Every show has a props story. Mine is from Bad Girls the Musical with Erewash Musical Society in March 2024. The show had lots of prison food props, and they stayed perfectly nice for the whole run. Then came closing night, when the cast pelted them at the prison officers during the riot scene.
That’s the thing about theatre props. Nobody in the audience thinks about them until something goes wrong, but behind every cup of tea, love letter and prison dinner there’s a list, a table, a budget and usually one very organised person. This guide is for am dram societies and anyone who has just said yes to “could you do props?” without quite knowing what they were agreeing to.
I’ll cover what counts as a prop, who looks after them, how to build a props list, where to find props on a society budget, how to make the ones you can’t find, how to run them in show week, and the props that need extra care (replica weapons, breakables, real flame and food). If you’re new to the backstage side of a society, my guide to what a stage manager does is a good companion to this one.
What are props in theatre?
A prop is any object on stage that isn’t part of the set itself or worn as a costume. If an actor picks it up, uses it, or it sits on stage to tell you something about the world of the play, it’s a prop. Teacups, newspapers, suitcases, swords, bunches of flowers, a phone that rings at the wrong moment: all props.
Where the word “props” comes from
“Props” is short for “properties”. According to the Wikipedia page on theatrical property, the earliest known English use of “properties” for stage items is in The Castle of Perseverance, a morality play from around 1425. The same page notes that the short form “props” is recorded from 1841 and the singular “prop” from 1911. The usual explanation is that Renaissance actors supplied their own items, so those items were literally their property.
The main types of props
Different books slice props up in slightly different ways, but most use the same handful of categories. The open textbook An Introduction to Technical Theatre and the Mastering the Art of Stagecraft chapter on categorising props both use the groups below, and it helps to know them because they decide who sources what and where things live during the show.
| Type | What it means | Am dram examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hand props | Anything an actor handles during the action, from a pencil to a weapon | A letter, a teapot, a walking stick, a mobile phone |
| Personal props | A subset of hand props chosen to build a character, often agreed with whoever does costumes | Reading glasses, a pocket watch, a handbag that never leaves the character’s arm |
| Set props | Furniture and larger pieces that sit on the set | Sofa, dining table, hatstand, a drinks trolley |
| Set dressing | Decorative items that are usually not touched but complete the look | Pictures on the wall, books on a shelf, ornaments on a mantelpiece |
| Consumable props | Props that get used up over one or more performances | Food that is eaten, paper that is torn, drinks that are poured |
| Practical props | Props that have to actually work | A lamp that switches on, a radio that plays, a torch |
| Breakaway props | Props designed to break safely, often every night | Sugar glass bottles, balsa chairs, plates that smash |
Props vs set vs costume
The lines blur, so agree them early. A sword belt might be costume while the sword is a prop. A sofa might be set if it never moves, or a prop if someone carries it on in a scene change. In a society, the honest answer is that it belongs to whoever has agreed to find it. Write it down at the first production meeting and you’ll save yourself three arguments in tech week.
Who looks after props in an am dram society?
The props master (or property master)
In professional theatre and film, the person in charge of props is the property master, often called the props master, who sources, makes and places everything on the list. Plenty of societies use the same title for their props person, and on a big musical it’s a real job in its own right.
Stage management
In many societies, props sit with stage management. The careers site Prospects lists procuring props, furniture and set dressing and managing the props among a stage manager’s duties, and the National Careers Service profile describes stage managers looking after sets, furniture and props. On a smaller show, the stage manager and an assistant stage manager often share it between them: the Wikipedia page notes that an ASM commonly sets props before each performance, either on an offstage table or pre-set on stage.
However your society splits it, someone needs to own the list. If you’re not sure who that is, ask the director or producer. My guide to the difference between a director and a producer explains who usually makes that call.
The actor’s job
Actors have props responsibilities too. Check your props before the show, put them back where they came from, and tell stage management straight away if something breaks or goes missing. Never take a prop home “to practise with” without asking. It’s one of the fastest ways to end up with a frantic search at the half.
