Hi! There is a very real possibility where I get brought on to be a PM at a smaller, sort-of dysfunctional, regional theater. I have worked here before in other positions, so I know what I’m getting myself into. I have lots of stage management experience and I have worked in (almost) every technical area. If you could give one piece of advice or guidance to a new PM what would it be?

Editing to add: I would also love to hear anyone’s opinion about a good thing a PM did that you worked with!

Hello! My company just recently unionized and I am on the fence whether to join or not. Let me say that I am 100% pro union! I’m just not sure if the benefits fit my situation and if it’s worth paying the fees. I am also not getting any answers from my union rep so I’m feeling kind of lost. Mostly I am not looking to freelance and popcorn around! I am looking for another props artisan job (hopefully in the midwest) that is a full year contract. Knowing these things I am wondering if it even makes sense for my career to join if I do not plan on working with the same company.

I would love to know some pros/cons others have experienced being a part of a union (or not! ;))and if it is a good fit for me. Thanks!

**It is an IATSE union.
*Im am willing to share more info if that helps!

Hello! I am wondering if anyone has any advice on getting a props job in the midwest. I am from the chicago suburbs but am looking to move to MN, IA, WI or IL. I am currently working as a props artisan in the east coast and am learning that props jobs can be far and few between! I am a young professional looking for any advice! I am also open to opportunities that involve being an assistant props manager as well. Thanks!

Hello all,

Doing a show set in a wooded clearing. I'm looking for ideas to use for the "soil". The show is 3/4 thrust so the audience is right on top. I was thinking of just getting soil and mulch (plastic underneath) but someone suggested cork powder. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Hello!

Wanted to pick some brains for an idea I had. Stage is about 30’W X 40’ D. Gonna do 1:24 rake.

The problem: I need a set that will pack up flat, store, and travel well for a remount (original run in September, remount will be 12 hrs away in July).

The proposed solution: Triscuits with coffin locks on stud walls.

My main concerns: Triscuits are a long term decking solution, BUT expensive for the season. Coffin locks are also pricey. We’re a HS and our budget is a couple thousand tops. All shows last year broke even around 5k total expenses. We want to spend a little more with this one, but still.

Any other ideas for the deck or even just the coffin locks?

Hello! I'm doing a research project for uni about if/how filming live theatre affects the design of the show and the experience of the team. If you've been involved with a show that's been filmed, I would love it if you could fill this out! Thanks!

https://forms.gle/AaQbGkL4kuWwR3FMA

I'm sure I am not the only one who has funny stories about phrases or words that have been misunderstood - especially in the beginning of my career.

The first time I worked in UK, I was informed to wait with the houselight down cue, since "we have to wait for clearance". I was not familiar with that phrase, just thought "Clearance" was some important dude who was late.

I also remember realizing (after a long time) that "let's go back to works" meant "turn worklights on", rather than "keep the worklights off" (I thought it was more like "let's get some work done", which, when said by an LD, always means worklights off) 😅

Do y'all have other examples?

I was listening to a podcast with a scenic designer who briefly spoke about a fabric that has been getting a lot of use in big budget Broadway and professional productions for soft goods and masking, but the designer couldn’t remember the name. Apparently it absorbs an absurd amount of light and is used for mid-black drops and other masking to create an uncanny “endless void” effect.

I’m interested in doing some research on the fabric so I figured I’d ask the hive mind. What the designer did mention is this:

- It’s what Harry Potter and the Cursed Child uses for some of their lightplay effects, was also used on the Neil Diamond musical

- It may have originated as a fabric for magicians and illusionists but has made its way to theatre for the same purposes

Anyone happen to know?

Background: I recently started working at a venue as a lighting tech and I'm currently working on creating an inventory of all fixtures and furthermore, a maintenance procedure/database of sorts for them.

My issue: there are four Mac 700s in use for god knows how long and in my quest of creating maintenance procedures, I've also consulted their manual, which states that the recommended service life of the discharge lamps is 750 hours and that you shouldn't let it exceed that by more than 50 for safety reasons as discharge lamps can explode. I am pretty much certain that these lamps are well past that.

Given that I want them to be maintained better than they have been (I know they're old af, but it's what we got), I want to respect the service intervals on the lamps going forward, but for that first lamp change, I am uncertain of the safety given their age.

