tech theatre resourses

Aims to be exactly what the title says- an (eventually) huge database of Techblr's helpful advice, resources and a little bit more. I'll try to tag everything as thoroughly as possible! :)

[heck-yeck-deck-tech]

Hiiii, I don't know if you can maybe help me on this but I thought I'd ask anyway. I'm relatively new working as an AD/SM and I'm still struggling to figure out a layout/method for my blocking script. Do you have any tips? Or could you maybe share how you write stuff down? Thanks a lot!

Hello, dear anon -

I actually don’t have any experience with taking blocking, as I’ve only worked as an ASM.

That said, one book that touches on this which I would recommend (mainly because she stresses that blocking will be individualized, even if the foundational information about shorthands is the same), is Laurie Kincman’s The Stage Manager’s Toolkit. We used it for my stage management class, and I found it provided an excellent foundation to build off of.

The rest of SMblr, there are a frankly massive amount of us, please chime in!

Much love,Ky

[techtheatreresourses]

Signal boost!

[glitteranarchy-deactivated20220]

Women in Theatre! I Need Your Help!

Hi theatre people,

So I need your help!

I’m in my final year of college and have to complete a final year project/undergrad dissertation/thesis thing.

So I’m doing a study on “Women in Theatre in 2018” and how being a woman in theatre has changed with regards to the changes happening with gender equality, and feminism in recent years. This will tie in with #MeToo and a campaign that ran here in Ireland called #WakingTheFeminists.

My question to you and the reason I’m even posting this in the first place is to gather international opinions.

In Limerick, theatre is a very tight knit community. Everyone knows everyone, so I’m looking to get opinions and stories outside of my little theatre bubble.

So help a gal out?

If you could reply or DM me or send a note via carrier pigeon or something

With your age, where you’re from (can be super general I don’t mind), how you got into theatre and then just your experience as a woman in theatre. Positive, negative or otherwise.

How are you regarded by your male peers?

How are females represented in different roles? (eg. Only 9% of Irish sound designers are female)

Any anecdotes relating to your experiences?

How you feel females in theatre have been impacted with campaigns like MeToo etc.

Need info from any discipline so anyone from front of house, back of house, on stage, backstage, catwalks, dressing rooms and all the bits in between can chime in!

Also boys, if you have anything to add or want to be heard, chime in too! Looking for all angles!

Thanks gang!

[costumersupportdept]

HEY TECHBLR!

I know it’s That Time Of Year again, when the applications for summer work start coming out. If you need help on your resume or cover letter, I work in academia, and have more than a little experience in whipping those into shape. 

Obviously, I’m going to be a little more able to talk about the contents to the  costume side of the world, than, say, lighting, but I can still give you some good formatting tips and/or cover letter edits that might help out. 

If you’re interested, feel free to DM me here, or ping me over on the Discord. 

(I’m not going to charge for this, because Education, and also Teka Is Terrible At Pricing Herself and Occasionally Too Nice For Her Own Good Believe It Or Not, but I will leave you my Ko-Fi link here in case I say something Exceedingly Profound and you want to pitch me a few bucks. http://ko-fi.com/costumersupport) 

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

Hi Christine! I have always loved theatre, but my whole life, up until about 6 months ago, I was always onstage. Rarely in leading roles, but still onstage. I decided to switch over to technical theatre 6 months ago. Now I absolutely adore sound and stage management. My problem is that my parents aren't really taking this seriously. I love technical theatre and I think I want to study it, but they're convinced I'm just doing this because of the favoritism in my high school. (1/2)

(2/2) Im stage managing peter and the starcatcher at my school and I am beyond excited, but my parents still want me to audition for the other shows at school. I know tech isn’t necessarily your area of expertise, but do you know of any way I could show my parents that this is what I’m really interested in? It’s still theatre, but I’m looking at it from a different angle now and I love it even more. Thanks in advance 💜

I think the way you explained it to me is really wonderful–I started out really loving being on stage, but getting the opportunity to work on the technical aspects gave me this love that I didn’t even know I had.  And now, it’s what I want to pursue, not because I couldn’t pursue acting, but because my passion really lies here!  Hopefully that will help them see your perspective a bit more and see your passion!

[techtheatreresourses]

By the way, technical theatre has its own community here on Tumblr- it’s called Techblr! Some SM blog recs:

http://thankyoufive.tumblr.com/

http://housetohalf.tumblr.com/

http://smblrsunite.tumblr.com/

And there are many others, if anyone else wants to chime in! (Just a warning I don’t have many followers on here though 8P)

Happy blogging!

