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Hi all,

I'm in the beginning stages of designing a production where the concept of cabaret-style audience seating inside a passerelle has come up. Obviously, if it moves further we will be checking with the AHJ, but I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this that they could share. Luckily, the theatre has quite a bit of removable seating in front of the apron so space isn't necessarily an issue, even with maintaining a front aisle. I'm more concerned with the legalities of enclosing the space during the performance. If that becomes an issue, we may move to a center runway leading to a satellite stage.

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have!

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Looking for input from others, I'm curious to hear what you would refer to this area as. Technically it's downstage of the proscenium, but still hidden from the audience's view until they enter the apron.

It doesn't seem to be common in most stage area terminology diagrams I've referenced.

hi! im a college freshman and currently doing my first show since high school. i am on wardrobe for a ~3hr musical.

i was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for how to improve both your mental and physical endurance for getting through showtime as a crew member?

today we have a two-show day and the matinee (8:30am-1pm total) was a huge struggle for me. i try to take care of myself by eating consistently and sleeping as well as i can, considering i get back to my dorm 12-1am.

looking for any tips, since i love being part of crew! theatre tech & design is my major and passion! i just know i need to use this as a learning experience for what to expect for the future with how my college does shows :0) thank you <3!

edit: thank you for your tips! i appreciate the help.

I need to replace a TRIAC on a Leviton 4-channel dimmer pack. The dimmer pack says "120volt. 1200watts per Channel."

The busted TRIAC is 6amp/600volt 16amp/600volt. But all the spare TRIACs I have on hand are 24amp/600volt. Since Amps=Watts/Volts a higher rated amperage would be better for the TRIAC's lifespan if anything right?

The highest wattage lamp we use is 750watts and all our breakers are 120volts, so those factors stay the same no matter what.

750Watts / 120volts = 6.25amps, so it's kind of surprising they would say "1200Watts per Channel" (which would be 10amps) when their TRIACS are only rated to 6amps (EDIT: It's actually rated to 16amps and I'm just blind).

I'm not an electrical engineer, so I could be misunderstanding something, but I should be fine to use the 24amps TRIACs right?

EDIT: Thank you to u/MrJingleJangle for pointing out the TRIAC is actually a BTA16-600 so it's rated to 16amps. That makes much more sense why Leviton would be ok with 1200Watts/10amp max per channel.

Hi everyone,

I’m Gordon, and I work with Integrated Systems Europe (ISE). I wanted to personally invite you to our show in Barcelona this coming February. (4-7 February)

A bit about us - ISE has been around since 2004, and it’s grown into a global AV event with a focus on technology, accredited training, networking, and AV experiences across the city (including a tech-focused tour to the prestigious Gran Teatre del Liceu Espais in 2023). As an event owned by non-profit associations, the team is all about moving things forward for the community  :)

The show covers all areas of AV, but the lighting and staging zones, as well as the audio zone, are especially tailored for live events and venue pros like yourselves. Vendors showcase everything from lights and loudspeakers to consoles, rigging, and experimental options like “holographic” displays, spatial audio, and motion tracking equipment. Other areas, like unified communications, multitech, and AV broadcast, feature solutions like comms systems, LED walls, and content creation tools that could be really useful.

The Sound Experience demo areas are always a great chance to see how solutions come together to create experiences – I have been to the show for a few years now and I still always make a point to catch at least one session every year hahah We’ll also have a free multi-day content program, hosted by TPi and supported by MA Lighting, covering everything live events-related — from macro insights to practical mixing tips from touring FoH engineers.

I wanted to offer a free registration code to the sub. If you’re interested in coming (or know someone who would be), you can use the free registration link below to sign up for your free attendee ticket(s)!

Attaching some pictures below so you have an idea of what to expect from the show! 😉 Alternatively, feel free to have a look at our website or drop me a line if you have any questions about the show – always happy to chat!
Free registration to ISE 2025

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I am a Production Manager for a community theatre where we get a lot of our backstage help from volunteers. I had a situation come up where I needed spot ops for a day as my usual people were unavailable. I had this wonderful lady volunteer, it was her first time working backstage. I handed her a headset and she then informed me she used a hearing aid. I don't know of the specifics but her aids connected via bluetooth to her phone or something. I think her phone fed the sound to her aids. Anyway, thankfully we worked out a hand signaling system so she could still take cues, but I was wondering if anyone knows of any comm systems or attachments that work with hearing aids. I think it's important to make theatre as accessible as possible and as an able bodied person we take so much for granted. I'm trying to learn.

Thank you

I want to put casters on some tables but want to avoid the clunkiness of standard locking casters for some wick scene changes. Any favorites?

Hey y'all. Burner account just in case. I'm on a touring show right now and I'm not doing well. I'm the only first time touring member of the crew, with the least experienced aside from me having between 3 and 5 years of touring experience. I've been touring for over two months now. My stage manager, my lighting director, my video tech, my L2, my wardrobe person, and my hair/makeup tech have all been furious with me within the past week. Be it leaving my stuff in their area (accidentally several times but they didn't care), overstepping my boundaries, and just being in the way of everything. I'm props/carps/assistant Stage Manager. Sometimes I have to be in the way to set my stuff up. But I get scolded relentlessly, yelled at, mocked, degraded, etc. I've tried over a dozen different things to make my process faster. I've collaborated with my stage manager, my lighting director, etc, to help solve the issue. Every member of my crew has had to talk to me about issues I have made. My lack of experience is killing the show. Despite all of this, it's a 2 semi truck show. I'm running the easiest show I could possibly run. And I'm failing. No matter how many different ways I come up with a solution, it's just not enough. And every day, I feel my crew members resenting me more and more for being a gigantic pain in the ass. I want to quit but I don't know if I even can. This is my first EVER tour, with an easy show, and a 4 month run. I should not be doing this poorly, according to every other member of the crew. I'm just past halfway and I don't know if I can stay. And yet, I want leave the easiest show on the face of the earth? Any future production managers would take one look at my resume and burn it, for quitting my first ever tour. With it being ridiculously easy, as well. I've spent my entire life studying theater and touring, and now I'm blowing it. I could use some advice from anyone who can give it.

