Production Schedule

 

Production Schedule

Every person working in theatre has a different schedule, but they are all working towards a common goal—opening night. This timeline offers some basic scheduling of events for all designers, artists and production staff.

6 – 12 months before Opening:

 

• depending on the theatre, director submits a script for consideration, applies or is offered a

particular play to direct • director assesses and analyzes every aspect of the play: plot, character, mood, rhythm, style—both literary and theatrical • director researches the playwright, the period, and the style
4 – 5 months before Opening:

• producer or theatre company obtains the rights for the play script and music royalties—if the selection is a musical, the rights might need to be obtained at least a year in advance

• producer ensures any directorial changes to the script—including cross-gender casting, deletions, additions, or addition of music—receive authorization from the writer or agent

• producer confers with the director about the artistic vision of the project

• producer makes preliminary contact with potential designers and department heads inconsultation with the director

• allows for at least 80 to 90 hours of rehearsal time for a play, or 120 hours for a musical.

16 weeks before Opening:

• producer, director, set, costume, lighting, sound, make-up/hair designers meet to discuss the director’s artistic vision and possible design concepts, and special effects

• all designers begin research, make tentative plans, sketches and visual notes

• lighting designer obtains scale drawings of the stage, lighting grid, circuits/dimmers, detailed inventory of available equipment

• lighting designer researches additional equipment and costs, if required

• sound designer makes note of sound effects, ambient sound, music—if music is being used other than pre-show, intermission, post-show and scene changes, permission must be obtained from the music publisher

• sound designer meets with the technical director on the availability of sound equipment

• sound designer researches additional equipment and costs, if required

• producer makes arrangements for the audition call—book a space, set the time, and post the audition call

• producer creates an audition form for auditioners; this form should ask information on the actors’ availability, whether they’re interested in working on the production in another capacity if not cast, and whether the actor is a member of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA) or

Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)
• if possible, producer makes the script available to auditioners to read beforehand, requiring a deposit, if necessary

• producer sends audition calls to Theatre Ontario (including the online form at

12 weeks before Opening:

• the director, designers, stage manager, and technical director meet to establish the final design concepts

• producer creates a master production schedule, a description of the space required for rehearsal, shop space, and performances

• producer creates a production team contact list, including names, addresses, email addresses, postal codes with both day and night telephone numbers, and distribute it to all production staff

(to protect the personal privacy of the production team, it is recommended that contact lists not be posted in publicly accessible locations)

• producer sets up an accounting system for the production in consultation with the treasurer of the theatre group

• props coordinator and furnishings coordinator discuss with the director and set designer the requirements for props and furnishings

• producer creates a preliminary budget for the project with a break-down for each department based on the design concepts

• set designer makes a set maquette (a model of the set) that has been approved by the director

• the set designer, producer, technical director and/or head carpenter create building plans, a list of required personnel and equipment

• costume designer makes final costume sketches includes swatches of material that have been approved by the director

• costume designer and producer create schedules, a list of required personnel and building-space needs (e.g. storage space, location and size of dressing rooms, designated areas for quick costume

changes)

• lighting designer creates a ground and elevation plan, and arranges through the producer any loans or rental of additional equipment

• lighting designer arranges through the producer any loans or rental of additional equipment

• make-up/hair designer researches style of make-up to be warn in consultation with director and other designers

• based on the set designer’s concepts, the props coordinator and furnishings coordinator assemble lists of required items

• director and producer conducts the auditions

• producer creates an audition schedule with the stage manager and director

• producer secures an accompanist and has piano tuned if music is required

• when casting is completed, producer notifies all auditioners about whether they have been cast

• producer adds cast list to the production list, and distributes to all production staff (to protect the personal privacy of the actors, it is recommended that contact lists not be posted in publicly

accessible locations)

10 weeks before Opening:

• producer holds the first full production meeting

• producer sets up a schedule of weekly production meetings

• all designers coordinate specifics such as budgets, color schemes, timelines, personnel, props, furnishing, set décor and director’s requests

• stage manager obtains complete production lists, including cast and crew, complete schedules, scripts and information packages to distribute to the cast

• publicist and house manager meet with the producer, director and stage manager and have all the information required to begin creating press releases and a publicity timeline, including a photo call and any photo opportunities with the press;

• stage manager, producer, director, designers and technical director should be in regular communication

• stage manager produces a list of rehearsal costumes, props, furnishings

• costume designer, props coordinator and furnishings coordinator supplies the required rehearsal items

• make-up designer assesses state of make-up room (mirrors, sinks, chairs, etc.) and supplies, and purchases any supplies required

8 weeks before Opening:

• producer finalizes all department budgets, if costs appear excessive, work on areas where costs may be reduced

• producer reviews and finalizes all department plans and timelines

• producer should be prepared to solve any inter-departmental conflicts, especially around budget issues

• costume designer prepares a notebook of measurements, costume needs and costume return list

• lighting designer continues to work on the lighting plot

• lighting designer ensures all equipment is in good working order, cables are safely wired, gobos or color-gels are ordered

First Rehearsal:

• producer, director and stage manager coordinates the rehearsal

• all designers, department heads and company members attend

• introductions, welcome the cast, explain all company policies, and areas of responsibility

• director explains the artistic vision for the production

• set, costume, lighting, sound, make-up/hair designers presents their design concepts, set maquettes and sketches

• costume designer arranges for measurements and all subsequent fittings

• make-up/hair designer collects information from actors about allergies that could impact make-up applications

6 weeks before Opening

• costume designer continues to oversee costume collection and construction

• designers attend as many rehearsals as possible, making notes of any changes and director’s requests

• costume designer and make-up/hair designer arrange with the producer for photo-call requirements

• lighting designer, director and stage manager create a preliminary lighting cue list

• sound designer, director and stage manager create a preliminary sound cue list

• make-up/hair designer finalizes design elements and sketches

• make-up/hair designer assigns small personal make-up kit including brushes, brush cleaners, lip liners, eye liners, etc.