[propitlikeithot]

HEYOOO THEATRE MAKERS

I’m looking for contemporary theatre makers who are doing interesting things in theatre that are not really talked about who I can interview for my theatre class.

If you OR someone you know who’s doing interesting stuff and would be interested in talking to me, PM me!

[techtheatreresourses]

Signal boost!

[plantsfromspace]

Lxblr

I’m about to start designing my first “for real” show (I’ve done some cueing in high school but I’ve never designed my own plot before) and I’m absolutely terrified. I am less concerned about cue placement and timing, as I’ve been an SM for a while and believe I have a good feel for that. I’ve also programmed a lot on the console I will be designing with so I’m not really concerned about that either but I don’t know what I’m doing with designing the plot. I don’t even really know where to start. And when I get up to calling focus, I have no idea how to approach the fact that my tallest cast member is 7 feet tall, and I’m barely 5 feet (I can’t even reach the top of his head). Does anybody have any good resources/tips for picking hanging positions, focusing, photometrics, or even just a favorite gel color? The show is Pippin, btw.

[techtheatreresourses]

I already see some great replies on this post! Anyone else wanna chime in?

[octopuscato]

tumblr mirrors on ‘photosugar’

So idk if others have noticed this before - but it’s the first time I’m seeing this, hence the post.

There’s a website, https://www.photosugar.com, which apparently mirrors all pictures, gifsets etc. people post on their tumblrs (and also other social media sites like twitter and instagram, if I understand it correctly). An eample for a tumblr user, with my name: https://www.photosugar.com/tu/lordhellebore

Now it won‘t turn up anything but a 404 error in my case, because I sent an e-mail to the contact address, which is [email protected] with the title “My content on your website”:

Hello, it’s come to my attention that you are mirroring all of the posts containing pictures/gifs that I post on my tumblr. I am asking you to stop pulling the content from my tumblr and to delete me from your website. tumblr username is „lordhellebore“ Thank you.

I got a reply consisting of the single word “removed” after just one day, and as you can see, it worked perfectly fine with the informal mail I sent. So if you want them to stop mirroring your tumblr, it seems all you really need to to is this.  

I can’t test the site for all of my mutuals, but I’m tagging a few whom I found on there by random trial & error, and I suggest you look yourself up if you see this post and dislike tumblr mirrors (even if this one is only for pictures, not text).

@janiedean, @ladytp, @vaysh11, @lunavagantt, @einemelodieimwind, @robb-greyjoy, @youbuggingme, @ysilme, @rex-luscus, @bai-xue, @viendiletto, @electricalice, @contessa-de-leusse, @memetic-mutism, @bluecichlid, @mrs-storm-andrews, @ladymothwing, @prismatic-bell, @kittykatknits, @tinkili

….basically, whomever I’m trying at random, it seems that you’re on there.

 Please reblog so others can know and ask for removal if they want to.

[wurwurz]

My blog appears there. Don’t want to. Will mail asap.

EDIT : They’ve added a link to remove people’s profiles : https://www.photosugar.com/remove

[lovefushsia]

Wtf. I was on there. Easy to remove.

[inner-muse]

That is pretty creepy

[mapplestrudel]

@gwen-cousland @john-cousland @spaceborn–vagabond @irbanal-irbanal-irbanal @soerdinan @joufancyhuh @brookie4cookies @elevanetheirin @elisedorian @jackd983 @waitinginthepen @dragonagethistle @video-game-imagines @smuttine @crashed-down-in-a-hurricane @vixils @pi4engo2 @maiden-of-wolves

[smuttine]

I WAS THERE

So if I were, be sure that all my beloved artists are!

Please check your blog and use this link to remove it

https://www.photosugar.com/remove

[awaari]

^I was there too, please be sure you aren’t listed on the site!

[savorybreakfasts]

yup I was there. ick. 

[kestrelwing64]

Holy crap! I was there! 😖

[techtheatreresourses]

They had my personal blog on there, which has like 20 followers, so you guys are probably all on there too.

[theatrepostits]

New Blog!

Hey all,

First of all thank you so much for all your love and support of my little theatre blog. I’ve been thinking a lot about creating more educational and tutorial type content around stage management and technical theatre as a whole. I have ideas ranging from building a prompt book to creating a resume. But I love this community and so I’ve decided to create a second blog! I will be posting the link soon when I finish creating it. However, this doesn’t mean I am abandoning this blog at all! I’m keeping this for all my favorite quotes, rants, and other theatre goodies. I’m excited to start this new chapter and I hope you’ll be excited to see what I’ll create!

