Sets on a Shoestring: How to Build Sets and Props on a Limited Budget

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For every theater director who has years of experience and a hefty budget to work with, there’s another individual out there who has only a love of theater and a commitment to children as a starting place. Whether it be an elementary school teacher who just got assigned to direct the school play, an afterschool counselor at the YMCA who’s trying to introduce the kids to Shakespeare, or a young director just starting out, there are far more individuals who work with kids in theater who don’t have years of experience or a hefty budget. This book is for them, developed over 15 years while directing children’s theater productions and building sets without a single power tool or piece of plywood.

Sets on a Shoestring is a nonfiction handbook that shows how to design and build simple theater sets and props using cardboard and duct tape. Readers can follow the instructions with 100 diagrams and photos to create a variety of indoor, outdoor, and magical settings that can be used repeatedly. These versatile set pieces are smaller, more portable, easier to store, and less expensive than standard 4’ x 8’ theater flats (background pieces) - all valuable considerations while working with children.