Everyone's Blog Posts - TheatreFace

Want to be a sound designer?

2011-02-15T12:00:00.000Z

Until the last few years, if you wanted to do theatre sound and get a degree or emphasis in audio, you had to make due in undergrad with special projects style courses and practical experience, and then apply to one of the theatre masters programs with an audio emphasis, or find a fine arts program that offered audio instruction. Sound is just beginning to be taught in general undergraduate programs as a mainstay of the curriculum, and it will be a long while yet before it's as basic as intro to lighting or costuming. In many ways, audio is still the "baby" of theatre fields, even though sound has been with theatre in one form or another since its inception.

Most folks who discover theatre in high school and know they want to do it or at least try it as a career go on to study in college. So with that said, if you want to be a sound designer, what do you do in undergrad to get started?

There is never one road to an end - and theatre is no exception to the rule. There are lots of ways to become a sound designer. A career in sound isn't a cake, so there's no set recipe, these are just a few pointers.

If you're just finishing high school and are one of the few who've already discovered audio and want to be a sound designer, the first step is finding a undergraduate program that offers sound - not only in it's curriculum, but in practical experience. There are lots of criteria to choosing a program - this is just one more point to add to the list.

If you're like most folks who discover audio while studying something else, you're already in as undergraduate program, which may or may not have a structured audio program. If it doesn't, you may want to consider transferring to one that does, or you may want to stay put if you have the opportunities at hand in the program you're already in. Either way, there are some basics I recommend from my own experience, as well as the paths my friends, coworkers, and employees have taken.

Talk to both your academic adviser AND a theatre adviser to help you with design your curriculum. Talk to other theatre students ahead of you and find out what they did that worked, and what mistakes they made. Don't just muck about in classes without direction.

Get involved. Know what your programs doing, and whats going on. If there's a theatre club, join it. Get involved in productions as soon as you can.

That said - learn to manage your time and your commitments. When I was starting out in college, I was balancing a full course load, a stage management stipend, a part time job, and working every production I could - never mind my social life. I wanted to work, so I took on every assignment anyone would give me - and ended up burning out and having some seriously embarrassing grades on my transcript. I ended up taking a lot of time off, and when I went back to school, taking a lot of classes over - a big waste of time and money. Involved yes. Over involvement, not so much. If you know you have a class with lots of outside work or homework, balance your other classes and your production involvement with that.

Every theatre department's guidelines for selecting student designers is different. If you're in a big program with graduate students, you may (as an undergrad) never do a main stage design - but that doesn't mean you can't design other student works or learn the process from professors and grad students. Get involved in productions as soon as you can - the sooner you're learning practically as well as academically - the better.

While you're in college - if you're not designing operate shows. Operation (even though it may just be a "go" button) is going to be the first gig you get as a sound tech. Best to have some proof you have and can do it.

While you're in college - work summer stock or do a summer internship. There can be lots of obstacles to this - summer school, parental expectations, school dates - but work through those obstacles. Summer stock is one of the best routes to professional experience - something you have to have to get a full time job. Best to do this while you can afford to!

If you have the opportunity to work outside your college theatre venue, be it in a local road house loading in shows, doing designs for a community theatre, operating or even interning with a local professional company, do, but within reason. Don't stretch yourself so thin you're not getting everywhere you need to be. Missing a class or two for something else is one thing - missing lots of class is another, especially if your school has attendance policies or if you're missing your classroom theatre training.

Understand the basics of electricity and sound waves. Even if your school doesn't teach an audio class, this ought to be covered in lighting. You can also pick it up in physics or electronics. Learn how to wire and solder. If your theatre program doesn't offer this, try the electronics department. They're skills worth having - especially since most professional sound designers are their own department heads.

Study music. Sing in a choir or learn an instrument if you don't already play one - piano, guitar, whatever. I'm not saying you have to be amazingly proficient or gifted, but playing or performing music is the best way to learn how to read music.

Take some music composition. One of my greatest shortfalls to being a sound designer is that I don't have any composition skills - something that would save me a lot of trouble when I need three bars of something for a scene transition.

Marc Jacobs president and recent Twitter convert Robert Duffy

2011-02-14T09:09:00.000Z

Marc Jacobs president and recent Twitter convert Robert Duffy
Just last week, marc jacobs president and recent Twitter convert Robert Duffy tweeted a request for set ideas for the label's Fall show. That apparently spurred Jacobs himself into action, and he more than rose to the challenge: As the show began, spotlights picked out the designer and Duffy tearing the brown construction paper from a wood frame structure at the back of the Armory. The paper duly removed, all 56 models were revealed, standing in formation on the raised platform and staring back at the audience.

With "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" ringing out from Frederic Sanchez's soundtrack, marc jacobs sale took to the runway in a gray sweatshirt with a crisscrossed back; full, tweedy gray culottes; ankle socks; and pointy-toe, low-heel croc pumps—for Jacobs watchers, all items more likely to provoke a somehow affecting sense of déjà vu than the shock of the new. From there, the designer riffed on many different elements of his nearly two-decade repertoire, playing with proportions, changing the buttons, but never deviating from a sweetly romantic palette of soft neutrals and pale pastels.

There were, in no particular order, trompe l'oeil bows, sequin-front/knit-back sweaters, marc jacobs online , sumptuous Mongolian lamb-collared shearlings, clear plastic trenches, panne velvet dresses, a Prince of Wales check three-piece suit, echoes of his Japanese idols, and vaguely seventies-ish knit dresses. Adding idujkmvjdkc to the familiarity, insiders could even recognize Camille Bidault-Waddington and Susanne Deeken, "real girls" who work on the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection, amid the parade of largely unknown models.

As dreamy and serene as any Jacobs show in marc jacobs purses and how typical of him to intuit that the world is seujsgaecdf craving serenity right now—the show played like a nostalgia trip, one so lovely it was quite easy to be seduced. "It's refreshing to see something that isn't trying so hard to be new," Jacobs, subversive as ever, said klrutjvjsai after the show. "There's so much striving for newness now that newness feels less new."

Cynics might argue that he took the easy way out this season. marc jacobs handbags sale ; Jacobs would probably argue right back. These clothes are money in the bank not because they're "safe," but on account of their built-in resonances for the house's many followers, Twitter and otherwise, around the world. For all our technological advances, it's the emotional connection that makes the sale these days.

mulberry and Liya Kebede made the Time 100 list, which comes out on newsstands Thursday. Victoria Beckham interviews Jacobs for the issue and Tom Ford talks to KebedeIt’s not even spring yet, but Miuccia’s crazily coloured, patterned and striped fur stoles have already started popping up on everyone from Marc Jacobs to Anna Dello Russo. It-girl Shala Monroque (pictured here with Dasha Zukova) rocked the look at the Valentino spring couture show this week, with a Perfecto jacket and virtually no bottoms. Love it? Hate it? Vote, after the jump!

I'm not sure of any Dsquared store in Italy

2011-02-14T09:08:25.000Z

I'm not sure of any Dsquared store in Italy
I think they have a Bath & Body Works! Actually, I'm not sure of any dsquared store in Italy... There definitely wasn't one in Florence (unless it wasn't in the main shopping district in the center, which I highly doubt) and there wasn't one in Bologna. Perhaps Milian but if they have a store in Italy at all, it would be in Rome, I think. Okay. This just in. According to Wikipedia, the have just opened a flagship store in Milano, which isn't too far from Venice.

on the fashion week in Milan, which ended recently, we've met our great friends Dean and Dan from the popular shop dsquared, who made the best move of their lives by hiring Bill Kaulitz from the world-wide famous band, Tokio Hotel, to open the show. Host2: Dean and Dan. Tokio Hotel made such a mess in Milano, that fangirls started to faint, they were screaming and crying. Host1: If we hadn't seen this thanks to our Fani (the interviewer), we wouldn't have believed it. Host2: last time something like this happened was with Sasa, Tin and cuskljdjcli Kedza (croatian superstars).

Speaker: many say, it's not important what someone says, it's who says it. And if dsquared2 jeans going to translate this to the fashion language, it would be It's not important what someone wears, it's who wears it. All the big designers go along this formula, and so they hire the most wanted stars to do their shows, because they know that is surely idujkmvjdkc the safest way to promotion. So, after Rihanna, Madonna and Victoria Beckham, the most popular fashion duo, Dean and Dan from DSquared, hired the band Tokio Hotel. The singer Bill Kaulitz opened their show on the recently ended men fashion week in Milano.

brand opened its first store on the mainland last week in Shanghai through dsquared bone heels with Singapore-based Kwang Sia. The 1,830-square-foot boutique is located in the IFC Mall, a high-end shopping center in the city’s business district of Pudong. Consistent with Dsquared’s Canadian wilderness-inspired retail concept, the boutique features antler chandeliers and birch trees bark-coved walls.

dsquared t shirts , founded and designed by twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten, will open another boutique this March in Beijing in partnership with the Joyce Group, a retail giant specializing in luxury brands in Asia. The 4,306-square-foot space will be located in Sanlitun Village, a new luxury shopping development. Dsquared opened a retail location in Hong Kong in 2008, followed by a store in Singapore in 2009. The brand plans to open 15 additional stores across Asia by 2015.

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Max Mara’s pre-fall collection takes its cues

2011-02-14T09:08:07.000Z

Max Mara’s pre-fall collection takes its cues
max mara ’s pre-fall collection takes its cues from Lauren Hutton and American sportswear. (And yes, that is Chic’s greatest hits playing on the sound system.) Certainly the silk bow-tie blouses, wide-legged trousers and fur vests have a distinctly ’70s vibe, but a “mixed media” approach to tailoring reveals that the designers were looking forward and not just back.

So you found the perfect pair of designer jeans, max mara website 's new favorite pair of shoes and a blouse that makes you look like an extra in a Hollywood movie what do you do next? Why not accessorize that new outfit with some of the best accessories from some of the finest name brand designers in the world today. Max Mara clothing is some of the finest designer clothing on the market. However, Max Mara does not stop at just clothing. Accentuate your designer outfits with handbags, fragrances and even eyewear.

Designer fragrances are another must have accessory for any fashion aficionado. While max mara weekend clothing is a famous clothing line that makes fantastic coats they also make wonderfully scented designer fragrances. Smell your finest when out for a night on the town with these designer fragrances and relax knowing that you cesiekujdik are wearing some of idujkmvjdkc the best scents in the world.

max mara collezione ’s models strutted down the runway in color blocked backless tops in neon yellow, purple, and red. The monochromatic colors continued to make a bold statement on long dresses, elongating and flattering the feminine silhouette. Whether you choose to make a bold statement or be barely these trends will be right on target for Spring.

A mega Italian brand known for its ability to read trends and the provision of modern clothing for women well-dressed career of max mara dresses, which, judging from their fashion show in Milan Saturday, September 25 means that women wear casual, elegant clothes next spring with a large amount of active sportswear items.

The campaign for the fall/winter 2010-2011 collection from Max Mara will feature several famous female and male models. mulberry collection is presented by Arthur Sales, Blaine Cook, Matthew Coatsworth, Nate Gill, Sean Harju, Dorothea Barth Jorgensen, and Jacquelyn Jablonski. The Max Mara Elegante fall-winter collection features small black dresses, long evening gowns, cocktail dresses, elegant blouses with ruffles, satin overalls, mini and maxi jackets and skirts.

This is a question L tods shoes men Schlosser

2011-02-14T09:07:52.000Z

This is a question L tods shoes men Schlosser
Part of the blame for oversupply of parking in tods (transit-oriented developments) could be the reliance on parking generation figures from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). ITE standards assume that car ownership levels and parking demands are no different in traditional suburban settings than in neighborhoods that are served by rail transit. Yet some studies suggest that those drawn to living near urban rail stops do so for lifestyle reasons, prompting many not only to ride transit more often but also to get rid of a car.

