National Theatre - The making of a production

The National Theatre

In this quizziz you will learn about many careers involved in making a production!

What is the National Theatre?

You may be familiar with this building if you have walked down London's Southbank.

The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre, is one of the United Kingdom's publicly funded performing arts venue. It was founded by Laurence Olivier, who was a famous English actor and director.

The building contains three separate theatres, the Lyttelton, the Olivier and the Dorfman. This means three shows can run at the same time!

Costume department

Costume designers are in charge of the look and creation of costumes and outfits used in television, film and theatre productions. As a costume designer, you may be designing and making unique costumes, or you may be putting together outfits from off-the-hanger items of clothing. You’ll need to be creative with an excellent eye for detail.

_{Hair and Makeup}

_{The Hair and Make-Up Department are responsible for making and applying all Wig, Hair, Make-Up and Special Effects elements across all productions.} 

_{Before a show, dressing rooms begin to get very busy as the actors come in for their scheduled wig and/or make-up calls. During a performance, a member of the Wigs and Make-up team is often to be found in the wings or in the backstage area waiting to apply make-up or adjust hairstyles.}

^{Prop making}

Prop makers might make anything from fake jewellery to replica weapons and moving models. They work with a broad range of materials, including metal, latex, fibreglass, wood and textiles.

Prop makers use a range of different skills to create props, such as carpentry, sculpting, casting, sewing, painting, welding and computer-aided design.

Set design

A set designer is in charge of designing and creating the sets that appear in films and television programmes as well as in the theatre. The role involves working with and communicating with directors, producers, costume designers and other members of staff. 

The most essential aspect of set design is to show the audience where the action takes place, which might be as general as a country or as specific as a room within a house. As well as conveying the setting, the set design should suggest the time period of the play. 

Stage management

Stage managers make sure live stage performances run smoothly. You would organise all practical and technical aspects of rehearsals and shows, and make sure all crew and performers are in the right place at the right time.

You would typically be supported by a deputy stage manager and one or two assistant stage managers, although on smaller productions you might work alone.

Tasks as a stage manager might include organising rehearsals, manage the backstage and onstage area during performance or work with staff to plan wardrobe, set design, scene changes, sound and lighting.

Lighting

One of the most important functions of lighting design is illuminating the action on stage. Lighting is needed so that the audience can see clearly what is happening.

Lighting can be used to help show the audience where the production is set. For example, a play set in a hot country may use warm, orange lighting to demonstrate that the climate is hot. Lighting can also show different times of the day. For example, bright lights can create the effect of a hot summer’s day, while lower light levels may indicate night.

Acting

An actor takes on a role in a performance, and pretends to be a character. You’ll use your voice, body and costumes to become the role you are playing. You’ll need to be highly creative and have a good memory for lines. You may be required to improvise, so being able to think on your feet is an important skill.

^{Front of house staff}

^{A Front of House staff member ensures quality customer service for the audience before, during and after a performance. They will work on a rota basis and are sometimes placed in the box office issuing tickets, they could be at the door welcoming the audience into the theatre or selling food, drinks and merchandise.}