Props Master Guidelines

Work with the Props Crew Chief to determine the best location for each prop Set up. Monitor prop usage to ensure props don’t get damaged and that they are being used the way you intended them to be used.

But not all theatres can afford seven full-time staff members in the prop shop, as Milwaukee Rep has. Guy is fortunate to work at a well-established LORT theatre that has an annual operating budget of over $9 million. At Playmakers Rep, things are different. The theatre, which is part of the University of North Carolina’s Department of Dramatic Art, operates on a budget of just over $1 million, and so is able to employ only a properties manager and one prop carpenter and welder full time. A student assistant and work-study part-timers help fill in the gaps.

For Halloween props, canned cobwebs and paper witches will only take you so far with Halloween planning. For that extra wow factor, look up  Halloween props. Categorized in handy sections to find everything you need quick, your haunted house props and theatre props are all available in one party prop shop!  See you local costume shop.

The Props Table

Balloon to dove is a strange item. The performer inflates a balloon, clamps it to a very suspicious looking tray (one much thicker than what is needed to hold the enormous weight of a balloon), and Voila! —traumatized bird! Perhaps someone wanted to charge an extra fifty bucks for having a show with animals, and this prop just screamed to be bought at the local auction. Nevertheless, it probably isn’t very deceptive to adults. As for kids, it’s the bird that is getting the strong reaction, not the trick. If you doubt this, just skip the trick and pull the bird out of a paper sack.

Seeing that props are in place on the props tables are the responsibility of both the props running crew and the actor who uses the prop. The crew should do preshow check AND each actor should check his own personal props before the show. Ideally props should always be in their place on the table when not in use. The actor will pick them up before an entrance and should replace props on the table when they exit. During Strike , Props Crew is responsible for assisting Props Designer in returning props and insuring all items are returned in good condition.

About Stage Props

The Props Master should ask lots of questions of the Director about specifications for the props. A list of required props should be made available early on in the rehearsal process, preferably during the first two weeks of rehearsals. Please note, however, that a play is an ongoing creative process and the need for new props will be made up to and in some cases during Tech Week. Schedule a time early in the production cycle with the Director and Scenic Designer to review the prop list and discuss matters related the visual look of the show and their design concepts.

Personal props are props worn or carried by a particular actor and issued to him rather than stored on the prop table. For participating ACTF productions, the Props Designer will assist the Prop Shop Student Manager , and Staff Production Manager/Technical Director in storing props for possible travel to festival. Obtains and maintains any rehearsal props called for by the Director by the “Rehearsal Props Due” deadline on the Department Calendar Rehearsal props are substitutes of comparable size and weight used by actors until the final props are available. Once usage was established, we documented all of the pieces in a prop book which was given to the prop mistress.