my high school needs more student techs!

[SpringheelJack]

Sort of like hot dogs. The only kind of Hot Dog worth getting can be found pretty exclusively in Chicago for some reason.

It may be hard to get a good hot dog, but at least in the Midwest we don't have Bad hot dogs. I've heard horror stories of the sorts of hot dogs you get sometimes in the south and out west.
Still I prefer an Brot a hot dog when I can get one (not often round here), but I've learned to stay away from the 'store specialty' type. It's like as soon as butchers learn they can put anything in a sausage casing they go nuts, and you get things like the chicken brot (That wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either), the cheese brought (The absolute weirdest tasting thing I have ever eaten), and the stuff even I was smart enough not to try (I seem to recall a spinich broth).

 

[avkid]

The only kind of Hot Dog worth getting can be found pretty exclusively in Chicago for some reason.

Sorry, but no.
#1
The WindMill: Gourmet Fast Food

#2
Nathan's Famous - Welcome to Nathan's

 

[shiben]

Sorry, but no.
#1
The WindMill: Gourmet Fast Food

Any place that offers dogs with chilli and cheese on them is a bad dog. Also, they probably have ketchup in their stores.

 

[katharine]

My high school has a similar problem with getting tech... And we get paid, so there's no need for pizza bribes. We have two theaters, one with about 3,500 seats, and another smaller theater attached. My school has almost 4,000 students. We just got an entirely new lighting system in the big theater, and we have had a number of other recent upgrades, so there are lots of shiny toys for our virtually un-supervised crew to play with. So why don't we have people? I'm both confused by this, and in dire need of a solution...

We don't have a tech class, or a full tech director or theater manager, because they got cut a few years ago, I think they have a different budget than our actual supplies for some reason...

 

[shiben]

My high school has a similar problem with getting tech... And we get paid, so there's no need for pizza bribes. We have two theaters, one with about 3,500 seats, and another smaller theater attached. My school has almost 4,000 students. We just got an entirely new lighting system in the big theater, and we have had a number of other recent upgrades, so there are lots of shiny toys for our virtually un-supervised crew to play with. So why don't we have people? I'm both confused by this, and in dire need of a solution...

We don't have a tech class, or a full tech director or theater manager, because they got cut a few years ago, I think they have a different budget than our actual supplies for some reason...

Pizza bribes are still the way to get people to come hang out.

 

[randomtangentsrme]

My beginning acting class had the teacher ask if anyone wanted to run the light board for the next show. That's all it took for me.

 

[jlusardi]

At my school we actually have more then enough techs, but free food is always the way to go. I was talking to our director and another person yesterday and we were saying how free food (especially pizza) is just as good if not better then money.

 

[Lambda]

I'm having a very hard time finding more people to do tech. This year, it ended up that all of the crew except two people (a costume/props designer and light board op) are graduating. In the past we've always had plenty of people to take over, but I can't find anyone to teach sound or rigging. Even worse, I can't even find anybody to train as a flyman for the upcoming musical. That's not a job we can just hand out to anybody.
Sometimes, being part of a small school has the disadvantage of lack of diversity. With 700 students, if there's a 1% chance that someone will be interested, committed, and responsible, we've only got 7 people. Oh, free pizza works for stagehands, but people who I'd feel comfortable entrusting the fly system to are few and far between.

 

[JonasA]

Flyman's a difficult one, because you can't put anyone on there, but can you move your desk op onto flys? They may crack the sads about not getting to do desk, but when it comes down to the line, there's a lot more danger with flys than the desk and you need the most responsible person on it. I had a similar problem to you in that several of our senior techs have recently graduated and with me leaving this year I needed to make sure there's going to be someone to replace me. The solution? Young performers. Juniors/Year 7's or 8's are too young to be in orchestra/symphonic band/musical cast at my school, but they desperately want to be, so I drag them into the crew. They're delighted because they get to be a part of the show in some way and you pick up kids who are very dedicated.

