Educational Galaxy

Let's Design — EG's own notes, in simple words

Book: Kriti (CBSE, Class 7)  |  Chapter 3  |  Medium: English

Section: Theatre

Diagram (labels are printed on the image): Children acting on a raised platform with a chair as a set piece. A general teaching picture; it is not a picture from the book.

Children helping with lights and costumes backstage. A general picture about stage teamwork; no book picture is copied here.

What the chapter is about

This chapter is “Let’s Design — Stage Technicals 2”, the second part of stage technicals: the first part, in Class 6, covered make-up, costume design, stage types and script beginnings; this part covers backstage work and script writing in full. Like the strong roots of a tree in full bloom, or the deep foundation of an ancient temple, every successful performance needs a strong support system — and that system is the backstage crew.

Backstage is not only the physical space behind the performing area; it is the work and the people. Four departments carry a show during the performance. Set and Properties change the set between scenes, keep hand props ready, keep the stage free of obstructions, and support the actors if something goes wrong or a line is forgotten. Costume and Make-up get actors ready in character costume and make-up, help with quick changes between scenes, and repair minor tears and damage. Music works with actors and the tech team on sound-track cues and sound effects that suit the performance, and sometimes covers an onstage glitch with the right sound or music. Lighting plans the lights, knows the cues well, times them, and supports actors during unexpected problems.

The work does not stop during the show. Before the show, sets and backdrops are made, properties are borrowed, rented or purchased, exact positions are marked, and quick changes are practised during blackout — the lights are off for only 30 seconds between scenes. Costumes are designed for each character, procured, rented or made, wigs and stylisation are planned, and a costume rehearsal helps planning. Music and sound equipment are checked and instruments tuned, and light design is planned during rehearsals, with lights rigged and actor positions marked. After the show, sets are dismantled and packed carefully, properties are returned, costumes are collected, checked for damage, repaired or replaced, washed and ironed, and lights, cables, instruments and wires are packed and stored safely. For a play with about 8 to 10 actors, at least 15 to 18 people — sometimes more — work backstage.

With so many teams, the most important things are planning, management and discipline. Theatre teaches life skills: teamwork and leadership, so all departments coordinate and understand each other, since a problem in one team affects the whole show; communication, the constant sharing of ideas and issues; human-resource sense, putting the right people in the right responsibilities and keeping them comfortable; resource management, procuring materials on time, storing them safely and watching the budget; time management; and sales and marketing, because a hard-working team also needs a good audience. Discipline and commitment mean attending every rehearsal without excuses, doing assignments as the director instructs, arriving on time, being present for repeat shows and rehearsals, and volunteering help in free time. Two backstage greats are named in the chapter: V. Rama Murthy, known across the country for lighting, sound, stage design, mime and music, who also trained many backstage crews; and Tapas Sen (1940–2006), an expert lighting designer who worked like a magician with lights even before sophisticated equipment existed, and who designed the lights for the year 2000 New Year celebrations at the Eiffel Tower, Paris.

Backstage work is ancient. The Natyashastra, more than 2,500 years old, describes Poorvaranga Vidhi, the detailed preparation before a show — setting up instruments, sets and properties and invoking the blessings of the gods for an uninterrupted show — and Nepathya Vidhi, the discipline of Nepathya, the backstage and the whole space around the stage except the audience. In Natyashastra times, Mahavarinis, big elephant-shaped pillars at the stage corners, held sets and properties ready for entries and exits; today side wings do the same job, usually three wings making three pathways on each side. The chapter quotes the Natyashastra (Chapter 5, Poorvaranga): fire spread by a strong wind does not burn as much as a wrongly planned production damages in a moment. Greek theatre had its own version: actors got ready behind the performing area, covered by green vineyards, trees and bushes — which is why the dressing and make-up room is still called the Green Room everywhere, though nothing is green about it any more.

Every professional theatre performance has three bells. The first bell tells the audience to maintain silence, as the play will start soon, and by then the first scene’s sets and props are placed. The second bell means actors are on stage and in position, everyone backstage is in position, stage microphones are switched on, and the announcement is made — name of the play, playwright, director and special mentions — with a strict ban on flash photography and phone use. The third bell means the show begins — like the final exam after so many rehearsals.

