The Props Designer

Bernie only makes a few of these each year and not many are put up for sale. This 36 plat, two tone brown & black stock whip is a prize for anyone’s collection. I imported this whip and sold it over 15 years ago and it was the keystone of a private collection.

The Props Designer discusses the budget with the Director and Staff Production Manager/Technical Director and determines if any props will have to be bought or rented. The Props Designer is responsible for obtaining a purchase order, check, or petty cash from the Department Administrative Assistant and making arrangements for purchase or rental (see Petty Cash policy ). At the end of the day’s rehearsal the props master should go to the post-rehearsal production meeting and receive notes from the director and designer and then develop a priority list for the completion of the props.

Naturally it is the star who catches the eye and ear of the audience. When the hero does and dares it is he whom the spectators are with heart and soul, and the curtain goes down upon the last set while auditors join in exclamations of rapture over the work of their idol. They fail to take into consideration that when from his trusty revolver sped the fatal bullet which winged the bold, bad villain, none other was responsible for the blank cartridge and the wreaths of white smoke which curled above than the humble property man.

THEATRICAL PROPERTY

The term has readily transferred to television and motion picture production, where they are commonly referred to by the phrase movie prop or film prop In recent years, the increasing popularity of movie memorabilia (a broader term that also includes costumes) has added new meaning to the term “prop,” broadening its existence to include a valuable after-life as a prized collector’s item. Typically not available until after a film’s premiere, movie props appearing on-screen are christened “screen-used”, and can fetch thousands of dollars in online auctions and charity benefits. 

I remember a troupe performance I saw in which the choreography to each and every song used a different prop, and the effect was much too busy. The performers looked more like trained seals showing off thoeir collection of tricks than like dancers offering a dance perfrmance. I would encourage you to put at least one dance that uses no props at all in between each prop-oriented dance. Props are most effective when they’re used to provide a change of pace. Be prepared with all show props for first and subsequent technical and dress rehearsals (all props in place and prepared to begin at each rehearsal’s start time).

About Stage Props

The Props Master should ask lots of questions of the Director about specifications for the props. A list of required props should be made available early on in the rehearsal process, preferably during the first two weeks of rehearsals. Please note, however, that a play is an ongoing creative process and the need for new props will be made up to and in some cases during Tech Week. Schedule a time early in the production cycle with the Director and Scenic Designer to review the prop list and discuss matters related the visual look of the show and their design concepts.

Personal props are props worn or carried by a particular actor and issued to him rather than stored on the prop table. For participating ACTF productions, the Props Designer will assist the Prop Shop Student Manager , and Staff Production Manager/Technical Director in storing props for possible travel to festival. Obtains and maintains any rehearsal props called for by the Director by the “Rehearsal Props Due” deadline on the Department Calendar Rehearsal props are substitutes of comparable size and weight used by actors until the final props are available. Once usage was established, we documented all of the pieces in a prop book which was given to the prop mistress.