Unlocking the Prop Closet: Tips for Finding Hard-to-Find Props for High School Theatre Productions
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email:
BROADWAY BEAT- Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford to exit Sweeney Todd | | Christian Slater, Christopher Briney, Dagmara Dominczyk and More to Join 24 Hour Plays | Suffs will open on Broadway in April 2024 | ‘Six: The Royal Gallery’ to be next special exhibition at Museum of Broadway | MJ to reprise special ‘Thriller’ Halloween performance | Watch the newly released trailer for the Waitress film capture
HOT TOPICS - A Play Revisits the Making of ‘Death of a Salesman’ in Mandarin | Fewer people are going to movies, theaters, and museums, NEA study shows | Little-Known Theater Jobs: Hair And Wig Supervisor | It’s Getting Too Expensive to Have Fun | Sergio Trujillo Joins Latiné Musical Theatre Lab to Empower Emerging Writers with Observership Program
WEST END WATCH - The 2023 Evening Standard Theatre Awards Nominations | National Theatre to pilot 6:30 pm start times | Sports Drama Dear England, Starring Joseph Fiennes, Officially Opens in London's West End | See Who Will Join Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma in Macbeth Across U.K. and Washington, D.C.
REGIONAL THEATRE NEWS - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will tour North America | The Top 20 Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2023-24 Season | The Top 10* Most-Produced Plays of the 2023-24 Season | New Repertory Theatre to Close Doors After 40 Seasons | Tom Kitt and Cameron Crowe to Redevelop Almost Famous at Eugene O’Neill Theater Center | Theaterworks Hartford’s Musical Lizzie To Stream On Demand
THE BIG IDEA – Unlocking the Prop Closet: Tips for Finding Hard-to-Find Props for High School Theatre Productions
PLAYSCRIPTS FREE READ OF THE WEEK - Crafting a Killer by Brent Holland
The Broadway Beat
JOSH GROBAN AND ANNALEIGH ASHFORD TO EXIT SWEENEY TODD by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - The musical will continue with new stars to be announced; Groban and Ashford reflect on their time with the show.
CHRISTIAN SLATER, CHRISTOPHER BRINEY, DAGMARA DOMINCZYK AND MORE JOIN 24-HOUR PLAYS by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter - Other new additions to the event include Josh Radnor, Gina Gershon and Michelle Gomez.
SUFFS WILL OPEN ON BROADWAY IN APRIL 2024 by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - Producer Rachel Sussman shares her thoughts on why this new musical is one that must be on Broadway.
‘SIX: THE ROYAL GALLERY’ TO BE NEXT SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT MUSEUM OF BROADWAY by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - The spotlight on “SIX” follows the current display about “Chicago.”
MJ TO REPRISE SPECIAL ‘THRILLER’ HALLOWEEN PERFORMANCE by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - As they did in 2022, the cast of the bio-musical will offer an encore of Michael Jackson’s famed number.
WATCH THE NEWLY RELEASED TRAILER FOR THE WAITRESS FILM CAPTURE
Hot Topics
A PLAY REVISITS THE MAKING OF ‘DEATH OF A SALESMAN’ IN MANDARIN by Christopher Kuo, The New York Times - In 1983, Arthur Miller faced a herculean task: staging his 1949 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Death of a Salesman,” in Chinese, with an all-Chinese cast and crew, in Beijing.
FEWER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MOVIES, THEATER, AND MUSEUMS, NEA STUDY SHOWS by Thomas Floyd, The Washington Post - Surveys show declining in-person attendance but robust digital engagement.
LITTLE-KNOWN THEATER JOBS: HAIR AND WIG SUPERVISOR by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - At “Wicked,” Mary Kay Yezerski oversees every hairstyle and dozens of wigs in the long-running musical.
IT’S GETTING TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE FUN by Robbie Whelan and Anne Steele, The Wall Street Journal - Prices for concert tickets and amusement park entries have ballooned.
SERGIO TRUJILLO JOINS LATINÉ MUSICAL THEATRE LAB TO EMPOWER EMERGING WRITERS WITH OBSERVERSHIP PROGRAM by Stephi Wild, Broadway World - Supported by the Dramatists Guild Fund and the Terrence McNally Foundation; this is a transformative initiative to empower early to mid-career composers, lyricists, and librettists from Latiné backgrounds.
West End Watch
THE 2023 EVENING STANDARD THEATRE AWARDS NOMINATIONS by The Evening Standard, UK - From classics like “Sunset Boulevard” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” to thrilling new plays like “Retrograde” and “Dear England,” our shortlist runs the gamut of London's amazing theatre.
NATIONAL THEATRE TO PILOT 6:30 PM START TIMES by Gemma Nettle, The Stage - National Theatre’s upcoming season will feature names such as Michael Sheen, Lindsay Duncan, Rufus Norris, Tim Price, Ben Power, and Emily Burns. Will they get 6:30 start times?
SPORTS DRAMA DEAR ENGLAND, STARRING JOSEPH FIENNES, OFFICIALLY OPENS IN LONDON'S WEST END OCTOBER 19 by Margaret Hall, Playbill - James Graham's play about England's men's football team and team manager Gareth Southgate sold out its previous run at London's National.
