producer must be approved by ExecComm, all individual budget increases by production staff must be discussed with the producer, who may shift around resources as deemed necessary. The producer should require receipts from purchases when available and keep a detailed record of all monetary transactions.
Ticket prices are also set by the producer. Traditionally, MITG&SP has divided audience members into the following four categories:
These groups may be charged different amounts; in the past, typical admission prices have been $6, $7, $8, and $9, respectively.
It is also a good idea to offer group rates, in order to encourage MIT's living groups to show up en masse. In the past, the threshold for group rates has ranged from 8 to 10 people, and the discount has been in the $1 to $2 per person range.
The importance of recordkeeping cannot be overemphasized. Following the close of the show, the producer is expected to give to ExecComm a written and complete report of show expenditures, including money allocated and spent and total revenue from ticket sales. Organization and awareness at all times are paramount.
Auditions should be publicized, with posters and email, starting 2 weeks or so in advance. Having posters up the week of auditions is vital. We often advertise in newspapers or at other schools; this does open the whole non-student can of worms, though.
Auditions need to have an accompanist.
The directors should decide in advance how to run the auditions, and notify ExecComm and the producer so that they can field questions from potential auditionees and publicize the auditions appropriately.
Stuff that should be brought--scores & show tunes and stuff for people to sing (these usually get lent by various people, and whoever's in chanrge--probably EC--needs to make sure they get there and back); audition forms; stapler, tape; polaroid and film, to photograph auditionees so the poor directors can remember who's who. All stuff should be looked after, not lost, and returned to whoever it belongs to. Someone should be designated to keep track of things.
Info that needs to get to auditionees (ie, have at table): Performance dates; group info sheet--this should include group policies, like strike & put-in, casting, etc, also EC memebrs. Info on what the various parts in the show are is good. Instructions for auditioning. Any directorial policies (like no glasses on stage).
If a piano is required but not in the room when rehearsals begin, call 253-1500, or 253-3913 (CAC).
The following section includes information specific to MITG&SP that is often overlooked, forgotten, or simply not known.
Additional rooms may be reserved by speaking to the Campus Activities Complex (CAC), located on the fifth floor of the Student Center. Only five MITG&SP student members are authorized to reserve rooms; these are usually officers (ask ExecComm for a list of the five). The best rooms are Rehearsal Rooms A and B in Kresge and Rooms 407 and 491 in the Student Center, although others are available and sometimes used (any room with a large enough space will do). In some cases, it is necessary to hold rehearsals in music classrooms (located on the west side of building 4); these are reserved by calling the Schedules Office (E19-334, 253-4788), placing a hold on a room, and going there to fill out a form at a convenient time before the rehearsal.
It is generally a good idea to have a supply of vocal scores (usually around 15-20, depending on the size of the cast) to sell at the first rehearsal. MITG&SP possesses a few scores from past shows, which are stored in the office; check before ordering new ones. A good place is Yesterday's Service in Porter Square (1972 Massachusetts Ave.), which sells them for around $15 apiece. The MITG&SP Treasurer is the best person to handle this, since paying with a MITG&SP check gives us a sales tax exemption. Call several weeks in advance of when you want them, to be safe. A conductor's score should be ordered from Kalmus (cost is around `$100); Yesterday's can handle this as well.
Scores may be sold (usually at cost) or lent to cast members and rehearsal accompanists. In the latter case, scores must be returned unmarked and in good condition. Records of who has bought, borrowed, and paid should be kept. After the cast has been accounted for, extra scores may be sold to other MITG&SP members or to audience members at performance time.
The perfomance license can be obtained as late as the day of the performance--*however* the CPs need to be hired at least *3 days in advance*.
Karin Lin 1/95
Andrea Humez 4/95
Chris Marchant 7/96
Lucy Lim 4/97
Most MITG&SP shows have been videotaped by Dave and Ruth Jedlinsky (opus@mit.edu, rls@mit.edu).
He or she needs to keep the technical expenditures within the budget determined by the Producer.
If the performance will be in La Sala de Puerto Rico, contact the Campus Activities Complex (CAC) and reserve all of the chairs and platforms we'll need for the audience:
Submit the set and lighting designs to the Campus Activities Complex for approval. Don't wait for approval before beginning construction---you can always leave things you're not sure will be approved until last.
Make arrangements now to have a van or truck available for put-in and strike, to transport everything from Walker to wherever the performances will be.
