How the Curtain Rises: A Journey Through the Big Mouth Theatre Process

By Adrian Woolner

Operations Director, Big Mouth Theatre

A Big Mouth show day is a fine-tuned operation! From their final preparations to showcasing their performance skills, it’s a time when each child has the opportunity to show off their hard work in a local theatre for friends and family to enjoy. However, for this to be a success, all the cogs (i.e. the coaches & Big Mouths) need to be working together from the very first week!

Planning Ahead

Being super-organised is essential. During the first 2 weeks of any program, our Big Mouths are already coming up with initial ideas for their productions. However, it’s the job of our Big Mouth coaches to keep the children on track.

Throughout the 18-week process, there is a clear schedule that our coaches are asked to follow.

Each week, our tried and tested session plans outline the objective and what needs to be completed. Whether it be finalising the story, or that all-important line-learning deadline, it’s vital that the schedule is followed.

If not, as with anything in life, the work will pile up and the process, let’s say, will become that little bit more stressful!

Scenery, Props, Costume & FX Requirements

Our Big Mouths are fortunate in that not only do they get to devise their productions from scratch, but they also help produce them as well!

After discussions with the children through mini production meetings, coaches then have the exciting task of bringing their ideas to life.

As the drama coaches source what they need from our props & costumes store (we call it the ‘Aladdin’s cave’!) it’s my job to source the scenery and special effects from a separate location. From snow and smoke machines to star-cloths and strobes, the children have quite the choice!

Show Day

With the relevant sound and lighting cues sent to our theatre technician, the van packed with all the scenery and FX requirements, we are finally ready for show day!

Organisation and teamwork is key to a successful show day. The branch manager (the production manager for the day) calls the shots. They provide helpers a show day schedule, which outlines roles and a very strict time schedule!

Over the course of 9 hours of theatre hire, we need to do the following:

• The get-in
• Set up the Mini Mouth Show
• Tech Run
• Mini Mouths arrive
• Coaches sort costume, hair & makeup
• Dress Rehearsal
• SHOWTIME

The process is then repeated for the Mighty Mouth show… Phew, that’s why such a tight schedule is needed..!

As you can see, effective communication and teamwork are key from the offset, as they can enhance ideas, promote productivity and ensure the entire program runs as smoothly as possible.

We’re then able to share a raft of ideas and utilise each other’s strengths to achieve the common goal, in this case, show day itself. And when we see the smiles on the children’s faces and hear cheers from the audience, it makes the process all the more worthwhile!