September begins our 28th Season.
73637 Sullivan Road, Twentynine Palms, California 92277, United States
For inquiries about acting roles, theatre positions, or theatre production, please call 760-361-4151.
September begins our 28th Season.
For inquiries about acting roles, theatre positions, or theatre production, please call 760-361-4151.
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Because good actors make it look so effortless, it’s easy to forget just how much hard work goes into acting roles. The polished and natural feel of an actor’s performance often represents years of training and onstage experience within various theatre positions.
An actor’s performance is enhanced by:
•an ability to put personal skills like imagination, emotional honesty, and empathy at the service of a creative process
•an ability to focus and listen
•vocal training for greater power, expressiveness, and clarity
•physical training stressing general fitness, flexibility, and grace
•insight into the psychology of human behavior
•a ready understanding of and love for language
•high-level reading, research, and text-analysis skills
Other performance skills an actor develops can increase the range of acting roles for which he or she may be considered. These include singing, dancing, and playing a musical instrument; fencing/stage combat and physical theatre skills; circus skills like clowning, acrobatics, and juggling; commedia dell’ arte and mask techniques; and training in improvisation.
Theatre training is available through college, university, conservatory, and studio programs, often aimed at preparing individuals for various theatre positions. Conservatories typically offer intensive training over several years. Colleges and universities provide programs that vary from less to more intensive, depending upon other courses required to complete a degree. Studios offer ongoing courses that may be short or long term, allowing participants to customize their learning experiences according to their needs.
While there is no consensus on the one right way to train actors, many engaged in theatre today have been exposed to the great Russian director Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) and his ideas about how to build a character. Many actor-training programs still draw upon his basic theories, which in the U.S. led to the development of what's called "the method."
While not all actors, directors, or teachers subscribe to his ideas, many concepts are incredibly useful to consider:
•Given circumstances—all the facts in the script that are not open to interpretation such as plot, historical period, the basic personalities of the characters, and the social conditions in which they live.
•The “magic if”—a way for an actor to stimulate his or her imagination by asking, “How would I behave if I really was this character in this situation?”
•Motivation—the underlying reason for a character’s behavior
•Subtext—the deeper meaning in the spoken lines that reflects the inner life of the character.
•Objective—the goal towards which a character is working in a scene; the specific outcome of an event the character would like to see.
•Obstacle—something that stands in the way of a character achieving his or her objective.
Concentration—an actor’s ability to focus his or her attention completely.
Are you interested in acting? You can start now on what could be a life-long journey in theatre production.
•Go and see as many plays as you can
•Check out the theatre arts/drama class or your school drama club
•If you're in school, join the school improvisation team
•Audition for a local community theatre
•Volunteer to do backstage work for a local community theatre and observe rehearsals when possible
•Check the yellow pages for theatre/drama classes. Many theatres, both professional and amateur, offer acting courses
•Read plays!
The work of the director is central to the production of a play. The director has the challenging task of bringing together the many complex pieces of a theatre production—the script, actors, set, costuming, lighting, sound, and music—into a unified whole. To accomplish this task, a director needs to:
• Interpret the script
• Cast the production
• Collaborate with designers
• Plan the rehearsals
• Guide the actors in their work during rehearsals.
The director’s work is most often based on a detailed study and analysis of the script to be produced. Many careful readings of the script help the director develop an individual vision of the playwright’s intentions, which will form the core of his or her interpretation. This sense of “what the play is really about” will shape a director’s thinking about every other aspect of the production.
Directors also study the characters in the script, gathering as much information as they can about their physical and psychological traits. This is vital preparation for casting the acting roles, where the actors who are best able to bring the characters to life in performance need to be chosen.
Collaboration
The director’s initial meetings with the set, costume, lighting, and sound designers typify the creative collaboration vital to theatre positions. Any notes the director has made on the technical needs in the script are shared with the designers. The free flow of ideas that takes place here will further refine the director’s vision of the theatre production as a whole.
Details in the script about the specific locale(s) in which the action takes place need to be attended to early in the production process, because they will determine both the basic requirements of the set and the possible movement of the actors on stage. Acting areas, entrances and exits, as well as furniture and props called for in the script or desired by the director will need to be a part of the set design.
