Prompt Copy of a Script - Report and Analysis
A prompt book is a master copy of a script that contains all of the information about a theatrical production. In addition to blocking and cue lists, a prompt copy will all contain information about the venue, contact sheets, rehearsal notes and call sheets. If done correctly, it should allow the future
theatre makers to recreate the old production exactly.
1) contact sheet - Needs printing off
2) schedule - rehearsal, production
3) scripts - blocking, cue
4) props - Needs printing off
5) set section
6) light plot
7) sound cue - transferred to scripts
8) costume - who wears what where
9) actors information - names, allergies
Budgeting
When looking to budget the production of 'Danny... World,' I looked at the specifications of the Halliwell Theatre at UWTSD, set ticket prices at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions, and then assumed a 40% sale rate. This meant that I am able to realistically budget the show make a profit at any additional ticket sales. In order to make things easier for myself I assumed that two thirds of the ticket sales would be students and the other third adults. I had initially planned to run the show across two weekends with potentially two shows a day. This is based off of a show I previously worked on that used a similar schedule. However, this schedule may not work for me because the other show had a greatly reduced seating capacity so they had a much greater chance of meeting their budget. The props already sourced would be hired for two weeks to give the actors time to rehearse with the actual items they would be using. I have been in touch with the company that owns the licensing rights for Roald Dahl's theatrical plays but have yet to hear anything back.
This method gave me a total budget of £8000.
I'm also working on the production on the idea that it is a showcase so I am not paying anyone involved.
From my very basic look into prop sourcing I have already managed to spend £740 so it is fairly safe to say that this production of 'Danny...' is going to remain very much hypothetical. I foresee the greatest expenditure being the props and set dressing.
Petrol Cans - Assorted
PET84 - Assorted x Assorted x Assorted 1 x 30.00 each
Baby buggies
BUG112 - 1.18m x 1.18m x 0.61m 1 x 95.00 each
Hunting Horn
HORN27 - 0.50m x 1m x 0.13m 1 x 45.00 each
Petrol Pumps
PE0016 - 1.65m x 0.65m x 0.30m 3 x 150.00 each
Old british Coins
COIN11 - Assorted 1 x 20.00 each
Prices exclude VAT and are based on a 2 week hire and a min spend of £250 + VAT.
Call Sheets
Blocking
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| Yerma - Young Vic Theatre |
Blocking is a detailed description of all a character's movements and actions when they are on stage. Positioning and movement are important tools at the directors disposal as they can be used to suggest relationships and create a more visually interesting space. However, if used incorrectly they can lead to a confused, chaotic and unsafe scene. Blocking is used by a director to ensure that a scene flows nicely and that all of the scenic elements work in harmony. Additionally, it is done to ensure that the space is fully taken advantage of and used in the most effective way, allowing directors and designers to plan movements based on the size and shape of the stage. For example, a theatre in traverse would have to cater to an audience on both sides, which means that the action needs to be staged in such a way that both sides have mostly unrestricted sight lines. One production I think did this fairly well was a production of Yerma at the Young Vic. In this production characters rarely had their back to either audience and there were usually other characters to further fill out the space. However, towards the end of the show there is a dramatic scene in which the central character slams themself into the glass that separated the stage from the audience. As no actor can be in two places in once the tension was reduced slightly for the other side. Saying that.... I can't see any way it could have been avoided so my complaint should be taken with a grain of salt.
There is also a potential health and safety benefit to blocking that allows designers to use traps and pyrotechnics in a safe and controlled manner.
Blocking would typically be done by a deputy stage manager during rehearsals. During rehearsals the DSM would also write up rehearsal notes, which contained any issues encountered the rehearsals or any changes that were made. For example, any props needed or removed. A list of everything needed for the next rehearsal is included at the end of the rehearsal notes. The assistant stage manager would then type up the rehearsal notes and make sure that the room is prepped for the next session.
Blocking Danny the Champion of the World
In my own attempt at blocking the section of 'Danny the Champion of the World,' I realised the importance of getting to know the script extremely well in addition to the value of correct marking out.
When initially attempting to block the movements I realised that I had missed a key set description, which meant that the way I had envisioned the set would not work and that some of the movements I had planned were not possible. The blocking was therefore inaccurate and useless if I followed the written set. Despite this set back, I altered my set and powered onwards, completely ready to make my next mistake. My other main mistake was not having a clear image of what my set looked like. This meant that I often scrambled in my attempts to plot the movements of characters. I could not get an accurate description of the character's movements on stage, which meant that attempting to block movements became confusing and more of a hindrance than a helpful too. The role of the miniature drawn set in the blocking/cue sheet quickly became apparent.
A side note that highlights the fact I'm a dummy that doesn't think in advance is that I failed to stamp holes in my script so that the blocking sheet and script page appeared side by side. I no longer have a hole stamp so I am in a tricky position until this mistake can be corrected.
Risk Assessment
When risk assessing 'Danny...,' I was initially unsure of what kind of risks to include and what to consider. Some research online provide this template-
http://www.nsg.northants.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/10/Theatre-Performance-areas-Risk-assessment.pdf, which I have been heavily influenced by. The HSE website was also useful when I looked into the risks of using cars, although I found that not many risks were relevant to me as the cars themselves are only driven
very briefly and at slow speeds.
References
Ionazzi, D.A. (1992) The Stage Management Handbook. First edn. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books.
The prompt book (no date) Available at: http://www.theatrecrafts.com/pages/home/topics/stage-management/the-prompt-book/ (Accessed: 11 January 2017).
Picture References
Rodriguez (2011) A hamlet rehearsal schedule 25 - theatre arts - UIowa Wiki. Available at: https://wiki.uiowa.edu/display/theatre/A+Hamlet+Rehearsal+Schedule+25 (Accessed: 12 January 2017).
Step 1- work out the sizes and location of scenery on a scale floor plan. A floor plan is a complete list of the set layout. It may show line of sight, seating arrangements and scenic pieces. There are alternative versions that show the lighting and sound layout. Scale rulers assist in the initial working out. 
Step 3- begin to mark out the scenic elements using a measuring tape and the centre line as your main reference point. Put a section of tape at each co-ordinate with a cross at the exact point. Make sure each point is clearly labelled. Repeat for both sides.
