Everything you absolutely need to know before reading on with the rest of the Theatre Pack.
Familiarise yourself with the layout of the theatre.
Information for Directors of a Spectrum Production.
The bump-out is the process that takes place after the show has finished, where the theatre is cleaned, and the stage and dressing room is reset. The Director is responsible for organising the cast and crew to carry-out an effective bump-out.
Typically at Spectrum Theatre, bump-out takes place the day after the final show. However, the committee are prepared to give a little leeway, although no longer than a week, but the director should consult the committee to see whether or not this is possible, as the theatre may need to be used in the meantime.
It is incredibly important to ensure that the Bump-Out Checklist is completed, and the director(s) of the production are responsible for organising and fulfilling it.
Traditionally at Spectrum Theatre, following the completion of the bump-out, directors organise food for the cast and crew, such as ordering pizza or putting on a barbeque as a thanks.
Each Spectrum Theatre production is granted a budget of $1000 (true as of January 2026).
The budget is used primarily for:
Costs that are covered by the theatre, not the show budget:
The budget shouldn’t be used for (unless approved by the committee):
*** The budget can be used, cautiously, for:
We encourage directors to try and source props, costumes, etc. sustainably, and to — where possible — rent or borrow props, furniture, and costumes. Not only does this help us prevent unnecessary wastage, but it also helps save much-needed and limited space for the theatre.
Stage Left (SL): the left-hand side of the stage, from the actors’ perspective.
Stage Right (SR): the right-hand side of the stage, from the actors’ perspective.
Downstage (DS): the area of the stage closest to the audience.
Upstage (US): the area of the stage furthest from the audience.
Centre Stage (CS): the centre of the stage.
Downstage Left (DSL)/Downstage Right (DSR): Combination of downstage with stage left and stage right respectively.
Upstage Left (USL)/Upstage Right (USR): Combination of upstage with stage left and stage right respectively.
Centre Stage Left (CSL)/Centre Stage Right (CSR): Combination of centre stage with stage left and stage right respectively.
Onstage: the portion of the stage that is visible to the audience.
Offstage: any area of the stage that is not visible to the audience — typically, any part of the theatre stage that is accessible to performers, but not the audience.
Proscenium Arch: the “frame” around the stage; at Spectrum Theatre, this is defined by where our curtains are.
Proscenium Line: the imaginary line that runs across the stage under the proscenium arch.
Apron: the section the stage before the proscenium line. Also known as a forestage.
Stage: the section of the stage after the proscenium line — but also used to refer to the performance area as a whole, including spaces such as the wings. The section of the stage that is visible to the audience and behind the proscenium line may also be known as the main stage area.
Wings: the areas of the main stage area located stage left and stage right that are not visible to the audience. At Spectrum Theatre, we do not have inbuilt wings, and they are created using a constructed set — for example, actors may enter from the wings through a door on the constructed set.
The purpose of this exercise is to build concentration, and awareness of the energy and presence of your fellow performers on stage. The basic aim of this exercise is for all the participants to jump into the circle at once in unison, without communicating vocally an intention to do so, and may need to be repeated a few times until it happens.
Steps