I like to build things.

Jon Taylor

Member
Hi, I'm Jon. I work/volunteer as a TD and scene shop manager for Stage-M, a community theater group in Big Rapids, MI. I'm also re-building the website which is currently defunct. My background is in creative writing and I teach writing and literature at Ferris State University as my day job.

We have a good sized scene shop, but rely on local venues for our productions (high school, charter school, outdoor bandshell, banquet facility, etc.). My wife got me into technical theater: she auditioned for a production of Willy Wonka a few years back and asked me to go instead of her to load-in and strike. I could run a screw gun pretty well and take things apart and put them together again, so I got asked to do more and more things. My first major project was a set for The Odd Couple, and it turned out pretty well, so now I'm in charge of the scene shop.

I currently have two projects going on: a simple set for I Never Saw Another Butterfly (some platforms and some plain flats to play projections on) coming up in March, and a not-so-simple set for The Hunchback of Notre Dame coming up in July. Our Hunchback design features an 8' tall choir loft with church pews and 32 choir members, so I'm learning everything I can about structural design presently because I'm not comfortable with "Well, this is how Fred would do it" as a criterion for safety.

My wife is a musician and performer, and she is serving as co-director and music director of Hunchback as well. In fact, we met in the early 1990's at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, NY, where we both worked as camp counselors and musicians.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to getting to know some of you.
 
Hi, I'm Jon. I work/volunteer as a TD and scene shop manager for Stage-M, a community theater group in Big Rapids, MI. I'm also re-building the website which is currently defunct. My background is in creative writing and I teach writing and literature at Ferris State University as my day job.

We have a good sized scene shop, but rely on local venues for our productions (high school, charter school, outdoor bandshell, banquet facility, etc.). My wife got me into technical theater: she auditioned for a production of Willy Wonka a few years back and asked me to go instead of her to load-in and strike. I could run a screw gun pretty well and take things apart and put them together again, so I got asked to do more and more things. My first major project was a set for The Odd Couple, and it turned out pretty well, so now I'm in charge of the scene shop.

I currently have two projects going on: a simple set for I Never Saw Another Butterfly (some platforms and some plain flats to play projections on) coming up in March, and a not-so-simple set for The Hunchback of Notre Dame coming up in July. Our Hunchback design features an 8' tall choir loft with church pews and 32 choir members, so I'm learning everything I can about structural design presently because I'm not comfortable with "Well, this is how Fred would do it" as a criterion for safety.

My wife is a musician and performer, and she is serving as co-director and music director of Hunchback as well. In fact, we met in the early 1990's at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in Hancock, NY, where we both worked as camp counselors and musicians.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to getting to know some of you.
Welcome aboard @Jon Taylor ! Our term for that is being 'voluntold'. I suspect you already comprehend and understand.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
 
Hi Jon,
I built a mansion for Addams Family that had to hold 8 people up just over 8.5' as well as staircases and all mounted on wheels so the set could move.
My recommendation for supporting beams is check out floor joists from a truss manufacturer plant (for houses) they are light weight, strong and reasonably priced. The will span quite a distance and then build it on a stud wall frame similar to a house. That is where to start but you should also consult someone who knows about structural stuff and local regulations.
Anyway Welcome aboard
Regards
Geoff
 
Hi Jon,
I built a mansion for Addams Family that had to hold 8 people up just over 8.5' as well as staircases and all mounted on wheels so the set could move.
My recommendation for supporting beams is check out floor joists from a truss manufacturer plant (for houses) they are light weight, strong and reasonably priced. The will span quite a distance and then build it on a stud wall frame similar to a house. That is where to start but you should also consult someone who knows about structural stuff and local regulations.
Anyway Welcome aboard
Regards
Geoff
Thanks, Geoff, that's helpful. I'm glad my set doesn't have to move!
 

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