SEE WHO WILL JOIN RALPH FIENNES AND INDIRA VARMA IN MACBETH ACROSS U.K. AND WASHINGTON, D.C. by Margaret Hall, Playbill - The site-specific production will premiere in a warehouse in Liverpool this fall and then head to Edinburgh, London, and the U.S.
Regional Theatre News
‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD’ WILL TOUR NORTH AMERICA by Ruthie Fierberg, Broadway News - The play won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Play.
THE TOP 20 MOST-PRODUCED PLAYWRIGHTS OF THE 2023-24 SEASON by Rob Weinert-Kendt, American Theatre - Lynn Nottage again tops the list, followed closely by a mix of dramatists, librettists, and adapters.
THE TOP 10* MOST-PRODUCED PLAYS OF THE 2023-24 SEASON by Rob Weinert-Kendt, American Theatre - Dramas and comedies with a political edge top this year’s list (*actually 12 due to ties).
NEW REPERTORY THEATRE TO CLOSE DOORS AFTER 40 SEASONS by American Theatre - The board of the Boston-area theatre cites a philanthropic shortfall as the reason for the company’s end.
TOM KITT AND CAMERON CROWE TO REDEVELOP ALMOST FAMOUS AT EUGENE O’NEILL THEATER CENTER by Margaret Hall, Playbill - The new residency comes after the musical's run on Broadway last season.
THEATERWORKS HARTFORD’S MUSICAL LIZZIE TO STREAM ON DEMAND by Linda Buchwald, Theatre Mania - The show has been extended through October 29 and will stream on-demand October 22–29.
The Big Idea
Unlocking the Prop Closet: Tips for Finding Hard-to-Find Props for High School Theatre Productions
The prop room may be one of the most magical spaces in a theatre—a treasure trove of items that breathe life into a performance, each piece capable of telling its own story. Yet, high school theatre teachers and directors know that this enchanted world also comes with its own set of challenges. Where do you turn when the script calls for that 17th-century pocket watch or an authentic 1920s flapper dress? So, join The Scene as we guide you through various strategies for locating hard-to-find props for your next high school production.
Start with Research
Historical and Cultural Context: Knowing your play's time period and cultural background is crucial. This will help you not only in finding the prop but also in selecting the appropriate variation of it.
Script Analysis: Make a detailed list of all the props mentioned in the script and categorize them by rarity or difficulty in acquiring them.
Budget Constraints: Before diving into the hunt, it’s crucial to assess your budget. Rare or antique items often come with a higher price tag.
Tap into Your Network
Local Theatre Community: Don’t underestimate the power of communal resources. Reach out to nearby theatre companies, community theatres, and even colleges with theatre programs. They may have what you're looking for or can direct you to someone who does.
Alumni: Former students who have moved on to theatre-related careers might have unique insights or resources.
Social Media Groups: Countless online communities are dedicated to theatre professionals. Facebook groups, Redditt, or other specialized theatre forums can be goldmines.
Think Outside the Box
DIY: Sometimes, the best way to acquire a rare item is to make it yourself. Plenty of how-to videos and tutorials are available to guide you.
Adapt and Overcome: Can't find an authentic 1940s radio? When strategically placed and cleverly lit, a modern-day replica might do the trick.
Digital Solutions: In this age of technology, digital props can sometimes replace physical ones. Projectors can be used to display hard-to-find items.
Utilize Online Resources
eBay and Etsy: These online marketplaces can be invaluable for tracking down unique items. However, make sure to read reviews and possibly get in touch with the seller to confirm authenticity.
Online Theatre Marketplaces: Websites like Broadway Design Exchange specialize in buying and selling theatre props and costumes.
Specialized Prop Shops: While perhaps a more costly option, specialized stores often offer rentals.
Don't Forget Legalities
Copyright: Handle any logos, brand names, or copyrighted elements appropriately.
Contracts and Agreements: When borrowing, always establish a formal agreement outlining the terms and conditions; it will protect you later!
The prop room's challenges are as numerous as its wonders, but with a little ingenuity and a lot of resourcefulness, you can turn any high school production into a historically accurate or fantastically imagined world that captures the hearts and minds of your audience. As they say, the show must go on—with or without that elusive, authentic papyrus scroll.
FREE READS
Read entire plays for free! Free Reads titles are perfect for your theatre, school, and competition performances. Click on the play’s title or image to be taken to the Play’s page; once you are there, click the "READ NOW" button and enjoy!
Free Read of the Week
Crafting a Killer by Brent Holland
The Story: When a shadowy intelligence organization finds a way to move a person's consciousness from one body to another, they decide to use the technology to create the perfect undercover operative. However, the eight top candidates for the job don't know this until the day they find themselves locked in a deadly game of constantly-switching personalities. Forced to compete not only for the job but for the chance to survive, one of the candidates is eliminated every round. But could someone outsmart the rules of the game? Find out in this inventive, suspenseful, body-switching thriller.
Thriller | 35 - 40 minutes | 1 W, 1 M, 7 Any (9 actors possible: 1-8 W, 1-8 M) | Set: Minimal.
