Our theater is one of 3 in our county and in the neighboring county we have 2 professional theaters. That means 5 theaters in a reletively small area.  However, we have no limits on experience, while other theaters require it.  So if the closest anyone has been to being onstage has been sitting in the audience, we are happy to take them and teach them.  We have been looking at how to improve and to make coming into the theater more welcoming and to give new people a better idea of what to expect.  We have been tossing around a few ideas, and one of them is to hold a workshop the first day of rehearsal to go over basic ettiquette (ie don't talk when the director is talking, no talking in the wings, don't say that one Shakespearian play, take feedback as trying to help you along, not as an attack....etc)  Stage Direction, tips and tricks of learning lines and of course getting to know your fellow actors.  How does your community theater welcome new actors. And if you have someone who doesn't seem to be getting it...how do you help them.  Do you have anything in place to help newbies out. I'm looking for lots of ideas here so that we can approach this in several different ways.  Anything you can suggest will help.

Thank you.

Kendra

 

I'm talking about starting a series of training classes for the various discplines (props, costumes, lighting, sound, set construction, design, and stage managing), but haven't quite gotten around to proposing it to the Board yet.  I'll keep you posted as to how that works.

 

Charlie

I would suppose we do loose new chums from time to time, by not having something like this in place.

Now we have a new home & can focus on the teatre group as a whole, rather than just the production that is being done at the time.

Best of luck Charlie with your stagecraft workshops, let us know how you go with them.

 

 

Charlie

Our HS has the current lighting tech train an apprentice.  Man, I should've gotten on the tech crew in HS instead of acting (also no real training).

But that was very short lived as I was directing two musicals back to back & ended up in intensive care! {At the next stroke?]

Although i have just started up the 'technical Advisory Pool' [TAP] here for our aunty ITA [Independent theatre association] in this State.

Prompted by our State Government finally Enacting the 1992 Health Act, concerning public buildings.

This of course impacts heavily on comeatre venues & performing arts groups. Mainly with Portable appliance Testing [PAT (note the reflective acronym?)]

The pool is primarily Licenced electrical Techies, who assist all member theatre groups to comply with the Act. By training to a competent level in house group teaches in carrying out valid testing procedures &/or in gaining 'Limited or 'restricted' Electrical Licences themselves. Although it is not incumbent to have a valid Licence to perform testing, only when Tagging is required on the appliance & a Licence Number is affixed. Which is a twice yearly event along with testing the Emergency, Exit Lighting & Log Book [In most cases this is the responsibility of the venue owner].

Further help with other technical theatre, thru running workshops on Stagecraft aspects.

If the Group are members of Aunty ITA this is free, which saves the Group the cost of employing a licensed tester, which can be upto $20/appliance usually on industrial Sites & $40 Commercially.

I suppose I was rather lucky being born into the Game & having some great mentors over the years.

Ye I fondly remember building my first theatre lighting rig & using home made 'alt Water Dimmers' back in the 50's. It worked well until the great Black Out of around  '57,  then I was pressed to dismantle my set of dimmers & disconnect from the mains power, or else! But I'm still not sure it was all thru my endeavours? But that's all another story.

I attempted earlier this year to run a workshop for my mob, which was a total fizz off!

 

 

 

Also, and probably for your more advanced class, give them each a piece of black tie line and a piece of white cord (like clotheline) and show them how to tie a square knot and a bowliine if they are really advanced.  Those two knots will solve most tying problems in a backstage area. 

 

Having taught tech theater for 13 years, the best advice I can offer you is be patient and be prepared to repeat yourself...a lot.  Oh, and don't overload them at first.  Just give them bare bones basics and  work up from there.  I've seen more folks flee from backtage simply because they were overwhelmed by it all.  If they are running a spot, give them the basics, answer all their questions and keep the theories of electricity to a minimum.  Running flies, the same principle applies - always work with the KISS principle until your volunteers want more.

 

Good Luck!

 

Charlie

 

Sleep easy!

 

Charlie

 

Thank you!

 

That's what newbie techs - the whole overwhelming feeling of being out of the water and emmersed into something new and a little scary.  Use humor, lots of it, and make sure no one is afraid to ask a question, no matter how silly or insignificant it might seem.  Everyone was new ot the theater once upon a time.  As long as you remember thatm you'll be a great welcoming force to your theater.

 

Rock On!

 

Charlie