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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Sweeney Todd

« on: Sep 12, 2012, 07:02 pm »

I stage managed Sweeney in the spring and it was a really great experience. We built two stationary set pieces - Sweeney's shop, which was comprised of black platforms with a chute in the back for people falling out of the chair (which was just carried on by actors), and Mrs. Lovett's bakehouse, which rotated. Pirelli's cart (which was also Fogg's asylum and the bake oven) was rolled on as needed. As far as set changes went, our version wasn't too bad. There were maybe 10-12 changes total and we didn't use any special equipment. Actors moved most of the pieces because my crew was small, so I personally didn't do a whole lot aside from telling them when and where to move things.  Still, the scene changes had to be precise and fast so you do need to make sure you're on top of things. Rehearsals are always a great time to practice set changes. I made sure the actors knew exactly what was happening when, and who was doing what - that helped everything run smoothly. If you want any ideas for easier set changes or a multifunctional set design (which really helped with set changes), don't hesitate to ask!