Set Construction Made Easy
The Back Story
High school theatre departments are often led by a single teacher, whose job is incredibly diverse. They are teachers, artistic directors, producers, and frequently technical directors - all jobs involving intensive preparation and many work hours. Though these jobs are complemented occasionally by volunteers, who assist in various aspects of production, more often than not theatre teachers are handling production elements onstage and behind themselves. Most theatre teachers adopt a variety of methods to work independently, handling direction, design, and construction for all their shows. To that end, it is not uncommon that they - as I did - pursue further certification in technical theatre.
The Problem
Time is always a factor in theatre production, especially in an educational environment, where a teacher shifts quickly from the classroom to a rehearsal hall to the shop in the span of just a few hours. While conceptual work can be done well in advance of beginning rehearsal, technical construction cannot start until a cast is selected, a space secured, resources allotted, and calendar settled upon. With 5-10 week production timelines dictating deadlines and resources frequently changing, the complicated, time-consuming process of set construction must be both flexible and efficient. Given the limitations of educational budgets, the basic building blocks of costumes and sets are recycled year after year. A theatre teacher often has some basic carpentry skills, volunteers to help in the shop, or even students in a class to whom they can delegate the set construction. Rarely is there time enough to educate a class of students or group of volunteers on building a flat for set construction, so it is useful to have a step-by-step guide.
The Solution
I wrote this guide taking into account a range of carpentry experience and knowledge, and heavily considering the time constraints which theatre directors confront. I presume a level of familiarity with theatre terminology and requirements, and a basic knowledge of carpentry tools and skills. Since someone entirely unfamiliar with either theatre nor carpentry is not likely to be engaged for these jobs type of construction without direct and involved supervision, I designed this guide with an introductory knowledge of theatre and carpentry. While I primarily imagined students or volunteers when writing, this guide could be used by theatre teachers themselves.
Reflections
I have been a theatre teacher for over two decades. Many times I have felt at the mercy of my own limited skills or the resources available from volunteers. I sought a degree in theatre production and design largely because I was inexperienced in building this most rudimentary of theatrical elements. This was my first foray into documenting a user guide in many years, and I realized early on how specific a skillset I needed to imagine when outlining the steps for this process. As I saw the knowledge required to enter a shop, find materials and tools, and then build a flat unfold, I weighed the amount and type of vocabulary needed against the realities of a theatre production season at the high school level. I confronted the timelines theatre teachers are up against, the kinds of volunteers and students I have worked with in the past, and the malleability needed for educational productions to be successful and cost-efficient. This brought me to a baseline reader for this kind of guide, and the persona which emerged was someone who had done some woodworking, perhaps in a class or as a hobby, and enough to know the tools required for this job and how to manipulate the materials. Theatrically, this persona would benefit from knowing the purpose to which the flat would be put in performance, and in my experience most theatre practitioners - be they actors, playwrights, directors or technicians - have come in contact with the tools and materials necessary for set construction enough to tackle this kind of project. A seasoned actor, director, or technician may not need this guide, though it would certainly steer them correctly if they were out of practice. Alternately, an experienced carpenter would not really need the theatrical perspective of the guide, though this would greatly help them in imagining what their final product needed to look like.
Immediately Practical
Followed accurately, this procedure is quickly realized in a physical object which can be used onstage. Put into practice, this guide would allow the builder to visualize each stage of construction and be able to assess their progress accurately. This degree of imagistic description and carpentry precision allows for beginners to design and construct a stage flat which can be easily put to use and stored after production.
Ease of Use
This guide provides a moment to moment guide for building a stage flat. Not only is this flat easy to make, but it’s ideal for storage in a school setting, where storage space is at a premium and teachers are often forced to reuse set pieces multiple times. This guide can be deployed as a refresher for the builders who have some experience in set construction, but also printed out as a visually engaging, more inviting manual for students.
Instructionally Sound
Given the layout and simplicity of verbiage, this guide brings in readers and removes much of the fear factor when it comes to set construction. The cuts are simple, the binding easy, and the work can be done by one individual, as needed for production, or many in the case of a lesson plan for a technical theatre class. With basic vocabulary scaffolding, anyone can walk away with a Broadway flat.