How to make a props list
A good props list is the backbone of the whole job. Start it as soon as the show is cast and keep it updated after every rehearsal, because directors add and cut props right up to the dress.
Read the script with a pencil
Go through the script scene by scene and underline every object that’s mentioned, handled or implied. Then do a second pass for the things the script doesn’t mention but the staging needs: a tray to carry the cups, a bag for the shopping, a chair for the scene that’s now played sitting down. For a musical, look at the musical numbers too, because choreographers love a prop (canes, hats, chairs, umbrellas), and check with the musical director if anything is played or held during a song.
What to put in each column
A spreadsheet works best, because you can sort it by scene or by character. These columns cover most shows:
| Column | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Prop | The plain name, so everyone calls it the same thing |
| Scene and page | When it first appears and when it goes off |
| Used by | Which character or characters handle it |
| Enters from / exits to | Stage left, stage right, or pre-set on stage |
| Type | Hand, personal, set, dressing, consumable, practical or breakaway |
| Source | Borrowed, bought, hired, made, or from the society store |
| Owner | Who it belongs to, so it gets back to them after the show |
| Status | Needed, rehearsal stand-in, found, show ready |
| Notes | Anything special: needs refilling, breaks nightly, must be checked by the stage manager |
Rehearsal props
Get stand-ins into the rehearsal room early. A rolled-up magazine for a sword, an empty bottle for a decanter, a box for a suitcase. Actors who rehearse with something in their hands find their business early, and you find out early that the “small vase” in the script needs to hold a bunch of flowers, a letter and a hidden key. Swap in the real props as soon as you can, especially anything heavy, breakable or awkward to hold while singing.
Finding props on an am dram budget
Most society props budgets are small, so the job is mostly about being resourceful. The best props people tend to be the ones who are cheerfully shameless about asking.
Ask the society first
Before you buy anything, ask the cast and the wider membership. Someone always has a gramophone in their loft, a 1970s phone in the garage or a set of mismatched teacups that are perfect for a boarding house. Keep a note of who lent what, label it discreetly, and return it in the same state. Lending to the props team is much easier to say yes to when the last loan came back clean.
Charity shops, car boots and online marketplaces
Charity shops are the props person’s natural habitat. Period crockery, picture frames, handbags, books with the right look on the spine: they’re all there if you go regularly. Online marketplaces are good for specific items, and local selling groups are often happy to let something go cheaply when you say it’s for a local show.
Borrowing and hiring
Neighbouring societies are often happy to lend, especially if you return the favour. Many societies keep a props store, and swapping between them is one of the nicest parts of being part of the am dram community. For bigger or specialist items there are props hire companies, and some theatres hire out stock too. Get prices in writing, check the deposit and the return date, and add the cost to your budget straight away.
Building a society props store
If your society doesn’t already keep props between shows, it’s worth starting. Even a few labelled crates of crockery, glassware, period bits and fake flowers will save money on the next three shows. Keep a simple list of what’s in each crate, and give it to whoever takes over the job next.
How to make props
Some props simply don’t exist in a charity shop. That’s when you make them, and it’s often the most fun part of the job.
Simple building materials
Card, foam board, papier mâché and craft foam will take you a long way. A prop only has to look right from the audience and survive the run, so it doesn’t need to be built like the real thing. Think about weight: a “heavy” box that’s actually light is easier for the actor to carry while looking like it’s heavy, and much safer in a scene change.
Ageing and distressing
Brand new objects look wrong on stage. Tea staining paper, rubbing a little paint into the edges of a box, scuffing shoe polish into a leather case: small touches like these make a prop look as if it has a life. Do a test on a scrap piece first, and never age anything you’ve borrowed without the owner’s permission.