[theatrepostits]

https://mytechcorner.tumblr.com/

[techtheatreresourses]

I know I'm not on this blog very often anymore (sorry!), but mytechcorner looks like it's gonna be alive and kicking, so go follow them for SM and general tech goodness!

[deadghostofyourdad]

Why should sound crew be appreciated

They are so concentrated on their job it is truly amazing

“Is this actor ill or is it a broken mic?”

Both band members and actors rely on them

They do a great job trying to combine all the beautiful music and great voices together

They have to work with many different areas in theatre but no one expects them to

Microphone check is hilarious ngl, because of actors getting all funny with their voices, stage managers getting angry and sound crew trying to program the mics

“WhY dO i HeAr An AcToR bReAtHiNg BaCkStAgE?”

If something goes wrong they run backstage to fix it…

…and then run back to keep up with the cues

MICS ARE HELL

They have to work with actors, band and behind-the-curtain communication in general

They are so nervous during the show, because if something goes wrong with sound it’s horrible

They are so happy when everything goes well and everything is working

THEY ARE GREAT AND MUST BE LOVED, thank you

[scoutfinches]

Hey there, have you ever painted on tyvek before? google says it takes acrylic and latex but I'm worried about its water resistant properties and if/how it would take washes or wet blends. the designer's pretty set on using it but I'm not exactly sure of what i've gotten myself into

hi! sorry, I’ve never painted on Tyvek before. if it tends to resist washes/glazes, maybe try using sprays to avoid running/puddles? you could also give it a light rub with sandpaper before painting.

[techtheatreresourses]

@unexpectedtexture ?

[q2qcomics-deactivated20200929]

Q2Q Comics #471: Your Barn Door Is Open

[talesoftechwoes]

What exactly is Steve trying to achieve here?

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

He’s bringing Wuggles a “Barn Door”.

[techtheatreresourses]

That's ridiculous. One barn door is obviously not enough. He shall have to bring three more.

[stagefoot]

Pro tip:

If you can get away with it, play a super annoying song post show to encourage people to leave

[techtheatreresourses]

Or you can just be super obvious and play Closing Time by Semisonic.

[q2qcomics-deactivated20200929]

I've got a show where the director wants a realistic Wild West style gun made out of wood. I'm not sure how to paint wood to look like nice metal, Do you have any tips?

Dang, I was really hoping this was going to be about where to find field recordings of a Colt 1873 or a Remington 1875. That I could have answered. 

I do not have an answer on painting wood to like metal, but I know some people who might: 

@scoutfinches @unexpectedtexture @backstageleft

[unexpectedtexture]

Frickin’ mobile Tumblr keeps eating my post. Let’s try this again… haven’t done too many guns recently, but have had plenty of metal cages and trim.

Since my brain’s been boppin’ around in Miniature painting land as of late, here’s my favorite new boy, Duncan, demonstrating pretty much the same technique. Just scale it up. Way up.

https://youtu.be/vaUunMIrAuY

Make sure your gun in sanded really smooth. Prime it black if you want to. Start with a nice even coat of dark gray metallic paint, or regular dark gray with a metallic wash over it (made from polycrylic sealer, a little water and a couple spoons of antique silver mica powder.) Make your own “Nuln Oil” out of polycrylic sealer, a bit of water and black paint. It’ll settle in any cracks and low laying areas. Then take a bit of a lighter gray and gently highlight any raised areas and edges. Add a final coat of sealer if you want and there you go!

Might look a bit like this. Wood’s on the right. That edge highlight is the most important thing,

[backstageleft-deactivated202009]

To elaborate further, I usually start with making things I want to look like metal out of MDF, since it has no grain. Also, this is a way better process than I’ve used previously, which involves a lot of fucking around with metallic spray paint until it looks right. 

[thankyoufive]

could you explain the difference b/w dry tech, paper tech etc?

Yes! I’ll go through them in the order they happen in my experience (this is an important caveat: every theater/school/company/etc. does it the tiniest bit differently). 

Paper Tech: Sitting down with designers to talk through the show. Stage management will get cues from lighting/sound et al designers and put them in their books at this time. 

In my experience (and in what I’ve heard from a lot of the designers I work with), this is only REAAAAAALLY common in educational settings. In most cases the designer either (a) gives the stage manager a cue sheet and has a q&a session later if needed or (b) creates the cues during cue to cue, at which point the SM puts them in their book. 

Dry Tech: Running through cues without the actors. In my experience, this is mostly for the deck crew to run transitions and get their hands on any moving pieces/props they’ll have to interact with without the distraction of the rest of tech going on around them. 

