OK, enough lurking..

[Stryker87]

Hello CB,

My name is Tyler and I joined the forum a few months ago, but I just haven't posted anything till now. I really don't know why I chose now to say, "Hi!" But hey, who cares.

At any rate, I'm a junior at Indiana University studying Theater with a concentration in Technology. I was sort of born into the field, I mean my Grandfather, my Father, and now I are all stage technicians. My real interest is electric land with operas. Which is kind of odd since i have never been able to stay awake through an opera that I'm not working.

O-well, I hope to get to know all of you better, and if I end up just lurking and never talking, please don't be offended. I subscribe to the theory that it's better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and prove it.

-Tyler

 

[Van]

Oh No ! You gotta talk, We have ways of making you talk. We'll start making fun of Hoosiers 'till you cave in.

Seriously, Welcome aboard.

 

[derekleffew]

Indiana University? Home of one of the best theatre educators of all time. gafftaper, let's hope you're remembered this way. The Gafftaper Memorial Scholarship, nice ring to it.

Gary Gaiser Award - In 1995, the Department of Theatre and Drama established the Gary Gaiser Award. This award is given on an irregular basis to a graduate or undergraduate student in the Department of Theatre and Drama who has been self-motivated and unusually innovative as an artist, technician and/or scholar during his or her career. It is awarded in memory of Gary Gaiser who began his career at Indiana in 1944, retired in 1980, died in 1994. Gary Gaiser, who had a wide range of interests and an absolute love of lighting and technology, was an inspiration to hundreds of students and colleagues. He was continually exploring, experimenting, and proving that age need not dampen the enthusiasm for living. What is more, Gary was always upbeat, had a wide smile, boundless energy and enthusiasm, and an insatiable curiosity. He was constantly filled with a sense of awe -- and it was Gary Gaiser’s sense of awe that was so infectious. It was his sense of awe that set him apart from the rest of us.

Maybe not as famous as that fancy pants Lee Watson from up north, but equally as good, if not better.

Welcome to the Booth, Tyler, glad you've come out. Do you think Buckeyes and Hoosiers get along because we both hate Michigan? There's a little gel and gobo company somewhere near you, isn't there?

edit: I don't think they have enough Coolbeams on this catwalk...

Are those Selecon Pacifics in the #2SLBB?

 

[Stryker87]

Don't go insulting Hoosiers.

And while Michigan is a terrible school, but it's still better than Purdue.

As far as the Gel and Gobo company goes... You got me.

As far as that picture goes... Yeah, they use alot of cool beams. I have to admit I kinda avoid our lighting prof, so I honestly can't tell you if those are Selecon Pacifics or not.

While I am a Theatre Student, I spend most of my time working at the Jacob's School of Music's Musical Arts Center on the electrics crew. It's more hours flexible hours. not to mention the fact that the show's are way larger and by far more challenging.

For example, we did La Boheme this past fall. Well, here check out this article if you want to get an idea. Spectacular new set design makes IU Opera Theater's "La Bohème" a feast for the senses: IU News Room: Indiana University

-Tyler

 

[waynehoskins]

Sure look like Pacifics in the box boom there.

Odd combination, Strand and Selecon in the same space.

 

[gafftaper]

Welcome to the Booth Tyler! Forget about your college, I want to hear more about Grandpa the stage hand. Where did he work? What did he do? Got any crazy stories from back in the bad old days. There are a lot of us around here who really love our tech theater history.

Get to know the search function, there's a ton of great info in those archives!

 

[Dally]

Well, here check out this article if you want to get an idea. Spectacular new set design makes IU Opera Theater's "La Bohème" a feast for the senses: IU News Room: Indiana University

-Tyler

Ooohh....such a pretty set...it makes me feel like painting...time to pull out the casein.

 

[Stryker87]

Grandpa Really isn't much of a story... well, not much of a theatrical career at least. He's an ordained minister that was nicely asked to stop preaching after having an affair with his secretary. So he spent a few years working as a maintenance man and then just sorta fell into working with the local IATSE.

The better story however is my dad. He also went to IU and did a double major in Music and Backstage Technology. After graduating he was working for a carpentry shop in Indianapolis while waiting for his musical career to take off. After being in the shop for about 6 months, they missed a deadline for a set and my father was sent on the road to finnish it as it toured. That set was for Funkadelic. That was the first tour of a 16 year long road trip that included bands such as Def Lepard, Metallica, Kiss, John Melloncamp, and John Denver to mention a few. He spent most of those years working as a rigger, and then when it was time for me to start school, my mother put her foot down and my dad came off the road and became the flyman at the IU Auditorium. A few years later he was promoted to Stage Manager and he is still there. He also moonlights teaching a rigging course for the grad students in the Theatre Department.

How's that for theatre tech history. If you'd like, I could waste hours retelling stories Dad has from his touring days.

-Tyler