Design and Technical Elements: Scenery, Costumes, Lights, Sound, and Props

How to Think About Design and Tech as a Performer

Design and technical elements are the “physical language” of a production: what the audience sees and hears, and what you must safely and consistently work with. Each department makes choices that affect your movement, timing, vocal delivery, and focus. A helpful beginner mindset is: design supports storytelling, and tech supports repeatability—so the show can be performed the same way night after night.

In this chapter, you’ll learn what each department creates, the common paperwork you’ll encounter, and how rehearsals gradually add these elements. You’ll also learn how to interact with gear and give feedback that is actually useful.

Module 1: Scenic (Sets, Surfaces, and Backstage Traffic)

What the scenic department creates

The scenic department builds the physical environment: platforms, walls, doors, stairs, furniture, and any large scenic pieces. Scenic choices affect:

• Pathways and spacing (where you can walk, pass, or cross)
• Levels (stairs, ramps, platforms that change your balance and sightlines)
• Surfaces (traction, noise, and safety)
• Backstage traffic (how people and scenery move in the wings and behind masking)

Key terms (beginner definitions)

• Ground plan: a top-down drawing of the set layout on stage.
• Platform (plat): a raised, sturdy surface you can stand on.
• Rake: a stage floor that slopes up or down.
• Masking: curtains/legs/borders that hide backstage areas.
• Spike mark: tape mark on the floor showing where something goes (furniture, set piece, or sometimes an actor’s position).
• Wagon: a rolling scenic unit.
• Backstage traffic pattern: agreed routes for cast/crew to move without collisions.

Typical documents/outputs you may see

• Ground plan (often posted on a callboard or shared digitally)
• Section/elevation drawings (side views showing heights)
• Scene shift plot (what moves when, and who moves it)
• Spike tape map (sometimes a photo or diagram of spike marks)

How rehearsals incorporate scenic elements

Scenic integration usually happens in layers:

1. Rehearsal room “tape-out”: the floor is taped to approximate walls/doors/furniture footprints. You learn spacing and pathways.
2. Rehearsal furniture: chairs/tables/props stand in for real pieces so you can practice business and timing.
3. Onstage spacing: you adjust to actual dimensions, entrances, and masking.
4. Surface and level practice: you rehearse stairs, ramps, platforms, and any moving scenery at performance speed.
5. Shift rehearsals: you practice scene changes, including where you stand to stay clear.

Step-by-step: adapting to a new surface or level

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1. Walk the route slowly in rehearsal shoes first.
2. Identify “decision points” (top of stairs, edge of platform, tight turns).
3. Run it at half speed with your lines, then at full speed.
4. Note noise (squeaks, thumps) and traction issues; report them.
5. Lock in consistent foot placement for repeated moves (especially on stairs).

Performer interaction (scenic)

• Respect spike marks: don’t peel them up; don’t “improve” them. If a mark is confusing, ask for clarification.
• Keep backstage lanes clear: store bags and water only in approved areas.
• Never move scenery unless assigned: even “light” furniture may be part of a choreographed shift.
• Call out hazards: splinters, wobble, loose handrails, slick paint, or a wagon that doesn’t lock.

Module 2: Costumes (Silhouette, Movement, and Quick Changes)

What the costume department creates

Costumes communicate character through shape, texture, and detail, while also supporting movement and quick changes. Costume choices affect:

• Silhouette (how your body reads from the audience)
• Range of motion (arms, hips, knees, breath support)
• Noise (fabric swish, jewelry clink)
• Heat and stamina (layers, heavy fabrics, headpieces)
• Quick changes (speed, closures, and dressing help)

Key terms (beginner definitions)

• Silhouette: the overall outline of your body in costume.
• Undergarments/foundations: items that shape or support the costume (e.g., slips, dance belts, corsetry, padding).
• Closures: how a costume fastens (zippers, hooks, snaps, Velcro, buttons).
• Quick change: a very fast costume change, often under a minute.
• Preset: costume pieces placed in a specific location before the show for a change.
• Wardrobe crew: people who maintain costumes and may assist with changes.

