Having now been through four plays here at Cheshire Academy, and having seen eight plays on Broadway, I understand that technical theater includes multiple essential aspects of putting on a professional show. These include set design, props and costumes, lighting, sound, and stage management. The stage crew is there during the show to make sure that everything runs smoothly; props have to be in the right place, costumes have to be where people change in and out of them, and scene changes have to be fast without forgetting or breaking anything.
All the other aspects of technical theater are mainly there to heighten the setting and atmosphere, immersing the audience as much as possible. If a character is meant to be holding a book, it might pull the audience out of the scene for a moment if the actor doesn’t have a book prop. If the play is meant to take place in a certain location and/or time period, then not having relevant costumes can be distracting as well. While plenty of shows can work with a simple set, having a set that’s beautiful and complex will leave a big impression on the audience. Still, the set should prioritize functionally over pure awe factor. Lights can highlight a specific character or object, or set a mood.
