Interpersonal Communication In Theatre

Communication in the Theatre Industry

Communication is an absolute necessity in the theatre world. Without it, the whole production could fall to ruins within minutes. Cues could be missed, set pieces could be misplaced, and actors could become confused and forget their lines. There is also a very big chance that someone could get injured. Communication is key to a stress-free workplace.Without it, everything would fall apart instantaneously. It's the very key to a smooth running show.

It’s important to the backstage crews that everything is in it’s place when the scene is set. To ensure this, Stagehands must be well informed about the set pieces they are moving, and where they belong on stage. The Stage Manager and the Assistant Stage Manager must have prompt books to follow along backstage and to warn crew about upcoming cues and scene changes. All leadership must have a cue sheet on hand in order to answer any questions that other members of the crew (or cast), might have. Along with cue sheets, headsets are an absolute must when it comes to behind-the-scenes work. They maximize the amount of communication that the crew can have with the directors and the stage manager. It allows decisions to be

Talking backstage while the production is occurring is a giant no-no. Talking backstage takes away from the story that’s being performed on stage. Tech is meant to do everything silently, without being seen or heard. If someone is caught talking above a whisper, they will be removed from the area immediately and reprimanded. If it happens more than three times, the individual will most likely be kicked off the crew, or fired all together. During a silent or serious scene, nothing should be happening backstage. It should be almost a complete standstill. Everyone should be prepared for an upcoming scene change before the silent one occurs. Once the scene is over and the audience is reacting, then movement can