Just as land-use environments vary throughout suburban America, so should parking policies. tods sale should be more flexible for projects situated near rail stops. Based on our research, for example, developers of relatively dense apartments with adjoining retail shops and short, direct walking connections to rail stations should have the option of supplying fewer parking spaces than the norm. Flexibility might also take the form of unbundling the cost of parking from the cost of renting housing or providing residents with the option of choosing transit eco-passes rather than paying for an on-site space. And in light of the fact that TOD residents were found to commute by transit proportionately more than idujkmvjdkc they shed cars or reduced parking, car-sharing should be provided in as many rail-served neighborhoods as possible. Putting shared-cars in and around TODs could relieve many households cvhjfgjdzad from owning a second car or a vehicle altogether, which would result in not only considerably lower trip generation rates, but considerably less parking demand as well.

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Why does it take so long to get a fiancee visa? This is a question L tods online store shoes men Schlosser, Esq., has been asked so many times it is hard to remember how often he has been asked this question, but quite frankly there is no one or simple answer. The fact of the cv85rqn matter is there is no good reason why the USCIS and the respective Embassies take so long to process fiancee visas and spousal visas.

The reason most often given is that the USCIS and the Embassies are not able to keep up with the volume of petitions that tods loafers are asked to process each year. However, because of the experience possessed by L Tod Schlosser, Esq., and his successful navigation of thousands of fiancee visa and spousal visa applications he believes that the true reason is that they have been plagued by bad leadership as well as being plagued by bad decisions that have directly effected processing times.

Ken Ryan, principal and head of Community Planning and Urban Design Studio with KTGY Group, mulberry has been invited to participate as a speaker at Mobility 21’s Ninth Annual Southern California Transportation Summit, “Delivering Sustainable Transportation Solutions: Strong Economy, Livable Communities, Efficient Networks,” which will be held next week in Anaheim, Calif.

Hermes specializes in the development and contract

2011-02-14T09:07:09.000Z

Hermes specializes in the development and contract
hermes specializes in the development and contract manufacturing of effervescent tablets as well as other innovative solid pharmaceutical dosage forms. With our competence centers in Grosshesselohe and Vienna as well as our modern production plants in Wolfratshausen, Germany and Wolfsberg, Austria, we are an accomplished, innovative and effective partner in the pharmaceutical industry. Hermes is dedicated to the development of new innovative proprietary products and out-licensing those products to pharmaceutical companies around the world, as well as partnering in the development of new products and delivery systems.

The most recent encounter with Jean-Claude Ellena, hermes preise was embodied in the creation of Un Jardin en Méditerranée in 2003, and then in 2004 with his official appointment as exclusive perfumer of the House. Since then, the deep affinity that has been established between the perfume designer and Hermès has continued to bear fruit, as if confirming the essential rightness of their mutual involvement. Jean-Claude Ellena is both heir and creator of a genealogy now structured into four territories of olfactive expression: the Colognes, the Garden-Perfumes, the Novel-Perfumes and the Hermessence collection.

Designer hermes scarves has 48 perfumes in our fragrance base. Hermes is an old perfume house. The earliest edition created in 1951 and the newest ones is idujkmvjdkc from 2011. Hermes fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Maurice Roucel, Jean-Claude Ellena, Bernard Bourjois, Maurice Maurin, Francois Maurin, Jean-Louis Sieuzac, Guy Robert, Fabrice Pellegrin, Jean Guichard, Ralf Schwieger, Nathalie Feisthauer, Edmond Roudnitska, Francoise Caron, Jean Claude Ellena, Olivia Giacobetti, Akiko Kamei and Gilles Romey.

Treat yourself to a thrilling and rejuvenating summer vacation on Ios Island and enjoy the perfect stay at myhermes in Ios Greece. Our Ios hotel lies in the region of Agios Ioannis, just skljdcujcli 700 m from the marvellous setting of Ios Town or as locals call it Chora, which is situated on the western side of the island.

birkin hermes is housed in impressive premises uncompromisingly adhering to the Cycladic style featuring shades of white and blue, with arches and austere lines, making it one of the most charming traditional-style Ios Greece hotels. At Hermes Hotel in Agios Ioannis Ios you will be hosted in one of its 25 fully-equipped rooms for rent and you will relish excellent facilities, such as a quenching swimming pool with pool bar, and an elegant café-bar and roof garden for relaxing evenings with amazing sea views in the background. At the hotel you will be pampered by expert staff while the management has paid particular attention to the services provided guaranteeing a pleasant and relaxed stay on Ios Island.

mulberry is back in the news, this time the French luxury house increased its growth forecast, expecting its operating profit to be 3% higher than expected. Sales for the three months ended Dec. 31 climbed 25 percent to 736 million euros ($1.02 billion), from 587.3 million euros, Hermes said. The average estimate of eight analysts compiled by Bloomberg was 709.4 million euros. Excluding currency moves, full-year revenue advanced 19 percent to 2.4 billion euros, beating a November forecast of about 15 percent growth.

Discount Mulberry bags is one key point of our Mulberry outlet shop

2011-02-14T09:06:59.000Z

Discount Mulberry bags is one key point of our Mulberry outlet shop
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Some people are so painfully fresh team that could probably be a tea towel with a wet suit and still look incredible, and I certainly put Eliza Dushku in that category. The Buffy and Dollhouse actress has recently been working the look of work clothes, and it certainly seems to be “working” for her! mulberry bags sale to this trend is to look hard, but not too scuffy, she gets work in military equipment of casual shirt with a leather briefcase virgin (Proenza Schouler smell!), Scarf leopard and large aviator-style shades. How hard can it be? Looking chic does not have to cost a fortune, but with an accessory like this team in his best suit and shoes as well be made! DP is a great place to find bargains as having put some of their most popular accessories for sale, including this large hobo bag black. With its pleated panels, hardware and tassels of gold tone with small nails, this stock hits all the right style notes for the upcoming winter season, but also its practice, as large and handy pockets.

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Denver Center's Colorado New Play Summit - Video Roundup

2011-02-14T06:30:00.000Z

Just home from Denver where I spent the weekend at the Colorado New Play Summit, hosted by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. This was a great weekend of world premieres, staged readings, and other events (like the playwrights slam--where invited playwrights read from their new and unfinished material). I'm a little beat -- there was a curtain every three hours. It was a FANTASTIC weekend, but I haven't even had time to breathe, let alone put my thoughts together about it. So I'm going to let the artists speak for themselves. The Denver Center has a really great multimedia department, and they did all sorts of recordings this weekend--capturing artists after performances, getting writers to talk about their work, and documenting the whole shebang. So here are a few videos from them. I promise I'll add my own thoughts when I'm not suffering from curtain withdrawal. I seriously kept looking at my watch today, and searching for a schedule because I was sure I had to catch a performance... =)

You can find more videos, and more material from the Denver Center on their blog.

First up, here's Lisa Loomer, playwright, talking about her play "Two Things You Don't Talk About at Dinner," which had a staged reading at the Summit.

And here's her director, Wendy Goldberg.

Next up, an interview with playwright Michele Lowe, whose play "Map of Heaven" had its premiere at the Summit. The play was also read at the Summit last year.

Moving on, we have playwright Lloyd Suh talking about his work "The Great Wall Story" which had a reading at the Fest.

And here's actor Ian Merrell Peakes, who appeared in the reading, talking about it.

Here's Kent Thompson (Artistic Director) and Bruce Sevy (Director of New Play Development) reviewing Day 2 at the 6th Annual CO New Play Summit.

More later, I promise, when I'm not so exhausted...

Wybron Mobile Showroom headed to Pacific Northwest in March

2011-02-11T20:55:41.000Z

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Wybron's™ new Mobile Light Lab, a 48-foot pop-out-equipped trailer that features all of the company's most crowd-pleasing products, will continue its Visuality 2011 Tour in March with events in Northern California, Oregon and Washington.

The Wybron Mobile Light Lab will first head to Fresno, Calif., where it will host events at Michael Garrison Associates and Live Light Inc. on March 14 and 15 respectively. It will then head to Musson Theatrical in Santa Clara, Calif., for a March 16 event and Holzmueller Productions in San Francisco, Calif., for a March 17 event. It will wrap up the week on March 18 in beautiful Sacramento, Calif., at Sacramento Theatrical Lighting.

The Mobile Light Lab will then head north to Oregon and Washington. Its first event of the second week will be hosted by Bud's Lites, a Molalla, Ore., dealer that will hold a March 21 event at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore. Then it's off to Portland, Ore., for a March 22 event at Stagecraft Portland, and Seattle, Wash., for a March 23 event at Hollywood Lights. The Mobile Light Lab will wrap up the month with a March 24 event in Olympia, Wash., at CCI Solutions and a March 25 event at Stagecraft Seattle in Seattle, Wash.

Each event will provide visitors with a one-of-a-kind, upscale experience that combines hands-on Wybron product demonstrations, continuing education, refreshments, and opportunities to network with colleagues and ask questions of Wybron product experts. Visitors will be entered to win an iPod Touch — one of two Wybron will be giving out each month — and complimentary copies of all of Wybron’s iPhone apps.

“I think a lot of people will be overwhelmed by the ‘high-tech’ of it,” said Dusty Hudgins, Wybron regional sales representative, of the new Mobile Light Lab. “Its layout differs considerably from the old Mobile Showroom. It’s easier to locate things. If one of us is busy talking with someone, you can use an iPad to pull up specifications and features of a product and educate yourself about it while you wait."

The Wybron Mobile Light Lab will host events at dealers in Southern California, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas in April. For more information, or to host the Wybron Mobile Light Lab, contact Erin Prater, marketing/PR coordinator, at (719) 884.6455 or Erin@Wybron.com.

For more information on Wybron's March Mobile Light Lab events, visit www.bit.ly/WybronMLLMarch.

Moon Platform Wrap-up!

2011-02-11T12:00:00.000Z

This week, wrapping up this (longer than I expected) series on the moon platform for Arabian Nights, we’ll walk through the construction of the moon platform we’ve been looking at, including details about the framing, the pneumatics, and the backup hand-brakes. More importantly, as promised, I’ll include some photos and some drawings.

As you can see from the drawing at left (click to enlarge), the moon platform is raked, which complicates the construction a little bit. Another important element that the designer has asked for are the tubular rings surrounding the moon at the top and bottom. Given the circular cross-section of these rings, we immediately began looking at using schedule 40 black pipe to create these rings—they’d be both structurally strong enough to support the deck, but they’d also be able to serve as a tank for the air supply. As budget conversations progressed, it became clear we couldn’t afford the amount of black pipe we’d need to make this work; we could, however, frame the unit out of 1x1 14 gauge steel tube and create the rings out of polyethylene tubing (rated for 120 psi of air pressure). Initially, the designer had wanted the crescent of the moon to be a clear acrylic, and for lighting to be placed in the moon to cause it to shine from below; again, budget constraints made it impossible to make this happen, and the painters have coated the painting of the crescent moon with a UV-reactive paint.

The section view shows the steel box framing of the platform supports, the tri-swivel casters, the mounting of the pneumatic brakes, the sheet metal facing, and the two polyethylene tubes which serve as the air tank for the braking system. There’s a lot of steel in this unit. One of the reasons for this is that there was relatively little other construction to be done on this production—some custom flattage for a show portal, and some soft-scenery sewing. Had we needed labor for other construction tasks, we would likely have chosen wood construction for the sake of time. (I also had a little bet going with my students that with a limited number of steel-working tools, and a limited number of steel-skilled laborers, steel work becomes a labor bottleneck. They were convinced steel could be just as fast. In the end, I won the bet.)

At right you can see a drawing of the pneumatic system. (David Cermak, one of the technical direction grad students here at Purdue and the ATD on this production, deserves credit for the system design and for this drawing.) The directional control valve is a two-position, solenoid actuated, spring return valve; we’re stealing a handful of amps from the battery-driven power inverter the lighting crew installed to power the rope-light effect inside the wagon.

As I mentioned briefly above, we knew from the beginning we were going to include a back-up hand-powered wagon brake system. (These are installed inside the facing, behind hinged panels which also provide access to the pneumatic and electrical systems for the crew.) This was an important safety consideration: what happens if the battery supplying power to the DCV dies, or if the air tank, somehow, loses enough pressure that it no longer can hold the brakes in place? Somehow, the unit needs to remain solid for the actors performing on it, and the wagon brakes provide for that. (Of course, the wagon brakes cannot apply anywhere near the force the pneumatic brakes can, and consequently the actors need to be aware of the difference when they are performing.

