Elements of Production
6th Grade
Arts and Humanities
Elements of Production
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Lighting
Stage types and directions
Sound
Scenery
Make-up
Costumes
Props
Lighting
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Enhance Visibility
Increase Realism
Highlight Costumes, Make-up, and Scenery
Contribute to the Composition and Design
of the Stage Environment
Sound
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Greatly enhances theatrical performance
Sound conveyed to the audience
Sound Effects
Music
Scenery
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Set
Curtain Sets
Box Sets
Screen Sets/Flats
Props
• Any object used for a performance
• Hand props: anything carried on-stage by an actor during a
performance.
-Weapons, tools, food, cane, purse, skateboard, basketball,
football
• Set Props: Anything used on-stage during a performance.
• -Go-cart, dirt-bike, couch, bed, toaster, television,
refrigerator, plant, table
• Personal/costume Props: Anything worn by a
character/actor during a performance.
-sunglasses, jewelry, watch
Make-up: 2 types
• Character Make-up
• Straight Make-up
Makeup
• 1.Color or lines applied to the face and
features of an actor to aid in creating a
character.
2. Completes costume
3. Enriches Characterization
4.Gives a psychological boost to the actor
Costumes enhance the meaning
and mood of a play and to help
define the characters.
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Tell Setting of the Play
Tell Social Rank of Character
Convey Mood
Provide Character Information
Why a Modern Actor Needs
Makeup:
1. Stage lighting washes out the faces of actors on
stage.
2. Makeup defines their features
3. Audience needs to see the actors’ facial
expressions
4. Gives information about character
a. Health
b. Age
c. Character
Character Makeup
1.Makeup that changes the appearance of an
actor into that of the character being
portrayed.
2.Includes items that drastically change an
actor’s appearance.
Straight Make-up:
1.Makeup that enhances the features of the
actor without changing his or her
appearance.
2.Used when an actor plays a part that does
not require a change in appearance.
How to Apply Makeup
1. Foundation: makeup that is close to your natural
skin tone that you will use to cover your face,
neck, and other exposed areas.
a. Greasepaint: oil based stage makeup
b. Pancake Makeup: Water based makeup
1. Color of foundation is chosen by your natural skin
tone or by the character.
Shadows and Highlights:
a. Help to create the character you are
playing or enhance your natural contours.
b. Dark colors recede and light colors
advance
Eye makeup
a. Eyes show emotion and should be visible
to the audience
b. Eye makeup calls attention to your eyes
and visually enlarges them.
c. Eye shadow should be close to the color of
your skin unless there is a good reason to
do otherwise
d. Shape of eyebrows shows character.
Rouge
a. Adds color and contours to the actor’s
face.
b. Can impart a healthy glow
Powder and Lipstick
1. Powder
a. Helps set makeup and remove the shine
caused by greasepaint.
b. Use a powder that is lighter than
foundation or colorless
2. Lipstick:The shape and expression of the
mouth help to show character, so lipstick
can help you create a believable character.
Guidelines for applying makeup
1. Strive to look natural by not using too much
makeup
2. Have a good reason for whatever makeup choices
you make.
3. Work with your facial features
4. Focus on shadows and highlights rather than lines
5. Follow the bone structure of your face
6. Practice applying your makeup for a part before
opening night
Costumes: Setting of a Play
1. Costumes help the audience know the
setting of a play.
2. Setting: the time and place of a play.
3. Period Play: a play set in a particular
historical period with the speech patterns,
manners, and costumes of that time.
4. Costume Silhouettes: the outline of a
costume worn by an actor on stage.
Costumes: Social Rank of
Character
• Costumes can reveal the social rank or
economic status of a character in a play.
Costumes: Convey mood I
• Color and Costume
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Color on stage helps to establish the mood of
the play.
• 2. Dark or dull colors lend a feeling of
seriousness, sadness, even depression.
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Lighter, brighter colors lift the spirits and
show a less serious mood.
• 4. Color in costuming also affects the way the
audience perceives the action on stage.
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Important characters set apart by bright
colors
Costumes: Convey mood II
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Color of a costume is also important in
increasing the depth of a character.
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Dynamic, expressive characters may wear
vivid colors
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Meek or weak characters wear pale colors
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Colors can distinguish characterization for
actors and audience.
• 7. Characterization: Putting the particular
facets of a character together to make a believable
person on stage.
Wearing a Costume Comfortably
on Stage:
• Movement is the key to acting, so the actor must not let wearing
a costume interfere with movement on stage.
A. Costumes that are different from the type of clothing one
normally wears can make stage movement difficult.
B. Tips for wearing costumes on stage.
Wear your costume as much as possible before the performance.
2. Learn to walk, stand, sit, and bend naturally and
comfortably in your costume.
3. Do not forget to practice wearing all the details of your
costume, such as boots, gloves, wig, glasses, and mustache.
4. Be familiar with all of your character’s costumes.
5. Familiarize yourself with all accessories.
Stage Types
• Proscenium (Conventional)
• Arena
• Thrust
Proscenium
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Picture frame view
Audience on one side
Backstage
Wings
Thrust
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Combines features of Thrust and Arena
Audience on Three Sides
Backstage
No wings
Arena
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Sometimes called “Theater in the Round”
Surrounded by Audience
More audience participation
Challenging for moving props and scenery
Stage Directions
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Center Stage
Off stage left
Off stage right
Backstage
Upstage Right
Upstage Center
Upstage Left
Centerstage right
Centerstage left
Downstage right
Downstage center
Downstage left