The second half of the chapter is script writing: “Write Right”. A script anchors the story to the vision — without it, a play is like a ship without a compass. Its structure has four elements: Protagonist (who the story is about), Goal (what they want), Conflict (the obstacle in their path), and Resolution (whether and how they achieve the goal). The chapter’s example is the Ramayana: protagonist Rama, goal to care for Ayodhya as king and follow dharma, conflict — banishment to the forest for 14 years and Sita’s kidnapping by Ravana — resolution — with Hanuman’s support he brings Sita back, completes 14 years, and returns to rule Ayodhya. A second worked example is Harsha, who wants to solve the mystery of a sound from his backyard but is afraid of the dark; his Ajji’s story of overcoming her own fear of boarding a bus inspires him to change — this change in a character through the story is called the character arc.

Characters must be known well: name, age, background, what they want, their individual problem and special features, and how they change from beginning to middle to end. Supporting characters matter just as much, but every new character must have a meaning and purpose — Ajji, who helps Harsha overcome fear, and a scientist who explains sound and wind, are good supporting characters, while a milkman who comes every day without contributing to the mystery need not be in the script at all. Scenes are divisions marking a change in time, place or action. Every scene must pass checks: it takes the story forward, introduces a character or brings clarity; transitions follow the audience’s thought flow and connect logically; each scene has its own Beginning–Middle–End; and the first scene must grab attention while the last ends with impact, tying up all loose ends. The final checklist for writing your own script is: work alone or in a group of 3 to 4 friends, choose an idea that inspires you (or a picture from the chapter), prepare a Beginning–Middle–End with a clear conflict, put it into protagonist–goal–obstacle–resolution form, create characters, divide into scenes and write dialogue — that is Draft 1, which you then improve and rehearse.

What you should learn

• Name the four backstage departments and their work before, during and after a show.
• Explain why backstage work is called the invisible pillar of theatre, and how many people it takes.
• List theatre life skills — teamwork, communication, resource and time management, discipline — and apply them to daily life.
• Explain Poorvaranga Vidhi, Nepathya, Mahavarinis, side wings, the Green Room, and the meaning of the three bells.
• Write a script using protagonist–goal–conflict–resolution, character arc, purposeful supporting characters, and checked scenes.

Try it: Backstage before, during and after

1. Before the show: list what each department does — set-making and marking positions, costume design and procurement, music checks and tuning, light design and rigging.
2. During the show: list the four departments’ jobs — changing sets, keeping props ready, quick costume changes, sound cues and glitch cover-ups, light timing.
3. After the show: list the close-down jobs — dismantling and packing sets, returning borrowed properties, collecting and washing costumes, storing lights, cables and instruments safely.
4. Discuss: which backstage department interests you most, and why? Which backstage skill would you like to use in everyday life, and which would help you most during exams?

Try it: Solve a show-day problem — no invented answer key

1. Scenario 1: It is 11 in the morning, the show is the same evening, and during rehearsal the main actor seriously injures a leg and cannot walk easily. His made-to-order costume, which matters to the play and appears in the posters, is also torn. The show begins in 5 hours. Write down your solution, keeping in mind the time available and the money involved.
2. Scenario 2: On show day, the specially made magical bracelet around which the whole story revolves has been stolen — the original took 5 days to make. Would you make a lookalike, change the script, manage with lighting and dialogue, or look for the thief? Discuss in your team and write your chosen solution with reasons.
3. Rule for both scenarios: you may offer more than one solution, but every solution must respect real time and real cost — you cannot simply buy a whole new set.

Try it: Write your own script — Draft 1

1. Work alone or in a group of 3 to 4 friends. Choose a concept or idea that inspires you — if it does not interest you, it cannot interest your readers — or choose one of the chapter’s pictures and build a story from it.
2. Prepare the overall Beginning–Middle–End structure with the conflict clearly defined.
3. Put it into protagonist–goal–obstacle–resolution form, as the chapter does for the Ramayana and for Harsha.
4. Create your characters: for each main character note name, age, background, what they want, their individual problem and special features, and how they change from beginning to middle to end.
5. Check every supporting character: does it make a difference to the main character or the goal, or provide context? If not, consider removing it.
6. Divide the story into scenes, checking each scene for purpose, valid transitions, its own Beginning–Middle–End, and a first scene that grabs attention and a last scene that ends with impact. Then write the dialogue — you now have Draft 1. Improve it and rehearse.

Chart / Table: The three bells of a professional performance

Bell	What it means
First bell	Audience: maintain silence, the play starts soon. First scene’s sets and props are placed.
Second bell	Actors on stage and in position; backstage in position; mics on; announcement of play, playwright, director and special mentions; no flash photography or phones.
Third bell	The show begins — the final exam after so many rehearsals.