Typical documents/outputs you may see

• Costume plot (what each character wears in each scene)
• Costume list (inventory of pieces per actor)
• Quick-change chart (steps, timing, who helps, where items are preset)
• Fitting notes (alterations and comfort/mobility adjustments)

How rehearsals incorporate costumes

Costume integration is usually staged like this:

1. Measurements and fittings: you try on garments; the team checks fit, movement, and silhouette.
2. Movement tests: you sit, kneel, reach overhead, and do any choreography to confirm mobility.
3. Rehearsal “costume pieces”: you may rehearse in similar shoes, a rehearsal skirt, or a practice jacket to learn weight and restriction.
4. Costume parade: you wear each look briefly for the creative team to see it under stage light.
5. Dress rehearsals: full costumes, quick changes, and maintenance routines become consistent.

Step-by-step: preparing for a quick change

1. Learn the change as choreography: what comes off first, what goes on last.
2. Practice closures with the actual garment (snaps/Velcro behave differently than buttons).
3. Preset items in the same orientation every time (shoes facing out, hat open-side forward).
4. Decide “no-fail priorities” (e.g., shoes and mic first; jewelry can be skipped if needed).
5. Run the change with a timer until it’s repeatable.

Performer interaction (costumes)

• Protect the costume: avoid sitting on the floor in delicate garments; keep food/drink away; remove rings that snag.
• Report issues early: a tight seam, slipping strap, or noisy accessory should be addressed before it becomes a performance problem.
• Follow laundry rules: don’t take costumes home or wash them unless explicitly told.
• Use costume-safe behavior: apply makeup after putting on light-colored items when possible; use a robe or towel if instructed.

Module 3: Lighting (Visibility, Mood, and Specials)

What the lighting department creates

Lighting makes the stage readable and shapes the audience’s attention. Lighting choices affect:

• Visibility (can the audience see faces and action?)
• Mood (warm/cool color, contrast, shadow)
• Focus (where the audience looks)
• Timing (cues that land on lines, music, or movement)

Key terms (beginner definitions)

• Instrument/fixture: a stage light (spot, wash, LED unit, etc.).
• Wash: broad, even light over an area.
• Special: a focused light on a specific person or place (e.g., a chair, a doorway, a soloist).
• Focus: aiming and shaping the light.
• Gel/color: the color of the light (often via filters or LED settings).
• Gobo: a pattern projected by a light (window panes, leaves, etc.).
• Blackout: lights go out (fully or nearly fully).
• Standby: a warning that a cue is coming soon.
• Go: the command to execute a cue.

Typical documents/outputs you may see

• Light plot (where fixtures hang and what they do)
• Channel hookup (which fixture is assigned to which control channel)
• Magic sheet (a programmer-friendly map of lights by area)
• Cue list (numbered lighting cues with brief descriptions)

How rehearsals incorporate lighting

Lighting becomes precise late in the process because it requires the actual theater and equipment:

1. Work lights: bright general lighting used for rehearsal and safety.
2. Spacing with stage light: you learn how your face reads in the real angles and where shadows fall.
3. Cue-to-cue (tech): the show is run by jumping from cue to cue to set timing and transitions.
4. Dress rehearsals: you perform with full lighting; you learn to “hit your light” (land in the right place for a special).

Step-by-step: hitting a lighting special

1. Ask what the target is: a spike mark, a piece of furniture, or a general area.
2. Rehearse the approach at the same speed you’ll use in performance.
3. Find a repeatable reference (edge of rug, downstage corner of table).
4. Hold still for the moment the special is meant to read (often a beat or a line).
5. If you can’t see the spike in low light, request a clearer mark or alternative reference.

Performer interaction (lighting)

• Don’t stare into fixtures: it can be blinding and unsafe.
• Respect low-light conditions: move carefully in blackouts; use agreed pathways; don’t use personal phone lights unless instructed.
• Tell the team about visibility problems: “I can’t see the stair edge during the blackout transition” is actionable.