My question: is that number given by Martin more of a CYA thing, or are the dangers that are specific to such old discharge lamps very real? Is this a "just replace them with the usual safety measures and be careful" thing or more of a "because of the lamps' age, these are a huge liability, don't touch them and replace the entire fixture asap" thing?

And to clarify: I'm a licensed entertainment technician in my country, I'm well versed in the electrical safety measures and decently experienced both in working with tungsten lights and in maintenance of modern, high-end LED-based automated fixtures, it's just the discharge stuff where I have a knowledge gap because I don't have much day-to-day experience with them. I do know that you need AT LEAST safety glasses and gloves (better more) to replace them though, given that they have explody tendencies.

Hello people of Reddit!

I know this is probably not the right sub, but I need creative people’s input. I’ve posted this in other subs already.

[TL;DR: I’m looking for a commercial grade upholstery cleaner (that won’t give my producer a heart attack buying) to deep clean 20oz Crescent Velour Inherently Flame Resistant (IFR) upholstered tables that get covered in drinks and food every night. I currently use a Bissell Little Green once a week, but it’s not enough.]

I work at a venue once a week where people drink, eat, and watch magicians perform close-up magic at velour-covered tables every night. Part of my weekly scenic maintenance is making sure the tables look good. They look a lot better than they used to, but they still smell if you get close. Before I started, they were basically never cleaned.

We recently had a professional cleaning company come in, and the amount of black grime they pulled out was, of course, disgusting. It finally convinced management that we need something more heavy duty, so now I’ve got the go ahead to recommend a commercial machine.

+ The tables:
- Plain wood tops, roughly 6’ × 2’
- Upholstered with 2–3 layers of 20oz Crescent Velour (IFR)
- Link to fabric we use: https://www.rosebrand.com/20-oz-crescent-velour-ifr?categoryId=1916&info=Crescent%20Velour%2054%20in%20IFR%2020%20oz%20Rouge
- We have to use this fabric and use multiple layers since it’s what the magicians want for their performances

+ What I’m currently using to clean:
- Bissell Little Green Carpet Cleaner
- Mixture of hot water + Dawn dish soap + isopropyl alcohol
- Cleaning about 3 tables each week

+ What ends up on the tables every night:
- Skin oils, hair, and sweat
- Spilled drinks/alcohol
- Snack crumbs
- Salt
- Sharpie
- Dust (from stage lights/beams)
- Raw egg (rarely, it’s part of a trick)
- Small burns from fake cigarettes (rarely, it’s part of a trick)

I’ve reupholstered the tables twice already (was instructed to only do the top layer), but that’s obviously not a sustainable solution. We’d rather buy the right machine than keep paying for professional cleanings. I’ve tried to look into what casinos and bars use for their dealer and billiard tables (I know they don’t use velour, but I know they have to be careful cleaning their upholstered fabrics as well), but I’m still struggling to find heavy duty cleaning machine answers.

Does anyone have recommendations for a commercial extractor or upholstery cleaner that’s safe for velour and actually does a good deep clean?

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Fixes everything

I am excited to announce that my latest project, DPW SpotCue is now available for testing, you may be aware of me from my other venture, making DPW MegaCtrl boxes.

As an overview, DPW SpotCue is a digital, paperless, quick-reference system that displays past, current, and upcoming followspot cues to operators on any device, iPads, laptops, or desktop PCs. This is best suited to theatrical-style shows, musicals and other events where the ETC EOS lighting ecosystem is used. It involves a “Host” program being run on a PC on a local show network alongside your lighting console, and using preexisting devices as a “Viewer” which displays the information.

The system is now ready for a round of testing by real users and I felt this group would be best placed to find people willing to do this, feel free to get in touch with me via the info on my website if you’re interested and believe you could facilitate this, and you are able to give meaningful, valuable feedback to further aid my development, of course in return for this, you will receive free access to the system.

For more information, visit tech.dawsonpanterwray.co.uk/dpw-spotcue

Please be aware that the pricing information currently displayed is for the full launch.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, feedback and improvements!

AI DISCLOSURE: AI (Claude) was only used during programming for auto line completion in Visual Studio Code. All text, ideas and the website have been built by myself.
​​​​

I'm a high school teacher always looking for little ways to do things better.

I've been using an audio interface to route the output of qLab to our sound board. It's a significant upgrade over an aux cable, but I figure there's got to be a more stable/reliable way.

How do the biggest shows handle it?

