Bet, you are thinking, I know what she’s going to write. Beyond the usuals which is finance, actors, a script and props, there are a couple of things that are just as important and have direct impact on the success of your play. Over the years, I have featured in numerous stage plays starting from my first pantomime at age 9 and if there is anything acting has taught me, it is that a lot more goes into making a stage performance go smoothly. They are:
1. Mics – as long as you have dialogue, you’ll definitely need these. Not just any regular unidirectional microphone with Chord but clip-on mics and chordless mics that can be strapped on unnoticeably. Of course you can and should use multidirectional and condensed mics which can be hanged or placed above the stage to help actors when they project. Once a scene is done with, the sound operators should ensure that the mics are switched off along with the stage lights so that the backstage talk or noises do not get heard by the audience.
2. Makeup artists, wardrobe assistant and hairstylist – depending on the theme and era your play is staged in as well as the transitions in scenes from the script that may require different looks, you need these people to make your play believable. For instance to make a character look sick, the makeup artist can give the person nude lips and pale skin while the hairstylist can scatter the persons hair to look bedridden and the wardrobe assistant can dress the person in slightly wrinkled/ruffled clothing to show restlessness from all the turns on bed while asleep or damp tops to show the person drenched in sweat.
3. Extras – the actors on stage will delay scenes immensely if there are no backstage helpers to handle things like moving stage props, switching unidirectional mics on actors going on stage for different scenes, setting the stage by building different sets, prompters that help the actors remember their lines or sequence of the script by queuing them in or those handling the stage lights to create ambience. And all these various manpower need to be coordinated by a stage manager who no one will ever see on the stage. These people are so important because their work begins as soon as the script is written, during the rehearsals as well as before, during and after the stage play. They make sure all the little logistical details needed are sorted out appropriately.
4. Sound specialists – having microphones doesn’t guarantee that the audio of the drama is in the clear. Sound specialists are the ones who take into cognizance the nature of the hall and how the types of speakers enhance the sound/voicing from the stage which can affect how drama experience is received. They also make sure the interference from multiple electronics being used is at an all time low and ensure certain scores and sound effects are properly timed and played to give the drama a realist-feel. That way there are no echoes or hollow sounds in the hall being used and the mood of the drama is on point without people’s ear suffering from irritation or partial deafness due to loud/poor volume control.
5. Audience – what’s a drama without you, the audience? All the preparation and work put in by the production team would mean nothing without a sizable crowd that appreciate all that is being done. That’s why so much effort is put into publicity because in the end, the aim is to create a satisfying experience for the members of the audience.
This list is in no way conclusive because as times change, a lot more changes in the creation of a satisfying stage play experience like the introduction of live animation. Feel free to contribute any other observation you have about stage play production.