Module 4: Sound (Reinforcement, Playback, and Mic Technique)

What the sound department creates

Sound covers what the audience hears: voices, music, and effects. Sound choices affect:

• Reinforcement (amplifying voices so they’re clear and balanced)
• Playback (music and sound effects timing)
• Clarity (how understandable speech is)
• Rhythm (cues that support transitions and pacing)

Key terms (beginner definitions)

• Reinforcement: amplifying live sound (usually voices).
• Playback: pre-recorded audio played during the show.
• Mic (microphone): device that captures sound; often a body mic in theater.
• Body pack: the small transmitter worn on the body that connects to the mic.
• Headset/earset/lavalier: common mic types (near the face, on the ear, or clipped).
• Gain: how much the mic signal is boosted.
• Feedback: the loud squeal caused by sound looping between speakers and mic.
• Foldback/monitor: speaker(s) that let performers hear music or cues onstage.

Typical documents/outputs you may see

• Mic plot (who wears which mic/pack and where it’s placed)
• Sound cue sheet (cue numbers, descriptions, and when they happen)
• Playback track list (music/effects inventory)
• RF coordination notes (wireless frequency planning; mostly for the sound team but affects mic assignments)

How rehearsals incorporate sound

Sound integration often follows this progression:

1. Music/effects in rehearsal: tracks are introduced for timing (sometimes from a simple speaker).
2. Mic fitting and placement: you learn where the pack sits and how the cable routes.
3. Sound check: levels are set while you speak/sing at performance volume.
4. Tech and dress: sound cues are timed to lines and transitions; mic swaps and battery changes become routine.

Step-by-step: basic mic technique for clear speech

1. Speak at your supported, performance voice (don’t whisper because you’re mic’d).
2. Turn your head with intention: extreme head turns can change volume and clarity.
3. Avoid touching the mic or cable; handling noise is very loud.
4. Pause slightly before and after key lines if there’s a sound cue that needs to land cleanly.
5. If something crackles or cuts out, stay in character and report it after the scene.

Performer interaction (sound)

• Wearing mic packs: place the pack where assigned (waistband, thigh strap, small-of-back). Don’t relocate it without asking; placement affects signal and noise.
• Protect the mic from sweat and makeup: use any provided covers/tape; avoid spraying hair products near the capsule.
• Battery discipline: never open the pack or swap batteries unless you’re instructed to; follow the show’s routine.
• Quiet backstage behavior: mics can pick up offstage talking; assume you are audible until the sound team confirms you are muted.

Module 5: Props (Hand Props, Set Dressing, and Consumables)

What the props department creates

Props are the objects used to tell the story. Props choices affect:

• Business (what you do with your hands and body)
• Timing (picking up, setting down, handing off)
• Safety (breakables, liquids, food, weapons)
• Continuity (the same object in the same place every time)

Key terms (beginner definitions)

• Hand prop: an item handled by an actor (letter, cup, phone).
• Set dressing: items that decorate the set but are not handled (books on a shelf, framed photos).
• Practical: a prop that functions (a lamp that turns on, a phone that rings).
• Preset: props placed before the show or before a scene.
• Prop table: organized area backstage where props live between uses.
• Consumable: a prop that gets used up (food, drink, paper that’s torn, candles).
• Continuity: keeping the same actions and prop states across performances.

Typical documents/outputs you may see

• Props list (what props exist and who uses them)
• Props tracking sheet (where each prop starts, who carries it, where it ends)
• Preset list (what must be set before places/acts/scenes)
• Consumables plan (what gets replaced and when)

How rehearsals incorporate props

Props work best when introduced early enough to build muscle memory:

1. Prop rehearsal substitutes: you start with safe stand-ins (a rehearsal cup, a fake phone).
2. “Real prop” introduction: you switch to the actual prop once it’s ready, especially if weight/size matters.
3. Prop handoff rehearsal: you practice passes and pickups until they’re smooth and consistent.
4. Tech/dress continuity: you lock in where props live, how they reset, and what condition they’re in each time.

