Honoring Theatrical History

[avkid]

When i'm not on the road in a truck or out on a festival I spend much of my time at The Count Basie Center for the arts in Red Bank, NJ.
Known for being one of the smallest houses on the Broadway touring circuit and until recently a hemp house.

As part of a major renovation and expansion project all line sets but the main curtain were automated by Texas Scenic.
In the new lobby the pin rail, hemp ropes and shivs are set up to pay respect to those who came before.

(I also have a piece of hemp and a shiv in my storage unit to someday build my own little tribute)

 

[What Rigger?]

When i'm not on the road in a truck or out on a festival I spend much of my time at The Count Basie Center for the arts in Red Bank, NJ.
Known for being one of the smallest houses on the Broadway touring circuit and until recently a hemp house.

As part of a major renovation and expansion project all line sets but the main curtain were automated by Texas Scenic.
In the new lobby the pin rail, hemp ropes and shivs are set up to pay respect to those who came before.

Phil, this is awesome. Mind if I pinch these for possible use in an intro to rigging course for Local 504? Photo credit to you with a mention of the venue?

 

[avkid]

Phil, this is awesome. Mind if I pinch these for possible use in an intro to rigging course for Local 504? Photo credit to you with a mention of the venue?

Not at all, glad to share.

 

[bobgaggle]

Nice to see history preserved. Plus the audience has something cool and interesting to look at during intermission

 

[TimMc]

Great stuff, Phil! We have 1 hemp house remaining in Wichita, the Orpheum Theater. Flying goods in that theater are a whole "new" thing to most of the hands. My IATSE local requires a "hemp apprenticeship" before being added to the flyman list for that theater.

Good on the Basie for preserving this bit of history and presenting it to the patrons.

 

[RonHebbard]

Nice to see history preserved. Plus the audience has something cool and interesting to look at during intermission

I wonder if sterilized tweezers are supplied to extract hemp slivers?
I suspect most patrons won't have their Buck knives handy.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[What Rigger?]

I wonder if sterilized tweezers are supplied to extract hemp slivers?
I suspect most patrons won't have their Buck knives handy.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

Let them buy two drinks to keep their hands busy. F&B revenue go up, no problems with slivers. I call it a win-win.

 

[RonHebbard]

Let them buy two drinks to keep their hands busy. F&B revenues go up, no problems with slivers. I call it a win-win.

Plus if they stir their drink(s) with their fingers, the alcohol may reduce the infection; definitely environmentally friendly.
(They'll need to rake the sand box regularly, theatre cats have been known to relieve themselves during overnight mousing tours.)
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

 

[FMEng]

Do the house staff get a lot of questions about the horses?

 

[avkid]

Do the house staff get a lot of questions about the horses?

Funny, but sadly this lobby has yet to open to the public as we are severely modified. (150 people in a 1600 room)

 

[bobgaggle]

I wonder if sterilized tweezers are supplied to extract hemp slivers?
I suspect most patrons won't have their Buck knives handy.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

An old guy told me to soak the splintered hand in warm water for 5 minutes to get out the fully submberged splinters. Works pretty well. Maybe a bucket near the rail would help.

 

[theatricalmatt]

That's an amazing display! I get a lot of folks in my theater asking to look at or put hands on the theatrical rigging, so something like this lets them get close without possibly causing mischief.

But, I have to point out -- I don't think those Rosco sandbags are as old as the rest of the set up. (The webbing's a bit of a giveaway; I've some of an older generation that are strengthened with rope.)

Tip of the hat to Dave and Patty Springsteen. Any relation to Bruce?