Education

Props in Henslowe’s Diary

By Eric Hart | Published: June 23, 2010

I am knee-deep in Shakespeare right now, with this year’s Shakespeare in the Park featuring two Shakespeare in repertory. While A Winter’s Tale and Merchant of Venice prepare to open next week, I thought I’d share some more information about the props in Shakespeare’s time. I’ve written previously about what the props in Shakespeare’s time [...]

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Props in the time of Moliere

By Eric Hart | Published: May 5, 2010

Molière (1622-1673) performed his plays in Paris, where theatres were inside and lit by candles. He performed at the salle du Petit-Bourbon at the Louvre, followed by the Palais-Royal. Finally, he performed some of his works at Versailles for King Louis XIV. We know quite a bit about the acting styles, the sceneography, and the [...]

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Fun Prop Quotes

By Eric Hart | Published: March 29, 2010

Today, let me regale you with several quotes I’ve collected from mid-twentieth century books on props. “One of the key jobs on any film set is that of the property master, and his range of activity is perhaps the largest of all. If it ‘moves, it’s mine,’ the prop man can say, on most occasions.” [...]

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Confusions in the Definition of a Prop

By Eric Hart | Published: March 26, 2010

The definition of a prop is a sometimes nebulous thing. We all know that a book or an apple is a prop. But what about a purse or a built- in bookcase? And why is props in charge of manual sound effects and bushes? The confusion stems from the fact that what a prop is [...]

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Why the term “prop master”?

By Eric Hart | Published: February 17, 2010

Why do we use the term “property master”? In our modern world of “directors”, “managers”, and “heads”, why use the word “master”? Where does it come from? The term “property master” is in reference to the old European guild systems. In a guild, a person would apprentice to a master for several years, learning the [...]

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  • About

    Eric Hart

    I am Eric Hart, former assistant props master at the Public Theater in New York City, and a longtime prop maker.

    This site is a way to share my work and the things I've learned over the years. It's also a way to connect with other prop makers, props masters, and artisans, as well as a collection of all things of interest to props people from around the internet.

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