Lighting trusses used in theater

[Pie4Weebl]

Question for you all, when did truss first start to show up in theatre? Points for citing sources.

[DaveySimps]

Just a guess, but in the 1990's??????

~Dave

[derekleffew]

Not going to answer, but am going to ask a question. Do you really mean theater or Rock&Roll?

[Pie4Weebl]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

Not going to answer, but am going to ask a question. Do you really mean theater or Rock&Roll?

theatre. And I actually do need an answer lol.

[avare]

Originally Posted by Pie4Weebl

Question for you all, when did truss first start to show up in theatre? Points for citing sources.

Your joking, right?

I recall trusses being used in the seventies for a play by some english dude. The play was called Hamlet, or something like that. I was told that the playwright also worked as a stage manager, or something like that. Anyways, I want to see if this guy has any lasting power.

Andre

[derekleffew]

The first time I saw truss used in a theatre was for the bus and truck tour of Starlight Express at the Chicago Theater in, probably, 1988. PRT, with two rows of six-lamp bars, only emerged around 1984. It was early 1970s when Chip Monck first took Rohn tower antenna truss and laid it on its side (today recognized as improper) to form horizontal lighting trusses for Rock&Roll. James Moody in his book Concert Lighting tells how Rock shows were not deemed "artsy" enough to play legitimate theaters, and so was relegated to sports venue that had no permanent lighting installed. Thus the repurposing of the CM Lodestar chain motor and lighting trusses as we now know them. Hope this helps.

[Pie4Weebl]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

The first time I saw truss used in a theatre was for the bus and truck tour of Starlight Express at the Chicago Theater in, probably, 1988. PRT, with two rows of six-lamp bars, only emerged around 1984. It was early 1970s when Chip Monck first took Rohn tower antenna truss and laid it on its side (today recognized as improper) to form horizontal lighting trusses for Rock&Roll. James Moody in his book Concert Lighting tells how Rock shows were not deemed "artsy" enough to play legitimate theaters, and so was relegated to sports venue that had no permanent lighting installed. Thus the repurposing of the CM Lodestar chain motor and lighting trusses as we now know them. Hope this helps.

that's what I needed to know, and I have got the book to back it up.

A designer wanted to have visble truss towers in the backstage area of a show set in 1909, and I was like um no. Now I have the proof I need

[derekleffew]

Moving this thread to "Theatre History," as it's really not QOTD material.

[waynehoskins]

Yep, I've heard the Rohn 25 story before too. That would also be not available in 1909. Thirties maybe, fifties for sure, but not a century ago.

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by waynehoskins

Yep, I've heard the Rohn 25 story before too. That would also be not available in 1909. Thirties maybe, fifties for sure, but not a century ago.

But not used as a stage lighting support structure till mid-70's and even then it was unusual. The use of antenna tower was only useful as pre-hang and cableing as it allowed the lighting tech's a somewhat quicker hang with fewer hoist points. The fixtures were still exposed underneath the truss and got banged around as a result. It wasn't till purpose built box truss was invented for the R&R industry (Thomas maybe ?) with 6 lamp Par bars in a recessed design, that truss use became the norm so mid-80's ?. At that point you saw HUGE time savings with the 6 lamp pre-wired bars, multi cables, joinable square truss, chain motors, dimmer-per-circuit, etc... You could now rig a 120 Plus lamp, in 2 x 50ft. wide trusses in an hour. Of course the time savings meant the LD's could now rig 300 plus unit plots.....

Steve B.