Letters, money and paperwork
Paper props are the ones you’ll remake most often, because they get folded, torn and dropped every night. Print plenty of spares. If an actor has to read a letter aloud, ask the director whether they’d like the real text on it as a safety net. Stage money should be obviously fake up close, and the props table is a good place to keep a stack of spares.
Fake food
Fake food is its own art. Some societies buy ready-made fake food props, others build them from foam, filler or painted card. The question to ask first is whether anyone eats it. If the food is only looked at, carried or thrown, it can be fake. If it’s eaten, it’s a consumable, and it needs fresh food every performance with the hygiene and allergy checks that go with that (more on that below).
Running props in show week
The props table
Every show needs props tables in the wings, near the entrances where props go on and come off. The technical theatre textbook describes covering the tables in paper, drawing a line around each prop and labelling its place, and using tape to split the table by scene or by actor. The stagecraft chapter suggests tracing each prop with a thick black marker and writing what it is. The point is that anyone can glance at the table and see straight away what’s missing, which is exactly what you need when the stage manager calls the half.
Pre-sets and checks
Before every performance, someone walks the stage and the tables with the props list and checks every item: present, in the right place, working, refilled. Pre-set props (the newspaper already on the sofa, the glasses already on the tray) go on a separate checklist so they’re not forgotten. Do the same check at the interval for the second act.
During the show
Props running is about calm, quiet, and being in the right place. Hand props to actors where you agreed in tech week, take them back as they come off, and reset anything that’s used twice. If something breaks mid-show, the rule in most societies is simple: the show goes on, you tell the stage manager, and you fix it before the next performance.
After the get-out
When the show closes, collect everything, tick it off the list, and return borrowed props quickly with a thank you. Hired props go back by the return date. Whatever belongs to the society goes back into the store, labelled.
Props that need extra care
Most props are low risk. A few are not, and these are the ones where your society’s risk assessment matters most. Nothing below is legal advice: it’s a pointer to the rules you’ll want to read properly, and to talk through with your venue and committee.
Replica guns
Realistic imitation firearms are tightly controlled in the UK. Section 36 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 restricts making, importing and selling them, and section 37 gives a defence where they’re made available for “the purposes of theatrical performances and of rehearsals for such performances”. Section 38 defines a realistic imitation as one so realistic it’s indistinguishable, for all practical purposes, from a real firearm. The Home Office guide on firearms licensing law repeats the theatrical defence.
In practice, that means treating a replica gun like the real thing: one named person in charge of it, locked away when not in use, never carried in a public place without a very good reason, and never pointed at anyone. HSE’s information sheet on firearms and weapons is written for film and TV productions rather than theatre, but its basic advice to use a replica rather than a real firearm is the same principle societies work to.
Knives, swords and blades
Bladed props need the same discipline. Under section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, carrying a bladed article in a public place is an offence unless you have good reason or lawful authority, and there’s no specific theatrical exemption in that section. A separate theatrical defence exists in section 141 for weapons on the offensive weapons list. So: blunt or retractable stage versions wherever possible, transported in a closed bag, kept with stage management, and never carried in costume outside the venue.
Breakaways and sugar glass
Bottles, glasses and windows that break on stage are usually made of sugar glass or resin. Sugar glass is a brittle, transparent form of sugar that looks like glass and has long been used on stage and in film. Breakaways are usually used up every night, so budget for one per performance plus spares for the dress. Plan who sweeps up, and when.
Real flame, candles and smoking
Real flame needs serious thought. The government’s fire safety risk assessment guide for theatres says real flame, including candles, should not be used unless the risk assessment shows it can be done safely, and that if it is used, a trained person should supervise with an extinguisher to hand. The same guide says smoking should be banned backstage where there’s combustible scenery, drapes, costumes or props. Battery candles have got very good, so many societies use those.
If the script really needs someone to smoke, the Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007, regulation 6 allows a performer to smoke where the artistic integrity of the performance makes it appropriate. Your venue still has the final say, so ask them early. Herbal cigarettes are a common compromise, but they still involve real flame.
