Technical ElementsTechnical Elements

Scenery

• Definition: theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, and platforms, that communicate environment

• In Other Words: what does the stage look like?

Props

• Definition: short for properties—any moveable object that appears onstage during a performance

• In Other Words: things that the actors use to make the play seem more realistic

Sound and Music

• Definition: effects an audience hears during a performance that communicates environment or character

• In Other Words: what sounds other than the dialogue is heard?—a clap of thunder, a phone ringing, a scream, etc.

Costumes

• Definition: clothing and accessories worn by actors to convey character and time

• In Other Words: what should the actors wear?—make it appropriate to the person’s age and what the setting is!

Makeup

• Definition: use of costumes, wigs, and body paint to transform an actor into a character

• In Other Words: how we make an actor look like their character