School theatre involves a lot of planning from inception to production. The first step is to cast the characters and once this is done it is time to start working on the stage props that will be used in the production.
The most traditional method of creating stage props is to build them. This means working with wood and hiring carpenters to design them, cut them out and assemble them. The cast members and other school pupils traditionally paint and decorate them. Apart from wood a lot of Styrofoam is used as it is lighter and easier to work with, and is less expensive than wood. However not all stage props benefit from this material as it is not as strong as wood. Yet these materials still cost money.
The creating of stage props takes weeks, if not months to complete. Stage members and cast are often pushed into working long in the night. The end product can at times be a poor reflection of what is envisaged. Anyone in the theatre business can attest to the need for realistic and professional props.
Once the play has closed these props are often torn down or thrown away. With it goes a substantial investment in both time and money. What cannot be torn down needs to be stored and this means finding space to accommodate them.
Many schools are instead opting to hire their props. Prop hire offers time savings and frees up stage hands and cast members allowing them time to focus instead on the play. The costs saved in prop materials can be better put to use, and finding space to store props that may never be used again is no longer a problem.
