Dramatics Magazine: PROPS DRIVE PLOTS. Whether it’s a plate of sardines in Noises Off or a sword in Romeo and Juliet, props give characters choices, movements, and consequences. It’s hard to believe such crucial pieces often get last billing in theatre. A great prop cannot save a mediocre scene, but a bad prop can ruin a great one.
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With this article, this author is essentially saying that a prop in a show ultimately has to serve the story first. Regardless of whether the prop is period or accurately sized or functioning or detailed, the prop needs to help further the story being told on stage, even though they are only minor supporting pieces. I can imagine that it must be frustrating for some people to have to create anachronistic props and knowing that it does not fit into the conceptualized world, but in the end, the world created on stage is that of the director – and not even a real world – so even though you might piss off a couple of history-knowledgeable audience members, you are fulfilling the goal for the production. I also thought that Stone makes a good point about food props and their function. Creating a food prop is edible and enjoyable for a performer is important to making sure they are able to do their job. I have heard stories about prop shops having to spend egregious amounts of money on food props that met the diet of an actor that had allergies and picky taste. But spending $80 dollars on a lasagna that only had a few bites taken out of it each show was worth it so that the performer could be comfortable and give the proper performance.
I love seeing props getting the recognition we rightly deserve. I think it is definitely one of the production departments that has the highest number of needed skills. You have to know how to build countless things, be able to find the ones you can not build, and keep track of everything in a logical way that can be really challenging at times. There are so many details that go into props it can be almost maddening, but that is also what makes them so special. When I am making a theater prop, I try to hold it to the same standard that a film team would, because that level of detail is really what is needed to sell a believable prop on stage. It does not matter to me if the audience can see every little detail on a piece, because it is about the grand total of those little details that makes a good prop.
While the article focuses on props which act as a foil to actors to drive plots, props itself can sometimes become the lead. Recently, I watched the Broadway musical The Lion King. The Lion King uses an enormous number of props including the beautiful complex puppets and masks. Some scenes are driven only by puppets or its silhouette. For example, a part of the last fight scene is shown in silhouettes. As another example, in the early part of the story, puppets of Mufasa and Simba scouts around the glass field. The reason why I mention this is because the puppet of Mufasa got broken during the show. The puppet fell off from the handle, which seemed to me that it would have been prevented if better maintenance was performed. This accident of course distracted my attention. A bad prop can ruin a great scene as the article suggests. To sum up, subject to the three requirements that article suggests, props must be well maintained.
During my time in the props Stagecraft class, my local talked extensively about the critical role props play in a show and how much work is put in to crafting them. Our discussion gave me an even greater appreciation for props and the dedicated people who make them. So when I saw this article, I was extremely pleased to see props getting the recognition it deserves. The explanation of the process of the prop masters was near perfect to the one we had in class. It is wonderful to see props getting this recognition, since we learned all too often is props unappreciated for the amount of time and labor that goes into it. This article took the time to not only celebrate the art of props, but give the reader an idea of just how much dedication is put into the craft. It was an article I was happy to read and further confirmed my admiration for the prop masters.
This may be my favorite article to date. Working with props is a very interesting and fluid job. It is probably the job in theatre that allows you to do some of everything. One day you can be making a spreadsheet of props, and the next you're programming and Arduino. One day you can be distressing paper and writing gibberish on it, and the next you're fabricating a multi-functional table. One day you can be sewing together fabric and stuffing it to make a stuffed animal and the next day you're welding together a bird cage. Etcetera! The level of versatility is up there, and being a good props master means you truly are a jack of all trades. But not just that. You also have to be ready for whatever, whenever. Because during the rehearsal process it is such a roller coaster ride. Things get added and cut every day, no matter where you are in the process. You need rehearsal props and back up props. You also have to be very mindful of the actors/actresses and their interactions the prop. The is, how are they using it, are the eating it, what loads they can carry, how their costumes interact with the prop, does it need to be functional, etc. There are just so many dynamics to props along with the fact that their serve a strong role within the story. Realistic sets do not come to life until they are dressed and filled with props. Most stories cannot be told with at least one object. Humans use "props" all day, everyday; even if it is simply a bottle of water in hand. I have to agree on their importance in the play, as well as appreciate the people who make them happen.
-Apriah
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