2 - Pre-Production

Pre-Production

Active Roles

The following roles are most active in this phase. Each role’s specific tasks live in their own doc’s By Phase section, and the orientation paragraph for each role × phase lives in Phase Overviews.

Producer · Production Manager · Director · Music Director · Choreographer · Stage Manager · Technical Director · Set Designer · Costume Designer · Light Designer · Sound Designer · Prop Designer · Marketing

Introduction

The Pre-Production phase serves as the architectural blueprint stage of theatrical creation—where we design the visual, aural, and physical world that performers will inhabit and audiences will experience. During this critical period, the Stage Manager and Production Manager create the organizational infrastructure that allows creative work to flourish, while the Director’s vision guides designers toward a cohesive aesthetic that tells a unified story.

Pre-production marks the transition where abstract vision becomes concrete design. Each designer collaborates closely with the Director to develop their design package, ensuring all elements work in harmony to support the storytelling. These design packages ultimately form the foundation of the Stage Manager’s production bible—a living document that will continue to evolve throughout the entire production process.

“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.”

Design Package Development

Design packages are comprehensive collections of documents and artifacts that represent each designer’s creative vision and technical specifications. These are not merely presentation materials, but foundational documents that guide the entire production process.

Director’s Role

The Director serves as the primary creative catalyst for all design packages:

• Articulates the overall vision and concept for the production

• Identifies key themes, motifs, and visual vocabulary

• Collaborates individually with each designer to develop concepts

• Ensures cohesion across all design elements

• Approves preliminary and final designs

• Bridges artistic vision with practical implementation

Development Process

Each design package evolves through a structured process:

1. Initial Concept Meeting - Designer and Director discuss vision and approach

2. Research and Development - Designer explores options and references

3. Preliminary Design - First drafts and concepts are created

4. Design Review - Director provides feedback and guidance

5. Revisions - Designs are refined based on feedback

6. Final Approval - Director signs off on completed design package

7. Design Presentation - Formal sharing with production team and cast

Collaborative Integration

Designers don’t work in isolation—their packages must integrate harmoniously:

• Regular design meetings facilitate cross-departmental coordination

• The Production Manager ensures compatibility across design elements

• Technical considerations are addressed before designs are finalized

• Budgetary constraints are incorporated into all design decisions

• The Production Bible serves as the central integration point

Design Packages by Department

Set Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the design serves the story

• Scale ground plan/floor plan of the set with measurements

• Elevations with height measurements

• Color palette/swatches

• Set renderings or model (physical or digital)

• Set dressing list

• Transition plan draft (how scenes will change)

• Materials list and budget breakdown

• Special effects or practical considerations document

• Construction timeline

Package Considerations:

• How the design supports the Director’s vision

• Feasibility within the available performance space

• Accommodation of blocking and choreography needs

• Practicality for construction within budget and timeline

• Flexibility for necessary scene changes

• Integration with lighting and sound requirements

Costume Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the designs serve the story

• Complete costume plot (scene-by-scene breakdown for each character)

• Renderings for all principal characters

• Costume breakdown sheets by character

• Color palette/swatches

• Quick change list and initial planning

• Sourcing plan (build, buy, rent, or existing inventory)

• Measurement/Fittings protocol and schedule

• Special costume effects or practical considerations

• Budget breakdown

Package Considerations:

• How each costume supports character development

• Coordination with the overall visual aesthetic

• Practicality for performers’ movement and comfort

• Feasibility of quick changes within scene transitions

• Durability considerations for performance run

• Adaptability for potential double-casting

Lighting Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the design serves the story

• Preliminary light plot

• Color selections/gel choices

• Special effects list (gobos, practical lights, etc.)

• Initial cue list/breakdown by scene

• Equipment needs list

• Areas of focus document (showing coverage needs)

• How the Thrust will be lit (if being used)

• Preliminary lighting looks (mood boards or examples)

• Integration notes with other design elements

• Budget breakdown

Package Considerations:

• How lighting supports the emotional journey of the story

• Coordination with set design for instrument placement

• Visibility requirements for performers

• Special moments requiring focused lighting effects

• Technical capabilities of the venue

• Energy requirements and limitations

Sound Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the design serves the story

• Preliminary sound cue list

• Sample tracks or sound palettes

• Microphone plot (for musical productions)

• Equipment needs list

• Special audio effects breakdown

• Balance and levels planning

• Integration with musical direction (if applicable)

• Integration with live band (if applicable)

• Speaker placement plan

• Budget breakdown

Package Considerations:

• How sound design enhances the storytelling

• Acoustic properties of the performance space

• Balance between live and recorded elements

• Technical capabilities and limitations of the venue

• Integration with musical elements

• Microphone requirements for young performers

Props Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the design serves the story

• Complete props list organized by scene

• Sourcing plan (build, buy, rent, or from inventory)

• Practical props considerations document

• Reference images or renderings for more prominent props

• Rehearsal props plan (what will be available when)

• Props tracking document (where props begin/end each scene)

• Special effects or consumables list

• Storage and organization plan

• Budget breakdown

Package Considerations:

• How props support character development and storytelling

• Period accuracy and aesthetic consistency

• Durability and safety for young performers

• Storage and organization between performances

• Tracking system for multiple performances

• Integration with set and costume designs

Hair/Makeup Designer

Required Package Elements:

• Concept statement detailing how the design serves the story

• Character breakdown with specific hair/makeup needs

• Reference images or renderings

• Quick change considerations

• Special effects makeup requirements

• Sourcing plan for materials

• Application timeline estimates

• Budget breakdown

Package Considerations:

• How hair and makeup enhance character portrayal

• Coordination with costume design

• Appropriateness for young performers

• Time requirements for application

• Durability throughout performances

• Removal process and skin care considerations

Communication and Collaboration

Throughout Pre-Production and into rehearsals, effective communication ensures that the design packages remain living documents that evolve appropriately.

Cross-Departmental Communication

The interconnected nature of theatrical design means that changes in one department inevitably impact others. Ensuring prompt communication of these changes is essential:

• Ripple Effects: A set design alteration may affect lighting positions, sound placement, and prop storage simultaneously

• Proactive Problem-Solving: Early communication allows all affected departments to adapt before issues compound

• Resource Allocation: Changes often impact budgets and schedules, requiring Production Manager involvement

• Artistic Cohesion: All adaptations must maintain alignment with the Director’s vision

• Documentation Trail: Changes must be recorded to prevent confusion and ensure consistent implementation

For example, if rehearsals reveal that a door needs to be repositioned on the set:

• The Set Designer must adapt the design and assess construction implications

• The Lighting Designer needs to adjust any special focusing for that area

• The Sound Designer may need to relocate practical effects or speakers

• The Props Designer might need to reconsider prop tables and running paths

• The Stage Manager must update blocking notes that reference the original position

• The Production Manager must evaluate budget and schedule impacts

Every design evolution, no matter how small, requires structured communication to maintain the production’s integrity.

Design Evolution After Presentation

Once design presentations have occurred, the designs become the established foundation for the production. Any subsequent changes must follow proper communication protocols:

• All design changes should be formally proposed rather than implemented unilaterally

• Design changes include adding, removing or altering which actors appear in scenes.

• Changes must be communicated through established channels (rehearsal reports, production meetings)

• No significant design adaptation should occur without discussion at production meetings

• The Production Manager must evaluate budget and schedule impacts of proposed changes

• All approved changes must be documented and distributed to affected departments

• Updated design documents must replace or update previous versions in the production bible

This structured approach to design evolution ensures that:

• Changes are properly vetted before implementation

• All departments have the opportunity to address impacts on their work

• The production maintains both artistic and practical integrity

• The budget and schedule remain manageable

• Everyone works from the same current information

Impromptu or undocumented changes, no matter how minor they may seem, can create cascading problems throughout the production. The established communication channels exist precisely to prevent such issues.

Rehearsal Reports

The Stage Manager documents all discoveries and needs that emerge during rehearsals through daily reports that:

• Highlight design implications from each day’s work

• Identify discrepancies between design and practical implementation

• Request clarification or adaptations as needed

• Flag potential conflicts between departments

• Document resolutions and changes for consistent implementation

Production Meetings

Bi-weekly production meetings provide structured opportunities to:

• Review the evolution of design elements

• Address emerging challenges across departments

• Coordinate necessary adaptations

• Ensure budget adherence as designs evolve

• Maintain alignment with the Director’s vision

Designer Check-Ins

Regular communication between the Stage Manager and designers ensures:

• Design implementations align with ongoing discoveries

• Questions are addressed promptly

• Adaptations are documented and distributed

• All departments stay informed of changes that may affect their work

Stage Manager’s Show Bible

The design packages created during Pre-Production become the foundation of the Stage Manager’s show bible—a comprehensive reference document that continues to evolve throughout the entire production process.

Foundation: Design Deliverables

When designers complete their presentations, their documents establish the baseline for the production’s visual, aural, and spatial reality. The Stage Manager collects these materials—floor plans, costume plots, prop lists, sound cues—organizing them into the initial framework of the show bible.