• props coordinator and furnishings coordinator complete building of any items required

• actors work with any special effects make-up or prosthetics

• designers create a detailed list of borrowed or rented equipment

2 weeks before Opening

• costume designer arranges for dressers for tech week and performances

• make-up/hair designer arranges for make-up artists for tech week and performances

• lighting designer, sound designer, technical director arrange for lighting and sound operators for tech week and performances

• sound designer completes assembly of all required sound sources

• producer arranges for transportation of technical items, costumes, props, furnishings, etc. to the theatre

Tech Week

Load-in, Set-up:

• hard hats and safety boots must be worn during the load-in and set construction

• technical director supervises

• lighting, sound equipment is loaded into the theatre

• lights are hung and cabled

• sound speakers hung

• the set built on stage

• props and furnishings are moved into the theatre

• props tables are set-up backstage—valuable props should be locked up following rehearsals and performances

Lighting Focus:

• lighting designer directs the focus of the lighting instruments

Level Set:

• lighting designer, lighting operator, director and stage manager sit in the theatre and create all the lighting cues

• lighting levels may be altered over the course of tech week, and additional cues might be added

• sound designer, sound operator, director and stage manager sit in the theatre and set all the sound cues

• sound levels are prone to change, especially in the case of a musical where an orchestra and/or microphones are used

• lighting and sound operators follow all cues as called by the stage manager

Actors’ First Time On Stage With Set:

• stage manager establishes a call time for all cast and crew to allow time for warm-up and pre-set

• technical director and stage manager provide a tour of the set, pointing out entrances and exits, props tables, quick change areas, automated scenery and location of stairs, cables, etc.

• technical director and stage manager provide a tour of the theatre, pointing out emergency exits, fire extinguishers, first aid kit location, fire curtain, dressing rooms, green room

Costume Parade:

• actors “parade” on stage in their costumes and make-up under show lighting, for the designers, production staff and director—be prepared to make adjustments

• this is a great opportunity to do a photo-call—arrange with the producer, publicist, stage manager

Rehearsal with Costumes:

• opportunity for the actors to rehearse in costumes on the set

• great follow-up to a Costume Parade

Technical-Only Rehearsal:

• rehearsal of only the technical elements of the show—lighting, sound, scene changes, and special effects or automated scenery or props

• director, stage manager, technical director, lighting and sound operators, and stage crew should be present

Cue to Cue:

• under the stage manager’s coordination, action and dialogue between cues is eliminated, so that only actors’ entrances and exits, and technical cues are carried out to the satisfaction of the

director

• a cue-to-cue demands extra patience from everyone—make it clear to the actors that while acting is not the focus, actors must be alert

Technical Rehearsal:

• run through of the play with actors (not necessarily in costume) and all technical aspects of the production

Dress Rehearsal:

• conducted as a performance, from the half-hour call to the final exit after the curtain call

• actors must remain backstage at all times and the intermission must be observed

• any errors that occur should be dealt with as if an audience was present

• take notes on “glitches” to be ironed-out and present these notes after the run or before the next run

• stage manager is now responsible for the coordination of the production

• lighting and sound designers should finalize cue sheets

Preview:

• not all theatres will have a preview performance

• this is an actual performance with an audience (could be complimentary or sold at a discounted rate); but the preview still allows the director and designers an opportunity to fine tune aspects of

the production

The Run

Opening:

• the first night of the normal run

• if the director or designers have any issues, make notes and pass on to the stage manager

The Run:

• costume designer ensures that all costumes are cleaned and repaired as required

• make-up/hair designer ensures that all make-up and hair supplies are replenished

• props coordinator resets props table following each performance, ensures items are properly placed prior to performance, repairs or replenishes props

• lighting and sound operators ensure all equipment is working properly prior to each show’s start

Post-Production

Strike:

• set is taken down

• set items are returned to borrowed/rented sources, added to the company’s permanent collection or destroyed

• lighting and sound equipment is taken down and returned

• ensure all company-owned lighting equipment is safely stored

• ensure all company-owned sound equipment is safely stored

• costume designer supervises the cleaning, restoration and return of all borrowed or rented

costumes and accessories

• costume designer catalogues all costume pieces and accessories being added to the company’s permanent collection

• make-up/hair designer catalogues all materials being added to the company’s permanent collection

• props coordinator and furnishings coordinator supervises the cleaning, restoration and return of all borrowed or rented props/furnishings

Post-Production:

• producer conducts final production meeting for the director, stage manager, designers, technical director, and representative(s) from the cast, to discuss aspects of production—what worked and

what did not; artistic outcomes should not be discussed

• producer ensures all departments have completed their clean-ups and returns of borrowed or rented equipment

• producer ensures all accounts are paid

• producer creates the financial report showing the original budget and the project actual expenditures

• producer collects project reports from all department heads

• producer adds the department head reports to the producer’s overall report

• producer analyze the results from cost-to-budget as well as artistic achievements

• producer submits this overall report with the financial report to the Board of Directors

 

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