This web page describes how, using a few simple tools and materials, anyone can make a robust and practical toy theatre in wood.
We produce the paper sheets for the stage front, orchestra and act drop which you will need. You can either down load them for free or buy paper prints from us.
The theatres are in two sizes, "small" and "large". The small theatre is suitable for plays with A5 size scenes, this is the "standard" size, corresponding to the most popular size of sheet in the English Toy Theatre, it is perfectly adequate for performance to small audiences but many will find it a bit too small. The large size is suitable for plays with A4 size scenes, which are capable of being seen by larger audiences and more suitable for serious performers.
For the timber, you only need a few small pieces, so off-cuts will do.
We recommend that you make a "Mounted stage front".
To make a "flat" stage front, simply stick the stage front parts onto a sheet of thick card or hardboard and cut all round, including the opening.
Refer to the drawing showing parts to be made out of wood.
In these drawings:
Dimensions are expressed in terms of these, so for example the depth of the large theatre base is 1.5B i.e. one and a half times the width of the stage front.
Make this from hardboard or thin plywood. The 80mm cut-out is for footlights, make it 15mm deep at the edges.Paint it black.
Make this from thin plywood. The 80mm cut-out is for footlights, make it 25mm deep.Paint it black.
Make this from hardboard (small theatre only) or thin plywood. You need two pieces. Drill the holes so the brass screws that you will use pass through (but not the heads).
Make these from 18mm x 6mm or similar size timber battens. You will need four. Drill the holes so the brass screws that you will use pass through (but not the heads).
When making these parts take maximum care. Hold items in a vice when drilling and use cutting devices and saws carefully. Use sandpaper to remove any rough edges and splinters which might propagate later.
Refer to the sheet of assembly details.
Clamp one of the stage stiffeners vertically in a vice. Line up one of the holes in the stage side centrally with the piece in the vice so that one edge is in line with one edge of the side. Screw through the hole in the side into the stiffener until tight. Assemble the with the other side and stiffener to form the base frame (Fig.1).
Place the base frame down on a smooth, firm, flat surface as shown in Fig.1. Place the stage floor on top (black side up) so that the long edges are lined up with the sides. Using small panel pins nail these through the floor into the sides (Fig.2). Take care that the pins go in straight so that they do not come out of the sides.
Screw in the four uprights in the positions shown in Fig. 3.
Each upright should be fitted in turn using the following procedure:
Place each side of the stage in turn over the edge of a bench or solid work surface with one of the grid rails behind and screw through the holes in the uprights. The uprights and grid rails should all line up. (Fig.4).
Place the stage front in position and pin it to the uprights. Use pins with heads that are big enough to hold it but not too obtrusive.
For the large theatre only, glue or pin the orchestra strip supports in place and then the orchestra strip panel as shown in Fig. 5. Trim it if necessary to fit.
For the small theatre curve a sheet of thick card, slightly higher than the stage floor, and attach it to the uprights using drawing pins and glue.
In both cases, stick a piece of card ,which is black on the front and has silver foil stuck to the back, to form the shield for the footlights (Fig.6). It should be about 80mm x 30 mm and project about 15mm above the stage floor.
Cut out and stick the coloured orchestra strip in place. If the paper it is printed on is not large enough, stick white paper on first and then cut out all round the orchestra strip and stick it onto the paper.
Pin the two cross battens in place Fig.7. Tie loops of string around the grid rails. They should be taut but not so tight so as to pull the rails together. Each loop will hold one scene or a pair of wings in place. The loops can also be used to hold top drops and as a way of moving "flying" features from one side of the stage to the other! You will need at least 5 loops (one for the act drop, two for wings, one for cut scenes, one for backdrops).
Your basic theatre is finished! Varying these instructions you can make one for any traditional English style stage front and orchestra. The same principles and basic designs can also be adapted to build continental theatres which do not have apron stages or a raised stage at all.
It is essential to arrange some form of lighting for your Toy Theatre. It is possible to arrange an angle poise lamp to light the stage and allow the performer to read the words and find the characters, while the audience sits in darkness. On a larger theatre a strip light might be possible.
But for the footlights and a more subtle and appropriate lighting for the scenes it is preferable to use low voltage bulbs supplied from a battery or small transformer. Our lighting diagram shows how to arrange this. This arrangement uses a 6 Volt battery or transformer and 3 Volt bulbs in bulb holders. This arrangement, which is partly wired in "parallel" ensures that each bulb receives the correct voltage. Adding an extra bulb to the footlights or batten will reduce the intensity slightly but spread the lighting more evenly on a larger theatre. If you want to add a second or third batten then you will require a 9 Volt or 12 Volt battery or supply.
Screw the footlights and top lights onto battens. The footlight batten must be fitted somehow so that the bulbs project above the stage floor but not higher than the reflector. The top batten should span the grid rails and should have sufficient wire so that it can be moved to any position between scenes and wings.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE MAINS VOLTAGE !!!!
Supplement your lighting to provide special effects. A torch makes a spotlight and provides a sudden burst of light. Coloured gelatin can be cut in small pieces and placed over lamps. Use blue for moonlight, red for fire (flicker your fingers in front of the light, out of sight, to give the effect of flames), green for evil etc..
Each scene, and the act drop must have the lower edge trimmed off and then must be stuck to thick card which is square, i.e. as high as the scene is wide, leaving a space at the top to fit into the scene grid. Cut scenes should be stuck to thinner card, so that they can be more easily cut out but stick strips of thick card on the back to brace them. The same principle should be applied to wings, they should be stuck to a strip of card which is as high as the scenes when they are mounted on card.
Drop the scenes and wings in place so that they are held by the scene grid.
Most, but not all, performers like to hide themselves away from the audience so as to complete the illusion. This requires some sort of black screen, of card or cloth fitted around and immediately behind the stage front, which rests on the table supporting the stage.
Other instructions we are giving you separately will tell you how to perform plays and how to add other details and stage effects such as trap doors and how to make the slides for moving the characters on the stage.
Look at the picture of the backstage area for guidance.
