ORGANIZATION
A great many more factors go into the making of a successful dramatic
production than may at first be apparent. To organize a staff whose duty
it is to furnish and equip a theater, hall, or schoolroom; to arrange
and efficiently run rehearsals; to supply "props", costumes, and
furniture; to manage the stage during the performance--all this is next
in importance to the acting itself.
Of late years especially it has been made clear that the art of the
theater, although it is a collaboration of the brains and hands of many
persons, must be under the supervision of one dominating and far-seeing
chief. That is to say, one person and one alone must be responsible for
the entire production. Except in rare instances this head cannot know of
and attend to each detail himself, but it is his business to see that
the whole organization is formed and managed according to his wishes.
The function of this ideal manager has been compared with that of the
orchestral conductor: it is he who leads, and he should be the first to
detect the slightest discord. While the foregoing remarks are more
strictly applicable to acting and staging, it will readily be seen that
if the same leader is not in touch with the more practical side of the
production, there is likely to arise that working at cross-purposes
which has ruined many an amateur as well as professional production.
While a great deal of the actual work must be done by subordinates, it
should be clearly understood that the director has the final word of
authority.
Much in the matter of organization depends upon the number and ability
and experience of those persons who are available, but the suggestions
about to be made as to the organization of a staff are based upon the
assumption that the director is a capable person, and his assistants at
least willing to learn from him. As a rule, he will have plenty of
material to work with.
=The Director.= The producer, the head under whose guidance the entire
work of rehearsing and organization should lie, is called the director.
However, since this position is often held by a hired coach or by some
one else who cannot be expected to attend to much outside the actual
rehearsing, there must be elected or appointed an officer who is
directly responsible. This officer is:
=The Stage Manager.= As the director cannot always be present at every
rehearsal, and as oftentimes two parts of the play are rehearsed
simultaneously, it is evident that another director must be ready to
act in place of the head. It is chiefly his duty to "hold" the
prompt-book and keep a careful record of all stage business, "cuts",
etc. At every rehearsal he must be ready to prompt, either lines or
"business"--action, gestures, crosses, entrances, exits, and the
like--and call the attention of the director to omissions or mistakes of
every sort. In the event of the director's absence, he becomes the pro
tem. director himself.
It is advisable--though not always possible--to delegate the duties of
property man, lightman, curtain man, costume man (or wardrobe mistress)
to different persons; but even when this is done, it is better for the
stage manager to keep a record of all "property plots", "light plots",
"furniture plots", etc.
It is also the stage manager's business to arrange the time and place of
rehearsals, and hold each actor responsible for attendance.
On the occasion of the dress rehearsal and of the actual production, it
is the stage manager, and not the director, who supervises everything.
His position is that of commander-in-chief. He either holds the book, or
is at least close by the person who actually follows the lines; sees
that each actor is ready for his entrance; that the curtain rises and
falls when it should; that his assistants are each in their respective
places; and that the entire performance "goes" as it is intended to go.
=The Business Manager.= This person attends to such matters as renting
the theater--or arranging some place for the performance--printing and
distributing tickets; in short, everything connected with the receipt
and expenditure of money. It is not of course imperative that he should
have much to do with the director; the only point to be borne in mind
being that every one connected with the production of a play should be
in touch with those in authority. The business manager ought to have at
least a preliminary conference with the director, and report to him
every week until a few days before the performance, when he should be
within instant call in case of emergency. The property, light,
furniture, and costume people must naturally keep in close touch with
him, although no purchases should be made without the permission of the
director, who in this case must be at one with the club or organization.
=The Property Man.= The duties attaching to this position are definitely
and necessarily limited, but of great importance. Working under the
stage manager, he supplies all the objects--such as revolvers, swords,
letters, etc.--in a word, everything actually _used_ by the actors, and
not falling under the categories of "scenery", "costumes", and
"furniture."
It will be found necessary in some cases to add to the staff one person
whose business it is to attend to the matter of furnishings: rugs,
hangings, pictures, furniture, and so forth; but in case there is no
such person, the property man attends to these details himself.
It cannot be too strongly urged that from the very first as many
"props", as much furniture or as many set pieces as possible (depending
on whether the set is an indoor or outdoor one), should be used by the
actors. In this way they will be better able to associate their
thoughts, words, and gestures with the material objects with which they
will be surrounded on the fatal night. If this is impracticable, that
is, if most of these objects cannot be secured from the first, then at
least suitable substitutes should be used. The presence of such
fundamentally important articles as the wall in Rostand's "The
Romancers", and the dentist's chair in Shaw's "You Never Can Tell", when
used from the first rehearsals, always minimizes the danger of confusion
of lines or business at the last moment.
