SET
and
SCENERY
THE SET TELLS THE AUDIENCE
•WHERE THE ACTION IS
•WHEN THE ACTION IS
•WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECT
THE CHARACTERS.
ALL BEFORE ANY ACTORS STEP
ON STAGE.
IN SHORT IT HELPS CREATE
ATMOSPHERE
Scenery used to show where a
drama takes place
To place a drama in a certain time
or place
SET
FIRST DECIDE WHAT
KIND OF STAGE YOU
WILL BE PERFORMING
ON.
END ON STAGE
THRUST STAGE
PROSCENIUM ARCH
AVENUE STAGE
Audience follows
the action on foot,
moving from one
location to another
PROMENADE
THEATRE
CONSIDER THE EXTRAS…
APRON
Slope of stage to allow
actors to be seen
RAKE
Drapes which curtain off the back or sides of stage
BLACKS
NOW THINK.
WHAT ELEMENTS
WOULD HELP
CREATE THE
ATMOSPHERE
FOR WHICH YOU
ARE AIMING.
CONSIDER
What the audience sees of the stage from where they are sitting
SIGHT LINES
FLATS
----------------------
BACKCLOTH
WINDOW FLAT
DOOR FLAT
TRAPDOOR
TREADS
area above the stage
from where set or
actors are
FLOWN
In on pullies
FLIES
YOU CAN USE THIS TO DROP DIFFERENT BACKCLOTHS
Piece of scenery on wheels for ease of movement
TRUCK
WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SET
CONSTRUCTED YOU NEED TO
DRESS IT WITH DETAILS TO YOUR
STORY AND CHARACTERS.
An item placed on the set, usually part of it e.g. a lamp, clock, picture
SET PROP
OVER ALL
THE WHOLE SET
HAS A NAME……..
Resources used to create the setting where a drama takes
place,
e.g. backcloth, flats, rostra, furniture.
SCENERY
IF YOUR SET IS EFFECTIVE
THE ACTORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL
YOU THE
• TIME PERIOD
• LOCATION
• SOCIAL STATUS
• ATMOSPHERE
BEFORE ANY ACTORS WALK ON STAGE!
GROUND
PLAN
GROUND PLAN
IS A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE SET
LET US REVIEW THE AREAS
OF THE STAGE…
USR
CSR
DSR
USC
CS
DSC
AUDIENCE
USL
CSL
DSL
GENERALLY A GROUND PLAN LOOKS LIKE THIS!
KEY
Flat
Table
Chair
Entrance
/Exit
A
A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE
5 INGREDIENTS
K
A
EY
V
E
S
IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE)
UDIENCE
NTRANCE/ EXIT
YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)
LET US BEGIN…. STEP ONE.
DRAW THE GENERAL ACTING AREA AND ADD YOUR
AUDIENCE.
AUDIENCE
NOW ADD THE SET PIECES.
TRICKY PART IS LIKE CHEMISTRY
THERE ARE SYMBOLS YOU HAVE TO USE
SO LETS BEGIN THERE ….
FLAT
DOOR FLAT
WINDOW FLAT
CHAIR
TABLE
SOFA
TREADS
(STAIRS)
ENTERANCE/
EXIT
~~~~~~~
CURTAIN
BACKCLOTH
GAUZE
SO THEN YOU PUT THEM ON THE
STAGE
AUDIENCE
NOW ADD A KEY
a key is like a legend on
a map. It tells people
what the symbols mean.
KEY
DOOR FLAT
TABLE
CHAIR
ENTERANCES/
EXIT
AUDIENCE
BUT WHEN YOU WANT
TO PUT
ANOTHER PIECE OF SET ON STAGE
THEN
YOU GET TO MAKE IT UP!
KEY
DOOR FLAT
JAIL CELL
BARS
ENTERANCES/
EXIT
AUDIENCE
REMEMBER
A GROUND PLAN MUST HAVE
5 INGREDIANTS
K
A
EY
V
E
S
IABILITY (DOES IT MAKE SENSE)
UDIENCE
NTRANCE/ EXIT
YMBOLS (OVER HEAD VIEW)
Flat
~~~~~~~
Curtains
Door Flat
Backcloth
Window Flat
Gauze
Table
Chair
If there is not a symbol for the item
here then you make one up.
Eg.
Tree
Sofa
Treads
Rostra
Never EVER EVER draw any of your symbols
In 3D. It must be a bird’s eye view of the stage
SCRIPT
AS NIGHT TO THE DAY
By Dan Ebbs
Modern day. It is a gloriously sunny weekday morning. In the spring.
Kitchen in the house of WINIFRED Ashcroft. Table and the three chairs centre. Counter upstage centre; on it are kettle, tea pot,
cups, spoons, carton of milk, sugar bowl, loaf of bread and package of sliced mat; sink and tap in the middle of the counter.
WINIFRED is at the counter pouring water from the kettle into the tea pot and humming tune. She is in her late seventies, a widow
and a retired high school math teacher. She is still in her night gown.
Michael
(off left) Mom? You up?
Winifred
I’m in the Kitchen
Michael enters left. He is Winifred’s only child. He is in his early forties wears factory work
clothes and looks tired
Michael
I tried the front door but it was locked. Must’ve left the key at
home.
Winifred
Good Morning Michael
Michael
Morning. No paper today?
Winifred
You brought the newspaper? Where is it?
Michael
No. I asked you if there was any paper today. I didn’t see it on the front porch.
They should have brought it by now.
Michael
It’s not- but she is gone- Whatever.
He pokes around the counter; checks to see if the tea is steeped; checks a cup to see if it is clean; pours some milk
in first; looks at the milk in the cup; sniffs it sniffs the carton.
Winifred
(re enters right) Do you have the paper?
Michael
Has the milk been out all night?
Michael
The milk. Smell it. (he hold carton up to her nose)
Winifred
(sniffs) That’s sour. You don’t want to be drinking that.
Michael
Yes, I know, Mom. That’s why I was asking you. Did you leave it out?
Task: Draw a ground plan of your set of
Winifred’s kitchen
Design this into a Set Box Model. Include a
photograph of your finished design here.