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Hi,

Here is an article I wrote on building cubes.

Thanks,

Dana

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Dramatics Cubes.pdf   3.88 MB 1 version

I nearly forgot, there are good resources in the Technical Theatre Educators Manual

https://learn.schooltheatre.org/technical-theatre-educators-manual

Please keep in mind.... anything that you build for basic set pieces need to have storage sufficient to keep them, this is often overlooked when building for the future. Large items need to be designed for breaking down to store in the smallest space available to be able to not eat up stage or classroom space. If you have storage don't build anything that cannot live in the space safely, don't over stack and make sure all weight and fire suppression systems are properly in place.

I typically run into seeing this issue when looking at theater spaces for upgrading equipment. The upstage and wings of the theater become the house for these items. 

Hi Lesley,

For our productions in a small space I have three periaktoi that are on casters.  This gives me three or more different settings and easy scene transitions.  This year for Beauty and the Beast, I added foam panel barn doors to each, giving me some additional settings for castle, forest, and village.  The periaktoi are relatively easy to store upright in wing space, or I use them to create masking backstage if not used onstage.

Happy building!

I'm going to approach this from a different angle...

Yes, basic set pieces are nice to have and fun to build (take it from a die-hard techie back in college!). However, they are only there to help the characters tell their stories, not as ends in themselves. So rehearsal blocks and similar things are great, as they are modular and can take on many roles.

Where many people seem to get hung up is things like flats, which are basically one-trick ponies: they are a theatrical "short-cut" for a wall, but they aren't as flexible as many other items like short step units or simple platforms. Many many many wonderful sets have been designed that don't use a single flat because the story didn't specifically require a room or a wall. This is also where "it has to be realistic" gets in the way: trying to make that "wall" look realistic without the proper treatment -- and it rarely ever looks "realistic." Another common behavior with flats is the "we have them, so let's use them" idea, which often becomes a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Depending on your program, your resources (including money and storage space), and the type of plays or musicals you do, I'd suggest going with simple items at first, and then building pieces as you need them based on the stories. Use your imagination and those of your students to really focus on acting and on telling the stories.