When I was involved in my first Naatak play for backstage help, I never knew I would need to worry about details like - what's the dimension of that platform, will the lights work in that section, do we need a monitor backstage for sounds, etc. etc. - one day. As Producer (Production Manager), I'm expected to know not only what the sets will look like, but also other aspects of production - props, costumes, makeup, lights, sounds, publicity, ticketing, and the whole shebang.
When the Director shared her "vision" with me, the next step was to see how that could be achieved on stage in a practical, yet cost effective manner.
This play being different from earlier Naatak plays in its style - 4 short stories versus 1 entire play - comes with a list of challenges attached to it. Each play belongs to a different genre and of course has a different theme. Naatak being non-profit, our budgets are always limited and we cannot always go all out and buy the most expensive items for the play. Hence, we try and borrow/rent as much as we can or else make it ourselves.
Here's a sneak peak into the various production aspects that need to be taken care of.
Sets -- Designing the sets for this production is becoming one of the most challenging tasks. With each play having a different theme, the setup is different. To ensure fluidity through the plays allowing very little time for changes in between, a great deal of thought is being put to how set pieces can be moved in and out seamlessly in the least amount time, what minimal structure can get the message across and at the same time look good. We have already have multiple brainstorming sessions with multiple revisions before we can come to a final layout.
Props -- Any item that an actor uses on stage is a prop. If the scene demands a phone conversation, there needs to be a phone on stage. For this, the team sat together to read the scripts to identify props needed. With this list in place, team has been busy scouring stores and homes of friends for items that can be used.
Costumes -- What makes an actor look good and stand out is definitely his performance. But you've got to give a good amount of credit to his costume. A brilliant actor would not be able to do justice enough without a good costume. For this as well, the scripts were read to understand the theme and era the plays are set in, a detailed description of each character and his look. Once this was done, the team got busy to start procuring costumes that would fit the role.
Makeup -- A young 30 year old man can look like an old ailing 65 year old! That's the magic of makeup. What's a play without makeup?
Lights -- With sets, props, and costumes adding to the overall look of a play, lights give it the final icing on the cake. Every play and each and every scene has a different light setting - light cues are one of the most crucial elements of a play.
Sounds -- Adding sound effects is like adding that cherry to your cake. It adds a great deal of impact. In the past I've seen some Directors not use any sounds for the entire play, while some used it through out. With a play as this, the sounds are going to ideally enhance the theme of each story, keeping the audience engaged till the very end.
Publicity/Marketing/Ticketing --If getting the stage in order for a play is absolutely important, getting the word out and those tickets sold is far more important. After all the hard work put in, the joy of seeing a full audience is totally exhilarating. Postcards have been printed which are being distributed at various events, stores, restaurants, on cars, community centers; E-flyers are sent out to various forums, websites, association mailing lists; advertising options are being investigated to spread the word.
This was just a preview at the various aspects involved in the production. It has been less than a month since we started work on the production and the progress has been great! This being my debut venture as a Producer, I hope to learn a lot from the others as well as make this project as fun as possible for everyone. :)
Hoping this has intrigued you into seeing what the final product would be like. So, hurry and get those tickets before the early bird discounts end.