Lights put-in precedes set put-in, since the lights need to be hung above the set. Both must be completed by the time tech/dress rehearsals begin. For our most recent production of H.M.S. Pinafore, lights put-in started at 11pm the night before set put-in, which worked well. (This depends on when the performance space becomes available.) If parts of the set will be too narrow to allow the scaffold (which is 5' wide) to fit, you will need to arrange to have ``baby'' (the hydraulic lift that runs on compressed air) brought over from Kresge.
Bagels and doughnuts make nice incentives, both to reward the lighting people for the time they've already spent, and to encourage everyone else to show up early. Around dinner time, designate someone to deal with getting food or having it delivered.
If the performance is in Sala, the TD also has to make sure the audience space is set up sometime after put-in and before opening night.
The Set Designer takes a concept drawing or description from the Stage Director and produces a detailed design. He/she must work in close collaboration with the Lighting Designer and Master Carpenter, so that a feasible design is produced. The design must include color choices, but it is not necessary to go into more construction detail than simple elevations and suggested ideas for construction.
Most of the Set Designer's work falls early in the production periosd, but a good designer will stick around to answer questions that the TD, MC, LD, and SD come up with later on.
This job mostly requires the ability to closely read a script to decide what absolutely must appear on stage. Of course, the SD should be doing this as well and will definately provide input. If the SD has not designed for the group before, they will need at least person experienced in MITG&SP to inform them about the limitations of MIT, MITG&SP, and Sala (as far as what can and cannot be done).
Further notes on the set design process can be found in the beginning of the producer's manual. (under ``MITG&SP Hierarchy'')
Chris Marchant 8/96
The Master Carpenter turns a completed set design into the actual set pieces needed for a show. He needs to make construction diagrams, based upon existing pieces as much as possible, and needs to coordinate the actual construction.
Baically, the MC does carpentry (pretty straight forward, huh). They should be able to work with groups of people, both the experienced and the clueless hordes of actors that manage to sometimes stumble into the set shop. A knowledge of theater is helpful, but not necessary if there is a good TD or SD to guide the MC. An MC MUST know how to use the MITG&SP tools safely and be able to watch over other people to be sure they are not in any jeopardy of harming themselves or others.
Read the show! Think about the relationship between the characters and how the costumes might be used to show what those relationships are. Don't dress romantic leads in clashing colors. Along with the director, decide whether the chorus costumes will be very similar or very different.
Before you begin any spending or building, find out what your budget is. If it is too small, negotiate with the producer. A good estimate is $25-30 per costume; many come out cheaper than that, but there are usually a few cast members who require extremely fancy and/or expensive costumes, so it usually evens out in the end. If you anticipate needing to do any dry cleaning, mention this and try to get the budget adjusted accordingly.
If you are fortunate to be able to find costumes (either by renting them, or using and modifying costumes from an existing collection), the budget may be slimmed down a bit. Explore MITG&SP's store of costumes to see if there is anything that can be used. Finding costumes is usually cheaper and easier; however, building costumes results in a more consistent look for the show.
Sources of borrowed costumes include:
Makeup is one thing that is often forgotten until production week. Check MITG&SP's store of makeup and make sure there is enough for the run of the show. If not, count on needing a budget increase to replenish the company's supply of makeup.
Get the bulk of your shopping done as soon as possible. A good place to begin is in downtown Boston, near the Washington Street stop of the Red Line. Winmill Fabrics is located on Chauncy Street across from the building housing Baker's Plays. They have a good selection, moderate prices, and carry most brands of patterns.
On the corner of Chauncy Street and Harrison Avenue is New England Textiles. If you can find something you like on their bargain tables, you can save a lot of money.
A little farther down Harrison Avenue is Harrison Ave. Textiles. They have silks, velvets, brocades, satins, and the materials are expensive, but may be what you want for a lead's costume.
Windsor Button Shop is generally the best place for notions and trim. They are located at 35 Temple Place, between Washington Street and Tremont Street.
Ask for receipts and keep them for the producer. Also, remember that fabric bought in bulk is heavy. Make several trips or bring someone along to help carry everything.
During the rehearsal period (before production week), bring partially finished pieces in and fit them while alterations are still easy to do. The director or stage manager should keep you up to date on changes to the cast, but they are more likely to do so if you are accessible and show up every now and then.
Work quickly, and remember that costumes are not real clothes. They only have to look good on the outside, and they only have to hold together for a finite number of performances. DO, however, take the time to SEW name tags into the costumes, at least the ones that are identical. If you merely pin them on, the tags will be lost.
Plate to have a final fitting/costume parade very early during production week. After this point, actors should rehearse in as much of their costume as is wearable.