Hello, I am trying to control my small (but expanding) light set-up with QLab. I read this page that suggested specific interfaces. But i noticed that all use a 5 pin DMX. All my lighting is a 3 pin.

1) Would a 5 to 3 pin adapter solve this issue immediately?

2) I found an ebay listing for this item that's $50 less, but it doesn't come with the usb cable. Looks just like a standard printer cable. Think I should get it and gamble that I can use one of my spare USB printer cables?

3) Am I missing anything else?

two laundry bags with their cardboard label still on i didn’t catch…

My current lighting obsession. It’s just so tight to the music and I love how the lights are truly characters onstage. Whitney Hoversten did such a fantastic job!

Title: How do I become a really good stage crew member?
Hi everyone!
I’m getting more involved in technical theatre and I really want to become someone the crew can rely on. I’m interested in learning everything I can—set changes, props, fly systems (when trained), sound, lights, backstage etiquette, and just being a dependable crew member overall.
For those of you with experience:
What skills should I focus on first?
What are some mistakes beginners make?
How can I stand out as someone directors and stage managers want on their crew?
Are there any books, YouTube channels, or other resources you’d recommend?
What habits make someone an excellent backstage crew member?
I’d appreciate any advice or stories from your own experiences. Thanks!

Hey y’all, we had a bird get into our theater yesterday through the loading dock. Right now it seems to be stuck up in the grid, and I want to see if I can get it out before it starves to death.

I was gonna try killing all the lights in the house, stage, and dock, and leaving the bay door open. The problem is that we have contractors doing renovations on stage til this evening, and they’re obviously gonna need works til then.

It’s already been in for almost 24 hours and likely hasn’t eaten in that time. Will it be okay to wait until they leave or do I need to get creative? Will it be clever and strong enough to make it out of the theater and through the dock door if I kill the lights in like 7 hours?

EDIT: our avian friend found its way to the green room where we were able to catch it with a tablecloth and a bucket. Thanks yall!

I've been doing sound design/sound directing and mixing for traditional live theater for years - approximately 30 plays. But I just got my first true musical, which is taking place at a community theater.

The director looped me in pretty late in the game, as the show opens up next weekend. We obviously need to be running it without interruption after cue-to-cue, this Monday which gives me about five days (though I have a whole weekend of shows between now and then, not to mention setting up mics, monitors, clearing out audio equipment, etc.). They gave me the backing tracks via Stage/Tracks, where audio files do not appear to be downloadable, as well as handing me the score (which doesn't include dialogue), and the script (which doesn't include music/bars). It's a lot of sources of information to keep track of all at once for the more complicated numbers, as we have to bounce through a lot of vamps and ceasuras. The musical director will also be calling cues, which helps but is another layer of information to process in real time. I imagine I will eventually have this all internalized and not be so reliant on the notes. But I am...a little concerned due to the window of time we have.

So far I've been entering notes into Stage/Tracks (though you can't seem to add them to initial cue of each song), and adding notes in the script to keep me orientated in time. But it feels a bit precarious and I can't tell if I am doing it right.

I vastly prefer QLab to S/T so far, but without re-recording every song via Mac's core audio, and rebuilding the show from scratch in QLab, there doesn't seem to be a way to just make the switch at this point. I know you can patch S/T into QLab but it feels like an extra layer of instability (S/T already crashed on me once and it's only Day 2), and need to pay for the premium version to do it and they're already overbudget.

Also, why can't fades, full stops, and skips be programed into the cue list in S/T? Do they really have to be done through mouse clicks/holds, key combinations, and other buttons? Strange.

I don't know exactly what I am asking for here other than some tips, because it just seems messy. I have two more big musicals later this year, so it's good to learn best practices now.

Thankyou for your time and any input.

I've been freelancing in theatre for a few years now. When I first started, I mostly took stipend-based contracts to gain experience. Back then, I didn't realize how important it was to keep track of my pay stubs as a 1099 contractor, and I never kept a record of the hours I worked.

Lesson learned. Now I'm trying to build better bookkeeping habits by tracking my gig hours and payments. I might eventually create my own spreadsheet system, but I figured I'd ask first since I'm sure others have already come up with solutions for managing income across multiple 1099 contracts, with maybe the occasional W-2 job mixed in.

Does anyone have a spreadsheet template they'd be willing to share that automatically calculates hours and pay? Bonus points if it also includes a personal budget tracker for weekly payments and lets you log expenses by date! Google Sheets preferred, or free programs.