Hi! The professional theater I work for in Southwest Florida is currently looking to hire many technical theater positions! Is there a good resource for posting these opportunities that I may need to know about? Thank you for your guidance!

I’ve been working as a film freelancer doing mostly PA, Grip, and Sound on and off for the past two years and since the industry’s been slow I haven’t been able to find much work living in Boston.

I recently got offered a handful of days for theater electrician work from someone I met at the party who connected me with two local companies, and they’re asking me if I can join them. I’m at crossroads however because I’m not in a great financial spot since my dayjob recently cut my hours during the past week, my rent is very high, and I’m very stressed trying to think of what to do. I would love to take these jobs but I’m not sure if I have enough experience for them, and if I took them I definitely wouldn’t be able to stay at my dayjob.

The jobs don’t pay a lot cumulatively but I’ve heard there’s a lot of work in the next two months around here and that I could potentially get more days - I still have my dayjob but I need to make a decision soon as the dates are coming up and I keep getting emails from the companies asking if I’m available

Is it possible? If so, how? Thanks :)

Greetings all,

I need to replace some cameras that are in our theaters that have either died or disappeared. They are connected together to the booth, theater and green room using BNC/Coax. Any recommendations on good camera to be able to get video in these areas for the performers? Maybe a good video camera with a HDMI to BNC converter?

Hello!

Currently desperately looking for a 6m load in ramp for use this weekend. Been struggling to find something for a long time, and think I’m barking up the wrong trees… does anyone have a vendor they can recommend?

Bounty: one hug (virtual)

Sorry for the vague title but I don't know how else to ask... maybe I can give some context? I built a site years ago for easing the burden of conflict calendars because dealing with conflicts is a universally obnoxious and time-consuming challenge for theatre companies, especially for schools and small community theatres with limited budgets.

Over time it's evolved into an all-in-one casting logistics platform that now includes an audition form, cast & crew list, schedule builder, rehearsal notes & attendance tracking, and most recently I added a custom program builder.

These all serve the director/admin workflows really well, but what about you: the sound engineers, lighting designers, and stage managers? Are there any tasks in your your job that's a recurring challenge/bottleneck at every theatre/school/venue? Something that, if automated or easily copied from past shows, would save you hours of tedium?

Since directors use my platform and are putting y'all on the crew list, I'd love to offer something of value for y'all in the system too. Looking for ideas.

Looking to install a video wall with 8 80" TVs in a set. Goal would be to send one Qlab signal (HDMI or SGI), and divide into separate surfaces or one big one as requested.

I'm having trouble finding the right equipment and configuration of boxes. Can anyone recommend some resources?

Looking at the Datapath FX4, but I'm confused as to whether or not it will let me select Qlab or Isadora as an input source.

Hello everyone, welcome to the What Are You Working On thread. You can post anything from what you're working on, including process photos, show photos, plots, paperwork, ground plans, etc. You can also post pictures of your booth, be it sound, lighting, stage management, or your scene shop, props shop, costume shop, storage, backstage, etc.

Hello everyone, welcome to the No Stupid Questions thread. The only stupid questions are the ones left unasked.

Looking at the dimensions for a particular stage at the moment and I can't seem to figure out what the difference is.

Here's the image I'm referencing, can someone explain the difference to me please? Thank you all so much!

I’m on mobile so excuse the formatting.

I work in theatre tech sales and trying to add a few different snippets to our website.

Recently I added a theatre/LX glossary. Also templates for integrating some LX hardware in with audio DSPs

But trying to expand on it. I was reading online today about creating resources you wish your younger self had.

So If there were resources or questions you could give to your younger self. What would they be? And what resources did you find a God send in your early days?

I wish I had learned LUA coding in lockdown.

My godsends have been the DMX cat and the dip switch calculator.

I am about to graduate high school in june, just wondering if anyone knows of any costume design/construction internships/shadowing opportunities in either NJ or New York. edit: i’ve been in a vocational school for 4 years studying theatre tech mainly focusing in costumes in case that helps

I have a pair of double 18” subs that have too large of a footprint for me to house on my stage (500 seat auditorium). They cannot go in the wings or upstage of the cyc as there is just no room.

I’d like to give them a place in the sound plot. The only place I can really think to put them (or even just one) is under the apron in the orchestra pit. The apron is made of interconnected platforms coffin locked together on a whole bunch of braced aluminum legs.

My questions are; is under the apron a useful place for a sub? Is there any vibration danger of having heavy bass down below the platforms? TIA

hi i am wondering how long does fake blood corn syrup based expire? And does it need to be chilled or anything. I tried to find a answer on Google but I only find recipes for it

Hi all,

I’m trying to get my theatre up to speed on being accessible for our patrons. Lots of discussions about mobility accessibility and a little bit of interest in live captioning but I’m wondering what’s out there to assist the visually impaired.

My fam came to a show last night and were seated next to someone with a visual impairment and their companion. The companion was providing commentary throughout (with an unfortunate acoustically loud voice) and while, of course, the theatre is for everyone, my fam found it very distracting. I’m wondering what the answer is to this.