About nine years ago, during our first tech rehearsal of a week-long show that was slapped together on the fly, the blackout after scene 1 left the stage (and backstage) in complete darkness.  I walked towards where I thought the exit stairs might be, misjudged the distance, and did a complete header off a three-foot high platform, breaking my right shoulder.

Rehearsal was halted while I was taken to the emergency room to get x-rays and a sling.  The next day, the show went on and -- being the trooper that I am -- so did I, with my right arm dangling lifelessly by my side.  I saved my sling for when I was offstage.

Although no one was behind me pushing or shoving, I believe a lot of that behavior is due to the slight panic actor's feel in their rush to get off stage and not being able to find the exits quickly enough.

"Running lights" or "Safety lights" on the stairs would've solved this problem.  They are low-wattage bulbs -- much like your typical night-lights found in children's nurseries.  You can make your own using coffee cans or other tins with a socket and bulb inside, covering the opening with a blue gel.  If placed correctly, they offer just enough light to mark the exits safely without distracting from the blackout or lighting design of the production.

One of the things that we do in my CT's is use lots of glow tape backstage.  We mark the edge of stairs. platforms.  Any staircases backstage have hand railings put on them and they are marked with glow tape.  Glow tape is also used onstage and placed in stragecic places where it's not seen by the audience. (ie- on the top corner edges of furniture so the actor sees it but audience can't.  Both CTs I work in have elevated stages.  If a piece of glow tape has to be put in a spot where the audience might see it- then so be it-.  The safety of the cast and crew is paramount under every circumstance.

   I also take time at the tech rehearsals to practice the exits and entrances to find where we need glow tape.  That way the actors and crew all feel confident and safe.

Hi K8tt,

Accidents backstage are one of my worst nightmares. I am so sorry that happened at your theater. I am nut about cover everything with glo tape. I also choregraph entrances and exits with big casts. I found if they have order in which they are suppose to leave they feel secure and no one pushes. This is a throw back to my days teaching elementary school.

There are tons of sites on line to get glo tape  This site looked reasonable as far as price. http://www.thetapeworks.com/glo.htm - http://www.thetapeworks.com/glo.htm

Linda

Please, Joe, remind us what the "5 P's" stand for again....

I have to take a challenge.

I can think of one that has less than five sets.  It's the perfect show:  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum  - hardly any costume changes, either.  Also, The Fantasticks - one set, no costume changes.

I have a rule when I SM large casts in small places. No one backstage unless your entrance is 2 minutes away cuts down on crowding.

I have also been known to say that an actor will trip over a line painted on the floor! LOL

Glow tape is best just make sure you charge it up before the show. I have one of my ASM run around and hit each piece with a flashlight before the house opens. Running lights are a must as well. When I do lights I program into every blackout the backstage runners so the light tech won't forget. in the case of your older actors sometimes you just need to assign them a crew person who take care of getting them on and off stage. I have worked with an older guy who was a great actor he just couldn't get to the stage on time. so I got an extra crew person to babysit them, take them backstage for entrances and be right there to take him off again.

As for the space issue: you could always just blow out the backwall of the theatreLOL that should do it!

good luck and don't beat yourself up about it. these kinds on things happen and can not always be avoided. I did Noises off one year in summer stock and the actor who played the director triped coming through the window (he had worked this entrance about 100 times) and broke his leg. he finished the show and did the rest of the season (we did 7 shows in rep, he was in 5) in a cast. Laughing at himself the whole time!

You can order Glow Tape, and Glow Arrows, etc. through rosebrand.com.

Also, I make it an art form if I need to use it where the audience will see it.  My actor's safety is the most important thing.

As for the one actor who needs help down the stairs, assign another actor who is also exiting to be the escort before she starts down the escape stairs.

Lastly, I use a camera flash with a test button ($20 at any camera store) to charge my glow tape.

We always try to identify the actors that are "night blind" and need help being escorted off stage in the dark. At least one or two volunteers near them on stage grab their hands and guide them into the wings, which are usually lit with blue light.  I used to be one of the guides; now I'm being guided.  Sad but true.

We also use LOTS of glow tape, but I find that it disorients some people because they have trouble identifying what areas of the stage or pieces of furniture the tape is marking.  My suggestion is to start using it as early in the rehearsal process as possible so that those folks can get used to seeing the tape in specific spots.