Because the actors move the moon and actuate the brakes, they’ll be trained in using both the pneumatic and the hand-powered brakes. To ensure the performance continues smoothly if, for some reason, the cast needs to transition to the hand brakes mid-performance, we’ll be rehearsing that process during technical rehearsals. Additionally, during dress rehearsals, we’ll simulate the pneumatic system failing without warning. We’ll utilize a trick I learned at USITT a few years ago from an audience member at a panel on automation safety: we’ll give a surreptitious cue to the actor who actuates the pneumatic system, which will indicate to him or her that for the next moon movement, he or she should act as if the pneumatic system doesn’t work. This will allow the rest of the cast to experience the “unexpected” failure of the system, and to learn to react quickly and efficiently to engage the hand brakes.

Scroll through the slideshow below to see pictures of the construction and installation process. Check back for more images as we go into tech this weekend!

Find more photos like this on TheatreFace

Hearing Assistance Systems and the ADA

2011-02-10T12:00:00.000Z

About twenty years ago there were a sets of regulations outlined that addressed the needs of persons with special handicaps. These needs are handled differently in various countries around the world, but the general intent is to assure that buildings and facilities are equally accessible by everyone. In the United States this is commonly referred to as the ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act. The standards can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 36 (www.ada.gov). The ADA addresses many aspects of the workplace, public spaces, and entertainment venues. It is extensive and sometimes not very well understood.

This discussion is to center about the implementation of Assistive Listening (or sometimes called Hearing Assistance) systems. The 1991 Standards, at section 4.1.3(19)(b), require assembly areas, where audible communication is integral to the use of the space, to provide an assistive listening system if they have an audio amplification system or an occupant load of 50 or more people and have fixed seating. The 2010 Standards at section 219 require assistive listening systems in spaces where communication is integral to the space and audio amplification is provided. The new code does not define the minimum occupancy of the space.

As an AV consultant, we see many different types of assistive listening systems installed. The two most common and easily upgradable are the types that use Infrared light (IR) and FM radio transmission (RF). The hard-wired (systems with headphone jacks in the chairs) and induction loop type systems are much less frequently used due to installation and long-term maintenance issues.

Beyond the selection of the signal transmission method, which I will discuss below, there are other considerations to be thought-out in order to arrive at a system specification that will satisfy all of the operational needs of both the owner and the end-users.

Ergonomic considerations: There is a fairly strong correlation between the population requiring assistive listening devices and those that may also have other physical impairments. A fully able-bodied person can generally use just about any headphone, ear bud, or telecoil coupler that is available in the marketplace, however, persons with other physical disabilities must have devices provided that suit their ability to operate the receiver controls, make connections, if any, and don the listening appliance. Many products on the market are not well-suited for use by this segment of the population. A panel of the typical end-users should be assembled to introduce them to the various options available and to involve the product selection process.
Equipment Availability considerations: The ADA is very clear about the type of signage, illumination of the signage, and the location of signage that informs the incoming patrons that there is assistive listening equipment available and where it can be obtained. This means that the devices must be located where someone can readily access them and distribute them to those that request them. The equipment can’t be locked away in a cabinet in an office that is in another building that is closed after normal operating hours.
Equipment Management considerations: There should be a clean place to store the devices when not in use, and a means to keep them charged and ready to use. There is usually a system to check-out the equipment that involves the exchange of a student ID or some other place-holder to assure that the equipment is returned after the event. Equipment must be cleaned so that proper hygiene practices are observed for community shared devices.
The audio mix for the assistive listening system should be carefully monitored so that it does not include too much sound effects, music, or other sound that is detrimental to the clear understanding of the primary speech and/or singing (this is particularly important in theatrical, music, and sporting venues).
The Assistive Listening System must be interfaced to the existing audio system so that both microphones and pre-recorded material can be heard.
The speed of sound is significantly less than the speed of light (RF waves and Light waves), so it is usually necessary and beneficial to add a means to delay the Assistive Listening System signal so that the sound from the PA system arrives at the ears of the listener about the same time that the sound from the earphones is produced, otherwise there will be an echo perceivable by the user that can further impair their ability to understand what is being presented.
If the equipment is to be used in more than one venue around a campus or school district, it is highly recommended that it all be sourced from the same manufacturer to ensure inter-compatibility. Although there are some standards upon which the manufacturers build their products, there is no guarantee that brand A receivers will function properly with brand B transmitters.

RF transmission systems generally operate in a special FM radio band that is designated for this purpose by the FCC (it is not in the normal FM radio band used by local broadcasters). As a radio-based device, the transmitters broadcast a signal that can be received through walls and have a reception range that can sometimes be as far as 1,000 feet from the transmitter. This means that if adjacent classrooms or theatres are to use the same types of systems, then the frequencies (channels) must be carefully coordinated so that the proper program is heard in each space. Some FM-based systems can operate up to 16 channels without interfering with each-other, while others are limited to just one or two channels of simultaneous operation. The receivers used by the listener must be tuned to the proper channel that matches the program source they are interested-in. The FM transmitter (Radio Signal Modulator) is usually mounted in an equipment rack along with the rest of the audio system for a room. The antenna typically should be located remotely from the transmitter so that it can be positioned where it broadcasts the best signal coverage to the audience area(s). Proper mounting and orientation of the antenna is very important so that the radio waves do not reflect off of nearby metal (widow frames, conduits, pipes, metal wall studs, rebar, tile grid, etc.), and so the antenna directs the RF waves in the proper direction.

IR transmission systems utilize invisible light to transmit the signal. Unlike the RF antenna that can be hidden from sight, the IR emitter panel(s) must be located ‘line-of-sight’ to the audience. The size and quantity of the emitter panels vary by the shape and size of the room to be ‘illuminated’ by the IR light. The advantage that this transmission method has is that the signal stays in the room and will not disrupt similar systems in adjacent rooms. This allows the same receiver to be used in any room that is equipped with IR emitter panels. This is very helpful if there are students that will move between rooms, as they can take the receiver with them as needed. Many commercial venues rely in IR systems so that the program cannot be recorded from outside the performance space.

Similar to the FM systems, there is usually a signal processor that resides in the audio equipment rack, and then the signal is connected to the emitter panel(s) via a coaxial cable. Each system manufacturer has different wiring and powering requirements, so the specific wiring method cannot be predetermined unless the transmitter & antenna / emitter product is selected.

Other considerations are to determine where throughout the campus the assistive listing systems are to be installed. The ADA requires these systems in performance venues of any seating capacity, so lecture halls, gymnasiums, cafetoriums, gymatoriums, theatres, and auditoriums all fall in this category. Based on this new standard, it appears that classrooms now require them if there are audio systems present, however, since an AV system is a very common component in most modern classrooms, so the inclusion of an assistive listening system in the AV layout and design of these spaces should always be considered.

Outdoor venues like soccer fields, football fields, baseball fields, and amphitheatres also require assistive listening systems. These present a bigger challenge as they are much larger spaces and they are typically inherently outdoors and used under full daylight. IR type systems do not work in full sunlight as the sun emits IR energy that is much stronger than the assistive listening system emitter panels can produce. These venues can only use an RF based (FM or Induction Loop) transmitter system. Just as with the adjacent classrooms, adjacent outdoor venues must be designed to operate on different channels.

In schools where multi-lingual events occur, a multi-channel IR or FM Assistive Listening System can be utilized and interpreters can relay the program to the foreign language listeners.

The retrofitting of an entire campus or school district with a quality Assistive Listening System can be a complex project that will require careful integration of the equipment with the existing systems. Each room will undoubtedly have unique issues with the proper placement of equipment, storage and charging facilities, and in the case of RF based systems – frequency coordination. Additionally, the training of staff regarding the proper use and maintenance of the equipment will have to be a part of the project specifications. A professional independent AV Consultant can provide an objective systems design and product specification that can be equitably bid and installed by the successful contractor, and can provide project administration that will assure the school that their funds are responsibly applied.

Assessing the NEA Budget in Perspective by Brian Seitel

2011-02-10T05:35:26.000Z

Theater in the Raw

2011-02-09T13:00:00.000Z

In my last blog post, I suggested that what might have addressed some of the problems faced by both the initial production of Tony Kushner’s The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures (affectionately known as iHo) and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is a new culture of openness: inviting, allowing, and expecting audiences to engage with work before its finished and polished. Such transparency would help us learn about the plays we’re developing by watching how audiences experience them; they would also build loyalty among audience members, I believe, because we’d be involving them in our work’s evolution.

The traditional model for new play development doesn’t easily allow for that sort of engagement model. Oh, it supposedly does: that’s why we have previews, after all. In my experience, however, previews are usually only previews in name only. The tickets are a bit cheaper, and the performances may not be fully realized, and the play’s technical elements may be a bit unresolved here and there, and there may even be minor script changes… but all of that doesn’t really amount to much in practice, at least not often. The last preview performance and the first performance of a run are about as similar as they can be… for good reason: they are only, at most, a few days apart. If we want to be open, we need to push ourselves further.

How, then, can we expose audiences to what I’ll call theater in the raw? How can we share with them a story still in development, a set unfinished, costumes imperfect, and performances roughed-in? And how do we do that, furthermore, without ignoring practical realities? I would like to suggest one option: putting previews BEFORE rehearsal, rather than the other way around. Allow me to explain.

The Taffety Punk Theatre Company in DC (full disclosure – I am the company’s resident playwright) has a several year-old tradition of putting on what it calls “bootleg” productions: usually Shakespeare, but also (beginning with a play of mine last month) contemporary work. Actors show up for rehearsal at 10 am having memorized their lines on their own. They block the entire play from 10-3, taking a quick break for lunch; do a run-through from about 3-5, then get notes, all while various designers are arranging a few simple costumes and props and lights and sounds; and the production goes up at 8 pm. Actors occasionally call for lines – the stage manager stays on book – and there are one or two stumbles… but the audience knows to expect them, and nobody really cares, because the story gets told.

So… what if this was how the production process began? What if we paid actors for their time memorizing lines – that’s the first week of rehearsal – did a bootleg (or two or three), then spent two or three more weeks evolving the script and the artistic decisions that were made that first day? While we worked, the word of mouth from those who bought tickets to the bootleg shows – assuming they showed promise – would be helping to sell tickets. Heck, we might even sell tickets to some people who come to the bootleg and end up wanting to see a more realized production, too?

The difficulty, of course, would fall on playwrights and directors and actors to enter the process willing to discover things during the bootleg that might require significant course-correction during the ensuing two to three weeks. Better than having the need for such changes reveal themselves during “previews,” though, right? A mere few days before opening? With no time to make significant adjustments? Speaking as a playwright, I’d take two or three weeks over two or three days every time.

A Moment of Audio Nostalgia...

2011-02-08T12:00:00.000Z

During the tech of one of our last shows, a guest designer and I were discussing the computer playback system ASF owns and bemoaning that my budget doesn't have enough leeway to upgrade or replace it, since in the way of programming the software is out of date.

One of my operators (who is only a few years my junior) popped off that at least we were computerized and not having to deal with CD or MiniDisc. This led to me to my own tirade about when I was an engineer and my first shows as an operator (and my first collegiate designs) were on reel-reel tape.

Audio playback has evolved drastically in the last 15 years, reflective in how quickly media has changed. When I began pursing audio training in earnest in the mid 1990's, I had no idea how much would change in the first 5 years, never mind between then and now. The first show I ran was a small musical. I ran 6 or 7 VHF wireless mics in an enclosed booth with the window open for an attempt at mixing vocals. Playback was split between two 4-track reel to reels, a cassette deck, and CD player. I had signed on for the show as a favor to a friend, and had no idea what I was doing, never had used a sound board, had a crash course figuring out what I was doing during tech. The show was a miserable experience. And I was hooked. The next year I was designing sound, and in the summers, I shifted from working summer stock in stage management to audio.

