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Introduction

        In ancient Greek times, during early Greek theater it was performed in something that is known as an amphitheater. In early theater there was nothing but religious celebrations, which were held inside the amphitheater. The amphitheater is outside and it didn’t use or have any lights, sound, or scenery because it was too early for its time. Actually it wasn't until the early 20th century where certain parts of stagecraft like lights, sound, and scenery were implemented and recognized. One of the first few people to incorporate scenery in their production was Robert Edmond Jones, who was also “…acknowledged as the first credited scenic designer, for a 1915 production of The Man Who Married a Dumb Wife,” (Barker, Bay and Gillette). Specifically for lighting during the late 19th century is where things started to change when “electrical switchboards…were used to control groups of resistance dimmers, which were permanently wired to circuits in the footlights or borderlights,” (Barker, Bay and Gillette). In the middle of the 20th century, the use of microphones had changed sound design, “it was the standard practice in production of musicals to use microphones to help project singers’ voices over the orchestra,” (Barker, Bay and Gillette). The different technical aspects of stagecraft that make a play or musical successful have changed significantly over the last century. The different elements of stagecraft are Lighting, Sound Design, Scenery, and Production, which have changed over time and are still changing today.

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