5. Design the setting and costumes

The setting is where the play happens. For our videotapes, we found places around the school that could act as the setting and then added whatever set props we needed. A set prop is an object like a chair or a drugstore counter; it is a big piece of furniture that the characters use.

We started by drawing what we wanted the setting to look like. Then we made a list of set props that we needed. Finally we made a list of hand props that each character needed. Hand props are small things that a character uses. In “The Drug Store Robbery” we needed things like cans of tuna fish, a small box with a ring, a telephone.

Check out the setting site for ideas about how to do design your set and come up with lists for the set and hand props.



Costumes are the clothes the characters wear. What will they look like? The pictures you have chosen to tell about Tempe in 1900 will help. Look at the pictures again. Then click on costumes to get help in deciding what your characters should wear.