Curtain call for crew?

[LDtheLD]

I was orignally a performance major, so I have been on stage and used to be used to it. But now I've been hiding in the backstage blackness so long, I'd be too self concious to come out for a curtain call, lol! And I don't need fame and recognition...I understood when I first began doing this whole tech gig that I would mostly go unacknowledged. And that's fine by me.

 

[herr_highbrau]

I personally don't believe in taking bows, but I did when I was at college.

At college, the teachers in charge of lighting and sound got brought onstage with the director etc. But when I started teching for the school at 16, they still brought on the teachers in charge.

This is despite the fact that I designed it, operated it, set it up, hired it, and would be in the venue till 1am derigging whilst they stood around asking stupid questions. That cheesed me off considerably. That and the fact they still owe me roughly £2000 in hire fees!

Outside of college I've always been happy to hide behind the mixer, where no one pays attention to me

 

[taylorjacobs]

Ive done it before after a competition show in which we won state so it was kinbda of a homecoming and i hated it because i made a COMPLETE FOOL out of myself because i have no idea how to bow...dont do it

 

[DHSLXOP]

At my school, on the last night of a high school production, the seniors on the crew get recognized and get to come out and take a bow. During the middle school shows, the entire middle school crew gets to come out and take a bow on the last night of the production. As well, since my school uses a mentorship program (the high schoolers direct and tech the show, while training and teaching the middle schoolers) all of the senior crew members get recognized during the bows and are given little gifts by the cast. Also, we have made it a tradition to, during the curtain call, the cast recognizes the pit orchestra and then recognizes the tech crew in the booth by pointing at each.

 

[TalBrite]

I've been with different local groups that each have their own practices, but I never liked to be pulled on stage at the end of a show. I think a techie's work is rewarded by a show running well, and maybe the thanks of the actors, director, or other crew members who really know how hard we work, but if I were doing theater for an audience, I'd go for a cast position. But my place is backstage, out of the spotlights, and I should be able to stay there until the curtain closes.

 

[Hermineko]

I personaly Think that the tech, should stay in the dark. I agree, those that count will know and thank you. Thats all I need.

In high school. I think the tech that want to come out should get that chance. It's High School, everything about a production can be professional. But we do most of our shows for parents, so if a kid wants to go out let them. I know we would have some not wanting to.

 

[KaR356i]

I've been doing theatre professionally for several years and I haven't as yet seen any kind of curtain call for the crew. In Highschool and perhaps some colleges I think it's fine, but when you start doing it for a living, most of us have no desire to be onstage in front of an audiance, that's why we're the crew. Yes the crew works very hard, but the reward becomes your side of the show running smoothly. You may get thanks from performers or stage managers, and that is certainly appreciated, but none of the crew that I have known and worked with really would want to be onstage.

As far as the original question, if your Highschool has developed that tradition and your crew likes it, go ahead and continue it. Just talk to your crew and let it be their choice, they'll appreciate you for that! And be sure to thank them regardless of if they decide to participate in the curtain call!

 

[PhantomD]

We make use of these great things called "followspots" ...we happen to mount them around halfway down our theatre on the side catwalk...so...

After the cast has all come on, we spot the band, then the spots point at each other, then sweep through the audience up to the booth, before sweeping back to the stage.

Often I do something visually stunning with the lights at the same time.

 

[tekgoddess]

Never,never, never. Well, OK, maybe 2 years on the tour say goodbye but do you think the audience cares? Not unless it's your Mom.
Have you not read proverbs for techies? We are suppossed to be invisible. Period.
Want to have applause? Audition, get a part, take a curtain call.

 

[SAWYeR]

At my HS, the Crew comes on for a bow during the last show of the musicals only. I think it's a nice practice, just because very few people realize or appreciate the amount of work and the number of crew techies it takes to make a show. I think that once in a while, it's a good thing to be acknowledged for all the work we put into our shows. It's just plain sad how many people don't know what a techie is.

 

[Cooze]

I feel that the Crew should NOT be onstage during the curtain call, if you want to be onstage, you need to become an actor, if you dont like the life of a crew person, then leave the Theatre. If you feel different thats fine, but I would NEVER go onstage for a curtain call.

