Setting up the stage?

[Joria]

I'm really puzzled by this.  I know, it seems silly for someone who is always building stuff but I'm totally clueless as to how to set up a stage!  My singer, (first ST Sim I've tried), is at level 5, is fairly wealthy from playing for tips, and as far as I can tell is doing well.  But when asked to set up her stage I just opted for what was there, (basically nothing much!), because I really don't know what to use or where to put stuff.  I tried putting some ice cream cones on the stage which made her stomp her feet at them and she refused to sing until I removed them.

When she was done with her first gig at the park, all the lights on that stage, (which I had put there), and the effects machines disappeared. All that was left was the back drop and a couple of side panels.  Will they come back?

Are there special places to place the props?  What do you use for props?  Will anything work or just the things like cannons, deserts and what seems to be magician props?

[Wai]

When the option to set up stage appears, select setup and you will be given the choice of buying props or taking them from your inventory.

There are a lpt of small dots on the stage which are key points for adding your props.  You can place props only on these key dots.

Select props appropriate to your sims career, for example, I gave my singer the city skyline backdrops, a street sign and a large globe on a post at the back of the stage.  Lighting equipment on the sides, 3 footlights in the centre front and a huge star at either side of the front.

When you click return to game the option to save the setup appears.  Select save.

The show will start immediately after.  Manage the show by clicking on the sim and choosing what they should do and queue several actions.

At the end of the show the stage will clear and the props will be placed in your family inventory.

Next time you select "set up stage you will be given the option to use your saved stage setting.  You can then alter the setting if you wish.   Save only if you have made changes which you want to keep.  You can have only one stage setup at a time.  Shame that, I'd like to have several and rotate them.