The floor plan can then be sketched out. The floor plan is a basic outline drawing of the stage setting as it would look from above. It is an essential rehearsal planning tool because it allows a director to work out the blocking of the play. Blocking (or staging) is the precise moment-by-moment movement and grouping of actors on stage.
The director’s creative collaboration continues during his or her work with the actors in rehearsals. The actors will bring their own interpretations to the project and perhaps inspire the director to rethink his or her interpretation. They will work closely together to breathe life into the lines and develop a deeper understanding of the characters’ motivations and relationships, fleshing out the subtext of the play. Later, the focus of the director’s work in rehearsals will broaden to the overall look and feel of the whole production as transitions between scenes are smoothed out, effective pacing is achieved, and all the design and technical aspects of the production are integrated.
Once the show opens, the director's work is essentially complete. Now it's the stage manager's job to ensure that every aspect of the production runs just as the director intended time after time until the production closes.
Stage managers play a crucial role in supporting various acting roles and theatre positions, providing practical and organizational help to the director, actors, designers, stage crew, and technicians throughout the theatre production process.
The significance of the stage manager is particularly evident during rehearsals, where they collaborate closely with the director. The stage manager meticulously records the director's decisions regarding blocking and notes for the actors, manages logistical and scheduling details, and communicates rehearsal developments to the rest of the team. This collaboration allows the director to focus their full attention on directing.
In each phase of a theatre production, stage managers have several key responsibilities, including:
• Scheduling and running rehearsals
• Communicating the director's wishes to designers and craftspeople
• Coordinating the work of the stage crew
• Calling cues and possibly actors' entrances during performances
• Overseeing the entire show every time it is performed
Alongside the director, the stage manager organizes the scheduling for all rehearsals and ensures that everyone involved is informed of rehearsal times, meetings, costume/wig fittings, and coaching sessions. During the rehearsal phase, stage managers also:
• Mark out the dimensions of the set on the floor of the rehearsal hall
• Ensure rehearsal props and furnishings are available for the actors
• Attend all rehearsals
• Notify the designers and craftspeople of changes made during rehearsals
During rehearsals, the stage manager records all blocking as well as all light, sound, and set change cues in a master copy of the script known as the prompt book. This prompt book is vital for the stage manager to run the technical rehearsals, calling each technical cue in sequence to ensure perfect timing with the onstage action.
The stage manager collaborates with the technical director to devise a smooth and efficient plan for the stage crew to follow during set changes. Furniture and prop plans for intricate sets are developed by the stage manager and technical designer to pinpoint the exact positioning of furniture and props on stage at the beginning of each scene and sometimes in the wings.
Once the show opens, the director's work is essentially finished. From that point on, it is the stage manager's responsibility to ensure that every aspect of the theatre production operates as the director intended, night after night, until the production concludes.
Many of these duties fall to the Director at Theatre 29, but having a staff member who is adept in theatre production skills would be a very good idea.
The Production Manager generally is responsible for budgeting, scheduling work, and coordinating the various theatre positions involved in the production. This role is ultimately accountable for ensuring that all aspects of the theatre production are completed within budget, according to the designer's and director's wishes, and in time for the first public performance. He or she oversees the cost-effectiveness and planning of the entire production process.
Responsibilities may include any or all of the following:
• Securing the rights to present the play from the royalty house or publisher-agent.
• Budgeting
• Deciding date, time and venue
• Forming a production team
• Production meetings
• Scheduling rehearsals and performances
• Setting the rehearsal venue
• First call
• Rehearsal process and preparation
• Financial accounting of the show's expenses and revenues
Having found the property and purchased the rights, the producer starts by assembling a production budget, which includes the cost of finding and rehearsing the creative team, cast, and orchestra. This budget also covers designing and making the scenery, costumes, and props, as well as installing them in a theatre and marketing the results.
He then decides on the capitalization of the project; this encompasses the production budget plus a contingency fund to sustain the show until it is on its feet. In some theatres, he also determines how many weeks it will take to recover the production costs at varying levels of business.
However, the single most important responsibility (after securing the rights to the production) is the development of a highly motivated and collaborative production team, which includes all those in charge of the various areas of the production such as acting roles, the director, set designer, lighting designer, costume designer, musical director, publicist, choreographer, technical director, stage manager, and more.