Step-by-step: building reliable prop continuity

1. Decide exact moments: when you pick up, when you set down, when you pocket.
2. Choose exact locations: “upstage edge of table, stage-right corner” rather than “on the table.”
3. Practice with performance speed and distractions (music, low light, costume restrictions).
4. Confirm reset: who returns the prop and where it goes for the next scene.
5. If a prop breaks or goes missing, don’t improvise with unsafe substitutes; alert the crew at the first safe moment.

Performer interaction (props)

• Only handle your assigned props: don’t borrow items from the prop table.
• Use the prop the same way each time: consistency helps sound cues, lighting focus, and other actors’ timing.
• Respect consumables rules: eat/drink only what’s approved; notify the team about allergies or sensitivities.
• Weapon-like props: treat as real for safety; follow choreography and storage rules exactly.

Giving Usable Feedback to Design/Tech (Without Slowing the Process)

Design and tech notes are most helpful when they are specific, observable, and timed. Avoid general statements like “the lights are weird” or “the costume doesn’t work.” Instead, describe what happened and when.

A simple feedback format you can use

When: (act/scene/page or cue number; or “during the transition into Scene 3”)
What I did: (your action)
What happened: (observable result)
Impact: (why it matters: safety, clarity, timing)
Request/question: (what you need checked or adjusted)

Examples of strong, usable notes

• Scenic: “During the shift into Scene 2, I cross behind the sofa. The wagon rolled about 2 inches when I brushed it, and my foot caught the edge. Could we check the wagon lock or add a clearer spike?”
• Costumes: “In the kneel on my last line of the scene, the skirt seam pulls and I can’t stand smoothly. Could we add a slit or adjust the hem so I can rise without yanking?”
• Lighting: “On the line ‘I’m here,’ I’m in the special but my face is in shadow when I look down at the letter. Is there a way to soften the shadow or adjust the angle?”
• Sound: “My mic crackled when I turned my head quickly during the argument beat. It happened twice in the same moment. Could we check the cable routing or tape point?”
• Props: “The drawer stick makes it hard to hit the pickup on time. If it can’t be fixed, can we rehearse an alternate action so the timing stays consistent?”

When to give notes

• In designated notes sessions when possible (after a run or at a scheduled break).
• Immediately if it’s a safety issue (slick surface, unstable platform, exposed nail, electrical smell, severe mic shock).
• After the scene if it affects performance but isn’t urgent (noisy shoe, uncomfortable closure, prop placement confusion).

Performer Interaction Checklist (All Departments)

Handling props safely and consistently

• Confirm what is breakaway (meant to break) versus fragile (not meant to break).
• Keep props in their home (prop table/preset spot) when not in use.
• Practice handoffs with eye contact and clear timing; don’t toss unless choreographed.
• Never substitute a personal item (your own phone, lighter, glass) for a stage prop.

Wearing mic packs and protecting audio

• Arrive early enough for mic placement and a quick check.
• Keep cables flat and secured; avoid rubbing fabrics (sequins, stiff collars) against the capsule.
• Don’t tap-test the mic onstage; if you need help, find the sound team offstage.
• Assume you are live until told otherwise; keep backstage conversations minimal.

Protecting costumes and staying comfortable

• Warm up in rehearsal clothes; change into costume when called.
• Use approved deodorants/lotions if the wardrobe team requests (some products stain).
• Remove costume pieces only in designated areas; keep track of accessories.
• Report pinches, numbness, or restricted breathing immediately—mobility and safety come first.

Working with light and low visibility

• Learn your landmarks (edge of rug, stair rail, masking line) for blackout navigation.
• Move at the speed you can do safely; if a cue demands faster movement, request a safety adjustment.
• Keep glow tape or running-light needs within the team’s plan—don’t add your own lights.