When I look back at my first days of engineering and operating sound, I loved the challenge of big shows with lots of cues. I enjoyed the fast pace of battle or storm scenes, figuring out where my fingers had to go, how to reassign channels, set levels and pans on the channels in the right order and in time for the next cue on appropriate the deck, if that deck was a reel-reel player, cassette deck, a MiniDisc, a DAT, or a CD player. I had mixed feelings when the reel-reel decks made way for DAT players and MiniDisc decks. When the company I engineered for looked towards converting to SFX and operation becoming a "go" button, I argued with my boss and the designer about taking away from the operation. It was, of course, an argument I lost based on the design advantages, not to mention that many of my fellow operators weren't into (or up for) the challenge of big sequences. Operation lost any challenge or excitement for me, leaving the only artistry as an operator in engineer the live mix.

Now that my focus has become design (a path I didn't originally plan or expect) I'm on the other side of the equation...

Basic Stage Manager Tools - Office Supplies & Extras

2011-02-07T17:00:00.000Z

Continuing my series on Stage Managing, I'll wrap it here after writing on Stage Managing 101, Basic SM Duties, Basic SM Tools - Clothes, and Basic SM Tools - Fix-It Shop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In your handy-dandy rolling briefcase, you will have a myriad of tools both traditional "fix-it" type tools as well as a plethora of office supplies.

Note: The "rolling" briefcase is to save your back. You can carry a bag, but during the rehearsal process, you will find yourself responsible for toting more and more items. Once you're in the theatre, enjoying the run of the show, you may not need a large bag because you should be able to keep everything you need at the theatre.

Office Supplies:

If you have a desk at home, look around at what you have and just assume you’ll need all of that (and then some) to Stage Manage.

Stopwatch

The single most important item a Stage Manager must have at all times is a stopwatch. While there are times the script will be left at the SM booth or at the rehearsal site, the SM stopwatch should be on the SM's person at all times from arriving at rehearsal (if not earlier) to the end of rehearsal or the performance.
The SM calls the beginnings and ends of all rehearsals and breaks. The backstage calls for "half hour," "15," and "places" all come from the SM's stopwatch. The ASM, and anyone who works on the show based on the time, should match their watches to the SM's. It is highly unprofessional for an ASM or stagehand to contradict an SM over the headset, arguing about what time it is (i.e., a minute early or late, etc.). Better to synchronize watches by the SM stopwatch beforehand.

Binder (with zipper)

Known as "The Bible," the Stage Manager's script is the most important item to the show overall. Everything that happens in rehearsal as well as on stage, backstage, and in the tech booth begins and ends with the the Bible.
I prefer a binder with a zipper which range in price on the low-end around $20 upwards to the hundreds of dollars (if covered with luxury animal skin). As you go through the rehearsal process, you will want your most needed items at your fingertips: script, personal pencils and pens, sticky notes, hi-liters, etc. Using a zip binder keeps your mobile office together and easily portable.

Permanent Markers

Using a marker, tag everything that is yours as “STAGE MANAGER.” Don’t use your name. The title should put enough fear into people’s hearts to ensure they bring your stuff back. If possible, have the actor bring their book, prop, or whatever needs minor surgery to you and let them sit down and take care of it so they don’t wander off with your tools.
If you’re paying for your own supplies (i.e., the Producer doesn’t reimburse you for expenses), get your SM supplies whenever you can. The best time to buy them is August and September when many stores offer “back to school” savings. If you’re not going to SM until March, you might want to jump on the school supply band wagon.

#2 pencils

Leave a handful on the Director’s table that the actors can come up and use whenever they need to or if they break the tip of their current pencil. This allows blocking rehearsals to keep moving rather than stopping while the actor re-sharpens.

NON-electric sharpener

Sure it takes longer, but you don’t want to see the veins pop out on the Director’s forehead because his rehearsal was rudely interrupted by the WHIRZZZZZZ of an electric pencil sharpener.
Sharpening pencils outside of rehearsal is a great job for the ASM, a P.A., or other type of intern. (For that, an electric sharpener is okay.)

Hi-liters

You may want to use hi-liters to color-block your notes or your script for easy reference. For instance, yellow for "warning" calls and green for "go" calls. Or color prop cues "purple," or cues based on the backstage ASM's confirmation of a quick costume change in pink, or unusual cues in orange, etc.
Some SM's may not want to hi-lite anything. More power to them. As a left and right-brained person, I like the visual reminders of my logical duties.

Sticky Notes & Sticky Tabs

Sticky notes are great for quick messages for actors or even sliding a note, "Break?" to a director. Along with the color-coding of the hi-liters, you may want to color-code sticky notes for reminders and notes to others or yourself. Sticky tabs can be used to subdivide the script into scenes or songs (if a musical or opera).
Actors may also need your sticky notes of sticky tabs, but make sure to keep your personal supplies needed for your job separate from the supplies you make available to the actors.

Sewing kit

For quick fixes during the rehearsal process or when the Wardrobe Mistress isn't required at rehearsal. But remember SMs: You are merely providing the sewing kit. It is NOT your job to actually repair their clothes, costumes or personal props.

Other items you might want to have include liquid paper ("white out"), notebook paper, paper for signs, etc. The reports and official forms you need to have depend on the kind of show you're doing. You may want to post a rehearsal schedule by month, week, or day. You may need to have a sign-in/out sheet. As an Equity SM, you'll get all your official report forms from Equity.

Extras

While everyone else gets their allotted breaks, often time the SM is taking care of problems during "breaks." In a way, your job is to take care of everyone else, to make sure they have what they need and ensure things happen on time. But almost no one thinks to make sure you have what you need. Take care of yourself by having a stash of water (NOT caffienated drinks), protein-rich snacks, and fresh fruit. And be sure to write STAGE MANAGER on your water bottles.

You may also want to have on hand some items for the cast and crew that are hopefully provided by the producer: breathsavers, hand sanitizer, Tums, and mild pain reliever.

NOTE:

Cough drops and mints can cause a surge of acid reflux as well as irritate the mouth and throat. Throat spray is also bad because it numbs pain giving the vocalist a false sense of usability which can cause further damage to the larynx and vocal folds.
For a mild pain reliever, have acetametaphine or naproxen available in the First Aid kit. Do NOT give out aspirin or ibuprofen as they are known to cause problems with the voice due to their blood-thinning properties (this goes for actors AND singers).
Separate your personal supplies from the grab-all bits for the cast or crew. The actors especially will be attracted to items that are shiny and colorful.

Dear Actors - TOUGH LOVE:

The Stage Manager is responsible for the running of the show. The Stage Manager is NOT:

your mama
your babysitter
your personal vending machine
your doctor or pharmacist

If you need snacks to tide you over till a food break, or candies to keep your blood sugar stable, or regularly need Tums or a pain reliever, THEN YOU BRING THEM. Anyone who asks the Stage Manager for any of the above items is an unprepared greenhorn who is disrespecting the role the Stage Manager plays in realizing the Director's vision and the Producer's investment. Bring your OWN snacks and medications.

trish

Being Belarus Free Theatre

2011-02-06T09:36:52.000Z

[originally posted at www.culturalweekly.com]

As we watch the live feed from Cairo’s Tahrir Square, I am brought back to similar scenes last December, as the capital of Belarus erupted in protests against a presidential election that international observers said was falsified. Over 1000 people were beaten and thrown into jail. Among them were members of the Belarus Free Theatre, a theatre that began in 2005 during the second term of President Alexander Lukashenko as a way to protest the oppression and censorship of his Presidency.

Theatre producer Natalia Kolyada, her husband, playwright Nikolai Khalezin, and other members of the company staged their performances in secret to evade the state police. The Belarus Free Theatre was founded to give voice to non-government sanctioned playwrights, to reflect the modern day truths of Belarus and to connect with the international community through sharing contemporary Belarusian theatre. As a result they have been supported by such prominent figures as the late Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg, Ian McKellen, Vaclav Havel and Mick Jagger.

The Belarus Free Theatre is a “project” which will be ended when the situation in Belarus changes from dictatorial regime to democracy (as they say on their website). Having fled the country the theatre members arrived in NYC, where they performed at Under The Radar Festival. As a result of this action, and the voice they have been giving to their disappeared colleagues and friends as well as the current situation in their country, return would likely guarantee them a 15-year imprisonment.

Currently they are being given time to assess the situation by having been offered performance opportunities in Chicago through the end of February. Their next steps are unsure, but what is sure is that this is a group of some of the most courageous artists in the world who love their country so deeply they have risked everything to save it from oppression. This love has left them without a home, albeit with a growing concern and involvement from the international community. It would be hard to separate the fact of their very public cry in New York, their meetings with Hillary Clinton, and the rallying of the international theatre community behind them, from the decision of last week for the US to put sanctions and restrictions on Belarus.

“Being artists, we have a hunger to produce and perform again, but we also have a duty to speak for our country,” Ms. Kolyada said in the New York Times. “As moral people, we need to scream, and we appeal to artists, governments and people of good will all over the world to join us and scream on our behalf.”

I’m the Artistic Director of The Global Theatre Project, and I feel compelled to join the hundreds of artists in this country and abroad who are raising awareness for the Belarus Free Theatre. So we are holding a benefit to support them on February – you can reserve a ticket here. The event will begin with a few words from Amnesty International about the situation in Belarus and what can be done, and be followed by a staged reading of Being Harold Pinter with a cast headed by James Cromwell and Ed Harris with a reception following.

As an American I will never personally know the “scream” Natalia and her company members express through their work. I recognize that, no matter how difficult we feel our position as artists in this country is, the freedom to express ourselves without fear of retaliation also defines the texture of our work.

So what is the “scream” I feel as an artist and an American? For me it is a clear obligation: to be as insistent and courageous as the members of the Belarus Free Theatre in the creation of my work, to participate in shifting the conversation in this country to a more informed definition of the value of art and to assure that my work expands its impact deep into the heart of the communities worldwide.

The situation in Belarus is a horrendous one. As we engage with the Belarus Free Theatre, the conversation which should be explored must not stop at bringing awareness to the circumstances, which are atrocious, but expand to an exploration of how did these circumstances arise in the first place? How did a small band of performers find themselves on the world stage and in self-imposed exile from a country that feels threatened by their work?

My simple response is because art has power.

We have been complacent in this country with regards to our relationship to our art and culture. We have accepted the arts being delegated to a corner of our national conversation and pulled out only at times when there is a threat to the NEA or a need to defend the work of individual artists from social attack. We have no idea how strong our voices are as a collective group or who our community allies are because we, generally, have a tendency to feel isolated and separated as “artists” with no “power” or because we don’t, frankly, have enough knowledge and respect for the communities in which we do our work.

This brings me to the center of my personal work and that of The Global Theatre Project. Which is community engagement. As we move forward into a world that is shrinking and becoming more volatile facing economic challenges and power shifts, what artists offer their communities becomes even more essential. But the work cannot be created from the position of “my work”.. “my art”.. There must be a “we” embracing artist and community for the process of creation and sharing. Theatre has the opportunity, right now, to become even more relevant in an age where technology brings us together even as it diminishing our capacity for true intimacy. Theatre’s relevance depends on engaging and involving that community in the creative process. I am not talking about the old definition of community theatre; I am talking about community engagement.. Asking more of our audiences and giving more to them.

I can only feel connected to the Belarus Free Theatre, and to the protesters in Egypt, when I allow myself to feel a connection to the community we share at this exact moment. Then I can “scream” in my way, as we join together to support human dignity.

Stopping the Moon, or Non-engineering Engineers

2011-02-04T12:00:00.000Z

The last two weeks we’ve looked at the physics involved in moving, stopping, and holding in place a fairly large scenic platform. Last week, I mentioned in the comments that a good friend of mine, Rod, who works as a civilian engineer for the army, had some things to say about last week’s post (you can see his comment here). He raises important considerations that I thought were worth examining, and we’ll take a look at them, below.

Before I do, though, Rod’s comments raise a more important, general issue: a technical director, in many situations, has to be an engineer without being an engineer. To do this effectively and safely requires a delicate balancing act, and a willingness to admit that you don’t know all of the answers.

