Regardless of the occasion, a drama bag should include at least one play script. Choose a classic from the Shakespeare canon or one of your own favorite plays that you want to share with the recipeint. Award-winning plays and new, up-and-coming works are also good choices for drama bags. If you know the recipient very well, choose a play that you think reflects her personality, or would make an excellent vehicle for her acting or design work. Monologue and scene books are thoughtful gifts as well, but scripts are the most helpful, since building a realistic monologue or scene performance requires in-depth knowledge of the play from which the excerpt is taken.
Auditions are the bread and butter of a working actor's life, and surviving multiple rounds of go-sees and readings can be grueling. An audition survival kit is both humorous and helpful on those long days pounding the pavement. Gum, breath mints and a small box of dental floss help actors avoid dry mouth and dental disasters, earplugs block out any distractions when it comes time to focus, and small packages of nuts and dried fruit sustain energy. A small gift card for MP3 music files lets actors purchase music that will lift their spirits and keep them in the mood of their audition piece, and is an especially thoughtful finishing touch.
For young theater artists starting their careers, or for actors and designers visiting for a conference or symposium, information about local theatrical opportunities is always appreciated. Gather pamphlets and flyers from any local or nearby theater companies, and compile a list of audition dates for any upcoming productions. Slipped inside a drama bag, theater information and other pertinent material is both helpful and thoughtful. If any local theaters have information about their upcoming seasons, volunteer opportunities or specific audition do's and don'ts, make sure to include it as well.
Drama bags are great gifts for the end of a production or for students who are graduating from a program of dramatic study. Honor their contributions by putting together a collection of photos from past productions and classes. Rehearsal photos, candid backstage shots and images from the show help the recipient's memories live on long after their departure. For a digital edition, compile the images into a slideshow set to a song from the production (if a musical) or other meaningful music. In addition to photographs, programs from the production that have been signed by fellow cast and crew members make thoughtful gift bag inclusions.