Building Through Rehearsals

As rehearsals progress, the Stage Manager continuously expands the bible by documenting:

• Detailed blocking notations

• Choreography sequences

• Prop handling and tracking

• Costume change requirements

• Scene transition choreography

• Technical cue placements

Integration and Harmonization

The Stage Manager focuses primarily on ensuring functionality—verifying that all design elements work practically within the rehearsal and performance context:

• Cross-referencing blocking against the floor plan to confirm movements are physically possible

• Verifying that props being used in rehearsal appear on the props list, or identifying when new props are needed (such as when one prop needs to track to multiple locations simultaneously, requiring duplicates)

• Confirming that costume quick-changes align with the time available between scenes

• Ensuring set transitions can happen within the available time and space

• Documenting where lighting and sound cues need to occur within the flow of action

While the Stage Manager shares these functionality concerns with the Director and Production Manager, each has a distinct focus. The Director ensures design elements support the artistic vision, while the Production Manager confirms that designs remain within monetary and time budgets throughout the process.

Early Warning System

Perhaps most importantly, the show bible functions as an early warning system. The Stage Manager, through careful maintenance of this document, identifies potential conflicts before they become problems:

• When scene require more or less actors onstage that originally planned

• When prop usage doesn’t match the available inventory

• When costume changes require more time than the script allows

• When set transitions prove more complex than initially designed

Digital Storage and Documentation

The Google Drive structure provides the digital framework for managing and evolving the production bible.

For a thorough guide on the framework see the Google Drive Template

Organizational Framework

The structure outlined in the Encore Google Drive Template provides the perfect digital scaffolding for the Stage Manager’s show bible. Within this framework, the design deliverables become living documents that evolve throughout the production process.

Design Documentation Storage

Each department’s design package finds its dedicated home within the “02_DESIGN_AND_TECHNICAL” folder structure:

• The Set Designer’s floor plans and renderings live in “Set_Design/Renderings/”

• Costume plots and designs reside in “Costumes/Designs/”

• Lighting plots and cue lists are stored in “Lighting/Concept/” and “Lighting/Cue_List.xlsx”

• Sound cues and mic plots have space in “Sound/Cue_List.xlsx” and “Sound/Mic_Plot.xlsx”

• Prop lists and tracking documents are maintained in “Props/Props_List.xlsx” and “Props/Props_Tracking.xlsx”

Version Control

• Google Drive’s version history feature allows tracking of document evolution

• Designers update their documents rather than creating multiple versions

• The Stage Manager can easily see what changes have been made and when

• Key milestone versions can be named within the version history for easy reference

Access and Collaboration

The permission structure ensures appropriate access:

• Designers have edit access to their own department folders

• The Stage Manager and Production Manager maintain edit access across all areas

• The Director and other key creative leadership have appropriate edit or view access

• Cast members do not have access to design packages or the production bible

• Access is strictly controlled to maintain document integrity and prevent confusion

Important Landmarks

Each of these landmarks should be understood by all parties. They should also be included in production and rehearsal calendars:

Pre-Production Phase Landmarks

• Onboarding Meeting - Initial gathering where the Director shares vision with the full creative team

• Initial Design Meetings - One-on-one conversations between the Director and each designer

• Preliminary Design Presentations - First formal sharing of design concepts

• Budget Review - Confirmation that designs align with available resources

• Final Design Approvals - Director’s sign-off on completed design packages

• Design Presentations - Formal sharing of designs with the full production team

• Community Design Presentations - Sharing of designs with cast at first rehearsal

Conclusion

The Pre-Production phase establishes the visual, aural, and spatial language of the production through comprehensive design packages developed in close collaboration with the Director. These packages become the foundation of the Stage Manager’s show bible—a living document that continues to evolve throughout rehearsals as the creative vision meets practical implementation.

By creating detailed design packages, maintaining clear communication channels, and leveraging digital tools for documentation and collaboration, the production team establishes a solid foundation for a successful and harmonious creative process. The time invested in Pre-Production planning pays dividends throughout the entire production journey, allowing young artists to flourish within a thoughtfully designed theatrical world.

Remember that design packages serve not just as reference documents but as creative blueprints that guide the entire production process. Their thoroughness and clarity directly impact the efficiency of rehearsals, the effectiveness of technical integration, and ultimately, the quality of the theatrical experience for both performers and audience.

CASTING for Encore

Related

• 1 - Inception
• 3 - Casting
• 0.0 - Production Bible
• Production Manager

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Status: Working · Portal: Team · Last reviewed: 2026-05-11 · Owner: Rhett