Finally, it's essential to be familiar with the roles and responsibilities of the other key players in mounting a production.
The Technical Director (TD) has the daily responsibility for the technical operations of a theatre or performing arts center, encompassing critical areas such as lighting, sound, set design and construction, as well as coordinating essential maintenance. In this theatre position, TDs operate with a high level of independence, exercising their judgment across a diverse range of duties. Due to the operating hours of most facilities, close supervision is typically neither required nor expected.
In general, a TD:
• Determines the necessary technical supports for events and performances presented at the facility, such as lighting, sound, staging, and any special needs that may arise well in advance of production dates.
• Designs, sets up, maintains, and operates lighting and sound systems for various productions, including theater, dance, and music projects; assists guest designers and artists with technical matters.
• Designs, supervises, and assists with the construction and management of sets and stages for theatre productions.
• Oversees stage crews and volunteer staff involved in theatre production.
• Orients facility renters and visiting productions to safety protocols, technical characteristics, and other facets of facility operations; facilitates the use of the technical resources by the resident company and other groups engaging with or renting the facility.
• Monitors the condition of equipment, which includes lighting, sound, and rigging; arranges for repair and replacement within budgetary limits; performs preventive maintenance on all equipment.
• Assists with the preparation and management of production budgets; maintains inventory and orders specialized supplies needed for various acting roles.
Given that a TD may face a multitude of technical challenges, having a working knowledge of techniques, methods, and procedures pertinent to theater, dance, and music production presentations—including stage, set, sound, and lighting design, stage management, computerized lighting systems, and stage carpentry—is invaluable.
Theatres search for individuals who can analyze and assess the technical requirements of various events and performances; plan, develop, and schedule the technical support needed for each event; effectively communicate both orally and in writing; design and construct sets; design lighting and sound systems suitable for each performance; oversee stage crews and volunteers; make minor repairs and conduct preventive maintenance on equipment; and maintain an inventory of necessary supplies. Additionally, TDs may assist in budget preparation while establishing and nurturing effective working relationships with representatives from various groups, vendors, co-workers, and others. The role often requires availability for irregular and extended working hours and the ability to lift, push, or pull objects up to 100 pounds using appropriate tools.
In a professional theatre company, a TD typically holds a Bachelor's degree in technical theater arts, dance, music, communications, or a related field from an accredited institution and demonstrates responsible experience in the technical aspects of theatre production across theater, dance, and music. In community theatre, however, any individual with the aptitude and background can fulfill this capacity.
All the scenery, furniture, and props the audience sees at a theatre production make up the set design. The set designer's job is to create these physical surroundings in which the acting roles will take place. The overall look of the set also conveys information about the director's concept for the production.
The set should:
• suggest the style and tone of the whole production
• create mood and atmosphere
• give clues as to the specific time and place of the action
• offer creative possibilities for the movement and grouping of the actors
The set may also need to be designed to keep the backstage areas used by the actors and stage crew out of sight from the audience. This will depend on the effect the director wants to achieve with the staging and on the type of stage the theatre production uses.
All the items appearing on the stage other than the scenery are referred to as stage properties, or props. Set props like furniture, draperies, and decorations complete the set and are essential to the set design.
The set designer typically reads the script multiple times to absorb the flavor and spirit of the script while also listing its specific requirements for scenery, furnishings, and props. The time of day, location, season, historical period, and any set changes indicated in the script are noted. The set designer's aim at this stage is to identify everything needed based on the dialogue, often disregarding stage directions at this point in the process.
Collaboration
The set designer will meet with the director and the design team, which includes costume, lighting, and sound designers, to discuss the details of the set and the director's interpretation of the play. Set, costume, and lighting designers collaborate to ensure the creation of a unified look and feel for the theatre production. A lively exchange of initial ideas helps clarify the steps that each member of the team must take in this intensely collaborative process.
Designer's tools
Set designers use various tools to communicate their ideas to the director and other designers. These include:
• a rough sketch of the set in the preliminary phase
• floor plans drawn to scale showing the general layout of each set and the placement of furniture and large props
• front elevations providing a view of the elements of the set from the front and detailing features like windows or platforms
• miniature three-dimensional models to illustrate how each set will look when finished.