At our theater, “dry tech” is hardly ever the a traditional thing. It’s more of a tech prep day – cleaning and prepping backstage areas, finding storage areas for large scenic pieces, setting up quick changes areas, etc. We’ll go through run notes and hit highlights and test any scenery we can, but otherwise it’s a pretty low key day. 

Cue to Cue: Affectionately referred to as “Q2Q”, this is typically the very first day of the tech process. It’s the day when everything comes together sans costumes (with the exception of pieces that will affect other tech departments OR the actors’ performance). Length doesn’t matter – it could be a 3 hour rehearsal, it could be a 10 of 12. What differs most is the way that various companies run their Q2Q. 

If it’s under my jurisdiction/in the cards, we set for top of show and work through from the very top all the way to the end (unless there is a truly long gap of no-tech-happening) rather than jumping from cue to cue to cue. I find that it’s easier for everyone that way – backstage can start to work out their tracks in slow-mo before being thrown into them, designers can see how things flow, and everyone gets a much better sense of what’s going on. The biggest con with this approach (in my mind) is how much time it can use up. 

Tech: Post-q2q rehearsal that continues to work with all of the different tech elements. It can be a stop-and-start run, it can be based off a work list with trouble spots. It can be quick change rehearsal. Really, tech is whatever you want it to be as long as tech elements are involved and you’re working on getting them integrated into the show as a whole. 

Dress: When costumes are added to the rehearsal process and everyone’s brain falls out of their ears. This is the first night quick changes happen, the first night people realize their mic belt isn’t going to fit where they thought it would, and the first night for a lot of other things. From here, you run the show as many times as you can and work out as many kinks as humanly possible until opening!

Again: the specific ins and outs of these rehearsals vary from theater to theater – and occasionally even from one director/designer to another within the same theater company. 

[sunfishandstars]

Inside the Kit

I’ve decided to this post in honor of my new kit, and some curious people asking me what’s inside. I am, however, one person, and my kit is always in a state of flux. 

LET’S BEGIN

This is the kit, and a very shitty picture of it as well. 

In the Top Compartment 

2" Gaff Tape

1" Black Gaff Tape

1’ White Gaff Tape

6 Colors of Spike Tape

Glow Tape

Looseleaf paper

Notecards

Large Sticky Notes

50’ Tape Measure

Locker mirror tape to the lid

Basically, all the stuff that didn’t fit in the little bins

The 1st Box (General First Aid, Human-need things)

Comb

Neosporin

Bobby Pins/ Hair Ties [not pictured]

Hand Sanitizer

Paper Clips

Cloth Measuring Tape

Clear Nair Polish

Cough Drops

Bandaids 

Travel Sewing Kit

Nail File

Tic-Tacs

Sanitary Pad

Cotton Rounds

Tampons

Tissues

The 2nd Box (A Staples Party)

Pencils (mechanical and regular)

Non Pencils (Sharpies, pens, highlighters, white out pens)

6" ruler

Various small sticky notes

Post-it flags for cues

Various Pencil Leads

Pencil Sharpener

Velcro Tabs

Erasers

Cap Erasers

Thumbtacks (stuck in erasers)

Pen Flashlight

Mini-Flashlight

Larger, personal Flashlight

Scissors

Toothbrush/ Toothpaste (under flashlights)

3rd Box 

PTouch Labelmaker, extra tape

Spare Batteries

Mini Stapler

Staple Remover

Krazy Glue

Swiss Army Knife/ Multi Tool

Tiny Screwdriver Set

Binder reinforcements (In colored and white)

Adjustable Wrench with Carabiner (for lights)

Hammer (with 4 different screwdrivers built into the hammer

PHEW. DONE. Any thoughts?

[thankyoufive]

Tiffany, you just closed the southeastern premiere of Disney’s Newsies @orlandorep , what are you going to do now? #imastagemanagerwheee (at Orlando Repertory Theatre)

[thankyoufive]

Costume Plot

(for @toneroneandonly)

This is the detailed costume plot that we create for every show. I gave our ASM the template and she did a fab job filling it in. It is in it’s preliminary form, so you’ll see that the only characters with piece lists are Mother/May. Doubling up this character was a last minute change, so we had to be super thorough when tracking her costumes to make sure we could accomplish all the changes. 

Again, this is the detailed plot. I keep a general run down of costume changes in the show’s run notes, but this is a document that is helpful for wardrobe crew/ASM when someone has specific/in depth questions about costume tracking.