1. Thomas Atkinson
Roles In Theatre
Theatre Producer
The producer oversees the running of the production, both in the financial and managerial
sectors of it. They will work closely with the director before embarking on a production.1
Whilst artistic direction can be a part of the producer’s job, the producer is more involved
with the hiring personnel, dealing with budgets and handling the politics of the show. They
will also be in charge of drawing up contracts for all the crew and cast, deciding on ticket
prices and performance dates and conceptualising a marketing plan and advertising
strategy. If a theatre is not producing its own show, then an independent producer or
production company will be responsible.2 The role is so vast, large and administrative that
Stage One, a an agency which promotes new and upcoming producers, describes the role as
"responsible for making arrangements for every aspect of the production in order to
prepare it for presentation to the public on stage, subsequently managing it during the
course of its production run and finally making all necessary closure arrangements".3
The producer, whilst possibly having some creative input to the show, is mainly in the role of
running the show as a whole. The producer will hire the staff, find the script to be used for
the show, and handles the legal, financial and business end of any production. The producer
and the director, along with the staff, will collaborate to produce a production timeline,
which the producer will constantly reassess as being successfully kept to or not. The
producer, who creates a budget and a marketing plan, as well as the ticket prices and hiring
the marketing team to go into finer details on the show, also oversees the marketing aspect
of the show. All legal contracts will go through the producer as well, for all staff.
Arguably the most well-known producer in all of theatre is Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is
not only responsible for writing some of the most popular musicals of the 20th century but
also for producing many more.
Theatrical Director
The artistic director is responsible for conceiving, developing, and implementing the artistic
vision and focus of a theatre company.4 The theatre director would work with a producer
first on choosing the cast and discussing the artistic vision of the show. The artistic vision
would also be conveyed to the rest of the different departments such as lighting, sound,
costume, makeup etc. This helps keep a singular direction to the show and to maintain
artistic integrity. The director will also be in charge of blocking the show and working with
the stage manager closely on this as well, since the director is not required once the show
has begun; the stage manager will take over in rehearsing the actors in their movements
and the musical director in singing and music. It is widely accepted that once the show does
1 http://www.theatrecrafts.com/results.php
2 http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/exploring-theatres/who-works-in-a-theatre
3 http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2008/apr/04/whatstheproducersrole
4 http://www.aact.org/artistic-director
2. Thomas Atkinson
its first performance, the director has done their job. They pass on the role to the stage
manager and deputy stage manager who write the book, which is a script containing cues
for lighting and sound, as well as last minute revisions to the script.5
The head of the creative side of the show, the director oversees the creation of the show
itself, specifically choosing exactly how the show will be staged and carried out. All artistic
concepts behind the play are controlled by the director, and ultimate decision over these
creative aspects is held by the director, although he will have a team of creative talents to
head up the various aspects of creating the production, such as set design, lighting, sound,
actors, props and costume, among others. The director is mainly required for the rehearsal
for the show and the moments leading up to it. Once it has opened and the first show has
taken place, the artistic vision has been fulfilled as has the director’s job (in some cases, at
least) and the practical day-to-day running of the show is done by the stage manager.
One of the most famed is Trevor Nunn, who attended school with Ian McKellen and Derek
Jacobi in his youth, going on to begin work for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Four years
later, he was appointed artistic director, a position maintained for 18 years following this.
The first major directorial role for Nunn was the RSC production of Macbeth, starring school
friend McKellen and Judi Dench.
Arguably his most famous directorial job is for the original West End production of Cats in
1981 and the first British production of Les Miserables four years later. Additionally, he
directed the original Starlight Express and the Sunset Boulevard stage show.
Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager
The stage manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the show, including
rehearsing the actors, doing a performance report at the end of each show and keeping all
the departments running smoothly with each other. They will be involved right through
from the rehearsal period right through to the final performance, taking notes throughout
the rehearsals and overseeing the technical and artistic elements of the production. They
will liaise with all the departments and ensure the show runs smoothly. Normally, in a
production where a DSM is not involved, the stage manager will also be in charge of the
prompt for the actors and their cues. The DSM is often also in rehearsal working with the
director to prepare the prompt book.6 Announcements are made thirty minutes, fifteen
minutes and then five minutes before ‘curtain up’.7
The deputy stage manager is a role that can vary across different productions, both
regionally and internationally. Most DSMs would be expected to know the script extremely
well, and be able to pinpoint places in the script for rehearsals to continue from.
