Senior Project

"The Reconstruction of the SPU Theatre Props Inventory and Protocol"

Project Description

My project aims to create a clear outline of the usage of props within the theatrical production process at SPU Theatre. Along with writing an informational handbook, my main project goal is the development of a system to organize and catalog SPU Theatre’s 1,800+ item inventory via Airtable, an online relational data-entry software. Along with the creation of streamlined paperwork and rental agreements, I aim to leave the props department in a better place than when I arrived.I became props master at the beginning of my sophomore year during the midst of major transition within the department. We had no catalog of what items we had in prop storage, and there was no streamlined production process. Because of this, I did a lot of learning on the job. Throughout the two-and-a-half years I remained in the position, I began to write down things that I wished someone had told me when I was hired, in the hopes of someday writing a handbook for the next props master. When COVID hit, the props team had a lot of time on our hands, and thus the creation of the inventory project, a major task that took over a year to complete. Organizing 20+ years of props put into two rooms was no small task. With the help of many dedicated students, the props team was able to document each prop so that future designers would have online access to our inventory, streamlining their process and assisting in communication as well.Through the creation of the handbook and inventory of the props that we currently have, my project also aims to make props a more desirable and accessible team to be a part of. It is also my goal to transition the role of “props” from a single-person job into more of a team that Production Practicum students would want to join and be excited about.