Set and Props
The Set and Props Department sources the necessary props according to the script and set designer’s vision, piecing together a cohesive and complete set.
The Set and Props Department sources the necessary props according to the script and set designer’s vision, piecing together a cohesive and complete set.
Set & Props is a lifestyle of appreciation. When my friends used to ask what it's like to be S&P, I'd always say that it's more than just the work backstage prepping for the show. It's about going about your regular day while thinking about how the objects in a space come together to create beauty in the mundane. It's seeing an object and thinking about how it'll perfectly fit in a scene for a show you're working on. It's seeing how various objects give a space its personality and doing your best to recreate that personality on stage. That love for the things that make up our most beloved spaces are what drew me to S&P and what I always say will bring people to S&P. We all know what it's like to fall in love with a space and that's why I think anyone can enjoy the job. I'd even go as far as to say everyone would benefit from trying it once. In a practical sense, S&P teaches its members to be resourceful with how one gives life to a space with a limited budget, useful in all facets of life for obvious reasons. In life, S&P teaches us to appreciate the little things in the physical world that make it beautiful.
What I enjoy about being in Set & Props is the hands-on nature of the work. Being able to help stage the production and work behind the scenes is always a gratifying experience since you get to collaborate with many hardworking and passionate people to bring the artistic vision to fruition. I’ve been working in the S&P team for many blueREP productions, and it’s a team where I feel I’m always challenged to think creatively and resourcefully. Our work is more than just sourcing the props for the actors to use—it’s also about being mindful of the little details in the set design and props to ensure that they’re cohesive to help immerse the audience into the story. I’ve also learned different technical skills, techniques and tricks that help when we build our own set pieces and create other stage effects. But beyond the work, I truly enjoy working with other production people the most because their dedication and pride in their craft is really inspiring and it encourages me to be better too. As someone who had little experience working in theatre prior to college, I honestly cannot imagine myself without the friendships I’ve made in blueREP and the experiences it has imparted to me.
Set & Props is a team that, just from the name, gives away which line of work it partakes in! I already had a background with stage work from my high school theater club, so it was a given that I would join it. However, I was strangely (and pleasantly) surprised about the little tidbits of work I did not expect to do. I was sure that we would help acquire and create props, but never did I guess that we would actually be moving them on stage! It was a totally different experience, but it was fun and gratifying. It feels great to be able to be a part of an act even though you’d have around 40 seconds of screen time—it truly felt like an immersive and unforgettable experience. Now, fast forward to today, where work has now shifted online, it is expected that S&P would take a big hit because that physical immersive experience is gone. I hundred percent agree with that sentiment, and miss doing work onsite. It’s a sad thought, but at the end of the day, S&P is a team, much like all the other teams in blueREP that builds bonds and connections with people. The experience of growing as a person and forming close friendships is something that has not been changed. Every ounce of emotion, whether the happy moments and the sad, all form into a pillar, that develops you as an individual.