These visual aids ensure that all the theatre positions involved in the production understand one another. Once the show opens, the designer's work is essentially complete. Now it's primarily the job of the stage manager and backstage crew to ensure that every aspect of the production runs as the designer intended, time after time, until the production closes.
Lighting designers understand how to make the best use of the subtle and powerful medium of light, creating effects that can be adjusted to match the mood of the action, enhancing various acting roles on stage.
At its most basic, stage lighting functions to make the actors and their surroundings visible to the audience. However, it also serves to:
• Evoke the appropriate mood
• Indicate time of day and location
• Shift emphasis from one stage area to another
• Reinforce the style of the production
• Make objects on stage appear flat or three-dimensional
• Blend the visual elements in theatre production into a unified whole
The Designer's Work
The lighting designer begins by reading the script to be produced, noting the type of light required for each scene. During their first meeting, the designer and director share ideas about how light could enhance the overall theatre production concept. Early collaboration with the set designer is crucial, as both set and lighting designers must work together to achieve the desired
In addition to the sounds of the words spoken by the actors in various acting roles, a theatre production may also call for sound effects to recreate lifelike noises or utilize music and abstract, unidentifiable sounds to enhance the drama. The sound designer is responsible for planning and providing the sound effects in the play, while the composer writes any original music that the show may require. Collectively, all the music and effects in a theatre production form what is known as the "soundscape."
The designer's work
Sound designers and composers begin their work by analyzing the script and gathering as much information as they can about any sound or music it calls for. Similar to other theatre positions, an early meeting with the director and the design team is crucial to fully understand the production concept.
Some directors may already have precise ideas about what the sound effects and music should sound like, while others might ask that the sound designer or composer attend rehearsals to aid in developing effects and music tailored to the contexts in which they will be used. Once the production's needs for music or sound are precisely defined, the composer starts composing the necessary musical pieces while the sound designer gathers and creates the relevant sounds.
Sounds and music in the theatre can:
• motivate actions onstage and indicate events happening offstage
• establish the time of day, season, and weather
• locate the action in a specific place
• create mood and alter moods
• stimulate audience expectations of what is to come
• provide information about the characters
• build seamless transitions between scenes
• offer shortcuts that rapidly advance the plot or recall past events
The designer or composer combines and modifies the five controllable properties of sound to create the unique effects or music required by each theatre production.
The controllable properties of sound are:
• Pitch - the wavelength or frequency of the sound
• Volume - the loudness or softness of the sound
• Quality - how pitch and volume combine to give each sound its own distinctive effect
• Direction - the location of the sound in space and how it travels from one spot to another
• Duration - the length of time the sound lasts
Planning tools for sound designers and composers include:
• Plot: A list of all the music and sound cues for each act or scene, indicating where the sound or music occurs, the relevant page number of the script, precisely when it begins and ends, and the equipment that will be used to produce it.
• System layout: A diagram showing the type and location of speakers on stage, on the set, and in the auditorium, potentially including how all sound equipment will interconnect.
• Cue sheet: A version of the sound plot intended for the sound technicians who will operate the equipment during the performance.
Sound and music cues often depend on the precise timing of onstage action and can only be finalized after the blocking of the play has been determined. Ideally, the director, cast, and crew will have several opportunities to fine-tune the timing of the completed music and sound design during technical rehearsals.
Collaboration
The sound designer collaborates with the director and the design team—including set, costume, and lighting designers—to discuss the details of the set and the director's interpretation of the play. The set, costume, and lighting designers also work together to ensure a unified look and feel for the theatre production. A dynamic exchange of initial ideas and first impressions helps clarify the steps that each individual needs to take in this intensely collaborative process.
Once the show opens, the designer's work is largely complete. It then becomes the responsibility of the stage manager and sound crew to ensure that every aspect of the production runs as the designer intended, performance after performance, until the production concludes.
Costume designers play a crucial role in shaping the look of each character in a theatre production by designing the clothes and accessories that the actors will wear during their performances. Depending on the style and complexity, costumes may be made, bought, revamped from existing stock, or rented. Their designs must accurately reflect the personalities of the characters in the script, enhancing the acting roles portrayed on stage.
The shapes, colors, and textures that a costume designer selects provide an immediate and impactful visual statement to the audience. Collaboration among the costume designer, director, and other theatre positions, such as set and lighting designers, is essential to ensuring that the costumes are seamlessly integrated into the overall production.