Food and drink
If anyone eats or drinks on stage, treat it like catering. Ask the actors about allergies and dietary needs, keep consumables covered and fresh, use clean crockery every night, and make sure nobody is asked to eat something they’ve told you they can’t. On stage, “wine” is often squash or cold tea, which is easier on the actors and the budget.
Where to get safety help
HSE’s theatre health and safety page sets out the legal duties that apply to theatre work. If your society is a NODA member, NODA Safe offers health and safety support, including theatre and show risk assessment templates aimed at stage managers and production teams. Your venue will have its own rules too, so share your props list with them before tech week.
Chekhov’s gun: why every prop should earn its place
Anton Chekhov wrote in a letter of 1 November 1889 that “one must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off”, according to the Wikipedia page on Chekhov’s gun (the better known version about a gun in the first act comes from a later recollection). It’s a writing principle, but it’s also handy advice for props people. Audiences notice objects. If a prop is on stage, someone will wonder what it’s for.
So when you’re dressing a set, ask whether each object helps tell the story: the period, the character, the mood. A cluttered set can be wonderful if it’s meant to be cluttered, but a random object that draws the eye is a distraction. Talk to the director about it, because the look of the stage is their call. If you love plays with famous props and twists, my guide to British playwrights every am dram society knows is full of them.
Common props mistakes (and how to avoid them)
| Mistake | What happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Starting the list too late | Props arrive at the dress and actors haven’t rehearsed with them | Start the list at casting and get stand-ins in early |
| No labels on the props table | Nobody notices what’s missing until it’s needed | Outline and label every prop on the table |
| Borrowed items not logged | Things go missing or go back to the wrong person | Owner column on the list, discreet labels |
| One copy of a paper prop | A torn letter on night two with no spare | Print or make spares of everything paper |
| Real flame by default | Venue says no in tech week, or worse, a fire risk | Battery candles first, real flame only after the venue agrees |
| Weapons treated casually | Legal and safety risk, and a nervous venue | One named person, locked away, never in public |
| Food with no allergy check | An actor can’t eat what’s on the plate | Ask early and plan consumables around the cast |
And one more, thinking of that Bad Girls closing night: if your show has a scene where props get thrown or wrecked, budget for them to need replacing or cleaning before they go back in the store.
Frequently asked questions about theatre props
What is a prop in theatre?
A prop is any object on stage that isn’t part of the set or worn as costume, especially anything an actor handles. The word is short for “properties”.
What are the main types of props?
The usual categories are hand props, personal props, set props, set dressing, consumables, practical props and breakaways. The table near the top of this guide explains each one.
Who is responsible for props in an amateur production?
It depends on the society. Some have a props master; many give the job to stage management, often split between the stage manager and an assistant stage manager. Actors are responsible for checking and returning their own props.
Can you use real food on stage?
Yes, if someone eats it, it has to be real and fresh every night. Check allergies and dietary needs first, keep it covered, and use clean crockery. Food that’s only carried or looked at can be fake.
Are replica guns allowed in am dram shows?
Realistic imitation firearms can be used for theatrical performances and rehearsals under the defence in section 37 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, but they still need careful handling, safe storage and a named person in charge. Talk to your venue and read the guidance before you get one. This isn’t legal advice.
How do you set up a props table?
Put tables in the wings near the entrances, cover them in paper, draw around each prop and label it, and split the table by scene or by actor. Check it against the props list before every performance.
Where to go next
Props are one of the best ways into the backstage side of am dram, and societies are always grateful for someone organised who’s happy to scour a charity shop. If you’re thinking about getting involved, start with my guide to how to join amateur theatre in the UK, read up on the stage manager’s role, and browse the Am Dram Guide for everything else. If your committee is still picking the next show, the Choosing a Show hub will help. And if you want to see what a really long run looks like, read about the longest running West End musicals.