Props and Costumes

            If you went to see a show and all the actors were in their underwear, talking about invisible newspapers and eating invisible cereal you have ether bought tickets to a very progressive and artistic show to the point where the show is awful or you live in a dream land where props and costumes are not thought of. Costumes and props have a lot to add to a show. They can represent social and economic status as well as personality and the settings of the times. Just like almost every other aspect of a show they are essential.

            The Costume design process is very similar to the process used by set designers. After initial meetings about the productions the costume designer will draw up sketches of costume ideas for each person and time of the production and present them. The designer must take into consideration the character's background in order to get a sense of what they think they would wear. After this the designer will need to finalize colors fabrics and lengths of the costume. Ever actor will need to have their measurements takes multiple times through out the costuming process in order to insure that the costumes will continue to fit.

Sketches

            After this actual costume construction begins. Through this process the costumes will be changed and modified and altered many times almost as if the costume makers are sculpting the costume. This process can be the longest construction element of a production depending on how many actors and costumes are need.

           Props however is a very different area. Depending on the production, the theater and who is working on the show props can be bought, borrowed, rented or in some cases made. Many props that you will see on stage are the real thing unless they need to fulfill some special function. It is simply easiest to simply find the props you need are ready made. To determine what props are needed involves close work between the set designer, props man, director, and the script. Depending on the set design some props will work and others wont. Some point in the script call for a certain action and the director needs to decide if the prop is essential to the production and whether to add a prop or scrap one. Props by far can be the simplest of all the elements, however it can become the most complex. For instance in the show Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street the show class for a chair which can drop people through the floor. This requires a close collaboration between props and set design. It also complicates things props wise because there aren't chairs like that just laying around everywhere. This is a prime example of a prop which must be manufactured here things can go wrong. The chair soon becomes very mechanical and with that things can break and repairs must be made sometimes with in the 5 mins that the prop is of stage. Depending on the show props can be a very hard job.

Chair