Stage costumes offer audiences insight into a character's occupation, social status, gender, age, sense of style, and tendencies towards conformity or individualism. Moreover, costumes can:
• Reinforce the mood and style of the production
• Distinguish between major and minor characters
• Suggest relationships between characters
• Change an actor's appearance
• Indicate changes in character development and age
• Serve as objects of beauty in their own right.
Costume designs must also encompass accessories such as canes, hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry, or masks, which significantly enhance the visual interest of the overall design. These costume props are often the elements that truly set one character apart from another.
The designer's work begins with an in-depth reading of the script set for production. If the story takes place in a specific historical era, it’s essential to research the fashion of that time. To stimulate creative ideas during the initial meeting with the director and the design team, which includes set, costume, lighting, and sound designers, the costume designer may present a few rough costume sketches. This is also an ideal opportunity to confirm with the director the total number of characters needing costumes, including any non-speaking roles that may not have been listed in the script.
It is the costume designer's responsibility to create the costume plot, a detailed list or chart that outlines which characters appear in each scene, what they are wearing, and their overall movement throughout the play. This serves to track the specific costume needs of every character and identify any potential costume challenges, such as quick changes between scenes.
Once the director and the production team approve the costume designer's preliminary sketches, they can develop the final costume designs. These final designs are presented in full color, showcasing the style, silhouette, textures, accessories, and unique features of each costume.
Once the show opens, the designer's role transitions to that of a wardrobe assistant, who ensures that all aspects of the production run as the designer intended until the closing of the production.
This work involves managing or assisting in promoting the productions, services, and public image of the theatre company. This role can be intricate to define since many theatre positions distribute the responsibilities listed below among more than one person.
For example, one individual may take charge of marketing and handle the season brochure and advertising, while another publicist manages publicity about individual shows, including ads and reaching out to print and electronic media with story suggestions, news releases, and calendar information.
Given the variety of duties across theatre companies, it's crucial to comprehend the various aspects of marketing related to theatre production.
Marketing
Most people think that marketing is solely about advertising and selling productions or services. In reality, these aspects come toward the tail-end of the overall marketing process.
In general, marketing activities encompass all efforts aimed at identifying the specific wants and needs of a target market of customers, and then meeting those needs better than competitors. For theatre, this competition could include TV, school activities, golf, movies, the Internet, video games, and other theatre companies.
This involves conducting market research on customers, analyzing their needs, and making strategic decisions about which theatre productions to offer—either individually or as part of a season—as well as determining ticket pricing and promotional strategies.
Publications
Publications related to the theatre may include an in-house newsletter, a patron newsletter (sometimes these two are combined), a season brochure, and brochures about the company and its services (such as educational programs and youth theatre). In some companies, the season brochure is managed by the marketing person, while the newsletter or brochures may be overseen by the publicist or public relations person. In other cases, one individual may be responsible for all these tasks.
Public Relations
Unlike advertising, public relations focuses on fostering awareness and a positive image for a company and its offerings without monetary exchange. While PR often involves publicity and media relations, it takes a broader approach than merely promoting a particular production or service. Most small theatre companies have a publicist whose job is to enhance awareness of individual productions, maximizing ticket sales. A larger company might employ a PR or promotions person who works closely with the marketing manager (sometimes, these roles are combined) to ensure that information about individual productions aligns seamlessly with the overarching image the company intends to project.
Publicity/Media Relations
The publicity person typically takes on the responsibility of promoting specific theatre productions, events, or services, and usually serves as the primary contact for all media inquiries.
Advertising
Advertising entails paying for exposure to promote your productions or services to potential and current customers through self-created materials or commissioned designs— advertisements in newspapers or on TV and radio; signs; direct mailings; or e-mail messages.
Depending on how your company delineates these areas of responsibility, you may be asked to do one or more of the following:
• Research public attitudes and opinions related to the theatre company and its offerings.
• Utilize this research to help shape the company season in partnership with the artistic director or other individuals responsible for selecting individual shows or an entire season.
• Write, edit, and produce newsletters, brochures, direct marketing pieces, and other printed materials.
• Develop and implement a publicity/press relations plan to generate ongoing awareness for the company and support overall marketing initiatives.