The property man must keep a list of everything required; this should be
a duplicate of that in the possession of the stage manager.
=The Lightman.= Sometimes even nowadays called the "Gasman." He is not
indispensable, because almost always the regular electrician attends to
the switchboard. However, some one should be with the electrician at the
dress rehearsal and on the evening of the performance to give him the
necessary light cues. Usually, however, the stage manager who holds the
prompt-book where all the light cues are indicated can fulfill this
function.
=The Costume Man= (or =Wardrobe Mistress=, as the case may be). Again
the duties are simple. If the play is a classic--Shakespeare, for
instance,--the costumes, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, had
better be rented from a regular costumer. The costume man, then,
together with the business manager, attends to the details of renting,
and sees that all costumes are ready for the dress rehearsal. If the
costumes are made to order, the matter is supervised by the costume man.
But, as with everything else connected with the best amateur efforts,
there should be some expert adviser, not so much one versed in history
and archeology as an artist with an eye for color and style. The
director in any event must be consulted, so that lights, scenery, and
costumes may harmonize. Details as to costumes are to be found in many
books, and need not here be discussed. In spite of a good deal that has
been written to the contrary, historical accuracy is not of vast
importance: so long as there are no glaring anachronisms, Shakespeare
may be presented with actors wearing pre- or post-Elizabethan costumes,
provided they are beautiful, and harmonize.
Among the thousand and one minor details of producing, there are some
which in large productions might be assigned to specially appointed
individuals, but most of the duties to be briefly enumerated below may
easily be given over to the stage manager, property man, or costume man,
or even to the lightman.
_Handling and Setting of Scenery and Furniture._ This is usually taken
care of by the property man and his assistants, under the direction of
the stage manager. As in every other branch of the work, all details
must be planned beforehand, and recorded.
_Music._ The music cues should be marked in the stage manager's
prompt-book. Incidental music, whether it be on, behind, or off-stage in
the orchestra pit, ought to be rehearsed at least two or three times. On
the occasion of the performance, the stage manager gives directions from
his prompt-book for all music cues.
_Crowds or Large Groups._ The management and rehearsing of crowds or
large groups is considered under "Rehearsing" (p. 58). Here it will
suffice to state that it is well to have an assistant whose duty it is
to see that the "supes" [supernumeraries] are conducted on and off the
stage at the right time.
Among the further details which must be looked after are the duties
which are sometimes left to the stage manager: the ringing of bells,
calling of actors at the regular performance, etc. A "call boy" may be
delegated to do this.
_Understudies._ Trouble is always likely to arise, especially among
amateurs, because there is no effective method of holding the actors to
strict account. Often, one or more of the cast finds, or thinks he
finds, good reason for leaving it, and a new actor must sometimes be
found and trained to fill the vacancy on perilously short notice.
Sickness or indisposition invariably give rise to the same problem. If
possible, an entire second cast should be trained, so that any member of
it could at a moment's notice be called upon to play in the first cast.
While this second company should be letter-perfect and know the
"business" in every detail, it is not necessary that their acting be so
finished and detailed as that of the others. Understudy rehearsals are
under the direction of the stage manager, although the director should
witness at least two or three.
Since the performance depends almost wholly on the knowledge, sympathy,
and taste of the director, the greatest care should be taken in choosing
him. Needless to say, the ideal director does not exist; still, his
attributes should be constantly borne in mind. If he lacks the artist's
sense of color, rhythm, and proportion, then an art adviser must be
called in to suggest color schemes as regards costumes, scenery,
furniture, and lighting. Nowadays, great attention is being paid to
these matters, and the subtle effect of background and detail is much
greater than is commonly supposed. The play is of first importance--that
must never be forgotten--but these other matters are too often
neglected.
Similarly with costumes, music, scenery, it is never amiss to consult
authorities. But once more be it repeated, the whole production should
bear the imprint of the director's personality, because only in this way
can we hope for that essential unity of effect which is a basic
principle of all art.
Cooperation with, but, in the last analysis, subserviency to, the
director, is the keynote of success.
[Illustration: "THE TROJAN WOMEN", OF EURIPIDES. PRODUCED AT THE LITTLE
THEATER, CHICAGO.
Effective grouping against a simple background. (Courtesy of Maurice
Browne).]