Certainly, to have to admit, “I don’t know,” makes me very nervous—as it should any technical director. However, I firmly believe that being able to recognize when I don’t know something actually makes me a more competent and stronger technical director: I need to know what I don’t know, and either get that information, find someone who does know it, or otherwise account for it to keep people safe.

For the most part, I see two types of students in my classes: the first are those who rely on past practices and experiences, and eschew any quantitative analysis of structures, mechanisms, or even scheduling. As one might expect, often these students either overbuild a unit, spending more money than they need to, or underbuild it, requiring them to go back and add supports or gear trains or whatever. The second type of student I see tends to be the exact opposite: once they’re introduced to calculations and formulae to generate a reasonably accurate quantitative analysis of a phenomenon, they get a little heady with their own—relatively limited—knowledge, and believe they know everything they need to know, and have considered every angle.

Of course, the perspectives of both of those types of students do our true engineering colleagues a major disservice, by either devaluing the importance of what they do day in and day out, or by devaluing the amount of study and knowledge is required to do what they do. However much we as technical direction students (make no mistake, I’m still learning and still consider myself a student) learn about applied engineering practices, we’ll never be engineers.

Much of what we do in theatre—as Erich Friend will attest, I’ve no doubt—is inherently dangerous. As I say to my students in many of my classes: what we do sometimes has the very real potential to kill or maim someone. Being able to make analyses of the static forces in a structure or the forces required to overcome friction absolutely sheds light on some of the dangers involved in a particular unit or situation. However, we have to recognize that those calculations give us only a small picture of all of the things going on in that unit, and all of the potential dangers.

If we only know a little bit about what’s going on, what do we do? I tell my students—and this is my personal practice—be conservative. If you anticipate, based on what you’ve been told by the director and seen in rehearsal, that five actors will be on a platform, plan for more. If you anticipate they’ll be doing some dancing, plan for a knock-down, drag-out fight. By planning for the worst-case scenario, you provide some headroom in your design for the unexpected to happen, as well as to account for things you can’t quantify.

Of course, there’s a finite limit to how effective this can be: at a certain point, no amount of over-estimation will account for everything. This is the point when you seek more knowledgeable and experienced colleagues. Unfortunately, there’s no hard-and-fast rule for when to look for more help; for myself (and what I encourage my students to consider), if I have any doubt at all—even a slight tickle in the gut—I ask for another set of eyes. It can’t hurt, and it can only help.

Back to the moon platform, and Rod’s comments. Essentially, Rod raises three things to consider:

Our friction calculations assume that all of the weight of the deck is carried by the rubber feet when the pneumatic cylinders are extended; if we don’t lift the full weight of the platform—and consequently raise the platform off the floor—that won’t be the case.
Proper placement of the pneumatic cylinders will allow us to increase the overall pressure in the system, and consequently the force with which the rubber feet are pushed into the deck.
The dynamic motion of the actors on the platform may give rise to oscillating air pressure and pressure spikes in the pneumatic system.

Of course, in all three cases he’s absolutely correct.

From the beginning of this project we’ve planned to mount the pneumatic cylinders such that when they are fully extended, they will just barely lift the platform off the deck—only as much as about 1/8”, at the most. I should have made that much clearer in last week’s post. Unfortunately, by not making that clearer—for you or for me—I neglected to remember this fact when demonstrating the total pressure considerations. As Rod points out, if the cylinder can extend far enough so that the feet are just barely lower than the casters, no amount of pressure in the system will lift the platform any further. Consequently, we can achieve a higher pressure in the system, and a higher amount of applied force between the rubber feet and the deck.

Given that, if we roughly double the amount of pressure—to, say, 100 psi—we’ll now see a force delivered by each foot of 4.9in² x 100psi, or 490 pounds. With four feet, we’ll be delivering a total downward force of 1,960 pounds. When we run this through our equations for determining the force required to overcome static friction (F_f=uF_N), we get a total lateral force required of about 1600 pounds.

In other words, once we put to rest Rod’s first to considerations, we can see that we shouldn’t have any concerns that actors bouncing around on top of this thing will cause it to shift from side to side.

That is, of course, provided the air pressure remains constant, which is Rod’s third point. This is one of those cases where I don’t have the training to analyze the kinds of dynamic forces and fluid compression considerations Rod raises as valid concerns. Consequently, I can’t quantify the effect those forces will have on the pneumatic system and its ability to hold the platform in place.

However, I can anticipate what the worst might be and plan for that. For starters, keeping the air pressure below the maximum capacity of our fittings protects the system and the components from explosive failure due to pressure spikes introduced by any jumping motion on top of the wagon. Additionally, by mounting the cylinders so that they extend only a fraction of an inch beyond the casters means the total volume change we can expect if compression occurs is small: 1/8” x the total area of all four cylinders (19.6 in²), or about 2.5 in³. The total volume of air in our system when the rubber feet are down is approximately 764 in³; consequently, because the volume change is relatively small if all four feet are compressed by the action on top of the platform (764 in³ to 760 in³), the pressure spike in the system will be small, according to Boyle’s law:

P₁V₁=P₂V₂

where P₁ is the initial pressure, in psi

V₁ is the initial volume, in in3

P₂ is the final pressure, in psi

V₂ is the final volume, in in3

If we substitute 764 in³ for V₁, 760 in³ for V₂, and 100 psi for P₁, we can find P₂: 100.5 psi. This is still well below our capacity of 150 psi; additionally, because we’re venting to air as we extend and retract the cylinders during the performance, our total air pressure will drop over the course of each performance—we’ll find ourselves with even more headroom in air pressure.

This doesn’t address Rod’s question about oscillations in air pressure, and the possibility that, at least momentarily, the air pressure in the system will drop below that required to hold the platform in place. I think that we’ve left room for that possibility as well: if you look carefully at the analysis, we calculated for the worst-case lateral motion, which is nearly impossible for someone to impart. In order for the actors to generate pressure oscillations, they’ll need to be jumping more up and down and less side-to-side—and imparting significantly less lateral force in the bargain, which means they wagon will be less inclined to want to move side to side. We also know, based on discussions with the director, that while there will be dancing on top of the unit, it won’ t be mosh-pit-style movement; we have a very safe expectation that the quick, jerking, full-body-weight motion we’ve described is a worst-case scenario is very unlikely to actually occur. That’s the reason we calculated for that scenario: this gives us some “headroom” in our estimates that allows for things we can’t really predict or calculate.

All of which is a long way of pointing out that we’ve tried, in our overall design of the wagon (some of which I’ve glossed over in previous posts, mostly for time and clarity) to take into account all of the things we can know, and to allow room to accommodate for the things we don’t know. Rod’s question about oscillating air pressure certainly bore examination—and I encourage anyone out there who does know the mathematics involved in an analysis of that type to show us how it’s done!—but I’m confident that the steps we’ve taken to over-estimate the forces we can analyze leaves us with a robust-enough design to accommodate this phenomenon.

(It’s probably not relevant, but I want to give Rod a shout-out: we’ve known each other for a long time, and don’t always—well, rarely, actually—see eye-to-eye on a whole variety of topics. That’s one of the reasons I value his perspective so much: our debates always challenge me to think deeper and more fully about any topic—including this one. I’m fortunate to have friends who do that for me.)

Next week: Pics of the system, and pics of actors on the moon for the first time in rehearsal.

Advocacy for the Arts – Do it now, or stand in a bread line later

2011-02-03T13:00:00.000Z

Recent announcements for the government to down-size and slash budgets on both a National and State level have had a chilling effect on the arts community. Plans to kill departments like the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) fly in the face of logic when the other announced goal is to improve the quality of education and better prepare a workforce that is competitive on an international scale.

Although most of us acknowledge that government spending must be curtailed to some degree, it is the careful selection of WHERE those cuts are going to come from that will be of the greatest concern. You can affect this outcome. It is in your (that’s YOU, personally) best interest to do so, or you may well be out of a job.

One of the most difficult tasks is in arts advocacy is getting people off their duff and to take action. Yes, you can fire-off a few e-mails to your elected officials, and you might even call (their receptionist – did you really think you were going to get-through to ‘the big cheese’?) on the phone. Please do. But there is more you can do. Much more. And you have to get others to do it, too. We need an outpouring of outrage, not a trickle of tears.

How do you make that happen? Know your script, present it eloquently. I can’t help much with the ‘eloquence’, that’s your job as the playwright, director, and presenter; however, I can help with the script. Below are some great resources to call upon to help you, and others, better understand the ultimate impact that the arts have on society.

Balance your arguments so that the audience gets both the big picture and feels the pain of your local situation. Arts funding, as you will learn and teach, affects not just humanity’s soul, but also impacts learning skills, job performance, work opportunities, and community cash flow. Discuss the broader economic impact that most people don’t ‘get’: Let them know about all of the jobs that are either directly in the arts community, or are peripherally affected by the arts.

If you school or community is planning a new theatre or looking at renovating an existing one, there are many people involved:

Architects, Engineers, Consultants, Interior Designers, & Landscape Designers.
- They employ or use draftsmen, secretaries, and printers.
- They rent office space, buy computers & office furniture.
- The buy / rent houses, food, cars, clothes, insurance, and entertainment.
Contractors / Builders / Installers
- They employ or use draftsmen, secretaries, and printers.
- They rent office space, buy computers & office furniture.
- The buy / rent houses, food, cars, clothes, insurance, and entertainment.
Material Suppliers & Manufacturers
- They employ or use draftsmen, secretaries, and printers.
- They rent office space, buy computers & office furniture.
- The buy / rent houses, food, cars, clothes, insurance, and entertainment.
Product Manufacturers
- They employ or use engineers, draftsmen, secretaries, circuit board assemblers, metalworkers, plastic molders, and printers.
- They have both office space and manufacturing & warehouse space, they buy computers, machinery & office furniture. They use shippers to move their goods across the globe.
- The buy / rent houses, food, cars, clothes, insurance, and entertainment.

Do you see a pattern here? They are all part of the economy! A single venue being constructed or refurbished provides hundreds, maybe thousands, with jobs.

The same is true for Schools, Theatre Troupes, Dance Companies, Art Studios Recording Studios, Music Stores, and Movie Theaters.

The Entertainment Industry directly employs hundreds of thousands of people (just look at the credits for a movie to see evidence of this), and millions, if you include all of the jobs that serve the industry. Take a moment to look around and explain this to those in a position of fiscal power.

How might a high school theatre program affect the future career of a student? Being an actor may not seem to be a good career choice for some, but that isn’t the only outcome of getting a student interested in the performing arts. Someone has to engineer, build, sell, install, and service the thousands of parts that are a vital component of a play, video, or music production. This involves truck drivers, machinists, computer programmers, artists, marketing experts, accountants, and a wide variety of managers, supervisors, and company leaders. Many of these skills require a college level education in a wide range of disciplines:

Architecture, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Physics.
Math (lots of math!), Computer Science (what job doesn’t need this at some level?).
History (lest we repeat or mistakes).
Humanities (Art! Music! Dance! Theatre! Broadcasting! Cinema! Writing!)

And yes,

They employ or use draftsmen / graphics artists, secretaries, and printers.
They rent office space, buy computers & office furniture.
The buy / rent houses, food, cars, clothes, insurance, and entertainment.

Still not see the pattern? Then take a number for better service in the unemployment line — it’ll be a long wait when they down-size that department, too.