Practice set — try it yourself

1. Name the four backstage departments and one job of each during the show.
   Hint: Hint: Think of set, costume, music and lights.
2. Why is backstage work called the invisible pillar of theatre?
   Hint: Hint: Think of tree roots and temple foundations.
3. What do the three bells mean?
   Hint: Hint: Silence, positions and announcement, then the show itself.
4. Apply the script structure to the Ramayana: protagonist, goal, conflict, resolution.
   Hint: Hint: Rama, Ayodhya and dharma, banishment and kidnapping, return after 14 years.
5. A milkman comes to Harsha’s house every day but adds nothing to the mystery. Should he stay in the script? Why?
   Hint: Hint: Apply the supporting-character test.

Questions with Answers

1. What is backstage work, and why is it more than a physical space?
   Backstage work is the team of people with different responsibilities who ensure a performance runs smoothly without glitches. It matters not because of the physical space behind the performing area, but because of the work that happens and the people involved — like roots to a tree or a foundation to a temple.
2. What does each backstage department do during a show?
   Set and Properties: change sets between scenes, keep hand props ready, keep the stage obstruction-free, and support actors if something goes wrong or is forgotten. Costume and Make-up: ready actors in character costume and make-up, help quick changes, and repair minor tears. Music: get sound-track cues right with actors and the tech team, suit sound effects to the performance, and sometimes cover glitches. Lighting: plan lights, know cues well, time them, and support actors during unexpected issues.
3. How many backstage people does a play with 8 to 10 actors need?
   At least 15 to 18 people, sometimes more — which is why planning, management and discipline matter so much.
4. What are Poorvaranga Vidhi, Nepathya and Mahavarinis?
   Poorvaranga Vidhi is the Natyashastra’s detailed pre-show preparation — instruments, sets, properties and blessings for an uninterrupted show. Nepathya is the backstage, the whole space around the stage except the audience, and Nepathya Vidhi is its discipline and procedure. Mahavarinis were big elephant-shaped pillars at the stage corners where sets and properties were kept ready; today’s side wings — usually three, making three pathways on each side — do the same job.
5. Why is the make-up room called the Green Room?
   In Greek open-air theatre, actors got ready with costumes and masks behind the performing area, covered by green vineyards, trees and bushes. The name Green Room survived worldwide, even though nothing is green about such rooms any more.

Extension Questions — for deeper understanding

1. Explain the four elements of script structure using the Harsha example.
   Protagonist: Harsha. Goal: solve the mystery of the sound from his backyard. Conflict: he is afraid of darkness and avoids going out after dark, so he keeps failing. Resolution: his Ajji’s story of overcoming her fear of boarding a bus inspires him to overcome his fear, so he reacts differently after dark — and that change is his character arc.
2. What checks must every scene pass before it stays in a script?
   Purpose: it takes the story forward, introduces a character or brings clarity. Valid transitions: the change must not be abrupt but follow the audience’s thought flow, connecting logically to the previous and next scenes. Its own Beginning–Middle–End: introduction, core purpose, and a lead into the next scene. And the first scene must grab attention while the last ends with impact, tying up all loose ends.
3. How does the chapter connect theatre discipline to school life?
   Discipline means attending all rehearsals without excuses, doing assignments as the director instructs, arriving on time, and being present for repeat shows. The chapter’s own daily-life examples are caring for belongings and practising regularly instead of saving everything for the last minute before exams — the same habit that saves a show saves an exam.
4. Who were V. Rama Murthy and Tapas Sen, and why are they named?
   V. Rama Murthy was a backstage professional known across India for lighting, sound, stage design, mime and music, who produced many plays and mime shows and trained many backstage crews still working in theatre. Tapas Sen (1940–2006) was an expert lighting designer, a magician with lights even without sophisticated equipment, who designed lights for plays across the world and for the year 2000 New Year celebrations at the Eiffel Tower, Paris. They show that backstage work is a respected profession, not a side job.
5. What does the Natyashastra quotation about fire and wrong planning warn against?
   It warns that a wrongly planned production damages more, and faster, than fire spread by a strong wind — planning, management and discipline are therefore the most important aspects when many teams work together for one show.
6. In Scenario 1 (injured lead actor, torn costume, 5 hours to showtime), what constraints must any solution respect?
   Time: only 5 hours remain, so solutions needing days of making or rehearsal are impossible. Money: a made-to-order costume cannot simply be replaced, and a whole new set may be too expensive. And meaning: the costume matters to the play and is already in the publicity posters, so any solution must protect the story — the chapter asks students to write and discuss their own solutions within these limits, so there is no single printed answer.

How to use this page: Read the summary, say the Key Terms in your own words, then try the practice set without looking. Check your answers against Questions with Answers, and ask your teacher or parent to check your work.