• Assist the marketing director by serving as another representative within the arts community as needed.
• Create communication objectives and plans.
• Identify the most significant audiences and determine what messages to communicate to them and the best media channels to use.
• Monitor the media for issues that impact the theatre company.
• Write and execute communication or promotional plans.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with media contacts to generate relevant stories, interviews, and other coverage for the company.
• Organize media interviews (print, radio, or TV) for general stories about the company.
• Collaborate with other organizations and provide essential information to them.
• Organize and/or promote promotional events and conferences.
• Keep staff and patrons informed about company news.
• Write news releases, articles, calendar listings, and public service announcements (PSAs), ensuring consistency and accuracy.
• Distribute news releases to the media.
• Field and respond to media inquiries generated by those releases or regarding specific productions or events.
• Provide information to the public when requested.
• Organize media interviews (print, radio, or TV) for productions or general information about the company.
• Coordinate and oversee photo sessions for public relations and marketing purposes.
• Manage reviewers by contacting them, securing complimentary tickets, and compiling press packets.
• Oversee the archiving of all press clippings, video clips, radio tapes, and photo libraries.
• Take charge of the design and/or placement of ads.
• Maintain and update the company's website or collaborate closely with the person responsible for these tasks.
Assistant Directors are the Director’s “right arm” in theatre production. They assist not only in the development and vision of the project but also serve as a vital liaison between the Director and the cast. Acting roles are coordinated alongside other theatre positions, allowing the Assistant Directors to facilitate communication with other members of the production team. This support enables the Director to concentrate on the creative aspects of the production.
Choreographers play vital acting roles in theatre positions, as they design and direct the dance or stylized movement in theatre productions, collaborating closely with the director and musical director.
In most theatre productions, a properties master is essential for managing the numerous small items required for a play. In larger shows, there may also be a props designer who collaborates with the director and set designers to determine the appearance and functionality of the props, highlighting the important theatre positions involved and the various acting roles that bring the production to life.
Often needed in larger theatre productions, the Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) is typically stationed just offstage to facilitate communication between the stage manager—who is out in the house—and the actors. This important role ensures safety while assisting with complex set changes, quick changes offstage, or preparing the stage for performance, making it a vital part of various acting roles and theatre positions.
The crew chief, an essential role in theatre production, is intended to lift the responsibility of scheduling staff from the TD and master carpenter's shoulders. The CC will collaborate with the master carpenter to determine the build schedule and the number of carpenters needed for each day, ensuring that all acting roles are filled and that they show up as planned.
The master carpenter's job involves taking the working drawings from the TD and using them to build the set for the theatre production. After a quick glance at the working drawings, the MC should be able to schedule the build, order lumber, and relay that information to the crew chief and TD, who ensure that the carpenters are present during the appropriate times for their acting roles. In many theatres, these responsibilities have been integrated into the TD position. If your show has the opportunity to utilize a master carpenter, be sure to use their skills wisely!
The ME is responsible for taking the lighting plot and ensuring that all lighting units on the plot are hung in the correct locations and function properly. Coordinating the number of lights and circuits, as well as allocating cabling, gels, and other accessories, are essential aspects of this role among various theatre positions. In many theatre productions, the lighting designer often shares many of the typical ME roles, ensuring that the job is effectively completed by both.
In theatre production, the sound engineer plays a crucial role by taking the sound design and ensuring it can be effectively created in a given space. This involves selecting equipment to reproduce the various sound elements required, installing and testing it, and typically managing the show, which is essential for the success of all acting roles involved.
A highly sought skill in most theatre positions, the Master Painter (MP) is responsible for painting set elements under the direction of the set designer. However, within theatre production, the Master Painter often enjoys the freedom to select many of the design elements themselves.
When sets need to be built or lights hung, theatre production requires skilled carpenters and electricians to handle the essential tasks of sawing, hammering, lifting, and hanging. In many companies, no prior experience is necessary to take on these theatre positions, as you will receive training on the job. Often, actors may step into these acting roles when they are not needed in rehearsal.
We have discovered that there third party ticketing sites that are claiming seats to Theatre 29 shows at highly inflated prices. These are NOT legitimate tickets to Theatre 29 shows. We ONLY sell tickets for our productions through this website. No other purported sales avenues are valid, please do not fall for these scammers.
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