Stagehand in the context of "Stagecraft"

⭐ In the context of stagecraft, what distinguishes the roles of individuals involved in a modern Broadway show from those in smaller community theaters?

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⭐ Core Definition: Stagehand

A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their work includes setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.

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👉 Stagehand in the context of Stagecraft

Stagecraft is a technical aspect of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes constructing and rigging scenery; hanging and focusing of lighting; design and procurement of costumes; make-up; stage management; audio engineering; and procurement of props. Stagecraft is distinct from the wider umbrella term of scenography. Considered a technical rather than an artistic field, it is primarily the practical implementation of a scenic designer's artistic vision.

In its most basic form, stagecraft may be executed by a single person (often the stage manager of a smaller production) who arranges all scenery, costumes, lighting, and sound, and organizes the cast. Regional theaters and larger community theaters will generally have a technical director and a complement of designers, each of whom has a direct hand in their respective designs.Within significantly larger productions, for example a modern Broadway show, effectively bringing a show to opening night requires the work of skilled carpenters, painters, electricians, stagehands, stitchers, wigmakers, and the like. Modern stagecraft is highly technical and specialized: it comprises many sub-disciplines and a vast trove of history and tradition.

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Stagehand in the context of Prompt book

The prompt book, also called transcript, the bible or sometimes simply the book, is the copy of a production script that contains the information necessary to create a theatrical production from the ground up. It is a compilation of all blocking, business, light, speech and sound cues, lists of properties, drawings of the set, contact information for the cast and crew, and any other relevant information that might be necessary to help the production run smoothly.

In modern theatrical productions, the prompt book is generally maintained and kept by the stage manager, with differences in the specific construction and organization to suit the style of the stage manager keeping the book, and the type of production (legitimate theatre, musical theatre, dance, opera, etc.).

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