Home The Art of Theater Theatrical Literature and History Social Science and the Theater Theater in Health Care and Sports Credits Links   Construction of the Set Below is an interview with a Technical Director for a community theater. It is in a question and answer format. Q: What is the best way to begin the actual construction of the set? A: The first thing that you should do is to measure the stage. It would be a disaster to build a set to wide or too tall for your working area. It is very important to take your measurements and the set design to the director to make sure that everything is in agreement. After this process check different building/construction companies to check on prices of lumber and equipment. After these two things are done divide your crew into teams, each with certain responsibilities. Having good crew team leaders can make all the difference in the world. Q: Is there any certain order that set pieces should be built? A: I find that it is easier to build the bigger pieces first when you have lots of energy and lots of help. But it is really important to save time to add details. Details really make a set look great. Q: How important is it for the director and the technical director to communicate during the construction of the set? A: It is very important. The technical director brings to life the designs of the directing team. Q: What is the purpose of a set? A: The purpose of a set is to provide scenery or a background for the actors. Whether it be an interior of a house or a wooded scene, it creates a mood and an atmosphere to augment the written word.   Back|Next