All Discussions Tagged 'rigging' - TheatreFace

Let's be SAFER as a collective industry

2013-04-09T20:22:15.777Z

Sometimes I ramble, but sometimes I just can't help myself. I really hate reporting on these industry accidents but it's clear that we have a collective wake-up call that can come from one of our fallen brethren. if nothing else, when a stagehand brother or sister dies on the job, it is our responsibility - our requirement - to learn how to stop that from happening to one more worker.

I'd love your thoughts.

http://www.jimonlight.com/2013/04/09/lets-be-safer-at-least-in-the-entertainment-industry/

Rigging a rappelling/belay scene

2010-09-09T06:41:33.127Z

Sorry if this is a little long, thank you for sticking with it.

I work at a Theatre on a high school campus and the director for the fall play has an idea of lowering a character down to the audience during a monologue at the end of the play.

I have experience rappelling and jumping off structures with a line attached to a harness, however it has been some time since i have participated in these activities and could use some refresher info.

The "whole" is about 20 feet or so off the ground and is in a sturdy block wall. The idea is to setup a rappel/belay system for safety since this will be the first top roping experience for the cast member. She is relatively lite and small so weight is not a big issue. I will be the belay/safety line for the cast member (what I call a Friendship line), while they will be able to control the decent rate.

In the past I used a figure 8 device to control decent rate and I am comfortable that the setup will be easy enough for the cast member to use and the safest route. Also the system needs to be quick for her to get out of, off the rope, and make it look as fluid as possible.

I am having a little trouble trying to figure out what to do for my end of the system. My idea is to have two lines, the first is connected to a structural point already in place in the "whole", this will be the rappel line. The second will be attached to myself and the cast member as a secondary safety line (Friendship line), both will attach to a standard climbing harness with a snap carabiner in the front hidden under the costume. I have been thinking of using an ATC on my end to control decent rate since I don't think a figure 8 will work with the rappeler below me. My line would run through a single block to ease the angle of the line and save the rope from any rubbing on the edge.

The flow of the setup should run,
everything tied off and ready before the show starts,
cast member has harness on prior to entering "whole",
all of my gear on and ready to go,
actor locked in and ready,
toss rope off edge,
stick head out and proceed to give monologue and rappel down wall,
reach the bottom safely and SMOOTHLY remove carabiner(applause),
walk around the audience and finish monologue.

I am hoping that all of this sounds reasonable and am wondering if maybe there is anything I am missing.

ASTC

2009-02-18T13:34:56.262Z

The American Society of Theatre Consultants is a group of theatre people who work with architects and engineers to design new theatres, renovate old ones and adapt other spaces to theatre use.

The Members of the ASTC are professional theatre consultants who have demonstrated a broad range of capability and experience necessary to qualify for membership. As professionals, ASTC members have individual and collective interests in providing unbiased, functionally sound and practical consulting and design services to owners, users, architects, and engineers or performance and assembly facilities.

It is important to understand that most architects and engineers have never worked on the design of a theatre, and after they have done yours', they may never do another one. The same thing is true of the general contractor who will oversee its construction, and the "trades" who will do the actual construction work. ASTC members understand both the world of the theatre and the construction industry.

We apply that knowledge during the design and construction process in order to achieve effective and economically viable performance and assembly facilities, whether large or small, whether new construction or remodeling/renovation project.

Members of the ASTC will welcome your questions, as will I, or learn more at www.theatreconsultants.org

Lawrence L. Graham, ASTC
Vice President