 

[timokay]

Great topic.

At our High School, we have two Thursday matinees before each weekend of shows, and we invite grade schools. After each show, we invite the schools to ask questions to the actors and crew, who sit onstage as a group.

Easily, 90% of the questions are always directed to the crew. The kids want to know how this was made, what is it like up in the catwalk, how long it took, how did you do this and that effect, and the actors always get "Do you want to be in the movies?"

The crew gets to really shine, and get involved with the audience.

The director asks the crew to take a bow on our opening night Gala, and I really think it is because the parents want to see their kids get some applause.

I think the parents should come to the matinees to see how much the tech are appreciated.

 

[Cooze]

timokay I think that what you are speaking of is a bit of an exception, I think interaction with the younger kids is a great thing and I would encourage you to continue doing it.

 

[TheaterMarine]

The backstage tech got to go out and sing the last song in our musical production, but in the smaller productions tech simply pack up and go home. Our TD came around and thanked us individualy, but I think the audience should get a chance to thank us for our work. Our names do get printed in the program, but they don't know the faces that go with those names. I just think that we should get recoginition for the work we put in. The actors work speaks for itself, but our work is quiet and unseen. Our work is no less or more important than the actors work. I think tech should get some form of recoginition because we put in a lot of hard work that most people take for granted. That why I belive on a big production tech should get a bow or get to go on stage on the closing night.

 

[Dani]

They had us do curtain call for the past show I worked on. I ducked out the back. I just don't like it. I guess it depends on the people, the rest of the stage crew was fine with it, but they were also actors and it was there first time being on crew. They went out I ducked out the back door.

 

[Dani]

The backstage tech got to go out and sing the last song in our musical production, but in the smaller productions tech simply pack up and go home. Our TD came around and thanked us individualy, but I think the audience should get a chance to thank us for our work. Our names do get printed in the program, but they don't know the faces that go with those names. I just think that we should get recoginition for the work we put in. The actors work speaks for itself, but our work is quiet and unseen. Our work is no less or more important than the actors work. I think tech should get some form of recoginition because we put in a lot of hard work that most people take for granted. That why I belive on a big production tech should get a bow or get to go on stage on the closing night.

Yes it is true our work goes unmentioned (its definatley seen just not realized) I personally don't think it necessary to take a bow, afterall if we wanted recognition for anything we would of been actors, would we not? I didnt become an ATD to get noticed, its definitley a job I am not noticed for unless you are around at 4 am. But I like it that way, I like not drawing attention to my work and letting it just be my name in the program even if they have no idea who I am.

 

[Van]

Yes it is true our work goes unmentioned (its definatley seen just not realized) I personally don't think it necessary to take a bow, afterall if we wanted recognition for anything we would of been actors, would we not? I didnt become an ATD to get noticed, its definitley a job I am not noticed for unless you are around at 4 am. But I like it that way, I like not drawing attention to my work and letting it just be my name in the program even if they have no idea who I am.

I'm right there with you. As technicians we are "behind the scenes". As I have stated many times, " If you do a good job as a technician, it's kinda like taking a piss in a drak blue suit. It gives you a a nice warm feeling, but nobody really notices"

 

[gafftaper]

To me there is nothing more satisfying than seeing the complete look on stage during performance and saying... that was what I saw in my mind when I first read the script. Now the audience can see the story the same way I saw it in my mind. We grumble and complain a lot but it's really all about the art of story telling. When done right, we get to paint the picture the audience sees. What could be better than that?

 

[avkid]

it's kinda like taking a piss in a drak blue suit. It gives you a a nice warm feeling, but nobody really notices"

Until they sit in your chair!

 

[Bucky]

No i do not think techs should go out on stage for a Curtain call even though i sometimes really wanted to for my last show because i ran the light board, dessigned the lights and sound but i never did because it is not tradition also for the most part the the crew gets there head shots done on the call board the left side is always our crew side and the order for us is TD, SM, ASM(s), Lighting tech(s), Sound tech(s), run crew