An example of what you see when on this software.

Theater production management involves coordinating many diverse elements including cast and crew, set, lighting, props and wardrobe. Each production requires a complex rehearsal schedule in order to ensure that the show opens on time, fully rehearsed with all of the technical elements in place. Although there are many specialized forms for managing some tasks such as cue sheets, lighting instrument and prop lists, there might be a better way to organize and schedule the personnel and resources involved in mounting a theatrical production, while keeping track of the numerous elements in your shows. It comes from OnSet Software, a new company that specializes in software tools designed in response to specific production needs. With a team led by an award-winning director of photography for television, feature films and commercials, the company’s goal is to develop a suite of programs in collaboration with working directors, producers, production personnel and crew members.

I visited their website to get an idea of their product line. OnSet promises to produce a series of production management software programs, and their first effort is available now for testing. It is called Play Rehearsal Scheduler (PRS); you may download a demonstration version from their website.

PRS is the only OnSet product that is available in a downloadable demo version, but there is a datasheet for their Movie Management System software (MMS) and there are “screen shots” (views of software screens) for MMS and the Production Tape Library. Their other programs appear to be oriented primarily towards film and video, but PRS is clearly geared for theatre.

According to David Sperling, the creative force behind OnSet software, the original idea for the product came from his wife, a drama teacher looking for a way to schedule rehearsals. Sperling’s production experience as a cameraman for film and television led him to develop PRS, a database program that lets you enter information about rehearsal schedules, contacts for personnel, support staff, vendors, lists of props, wardrobe and even ground plans or pictures of sets.

Soon I received a CD-ROM with two different installation versions of the program bundled with a manual and “readme” file explaining how to use it. One was an “empty” version of the program, ready for user input; the other included sample data in the files so you can see how PRS works without going through the process of entering data. PRS installs in an OnSet program group within the Windows/Start/Programs folder. My sample copy contained data for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream along with pictures and blocking diagrams to test program operations.

OnSet’s approach utilizes a database model with multiple possibilities to view, sort, organize and report data. Once you organize your information in the database, members of your production team may access it in different ways. If you run PRS on a network, all of the members of your production team can have simultaneous access.

It was easy to get a feel for PRS by exploring the sample data. OnSet employs the familiar drop-down menu with commands ranging from the ubiquitous “File” and “Edit” to unique headings for scenes and characters. The “General” section lets you set up a number of categories to define your production database. This is where you identify your own “types” for your data with pre-defined fields already set up by OnSet’s clever programmers. For example, under “Activity Types,” the sample data listed Audition, Dress Rehearsal, Meetings, Performance, Read Through, Rehearsal and Tech Rehearsal with corresponding fields for Date, Day of the Week, Time, Scene and Description. If you double click on “Dress Rehearsal,” you’ll instantly see everything you need to schedule your activity. You may also edit the data to limit activities to the personnel that need to be there.

Under “Scene Types,” the Midsummer data included Dialogue and Musical Number. Role/Position and Vendors/Sources completed the list of types. If you double click on a particular scene, you’ll see the rehearsal schedule, who is called and what props are used. If you double click on one of the Suppliers, let’s say Prop Rentals, you’ll find the contact name, e-mail, telephone and address along with a space for notes (e.g., “will donate food props in exchange for program advertising”). Under Roles/Position you might list “Actor,” “Musician” or “Production Tech” as types and then enter contact data for them. It’s analogous to creating an electronic Rolodex for your cast and crew with addresses, e-mail, phones, list of activities and schedules. You may place pictures of your cast and crew in the database, as well as thumbnails of ground plans, blocking diagrams or renderings.

Once you’ve set up your types, then you can begin to organize your data and view it accordingly. The Breakdown includes a “Scene Browser” function. A quick tour revealed that Act 2, Scene 1 is a dialogue scene that begins on page 46, “set in the woods with Fairies” and “where Puck introduces himself.” Act 2, Scene 2 is a Musical Number “where the Fairies sing Titania to sleep.”

OnSet’s programmers have designed a tremendously useful way to view information simultaneously. When you open a scene you also see other details associated with it such as set, description, character roles and rehearsal activities. Not only can you view all of this on your computer screen, but there is a comprehensive “Report” function. The “Activity Type” and “Character Type” choice allows much flexibility in creating reports. You can print out Scenes complete with lists of Roles/Positions, Cast and Crew, Costume, Wardrobe, Props, Sets and Sound Effects. You can preview reports before printing them out.

According to Sperling, OnSet is studying the possibility of adding a “group-select” function. This would make it possible to create a rehearsal that grouped, for example, scenes 3, 7, 9 and 12, or allow you to schedule a run-through of Act One. OnSet’s staff consists of working professionals who are not full-time programmers, so the process of developing products has been slow, typically in the 12-18 month range for each one, but these days OnSet is working so fast that the documentation manual is currently about three weeks behind the program.

The program version I tested had all reports enabled, as well as an electronic user manual. Help within the program is available and there is excellent e-mail tech support. It is important and necessary that you make frequent backup copies of your work files. A utility in the full version will allow your existing data files from earlier versions to be read and upgraded to be used by this version of the program. After this conversion takes place, you may no longer be able to read your data files with earlier or demo versions.

The license agreement states that you may use the program for its intended use of planning theatrical productions. You may use this program on as many computers as you personally access, as long as the program on each is installed through this installation program.

The program retails for about $65 and there is a growing base of users in schools, colleges, community, regional and repertory theaters. This is a powerful, customizable database program specifically designed to provide important information that will solve many of your production needs.

For more information, contact OnSet Software, 870 Sycamore Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724; e-mail: talk2us@onsetsoftware.com; website: http://www.onsetsoftware.com. sd

Patrick M. Finelli, professor of theater studies at the University of South Florida, has written over 300 articles and reviews on theater-related computing since 1982.