---

On a side note, this raises a problem we often face as high school techs: Succession planning, or lack thereof. It seems that in a lot of schools without a formal theatre tech class or something similar, often you get a lone or small group of techs who become proficient and take up a lot of responsibility, but then graduate and leave behind a vacuum which is hard to fill. What's everyone doing to ensure this doesn't happen?

I personally have picked the two students who have said they want to replace me, and while I'm always trying to up-skill everyone on the crew, I'm particularly mentoring these two and making sure they know all the ins-and-outs they need to so they can successfully keep shows on the stage well after I'm gone, and hopefully later do the same for another kid. It's a bit of a challenge for me, but they love it. People are welcome to argue that this is favoritism, but I know that many of my techs have no desire (or ability!) to lead our crew, and I'm not going to make them step up to that job if it's not the right move for them.

 

[Dovahkiin]

At my school, most people come in wanting to be actors. The directors, however, make it a point that they will not cast anybody who isn't willing to learn and work on tech. They always make sure to plug how vital, important, and downright miraculous our crews are every chance they get. People in the non-tech theatre classes are encouraged to apply for crew long before they're told they should audition. After working on crew to try to work their way up, many people decide that they simply like tech work more. I think most people new to live performance tend to think of tech as the lower-class people in the production or that their work isn't as important because it doesn't have the same glory. I think getting people out of that mindset is the way to gain more interested technicians. We do about 6 productions a year and the only time we have a crew of less than 20 is when we're limited by UIL rules. As our directors never hesitate to point out, a good actor can be replaced in a heart beat. A good technician is invaluable.

 

[milan]

Hello fellow TDs. I just became a TD for my alma matter! Odd being back. Anyway, I have the same issue. Lack of interest. However, our situation is a bit odd. We've split technicians into two classes Theatre Tech and Stagecraft. The former learns lighting, minor videography, and sound. Stagecraft learns construction, painting, props, and rigging.
We have not, however, created a program where a student would lead as a TD as none have had both classes yet. Nor has anyone shown that much interest. We are working with the drama teacher to make sure actors are required some tech work on the crews. So getting people will not be hard. Just reining the difficult ones in will be difficult.
I've been thinking about generating more interest by displaying images of the student's work on shows and projects in the art gallery display or at the drama banquet. That might help as well. -Best of luck

 

[ruinexplorer]

Positive reinforcement, especially in front of others, will likely increase the desire. So, if you praise your techs in front of the performers, then they will know that they are appreciated. If you happen to have an awards ceremony, You could mix in the awards for technicians along with the performers so that it is apparent that no one role is more important than the other.

 

[StNic54]

you want the best techs? offer class credit to the cheerleaders or danceline girls to show up and work, you'll get your technicians soon enough. Forget the pizza.

 

[artable]

I am a Junior at a high school. Stage manager. Underteched. all that fun stuff.
I've started going into the two junior highs that feed into skyline and working their shows with them. The idea is that people interested in working in my theater will actually come to me once they graduate junior high. I'm also going to start a sort-of casual interest club, a place where people who are interested in being run crew can do just that.
We'll see how it goes.

 

[de27192]

How are you spreading the word? There may be people interested who don't know how to get involved.

When I was at high school I ALWAYS wanted to do technical stuff in the school productions, but I never knew how to get involved and it was never advertised. If I had known how to get involved I'd have been on it like a car bonnet.

 

[lwinters630]

It is sometimes word of mouth. Promote your tech club through poster, digital media sinage, school announcements. Keep them engaged and challenged. Let them know individualy, the great qualities you see and their potential. Praise often, even when it's not perfect, or needs redoing.

If they feel valued and needed they will keep coming back, . . with their friends.

A balance of fun and work. Set a goal to reach, like "student tech director" "lead fly man" "stage manager". Be sure their names get in programs or print certificates.

 

[lwinters630]

you want the best techs? offer class credit to the cheerleaders or danceline girls to show up and work, you'll get your technicians soon enough. Forget the pizza.

Oh sure, you'll get the guys out, but will you get work done. At least with pizza, it's after the work.

WAIT ...AWE I broke a nail. . . . The box is over there. Just grab a new one . . . And hit it straight.