shooting a play in b+w

ive been asked by a friend to shoot his play in b+w, im jsut not to sure how to go about it. Im guessing its going to be realtively dark will i need a flash? What kind of film speed should i use.

all help will be very much appreciated.

Ask if you can use flash. The answer will probably be NO. If so, ask if you can check the lighting during a dress rehearsal. Then you'll know what speed film you'll need. It'll be fast, you can bet that!.

Hi,
Many years ago, I used to be involved in theatrical lighting for amateur productions. As part of that I used to produce photos for the cast. I tended to avoid flash. It's OK for getting posed shots when you are reasonably close but even then you need a powerful gun, at least guide number 40 at 100ASA! For shots during the dress rehearsal, I found 400 ASA was fine with a F2.8 prime lens on a tripod. I generally used a K series 135/2.5 from about a 1/3 of the way back in the auditorium or a 200/2.5 from about 2/3 back. A lot will depend on the quality and quantity of the lights. Most of the productions I was involved in were "villiage hall" sized and the normal light setup was about 16-20Kw. Profesional productions will be using about 200Kw or more.

I would start by using 400ASA. Check the light levels and if necessary push this to 800ASA. See if you can use a tripod setup and avoid Zoom lenses. I would also recommend manual focus.

Regards
Kim