Overview

In order for a play to make it to the stage, there have to be many people hard at work who never speak a line. These people make up the production team. There is the stage manager, who reports directly to the director and supervises all backstage work. There is also the assistant director, who helps the director with various jobs.

Others in the production team work in crews, or committees of technicians, behind the scenes. The stage crew constructs and completes the scenery and maintains audience sight lines. The prop crew makes sure the actors have the props they need in the play. The costume crew designs or finds the outfits and accessories for the actors. The makeup crew designs and applies makeup (cosmetics, wigs, mustaches, etc.) for each cast member. The sound and light crews plan and prepare the sound effects and stage lights for the play; they rely heavily on cues during the performance. The publicity crew gets the word out about the play, whereas the house crew takes care of the tickets, box office, and programs. These crews make characters and scenarios more believable and offer the audience a more entertaining experience.