1. A bird’s eye view of the stage with set pieces in place, looking down on the stage.
2. No colors or decoration – just basic shapes.
3. Nothing on the Floor Plan is viewed from the audience’s perspective.
4. Professional Quality Floor Plan. https://lms.cofc.edu/content/enforced/305044-21712.202320/SAMPLE%20FLOOR%20PLAN%20Children.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=m2hy4nPz7EfbYTGHYxmToTWEa&ou=305044 -This is drawn “to scale” and with significant detail. Just FYI.
5. Simple Floor Plan, not to scale, drawn by hand. -https://lms.cofc.edu/content/enforced/305044-21712.202320/hand%20drawn%20floor%20plan.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=m2hy4nPz7EfbYTGHYxmToTWEa&ou=305044. Floor plan with angled walls.
Why do we need a Floor Plan?
1. To give the Scene Shop the dimensions and locations of all “Set Pieces” that will be needed.
2. To show the director that set pieces will be of the correct size and placement to give actors room to carry out
their blocking.
Limitations of a theatrical Floor Plan:
1. No details of decoration and color – just size and location.
2. Must be drawn “to scale.” (Not required for this assignment.)
Requirements of this Assignment:
Choose a moment in And The Soul Shall Dance requiring a significant amount of blocking and at least three major set pieces.
Draw your own floor plan by hand according to these guidelines:
On a separate page, discuss in writing how your placement of set pieces will facilitate the blocking that actors must execute in this scene.
DO:
1. Use graph paper, if you can, to make the drawing easier. All your lines will be straight and your angles right…if you want them to be.
2. Check the Simple Sample Floor Plan to see how to draw a door or a staircase.
3. Set pieces that do not need to be labelled. They are commonly used and understood.
-Table with chairs: a circle, square or rectangle surrounded by small squares.
-Sofa: A rectangle in the living room.
-Bed. A larger rectangle in a bedroom.
4. All unusual items – like the piano on the sample – should be drawn in their own shape and labeled.
5. Always place set pieces at an angle to the audience. It is more graceful, appealing and facilitates visibility.
DON’T:
1. Position a set piece at a right angle with the lip of the stage. That is a harsh angle for the audience to look at and will create sight line problems.
2. Position any set piece right against a wall. Space around set pieces facilitates the audience’s sight lines and actors’ blocking. Also just looks better.
3. Place a set piece where the bar is in the Simple Sample!!! Do you see why?