Arts Advocacy Resources:

California Educational Theatre Association - www.cetoweb.org/ceta_pages/adv.html
And in particular, they have a well researched Position Paper that you can download at: www.cetoweb.org/pdf/CETABrochure_web.pdf
Arts Education Partnership – www.aep-arts.org
And in particular, they have a paper entitled: Making a Case for the Arts: How and Why the Arts are Critical to Student Achievement and Better Schools that can be downloaded at: www.aep-arts.org/publications/info.htm?publication_id=25
California Alliance for Arts Education - www.artsed411.org which has an extensive list of resources to use.
National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices - The Impact of Arts Education on Workforce Preparation can be downloaded from: www.nga.org/cda/files/050102ARTSED.pdf
Nuturing Young People’s Creativity (International Youth Foundation ‘Field Notes’ January 2009) http://zunia.org/uploads/media/knowledge/FieldNotes_Creativity1262150933.pdf
A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel Pink - www.danpink.com/whole-new-mind
Theatre Communications Group (TCG) – www.tcg.org – top of page “Advocacy” tab
Americans for the Arts – www.artsusa.org – top of page “Advocacy” tab & "Get Involved" tab
Americans for the Arts – www.americansforthearts.org/
Arts Advocacy Toolkit for K-12 Education – www.californiaartstoolkit.com
The Value of the Arts to the Community and Education by AnnRene Joseph – www.marthalakecov.org/~building/strategies/arts/joseph.htm
Polk Arts Alliance – www.polkarts.org/advocacy/
Incredible Art Studio – www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/artedu.html
Arts In Education – www.artsinedu.com/advocacyindex.htm
National Performing Arts Convention – www.performingartsconvention.org/advocacy/id=28

To paraphrase the late President Kennedy:
"Ask not what the arts can do for you – ask what can I do for the arts?"

SERAPID Stage Lift at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach

2011-02-02T19:48:52.000Z

The recent opening of the New World Center in Miami Beach, is home to the New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy. The building is designed by Frank Gehry and Partners and features a stage lift utilizing SERAPID LinkLift Lifting Columns.

The New World Symphony fellowship program is for graduates of distinguished music programs providing them the opportunity for leadership positions in orchestras and ensembles across the globe.

The Stage Lift features Four SERAPID LinkLift Lifting columns travelling 16’-3”. Because of the travel distance, coupled with the dynamic capacity, the SERAPID Lift is the only lift in the space that is utilized for both performances and load-in/load-out purposes.

SERAPID LinkLift columns feature square links that work like building blocks to form a tower stack. The shape and locking technique make it capable of extra-high rigidity and strength.

SERAPID is a leader in stage, orchestra and piano lifts. Their LinkLift lifting columns are installed in theaters, show venues and concert halls all over the world.

For more information, contact SERAPID at 800-663-4154 or on the web: www.serapid.us.

Unfinished (Show) Business

2011-02-02T13:00:00.000Z

In recent weeks, much has been made of the fact that the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have been charging what some are calling unforgivable sums to see previews of a multi-million dollar spectacle that still seems as if it has more than a few demons to wrestle with. Everyone knows by now about the acrobatics that have proven to be tragically dangerous. According to several commentators, furthermore, the story’s still a hopelessly jumbled mess. How dare they expect people to pay big bucks for a show that’s in such a shambles?

Rather than wade directly into what have proven to be somewhat heated discussions on the subject, however, I’d like to approach it from a slightly different angle.

In 2009, my wife and I managed to catch a performance of what has begun to be affectionately referred to as iHo: The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, the newest Tony Kushner opus. We’re both unabashed fans of his entire oeuvre, and we felt (on arriving at the theater) as if we might be about to witness the birth of the next Great American Play.

That’s probably because we hadn’t heard any of the scuttlebutt about the production before we arrived. Stories about the playwright feverishly delivering new scenes hours before curtain, re-writing and re-writing trying to make things work: the sort of classic images that bring Moss Hart’s Act One immediately to mind. By the time the 3.5-hour show was on its feet, I understand, even Kushner had begun referring to it as a workshop production.

My wife and I didn’t need even one of those hours to agree with him. What we experienced was nothing short of a big hot mess. It was full of possibility, but very little of its potential had been realized. The problems, furthermore, were not part of the production: they lay in the script itself. Given that the play will now be going up at the Public Theater more than a year later, I can only assume they’ve been addressed; I hope to be able to see the show and find out for myself. He had, as far as I could tell, his work cut out for him.

Here’s the thing, though: never once did my wife or I resent the fact that Kushner had shared his work when it was still in such a bedraggled state. The man is an artist; he’s not a factory, churning out one play after another that works in the same mechanized perfect fashion. He has to be expected and allowed to fail. I want him to fail, in fact, if only because I assume he’ll learn from his failures and go on to do bigger and better things. I’ll even gladly buy tickets to watch him fail. His worst work is still more instructive and entertaining than others’ greatest efforts. He’s Tony Kushner, after all.

What I do have trouble with is the fact that the show was actually presented as a finished piece of work. Ticket prices were appropriately high. The scenic design was absolutely lavish. Everything about the experience contextualized the play as perfected, or at least as perfected as any piece of art ever gets. I wish that hadn’t been the case. I’d rather the Guthrie had charged me less, spent less on design, photocopied the programs, and (in sum) changed our expectations. I’d have enjoyed it a lot more.

Of course, the Guthrie almost certainly didn’t know the script was a problem until it was far too late to make such decisions. By the time any issues emerged, all they could probably do was soldier on and make the most of what they had… so I forgive them as well.

Which brings us back to Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. For some reason, it isn’t as easy for me to forgive in this instance. I think what I’m struggling with is the perception that the show seems to be more spectacle than story; more web-slinging than the intricate web of narrative. (No one would make a similar claim about iHo, which contains few if any of the more dream-inspired elements familiar to fans of Kushner from Angels in America.) The whole enterprise feels a bit hollow, if bejeweled: a pink plastic Easter egg, perhaps, when what is wanted is something more hard-boiled and nutritious. My inclination is to be more kind to theater that feeds us.

And yet… what the producers of Spider-Man have definitely done right is to call the show what it is: a run of previews. Nobody’s calling the musical finished, not by a long shot. They have more than another month, in fact, to rebuild the missing story and address the technical and safety issues. For that, if for nothing else, they deserve a pass… at least until opening night.

What might have helped both shows, however, is some sort of “in-between” option: a way to cast both iHo (in its original incarnation) and Spider-Man as workshop productions without diminishing the interest in both plays or conveying anything less than pride in a work that – so what? – is still in progress. What is wanted, really, is a culture of openness and transparency: a willingness to expose our work as it develops, rather than waiting for it to find its level, and a curiosity among audiences to engage with a story before a bow has been wrapped around it.

How to begin to arrive at such a state? I will save that consideration for my next blog post…

A Post from A Dark Theatre

2011-02-01T20:30:00.000Z

I write this blog on a break during a 10 out of 12. Originally I'd thought I'd write a post about the differences between designing for a published work, versus designing for a new work. But instead I'm finding the challanges of period music more on my mind.

My current project at ASF is a sound design for a "The Flag Maker of Market Street," a new play by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder. The play is set in Montgomery Alabama in 1860 in the months leading up to the Civil War. (Lincoln is about to be sworn in as president in the Northern states, Davis has taken office in the Southern.) As the title implies, the action is about the creation of the first flag of the Confederacy. At this place in history, Montgomery is really a small town, as much as it's wealthy inhabitants are trying to make it into a center of society. So what's the music?

One of my long standing professional challanges is that I'm not a composer. Outside of reading a vocal score to sing in a choir, or following a conductor score for a musical, and picking a few chords on a guitar, I have no musical training. (A blog for another day - recommendations for aspiring sound designers. #1 - take music classes including composition and computer music.) SO - original music is out.

The first pieces suggested by the playwright, as well as other pieces I pulled, were music pieces from the period - simple pieces that today that we'd call folk music. (Think Yankee Doodle non-spunky.) The reaction to several of our artistic staff is that the music was too country - that it should be classical to match the aspring society. The problem dramaturgically speaking is that classical music as we think of it isn't yet being performed on a civic level in much of the state. Only a handful of symphonies are in their early years in large industrial cities of the North. Never mind the problem that the music really needs to be "American."

So where do the modern ears meet the period music?

My first reaction was to treat the music as a cinematographic score, using modern instrumentations with melodies or thematics based on music from the period. After listening to a lot of music, I realized that wasn't right. This is not a memory piece - the characters in the play don't even know they will be going to war. Nor does that compliment the world the scene designer has created, or that the actors are living in. We are in the Market street store front that the flag is created in.

My next place was finding the classical pieces that were composed in the States - if not right at 1860 in the next few years, and letting the modern orchestration slide. The problem there were finding multiple pieces that fit the mood of the respective scenes the music transitions in/out of.

The compromise arrived in a combination of looking at earlier, colonial music, and simplified "classical." The closest type name is "parlor music" - a wide variety of tempos and themes, played on violin and piano, both instruments are crossovers between "folk" and "classical." Most of the pieces we are using are violin.

So far... a nice compromise. We'll see how our first audience reacts in a few days...

Basic Stage Manager Tools - Fix-It Shop

2011-01-31T16:00:00.000Z

To follow-up with "Stage Managing 101" and "Basic SM Duties," and "Basic SM Tools: Clothes," here is Part IV in my series:"Basic Stage Manager Tools - Fix-It Shop."

The tools required of the job of Stage Manager fall under the categories of both the “mechanical” type: hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, as well as more artsy “utensils”: scissors, markers, and colorful sticky notes. Though the SM doesn’t have to necessarily be a hands-on, “fix-it all” kind of person, the SM job does require a problem-solver mentality and the willingness to get his or her hands dirty from time to time. If you’re worried about your nails or your clothes, then being an SM is not for you.

Stage Manager Tools

Stage Manager Bag

If you’re serious about going into Stage Managing, invest in a quality, waterproof rolling briefcase. Just know ahead of time, it won’t stay pretty for long, so don’t fall in love with its exterior features. The briefcase is for the tools of the trade, your Bible (master script), various and sundry items listed below.

Hammer

Not just for venting frustration, a hammer is needed for a variety of reasons both at rehearsal and especially at the theatre.

Screwdrivers

The SM must be prepared for anything, so have different sizes and different kinds of screwdrivers in your bag. My favorite “screwdriver” was a gift — an 8-in-1 type of tool that has 4 sizes of flathead screwdrivers and 4 Phillips, with a flashlight in the center.

Flashlight

Having a big flashlight is always a great idea for the dark nether-regions of the backstage area or for under your table in the dark tech booth. But most stagehands prefer high-powered black flashlights that clip onto their belt.

Measuring Tape

Get a tape measure that extends at least 25 feet, but 50 or 100 feet is better. Most stages are at least 25 to 30 feet wide, if not wider, so it’s better to have a tape measure than can handle the job. If you’ve ever had to extend the tape as far as it goes, then, make a mark, and measure from that point to the end, you know the “measuring twice” adage isn’t the most convenient option.

Masking Tape

Masking Tape is good for labeling items for the production (chairs, tables, boxes, etc.) or your own supplies, writing in permanent marker over it.
- Example: Actors like repetition and may prefer to use a specific prop or representative set piece in rehearsal. When using homogenous items, like a folding chair, an actor may want to use the same chair every rehearsal. Put masking tape on the chair back and the actor’s character name in marker (“Hamlet”).

WARNING: Masking tape can take up paint and/or mess up finishes on floors. For marking the floor, use spike tape.

Spike Tape

The SM will mark out the stage perimeter on the rehearsal floor and any set elements such as door or window openings, stairs, etc. Use a permanent marker to indicate Act I (“I”) or Act II (“II”) markings, or even a specific scene, such as Act I, scene 2 (“I-2”).
The Director and/or the actor may ask the SM to spike where an actor needs to stand for a certain entrance or monologue. If you have various colors of spike tape, you can color-code your marks, otherwise, just write the Act-scene and/or the actor’s character name (“Hamlet III-2”)
If you cannot get spike tape in time, use painters tape until the spike tape arrives. But beware: Painters’ tape is not designed to stick for weeks at a time. It will want to come up as people walk across it. However, if left down for weeks, it will become sticky and is a mess to take up. Try to order your spike tape ahead of schedule.
Note: Spike Tape is NOT the same as duct tape.

Drill

This is optional, but modern drills are smaller and often lighter than what your father probably had in the garage. Get a battery-operated flexible drill. (You just never know what you’ll have to do as SM.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You'll notice that orange is my signature color, and even in my SM gigs, I carry that across. Since most people don't like orange, I find I am the only person with orange stuff at a rehearsal; therefore, if it's orange, it's mine. There is no confusing my things with other people's --- especially since I label all my tools and supplies as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Side Note:

To make sure no one ever wants to steal your tools, you might want to get everything you use in pink. I guarantee, most actors or certainly no stagehand will want to be caught with "manly" tools in a shade of pink .

