Behind the Scenes of the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre

On the right side of the stage there is lacing, a place where thick cords, steel ropes, blocks and levers hang vertically behind a metal mesh. The lacing shop takes up all the space above the stage. 

Its elements are used to lower and raise the curtain and decorations. 

The stage was also equipped with battens, metal rods mounted horizontally on ropes in the headstage, on which theatrical decorations are hung.

On the lighting bridge, there are spotlights to illuminate the stage during the events. 

The mechanism of a small stage trapdoor, i.e. one of the closed openings in the stage, used for spectacular entrances and disappearances of characters or elements of the scenery.

The acoustician is responsible for the most suitable sound system during the events.

Behind the scenes, on the left side of the stage, there is a place of the stage manager - the person who is making sure of the right course of the performance. 

The stage manager is in control of the light switches, a microphone for communicating with artists and a lever to lower the iron curtain, which acts as a firewall. 

Theatrical costumes are made in the tailor's workshop located in the House of Theatre Crafts. 

In this exact room where the seamstresses, who best know the art of theatre tailoring, create the costumes from scratch. 

Analyze the projects received from the scenographers. 

Choose fabrics and textile elements. 

Begin the sewing process.

The actors try on the finished costumes, then it is time to introduce corrections and approve the costumes by the set designer. 

The elements of the scenography (structures, sculptures and castings) are created in the studio of the stage design and modelling.The sets are being made in the zero waste fashion, giving new life to materials that have already been used in the previous plays.

What does a theater upholsterer do?

The upholsterer creates drapes, curtains, stage floor and takes care of upholstered elements of the scenery.

Make-up and hairstyles are done in the make-up studio before the events.

In the Theatre's repertoire, there are performances stylized for various eras, fairytales and modern projects. The team of make-up artists has an extensive experience and is able to meet the boldest visions of scenographers.

Some of the wigs were created from scratch in the same studio. Creating a wig is a tedious job, each hair must be strung with a crochet hook. It usually takes about a month. The theatre has both: natural and synthetic hair wigs.

The dressing room is a place where actors can prepare for the performance, rest and rehearse the lines.

The role of the dressmaker is to take care of the costumes, to help the actors with their clothes or change of the clothes during the performance.

The dressing room supposed to be an asylum, a comfort zone for the actors. Therefore, a dresser should be a competent and a trustworthy person. This is a very responsible task.

Theatre of Juliusz Słowacki has 6 dressmakers. Four for the Large Stage and one separately for The Machine House Stage and the Stage of the Małopolska Garden of Art.

Dressmaker has to be very comfortable with the layout of the building, as there is very little time for the change of the decorations during the performance. They often stay close: behind the scenes and even in the hallway, as there is not always time to go to the wardrobe.

Sometimes the costumes gets damaged during the performance. If possible, the dressmakers repair or cover up the flaw. If there is no time to repair and the damage is highly visible, the actor has to play it off as an intended part of the script.

The costumes from the plays that have been discontinued are sent to the storage of theatrical staging means.

Often, the work on a performance begins in the warehouse. The set designer can find the necessary costumes or elements of the set design, create new ones from the old ones or reuse them in the new art.

The oldest costumes come from the plays performed in the first years of the theater's existence.

The storehouse of theatrical staging means consists not only of costumes, but also the elements of scenography and military.