The main task is to separate costumes from personal belongings, and borrowed or rented costumes from MITG&SP property. Everything must be cleaned before it is stored or returned to its owner. Wash everything that can be washed and dry clean the rest. Some dry cleaners charge by the pound, which can be much cheaper if there is a lot of dry cleaning. Hillside Cleaners on Brattle Street in Harvard Square is one place that does this. Collect all receipts and submit them to the producer for reimbursement.
Specialized theatrical items, such as the Pan-Cake or grease paint bases, can be bought at Boston Costume. Other items, such as some lipsticks, eyeliners, and sponges, can be found more cheaply at CVS or Woolworth's.
Below is a sample makeup list for a one-weekend run of H.M.S. Pinafore, courtesy of Rebecca Consentino:
I think that is everything we'll need -- we should still have everything else necessary. Please let me know asap if someone else can run that errand.
Boston Costume is located on 15 Kneeland Street in Chinatown (right down the street from Tufts Dental).
All this should be done by a week before opening, at the very latest.
Show the cast how to apply their makeup -- some will start out much more clueful than others! Provide assistance when necessary; with complicated makeup jobs, you may have to do most of the work yourself. Check everyone's makeup before they go on stage. During dress rehearsals, view the performance from the front and back of the audience, and under the various light cues, and make adjustments when necessary; Sala is a small and unusual space, and often what looks good from the back row doesn't work from the front. Afterwards, make sure that the makeup is covered after being used, and that the tables are kept clean of food, trash, and other non-makeup debris. Also, provide cold cream and towels for the cast to remove their makeup.
The makeup manager should arrive at the earliest cast call for every full-dress rehearsal and performance, and stay until every cast member's makeup is completed and all the makeup covered and put neatly aside. If it is necessary to miss a performance, make certain well in advance that the actors know about this and will be capable of dealing with their own makeup.
Lucy Lim 4/97
Central Square is a good place to start for shopping. There is a Pearl Arts & Crafts store located on Massachusetts Ave. near a Woolworth's and a dollar store.
Unusual props may be borrowed from other theater groups. Try the theater groups at MIT (the Musical Theatre Guild, Dramashop, Shakespeare Ensemble) or talk to the MIT Theater Arts Department. Also, props may be borrowed from the Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert and Sullivan Players, the Sudbury Savoyards and Savoyard Light Opera Company. These groups may or may not charge rental fees.
Some props may be made in the set shop, such as the Mikado death certificate scroll.
Mailing lists vary in their tolerance for publicity announcements. Post to MITG&SP's own mailing lists the most often, since the people on them are guaranteed to be interested in our group. ``Theater'' is a good place to post frequently as well. Few postings should be made to lists that are less directly related to our group.
| WBUR | 253-2790 |
| WCRB | 893-7080 |
| WERS | 578-8892 |
| WGBH | 492-2777 |
| WMBR | 253-8810 |
| WHRV | 495-4818 |
The contact list should be passed along to ExecComm so that it can be archived for the use of future orchestra managers.
Recruiting players and accompanists:
Obtaining orchestra parts:
Borrowing instruments, especially percussion:
Basic elements of a programme:
Optional elements (but desired if possible):
The House Manager handles all aspects of the show relating to the audience. This includes ticket sales, seating issues, and refreshments. The House Manager answers to the Producer and receives reports from the Ticket Manager.
Times listed are prior to opening night.
| 3 months: | Meet directors |
| Decide on a budget with EC, divide it up | |
| Find prod staff | |
| Audition publicity | |
| 2.5 months: | AUDITIONS |
| Cast rehearsals begin | |
| Planning period for TD, LD, MC, Orchestra Manager | |
| 1.5 months: | Set building begins |
| Publicity begins; graphic design finished | |
| Costumes, props, lights should be underway | |
| Orchestra rehearsals begin | |
| 3 weeks: | Publicity continues: posters, flyers |
| Ticket manager takes over voice mail | |
| 2 weeks: | Publicity continues: drop poster, ticket booth staffing |
| Cast and orchestra meet | |
| House Manager begins work | |
| 1 week: | PUT-IN |
| Dress/tech rehearsals | |
| Fill out Event Registration form | |
| PERFORMANCE!!! | |
| Strike and party | |
| MITG&SP voice mail | 253-0190 |
| Physical Plant | 253-1500 |
| Campus Activities Complex | 253-3913 |
| Classroom Scheduling | 253-4788 |
| Music & Theater Arts Department | 253-3210 |
| Lecture Series Committee | 253-3791 |