Stay tuned for my next article on "Basic Stage Manager Tools: Office Supplies" which includes things the Stage Manager is NOT responsible for having, plus a special note, “Dear Actors,” under Tough Love.

· Stage Manager Bag

o If you’re serious about going into Stage Managing,
invest in a quality, waterproof rolling briefcase. Just know ahead of time, it
won’t stay pretty for long, so don’t fall in love with its exterior features.
The briefcase is for the tools of the trade, your Bible (master script),
various and sundry items listed below.

· Hammer

o Not just for venting frustration, a hammer is needed
for a variety of reasons both at rehearsal and especially at the theatre.

· Screwdrivers

o The SM must be prepared for anything, so have different
sizes and different kinds of screwdrivers in your bag. My favorite
“screwdriver” was a gift — an 8-in-1 type of tool that has 4 sizes of flathead
screwdrivers and 4 Phillips, with a flashlight in the center.

· Flashlight

o Having a big flashlight is always a great idea for the
dark nether-regions of the backstage area or for under your table in the dark
tech booth. But most stagehands prefer high-powered black flashlights that clip
onto their belt.

· Measuring Tape

o Get a tape measure that extends at least 25 feet, but
50 or 100 feet is better. Most stages are at least 25 to 30 feet wide, if not
wider, so it’s better to have a tape measure than can handle the job. If you’ve
ever had to extend the tape as far as it goes, then, make a mark, and measure
from that point to the end, you know the “measuring twice” adage isn’t the most
convenient option.

· Masking Tape

o Masking Tape is good for labeling items for the
production (chairs, tables, boxes, etc.) or your own supplies, writing in
permanent marker over it.

§ Example: Actors like repetition and may prefer to use a
specific prop or representative set piece in rehearsal. When using homogenous
items, like a folding chair, an actor may want to use the same chair every
rehearsal. Put masking tape on the chair back and the actor’s character
name in marker. (“Bob”)

o Warning: Masking tape can take up paint and/or mess up
finishes on floors. For marking the floor, use spike tape.

· Spike Tape

o The SM will mark out the stage perimeter on the
rehearsal floor and any set elements such as door or window openings, stairs,
etc. Use a permanent marker to indicate Act I (“I”) or Act II (“II”) markings,
or even a specific scene, such as Act I, scene 2 (“I-2”).

o The Director and/or the actor may ask the SM to spike
where an actor needs to stand for a certain entrance or monologue. If you have
various colors of spike tape, you can color-code your marks, otherwise, just
write the Act-scene and/or the actor’s character name (“Bob II-3”)

o If you cannot get spike tape in time, use painters tape
until the spike tape arrives. But beware: Painters’ tape is not designed to
stick for weeks at a time. It will want to come up as people walk across it.
However, if left down for weeks, it will become sticky and is a mess to take
up. Try to order your spike tape ahead of schedule.

o Note: Spike Tape is NOT the same as duct tape.

· Drill

This is optional, but modern drills are smaller and often lighter than what your father probably had in the garage. Get a battery-operated
flexible drill. (You just never know what you’ll have to do as SM.)

Fatal Familial Insomnia and Melanie Marnich's 'A Sleeping Country'

2011-01-30T06:00:00.000Z

A lot of people I talk to about A Sleeping Country ask if Fatal Familial Insomnia is a real disorder. They’re wondering if it actually exists, or if Marnich invented it for the play. I was able to find an article about FFI by Pierluigi Gambetti, MD. I found it at the Merck Pharmaceuticals website because if I were Julia and thought I had FFI, that is the first place I would look, especially since she’s been trying to take so many different medications to combat it.

“Fatal familial insomnia is a rare prion disease that interferes with sleep and leads to deterioration of mental and motor functions,” Gambetti writes. “Death occurs within a few months to a few years.” Fatal familial insomnia is inherited “due to a specific mutation in the PrP^c gene,” Gambetti says. But there is more than one type of fatal insomnia. According to Gambetti, fatal insomnia “can also occur spontaneously, without a genetic mutation. This form is called sporadic fatal insomnia.” Both types of this insomnia affect the thalamus, which is the part of the brain that influences sleep (Gambetti). “The disease usually begins between the ages of 40 and 60 but may begin in a person’s late 30s,” Gambetti says. It starts out with the patient possibly having “minor difficulties falling asleep and occasional muscle twitching, spasms, and stiffness.” Eventually, the patient can no longer sleep. “Occasionally, the sleep signs are difficult to detect,” Gambetti said. “Other changes include a rapid heart rate and dementia. Death usually occurs about 7 to 36 months after symptoms begin.” In order to receive a diagnosis of FFI, the patient should have the typical symptoms as well as a family history of the disease. Genetic testing can confirm this history. Gambetti ends the article by saying, “No treatment is available.”

So we can see why Julia is willing to travel all the way to Italy to find a sufferer of FFI who may be a relative: if there is no treatment for her insomnia and it will kill her, she needs to know. She tells her fiancée, “I have something that’s killing me and that’s not going away and not getting any better and it’s driving us both crazy. I’m sick of having it and I’m sick of bothering you with it. I’m sick of it all. […] I won’t do anything drastic. […] Until I go to Italy. To Venice. To the source. Who is currently Isabella Orsini. I just found her online. She’s sort of the home base for Fatal Familial Insomnia. ‘FFI’” (Marnich, A Sleeping Country, 25-26).

That FFI is a real disease is disturbing to me, but I’m glad Marnich is writing about something real rather than inventing something. True, there are some things in A Sleeping Country that are odd, such as the unorthodox psychiatrist Julia visits, but the fact that Marnich is actually writing about something real that could happen makes her play more credible. It tells me that she knows what she is doing, and that she will do research into things that happen in her work. It also tells me that she won’t sacrifice accuracy in order to tell a story. These are good methods to incorporate into my own researching and writing processes.

Gambetti, Pierluigi. “Fatal Familial Insomnia”. The Merck Manuals Online Medical

Library Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. January 2007. Web. October, 2010. <http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch090/ch090c.html>;

Marnich, Melanie. A Sleeping Country. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 2010.

Stopping the Moon, Part 2

2011-01-28T21:55:28.000Z

(My apologies for the lateness of this post: blame it on snow, ice, a preview, and a long drive!)

Last week, we looked at the physics of moving and stopping a large rolling platform. This week, as promised, I thought we’d take a look at keeping that platform in place when actors are doing the sort of unexpected, dynamic motion you might expect of them on top of it.

To recap: We have a wagon that weighs approximately 900# (last week’s post indicated the wagon was about 500#--unfortunately, I did not have my notes with me while writing the post, and I grossly underestimated the weight of the wagon). Potentially, we’ll have as many as ten people on top of the wagon, doing what they do, weighing, on average, 180#. (I generally find it safest to imagine them doing some kind of mosh-pit improv exercise.) We’ll be using pneumatic “feet” to hold the wagon in place. What we want to calculate is whether or not our pneumatic system can effectively hold the unit stationary while those actors are doing the hand jive on top.

Them’s the brakes

First, let’s examine the pneumatic system. We want to use four individual, rubber-soled feet attached to pneumatic cylinders with a 2 ½” bore. Ideally, to keep the unit stable, we’ll want to apply as much pressure with the cylinders as we can without actually lifting the unit off the ground. First, we should determine the air pressure required to apply a total of 900# of lifting force with the feet, using the formula:

F=PA

where F is the force applied by each cylinder (in this case ¼ of 900#, or 225#)

P is the air pressure

A is the area of the cylinder’s cap, πr², or 4.9in²

In this case, then, the air pressure required will be about 45.9 psi. As the parts of our system are rated for 150 psi, we know we can safely pressurize the system to this level.

Knowing that we can apply 900# of force using the brakes, we can determine how much lateral force would be required to overcome the friction between the brakes and the floor. (For now, we’ll consider the wagon with no actors on it.) As we saw last week, the force to overcome friction between two objects is a function of the normal force (in our case, the downward force applied by the pneumatic cylinders) and the coefficient of friction of the two materials. (Last week we used rolling friction, as we were talking about casters. In this case, we’re talking about static friction. For more on rolling, static, and kinetic friction, see the references below.) The coefficient of friction for a rubber object sliding across painted masonite is 0.8; the cylinders apply 900# of force; therefore to overcome the friction of the rubber-soled feet, we would need to apply 0.8x900, or 720, pounds of lateral force to the wagon.

Jump, jive and wail

Now, there’s still the impact of inertia to consider: 900# of material doesn’t necessarily want to accelerate easily. However, before the wagon will move, we’ll have to apply more than the 720 pounds of lateral force required to overcome the friction between the brakes and the floor.

Knowing this, we can begin to examine what kind of movement would be required on the part of the actors into the side of the wagon to deliver this amount of force. (Notice that we’re still not considering any actors on top of the wagon as yet.) Let’s say that the average 180 pound actor can jump straight up 1 ½ feet, and that it takes 1 second to jump up and return to the ground. (Thanks to one of our directing grads, Justine Muzay, for being my guinea pig for this measurement—and please know I’m reasonably certain she’s much slighter than our average 180# estimate!) Using the equations of constant acceleration, we can determine the rate at which she’s able to accelerate her body by jumping:

x=v₁(t)+1/2(a)(t²)

where t is the time over which acceleration happens, or half the total time of the move, 0.5 sec

x is the distance over which acceleration happens, or half the total distance of the move, 0.75 ft

v₁ is the initial velocity of the unit (in this case, standing still), 0 ft/sec

a is the acceleration, in ft/sec²

Substituting our known values reveals an acceleration of 6 ft/sec². Substituting this value into the equation to determine the force to accelerate a mass, we can determine the force our actor applies to the ground to achieve his or her jump:

F_a=ma

Where F_a is the force applied, expressed in pounds

m is the mass of the object, in slugs (180/32.2 or 5.59 slugs)

a is the acceleration of the object, in ft/sec² (6 ft/sec²)

Substitution reveals that our actor is able to apply about 33.5 pounds of force when jumping from a stationary, standing position.

Bodies in motion

For safety’s sake, let’s round up the amount of force an actor can apply to the wagon by jumping to 100#. (This provides a roughly 3:1 safety ratio over our average estimates, which seems wise.) Intuitively, we know that by jumping straight up, an actor will not impart any lateral force; by jumping perfectly horizontally, they’ll impart 100# of lateral force. Although no actor will ever be able to actually jump sidewise, we can use 100# as a very conservative estimate of the force imparted to the wagon by an actor moving about on top of it. In other words, we’ll estimate—conservatively—that one actor will be able to apply as much as 100# of lateral force to the wagon.

Given this conservative estimate, if there are seven actors on top of the wagon, and they all jump in the same direction at the same time, they’ll impart a maximum of 700# of lateral force—less than the 720# of lateral force required to overcome the friction between the feet and the floor. Although there may be as many as ten actors on the wagon at any time, it is unlikely they will all be jumping in exactly the same direction at exact same instant, that they will be jumping horizontally, and that they will be exerting the full amount of force they are capable of when they jump. Assuming that this last statement is a safe assumption to make, the pneumatic brakes we’ve designed should work just fine for our purposes.

References:

Hendrickson, Alan. Mechanical Design for the Stage. Chicago: Focal Press, 2008.

The Physics of Theatre Project at the University of Illinois

"BUNNICULA" PUPPET

2011-01-28T01:46:47.000Z

I am directing the children's musical BUNNICULA for Altoona Community Theatre (Altoona, PA) in March and am in need of the puppet that portrays the vampire rabbit ... anyone have any ideas where one can be rented?

Involving Design Professionals Early in the Project Process

2011-01-27T14:00:00.000Z

A Theatre Consultant's design fees are a small fraction of the project cost. Invest in someone's experience, knowledge, and abilities to help your project be as grand as your vision. Design it right from the outset and you will only have to upgrade equipment due to age and wear — not because of dysfunctional or unsafe concepts.

