A costume designer creates clothing to suit the time and place of the performance.
The technical requirements of any play are fulfilled by a team of designers. The director of the play will decide on vital questions such as time and place in which the play will be set and qualities of the performance such as mood and tone. The director then works with the designers, who create the set, costume, light and sound designs.
Set Design
All of the scenery seen by the audience, plus any furniture and props are the set designer's domain. The set designer engages the director in conversation about time and place in which the play is set, atmosphere and ambiance desired by the director as well as any special needs the director has such as different levels for the actors to play, a space adequate for a very large group scene, etc. The set designer prepares design concepts to share with the director and other designers at production meetings, which include designers, the stage manager and the director and begin well before the play's actual rehearsals. The set is constructed and props collected so all will be in place for technical rehearsals, which begin one week before the show opens.
Costume Design
Knowing the time and place in which the play is set is very important to the costume designer. Reading the script helps the costume designer get a sense of the characters, but the director is the costume designer's most important source of information. The costume designer brings drawings and fabric swatches to the first production meeting and then begins creating the costumes. Actors visit the costume shop periodically during the rehearsal process for costume fittings. Often, during the week of technical rehearsals, one rehearsal is set aside for scrutinizing the costumes. Costumes often need small repairs or tweaks once they are subject to the action of the play before the show opens.
Light Design
The lighting designer's job is first and foremost to make sure the audience can see what the director wants to show at any moment during the course of the play. The mood of a scene or a special requirement, such as moonlight, a sunset or a stroke of lightning are also the lighting designer's responsibility. The lighting designer attends the design meetings, since aspects of the sets and costumes often require special lighting. Lighting designers also attend rehearsals so they can familiarize themselves with lighting cues which are driven by the action onstage. The lighting designer presents his final design to the director during tech week.
Sound Design
The sound designer creates an appropriate soundscape for the theatrical production. The soundscape is comprised of music, ambient sound and sound effects. While a sound designer usually studies the script ahead of time, his main source of information is the director and the sort of sounds and music she desires. The sound designer might meet with the director alone, but more often the sound designer joins the production meetings along with the other designers and visits rehearsals so he can prepare his additions to the performance. The final sound design is added to the performance during tech week.
