Production 101
By Angela Mitchell, About.com Guide
- Auditions and Production Prep
- Tech and Tips for Performers (from Makeup to Touring)
- Industry Interviews
- Design & Theatre Tech
Auditions and Production Prep
The articles and tools in this section will help you plan, cast, and prepare for your productions in style.
- 15 Steps to Better Auditions -- and Results
- The Ultimate Audition Form
- 5 Audition Mistakes Performers Can't Afford to Make
Tech and Tips for Performers (from Makeup to Touring)
A look at everything from the best elements of your stage makeup toolkit, to step-by-step instruction for applying stage makeup -- as well as common mistakes to avoid.
- Stage Makeup 101
- The Essential Stage Makeup Kit
- 5 Stage Makeup Mistakes to Avoid
- 7 Tips for Surviving on Tour (from the Holidays to the Rest of the Year)
Industry Interviews
Check out our interviews and insights from award-winning directors, producers, actors, artistic directors, and more here!
- Bringing 'War Horse' to Life (the Handspring Interview) Part 1
- Bringing 'War Horse' to Life (the Handspring Interview) Part 2
- Behind the Scenes of Cirque du Soleil’s "KÀ"
- Steve Cosson on 'The Civilians'
- Mary Helen Bowers on Portman and "Black Swan"
- Jerry Manning Talks Staying 'Epic' at the Seattle Rep
- Normand Latourelle on Staging 'Cavalia'
- Daisy Eagan on Staging a Fundraiser and Life after 'Garden'
- 'Bringing it On' in Atlanta: The Alliance's Susan V. Booth
- An Interview with OBIE Award-winning Director Pam Mackinnon
- An Interview with the Tony-Winning Producers of Broadway's 'Lombardi'
- Acclaimed Actor David Ogden Stiers on Conducting, Performing, and More
Design & Theatre Tech
Staging a great performance is truly as much a science as it is an art, so it's often vital that those who work in the performing arts have skills in several overlapping areas of knowledge. From directing, to set and lighting design, effects, stage management, and costumes, the better informed you are, the better your production will be -- and here are some resources to help you along the way in the following basic areas:
- 5 Timeless Stage Effects Still in Use Today
- Gallery: The Puppets of 'War Horse'
- 'KÀ' by the Numbers
- Stage Lighting Then and Now
- Guy Hendrix Dyas on Designing 'Inception'
- Gallery: The Designs of Guy Hendrix Dyas
- Doug Rogers on Set and Production Design from Shakespeare to 'Tangled'
- Essential Websites for Costume Designers
- An Interview with Costume Designer Holly Poe Durbin
- Drafting: The Unsung Skill
Stage Lighting
Cast a little light on your stage lighting know-how with some of these helpful articles and tips!
- Stage Lighting Then and Now
- Field Templates Give Lighting Designers an Edge
- An Interview with Rob Sayer at On Stage Lighting
- Lighting and Sound Cue Sheet
- Lighting Cue Sheet (Detailed)
Stage Management
A wealth of information for stage managers, from what to carry with you, how to organize your tools and supplies, and industry insights for running a tighter, happier show (and crew).
- The 10 Commandments of Stage Management
- The Stage Manager's Checklist (Part 1: The Basics)
- The Stage Manager's Checklist (Part 2: What to Carry with You)
- The Stage Manager's Checklist (Part 3: On-Site Essentials)
- Useful Forms for Stage Managers
- Shared Insights from Other Pros
Forms, Tools and References
It's no surprise to those who work in the theatre that it often involves a tremendous amount of knowledge, information, forms, worksheets, scripts, and plain old paperwork. This area will provide you with a wide-ranging assortment of the tools you need to hit the ground running quickly on your production and prep, with an ever-growing host of forms and tools to help you do your best work.