Wearing Blacks in Non-Backstage?

[scubadiver305]

personally i think that if you are going to be in the booth or in the FOH you should at least wear a black shirt for obvious reasons, but black pants are optional and unnecessary (and dont always look the best). anywhere FOH no matter where you are you want to be professional and if your only blacks are an inside out black shirt with a bunch of writing...i think blacks might not be a good choice. but a dark polo or shirt will work just as well.

[Serendipity]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

Did he receive many compliments on his ensemble?

Why, yes! Quite a few.
[She actually looked great, it was just amusing.]

[RichMoore]

I and all of my tech people wear clean blacks for all ticketed performances, whether in the booth, backstage or deck.

If we have rented out the house and the show has their own LD, sound people and stage manager, or it is an non-ticket show then techs are in blacks and I am in black shirt and shoes and khaki trousers.

If it is a CCSO, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra performance, then all techs in blacks and me in black suit with a tie, usually red because I hate ties.

If, for some reason, techs show up in black shirts (T type) that has lettering on it, I use the ever present and multi-functional black gaffer's tape to cover the lettering.

At no time and no way are shorts ever worn, even though we are on an island and that is what most of the students live in constantly, along with their flip-flops (which used to be called thongs, btw) which are also not worn on any call.

When you are called to work, you dress for work, otherwise I couldn't care less what you wear.

My $.02,

Rich

[quarterfront]

Just because you're not assigned to go onstage doesn't mean it won't happen. If there's a chance of you having to go onstage you should be in blacks. I'm a designer, usually I show up for previews in street clothes, but if the show's going rough in tech and I think maybe I'll need to go backstage and troubleshoot, well, I show up in blacks. I agree, a FOH sound mixer should be dressed in street clothes - and I think they should be dark grey or suchlike, non-descript and able to pass as blacks onstage.

[lieperjp]

Originally Posted by quarterfront

I agree, a FOH sound mixer should be dressed in street clothes - and I think they should be dark grey or suchlike, non-descript and able to pass as blacks onstage.

In my opinion, nicer than street clothes if patrons can see them. Probably the same level of dress as most of the people in the theatre. Not a tux or suit if it's that formal, but at least a nice button-down (dark colored) shirt and pants.

[Serendipity]

Originally Posted by quarterfront

Just because you're not assigned to go onstage doesn't mean it won't happen.

Very true, and it's something to think about with dress blacks.

Originally Posted by Charc

Of course wearing black doesn't make a technician invisible.

WHAT?!
All this time, I swore I was Violet Incredible...

[quarterfront]

Originally Posted by lieperjp

In my opinion, nicer than street clothes if patrons can see them. Probably the same level of dress as most of the people in the theatre. Not a tux or suit if it's that formal, but at least a nice button-down (dark colored) shirt and pants.

We probably mean the same thing. I dress pretty shabby, so when I refer to "street clothes" I tend to mean dressing up clean. My "regular" clothes all have holes in the knees....