The Theatre Consulting industry is small, and we all compete for many of the same projects. However, we also realize that we must police our own ranks to keep collusion at bay, fees reasonable, and quality high. To that end, most legitimate independent theatre consultants work with high ethics and try to create a level playing field where bidding contractors may fairly compete. Furthermore, most of us will provide a potential client, if asked, a list of our competitor's from which they may also solicit proposals. We're all knowledgeable and can bring good value to a project. Each has unique ideas, personalities, and experience that differentiate us from each-other and the rest of the professional design industry.

Be reasonable about design fees:

As mentioned before, the elves and the fairies don't come in the night to make these systems magically appear. Someone has to design them, specify them, and make sure that they get installed correctly. That is the Theatre Consultant's job. The Theatre Consultant makes their living based upon billable hours for project work. You have employed someone that is continually re-educating themselves for your benefit. This is done via participation in industry trade expositions, conventions, and standards committees. This reduces the amount of time available for project work but must non-the-less be supported by the project fees.

Don't waste their time, and they can expend more effort on the actual tasks of designing your facilities' systems. Be prepared for meetings, be willing to read-up on the subject, and take the time to read the documents they have prepared for you.

You didn't hire them to teach you all they know — you hired them because what they know will make your project as good as it can be within your budget.

Fees are not typically a percentage of the systems costs.

A project takes many hours to complete, and the amount of time required is largely dependant upon the overall scope of the project, not how expensive the equipment is. Small sophisticated systems can take more time to design and administer than large simple ones. Therefore, design fees are not always proportionate to the equipment budget. Regardless of the size or complexity of the system, there will always be a minimum number of hours expended on programming, design, documentation, bid administration, shop drawing review, site visits, and owner training. You are paying for your consultant's expertise, respect them enough to understand that they know what is involved in the start-to-finish completion of a job of your scope and magnitude.

Involve them from the outset.

A good Theatre Consultant will help you through the critical programming phase by helping you to ask the right questions and find the right answers. As design development begins, a clear set of building and operational criteria will allow you to create a space that solves challenges and accommodates the technical productions systems. A good theatre is designed from the inside-out, not vice-versa. Don't make your technical systems designers force-fit something into an ill-conceived space. This places unnecessary compromises on the systems designs and drives costs upward with little or no benefit to the end-users. Even when you are renovating an existing space or converting / repurposing a ‘found space’, there can be many opportunities to take advantage of an easy fit, verses making difficult-to-implement design choices.

Don’t be afraid to divide the project into functional segments. It is very common to employ a consultant to program the facility or project, but not actually go into the finite design process. This is helpful for both the consultant and the owner, as it gives everyone involved a chance to discuss the project openly while not committing to any specific design concept. Ideally, by the end of the programming phase the project will have some specific goals, budgets, and design direction identified. This can help the consultant prepare a proposal for systems design services that accurately reflects the effort required to layout and document the systems identified in the programming phase.

This is particularly true for renovation projects – dividing the design work into an ‘Assessment Phase’ and then a “Design Phase’ can be very helpful. The Assessment Phase is very similar to the Programming Phase, and it adds the observation / measurement of the existing facility so that a baseline understanding of the building and/or equipment can be documented.

The Design Phase (sometimes called the CD or Construction Document Phase) should encompass the work all the way through the final construction (CA or Construction Administration) and systems commissioning. This includes:

Reviewing shop drawings for conformance with the original specifications and drawings.
Preparing responses for Requests For Information (RFI’s).
Job site observation trips to check that infrastructure is being properly constructed and installed.
Checking to see that the final installation is done properly and correctly adjusted.
Review the ‘As-Installed’ (or As-Built) drawings for completeness.
Review of Operations & Maintenance (O&M) manuals.

A Performing Arts building is a complex machine that must be properly operated and maintained, so it is also advisable to employ your consultant to train the staff about the many capabilities and functionality that has been designed into your new venue.

Play Readings as a Marketplace

2011-01-26T13:00:00.000Z

Every Labor Day weekend in DC, the Kennedy Center becomes the temporary home of a tremendous gathering of new plays. The Page-to-Stage Festival offers about 40 different local theater companies the opportunity to hold staged readings of work they're currently developing. It's a showcase for audiences, and audiences do come. They get to see work-in-progress, contribute to a discussion about its development, and get excited about the eventual full production to come... all for the price of a free ticket. By every measure, the event is a rousing success, year after year.

Of late, however, I've been daydreaming about a slightly different version of the same event: a weekend of readings held by playwrights and directors designed to interest theater companies in their work. The general public would still be invited -- naturally, so that local artistic directors could see how the work would play in front of live bodies -- and audience members would still have the same experience of encountering work-in-progress. The resulting weekend would serve as a kind of marketplace for new plays: a chance for playwrights to really strut their stuff, without having to work super-hard to convince the right people to come to a random reading on a random Monday night.

Assume for the moment that the Kennedy Center only has the ability to offer 40 slots in a long weekend. (Don't worry, though, Kennedy Center: we'll do this one on Memorial Day instead.) Those 40 slots could be doled out first-come, first-serve, or playwrights could enter a lottery for them. Playwrights would be responsible for finding their own directors and casts and putting in as much or as little rehearsal time as they wanted -- but that wouldn't be hard for us to do, would it? No advertising would be necessary, or ticketing, or renting a space -- it would all be handled by the festival.

In time, stories could be told about how such-and-such play was discovered by such-and-such literary manager at, say, the famous 2014 festival where such-and-such playwright made her debut. Or perhaps similar festivals could be held quarterly -- sort of like cattle-call auditions -- and become part of the regular way that theaters choose new plays... not only in DC, but around the country. Audiences would flock to the festivals, I'm sure of it -- and might even be willing to start paying for tickets -- if only for the reality-show element of wondering which plays are going to survive and advance. At least... that's how I imagine it.

My guess, though, is that theaters are going to continue to prefer the less-than-transparent ways in which plays are currently chosen... at least for the time being.

Protecting the NEA

2011-01-26T08:20:57.000Z

As the State of the Union address ends tonight I am heartened with the hope that we will find a leadership which works across party lines to manifest the best future for our country. However, I am concerned that the future the President mapped for us did not contain one mention of the arts or our culture.

The NEA is a necessary aspect of the economic life of this country. There is no argument against the fact that the arts are a major industry in our United States. According to Americans for the Arts, the nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion annually supplying 5.7 million full time jobs and $12.6 billion in federal income taxes

The currently leadership of the NEA, Rocco Landesman, knows and understands the value of the arts and is innovatively reaching out to other federal agencies to create collaborative projects and programs with economic impact and social value. The grants which the NEA provides are not frivolous. They provide infrastructure and ensure broad access to the arts for all individuals from rural classrooms to major symphonies.

It is, for me, a simple truth that a nation with out a mandate for support of its artists is a nation without a soul. The innovation which President Obama spoke of also applies to those of us in the arts industry. We represent a vital aspect of the future and the NEA is an unquestionable necessity to continue to see it realized.

Cutting the NEA is a long-time agenda which will not solve our fiscal crisis and which will only add to the financial burden on this country. Jobs will be lost, opportunities will fall. The nation’s future will be negatively impacted. We must rise above the concept that the arts are the enemy of a healthy economic system and accept the REALITY that support of the arts industry is aligned with the health of an economy. One need only look to our abandoned downtowns and neighborhoods, such as found in Los Angeles, which have been revitalized through growth of local businesses flourishing around a central pulse of the artists who built studios and theatres in abandoned buildings and structures. Where art thrives, the economy blossoms.

I spent 5 years in Florence, Italy. The mayor of that city, Matteo Renzi, looks to the United States and its relationship and support of the arts as it encourages economic growth as an example of what is possible for Florence. He recognizes that we have found a healthy balance in our cities and towns to support the arts industry and revitalize communities. He sees our model as the Florentine future.

There is no good argument for the elimination of the NEA. Not a social argument and, certainly and without any question, not an economic one.

I urge you to stand for the future of our country, and protect the NEA from any attacks on its survival.

The Global Theatre Project

Radio Show: "Auditioning for College" - Feb. 3 @ 11a EST / 10a CST

2011-01-26T01:23:22.000Z

"Musical Theatre Talk with Trish Causey" presents "Auditioning for College."

On Thursday, February 3rd, at 11 a.m. EST/10:00 a.m. CST, I will interview Halley Shefler, of Arts Edge, on the topic of "Auditioning for College." This show will be of interest to students going into the performing arts: drama, voice, band/orchestra, piano, guitar, dance, etc.

This show will be live and can be played in class via the teacher's computer/internet service. The students could even ask questions by calling in or typing them in the ChatRoom.

Please forward this notice to teachers who teach high school or private performing arts classes/lessons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUDITIONING FOR COLLEGE:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halley Shefler of Arts Edge offers advice on how to prep for that all-important college audition. High school students will definitely want to check out this interview (but don't cut class to do it {:-). Tune in Feb. 3 @ 11a EST / 10a CST.

Listen LIVE:

Online: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/musicaltheatretalk

Or Call: 347-237-5224

Ask questions via the chat room or call-in.

REPLAYS:

http://www.MusicalTheatretalk.com/

# # #

Chapter 4 of the Care and Feeding of Wireless Mics... Sweat Protection

2011-01-25T12:00:00.000Z

No matter how much time you've invested in setting up your wireless mic systems - planning layout, tuning frequencies, tweaking gain structure, EQing actors, never mind making your system sound good - it's all for not if you loose a mic mid performance due to a sweat out.

As mentioned in an earlier chapter, the two areas most susceptible to sweat are at the connection of the mic transmitter (or belt pack) and the lavaliere element, and the head of the lavaliere element that contains the mic itself. Most of the time, some medical tape and good placement are enough - but not always. Here are some low cost "sweat preventative" measures for the lavaliere itself.

Most lavaliere style elements come with a wind screen. The wind screen by itself is not a sweat prevention measure - in fact it can act like a sponge and draw sweat towards the mic element. A solution to this is treating the wind screen with light repeat coatings of spray starch or a fabric protector, like Scotch Guard. The key is to make sure the foam doesn't become so saturated that instead of a windscreen you end up with an egg shell. This can be pretty tricky, especially if you're using a micro-element and the windscreen is pretty small. Windscreens also add quite a bit of mass to the end of an element and increase visibility - not always the first choice.

If you're using a broad, flat element such as the Shure WL93, or any larger, rugged mic element, a light coating of spray starch can be applied directly to the element head, again making sure not to over saturate and get to hard a build up. This treatment may also have to be repeated if the starch wears off. I would NOT recommend this for a micro element - the starch is likely to do more damage than good.

An alternative to either of these is what my crew dubbed the "mic booty." This is a little more labor intensive, but is safe for micro elements and doesn't involve treating an element directly with chemicals. Instead, match a pair of nylons (pantyhose) to the color of your mic elements. Cut the nylons into manageable sized squares without any seams, extra material, or extra elastic, and stretch them out over cardboard or plywood, cork board or other flat surface with tape or pushpins to keep them smooth, and treat the single layer of fabric with several light coatings of a fabric protector/waterproof-er - like Scotch Guard, letting it dry completely between coatings. Once you've applied 3-4 coats and the fabric has set (according to the treatment's recommendations - usually overnight) cut small squares, roughly 3 times the size of the head of your element. Cover the head of the element like a sock, or booty as smoothly as possible, gathering the excess material at the base of the head. With a needle and thread (of a similar color) sew around the element, snugging the fabric to the head around the cable, with small knot to secure the thread. (Be careful not to punch the cable with the needle, or make the thread so tight that it cuts into the jacket of the cable.) When you're done, carefully trim the excess material away from the thread.

Below: a black micro element (Countryman B-6) with an added earpiece and booty. (The booty hasn't been trimmed yet.) also, a closer look at a tan flat element (Shure WL93T) with a "booty." (This "booty" has had several shows of use and is starting to wear out in the top corner - it's about in need of replacement.)

Until next time cats and kittens...

Cheers,