Seattle Children’s Theatre rehearsal furniture

Rehearsal Props

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REHEARSAL AND PRODUCTION PROCESS

Production Meeting                Costume Collaboration                Electrics Collaboration   

Sound Collaboration                  Scenery Collaboration

Click here to view sub-topics:

REHEARSAL AND PRODUCTION PROCESS

Production Meeting                Costume Collaboration                Electrics Collaboration   

Sound Collaboration                  Scenery Collaboration

    In many regional theatres stage management has a stock storage closet of hand props and an assemblage of furniture pieces in the rehearsal hall that can be accessed for use during the rehearsal process.  Rehearsal props stand in for the actual prop as the actor works out the stage action and movement in the rehearsal process.   Many theatres use an odd gathering of cast-off furniture pieces to set the rehearsal space.   Some use a cube system with standardized 18” wooden rehearsal cubes used to represent the furniture complimented by assorted armchairs and other real items to complete the rehearsal kit.   For speciality pieces that are not available in the stage management stock, the prop shop often works with the stage managers to assist in procuring something similar from prop storage that can be used. Stage managers should not expect the prop shop to provide rehearsal props but should use what they can best create or pull from their rehearsal stock on their own to stand-in for the actual item.   An understanding of what the actual item looks like will allow the stage manager to communicate that information to the actor and will inform their choices in selecting a rehearsal prop.   A visit to the prop shop to see what is being selected and created or talking with the properties director about what things look like and how it is to be used allows that understanding to be clear.  

If an actor is blocked to carry a tray with six glasses it is helpful to know the size of the tray and if the glasses are footed champagnes or flat based “on the rocks” style glasses.   For those specialty props that are problematic such as weapons or something that has to be manipulated in a specific way, often the prop shop will prioritize the completion of those props to allow them to move to rehearsal and be used prior to technical rehearsals.

    It is helpful when the furniture used in rehearsal duplicates the qualities of the actual furniture piece.   If a chair is to have arms or an especially high back then the rehearsal piece should have some representation of that even if it is only a piece of cardboard taped to the sides to represent arms or the back of the chair showing a similar height as the real prop chair. This allows the actors to understand the relationship of their movement in and around the chair to the actual prop.

TOP PHOTO:   Actors working in the rehearsal room using rehearsal furniture -  Hayfever, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

BOTTOM PHOTO:  Actors playing the same scene, this time on the actual set with the prop furniture.

  Most prop shops are able to accommodate such a request and work with stage managers to either provide the actual piece in rehearsal or a close duplicate.   Some items can be sent to rehearsal before final finishing for actors to get comfortable with the actual piece and then pulled in the last week for completion prior to load-in.

Once scripts are out of the actors hands it is helpful to have something to represent the hand props the actors will be working with to help them hook the action to the language.   During this exploratory time while actors are experimenting with how they are working a scene or playing around with ways to interact, using plastic or non-breakable items allows the actors to work the scenes without fear of breaking the props or hurting themselves on a piece of broken glass or china. It is however, important that the actors move to either the actual prop or something that duplicates the weight and feel of the actual prop once the scenes are set and the action defined to help the actors understand how the actual prop might work.   Actors who have been working with a facsimile in rehearsal that is significantly larger or heavier or opens in a different way may have a more difficult time in the technical rehearsals when so many other changes (lights, sound, spacing, etc.) are also occurring.

It will be an easier adjustment once the rehearsal moves to the stage and uses the actual chair.   If the staging requires specific action that is difficult to duplicate with a rehearsal prop, stage management may request the use of the actual furniture piece for several rehearsals to establish the action with the actor.