Additionally, because of their knowledge of the script, they will cue up actors to take their
positions for a scene which may be about to come up. They will be stood by the side of the
5 http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/exploring-theatres/who-works-in-a-theatre
6 http://www.theatrecrafts.com/results.php
7 http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/exploring-theatres/who-works-in-a-theatre
3. Thomas Atkinson
stage and have comms ready, with a direct line to the dressing rooms and backstage. The
role varies because occasionally it is a separate role in a theatre production but it can also
be integrated into the stage manager or assistant stage manager’s duties.
Sound Design
‘Bad soundisimpossibletohide’
Ian Hawkins,2015
Sound design relies on the relationship between performer and audience. They must make
it work naturally with the audience, rather than putting too much emphasis on the sound
design itself i.e. making it sound natural to the audience without drawing attention to it. The
designer will try to make sure the location of the sound is panned to the corresponding
position through the speakers i.e. the orchestra sounds like it’s coming from the orchestra
pit and the voices sound like they’re coming from the stage. A sound designer works closely
with other sound roles to tell them what the balance and mixing should sound like, but the
engineers and mixers will be the ones who actually carry out the task of operating the
design set out by the sound designer. All the music and/or effects in a play considered as a
whole make up the "soundscape." 8
FabianPetersen-MammaMia,Headof Sound
Responsible foranyaudioelementstothe show
Soundcheckfor 90 minuteswhere the entireteamchecksthe speakersandmicrophones,
withtwopeople onthe deskandtwo workingonthe equipmentonstage
40% istechnical and60% artistic
Mix vocalsandband live
Keepinglivemusiciansallowsformore artisticintegrity
Degrees,diplomasandworkexperiencewillallow forapathintothe WestEnd
Tony Meola-Wicked,Headof Sound
Doesmore than amplifyperformers’voices
Craftsa soundscape
Sounddesignreliesonrelationshipbetweenperformerandaudience
Making itworknaturallywiththe audience,ratherthanputtingtoomuchemphasisonthe
sounddesignitself
Helpsto tell the story
Findingbalance betweenmusicandlyrics
Microphone packsheldonbodyunderneathcostume,withmiceitheroncheekoron
foreheadandthe wiresheldinplace bymedical tape
Volume andsounddetail iscontrolledfromthe desk
8 http://www.aact.org/sound-designer
4. Thomas Atkinson
Try to make sure the locationof the soundispannedto the correspondingpositionthrough
the speakersi.e.the orchestrasoundslike it’scomingfromthe orchestrapitand the voices
soundlike they’re comingfromthe stage
Soundmixerworkseverynightwithnobreak
Mixedevenwhenthere isnomusic
Mixerhas to knowthe script,orchestrationandtheircues
Sounddesignerworkscloselywithothersoundrolestotell themwhatthe balance and
mixingshouldsoundlike,butthe engineersandmixerswill be the oneswhoactuallycarry
out the task of operatingthe designsetoutbythe sounddesigner
Lighting Roles
The lightingdesigner’sjobistouse lightingtodoguide the audience andenhance the piece in
several differentways:
Reinforce the moodorstyle of the production
Emphasise the importance of aspecificareaof the action or a specificcharacter
Showthe locationor time of day9
The designerwill beingwithreadingthe scriptandworkingoutat whichpointsthere shouldbe a
change in lighting,workingcloselywiththe director,aswell asthe otherdepartments, tomake sure
all of theirideasandvisionsgel together.The setdesignerispossiblythe mostimportant
departmentforthe lightingdesignertoworkwithapart fromthe directorhimself,since the set
positioningwillbe integral tothe positioningof the lighting.Afterthe setchoices,the lightingstill
cannot be completelydecided:atmosphericaspectsof the lightingmaybe plannedinsome capacity
but more focussedaspects,follow-spotsparticularly,cannotbe decidedonuntil the productionhas
beenblockedbythe director.
The designerwill have alightingplotforthe theatre,onwhicheverylight,itstype,itsposition,itsgel
colour,itsvoltage anditsdesignationnumberwill be listed.If the productiongoestoanothervenue,
the original plotisusedasa basisforthe lightingriginthe new venue.
The lightingoperatorwill have acue listwitha ‘Go’buttonto take themthrougheachcue.Before,
theywouldhave physicallyoperatedeachlightwiththe fadersbutwiththe developmentof digital
technology,the lightswill insteadhave pre-programmedcueswhichare gone throughasthe DSM
callsthem.
The designerdoesnotoperate ortechnicallyengineerthe lights;thatfallstothe headtechnicianfor
the theatre or production. Each daythe lightsare cleanedandcheckedbythe team, andtheywill
make sure theydo not fail inthe course of the show.
9 http://www.aact.org/lighting-designer
