Alright, so I know that this is a forbidden subject on CB for obvious reasons, and that all of the answers I get will probably just say "Consult a Qualified Rigger." But as this is a unique situation, I would really appreciate some answers. If you wanted to answer off CB or something, that would be ok too. But please read this entire post before automatically not saying anything.
Alright, here goes. So in a few months my school will be doing Titanic: The Musical. For those of you who haven't seen it, at the end of Act I a crows nest comes in with a person in it who is singing. The TD (great with construction and such but relatively inexperienced with theatre) has already designed this set piece. It will be a large basket attached to a batten. But since we have no fly space, the basket will be basically hung on the back of the SL proscenium, and then released behind a curtain to hang CS. Then the piece will be returned during intermission. The piece will fly in while the basket is empty, and then a person will climb into it using a ladder, then after he gets out, the piece will be flown back out.
My question: is this safe? I have casually brought this up with my TD, but he seems to think that as long as we're not moving the lineset when it's out of balance, it will be fine. And he may be right, but that's why I'm asking. If you add 200+ pounds onto a lineset while it is locked, can anything bad happen? I thought that the locks were only designed to hold a small amount of inbalance, but I seriously wonder if 200 pounds too heavy on the batten would cause a problem in the rigging. I am inclined to think it might be ok, since something similar is used in Wicked with the bridge that flies in and then two of the leads walk on. Although, they probably use automation for this lineset. Or is there some other way of doing it? We are a high school and our rigging is pretty old and does not get regular inspections, as far as I know.
I realize this is a touchy subject. So here's my question. Is there a serious risk of something in the rigging failing because of this? As of right now, if I do nothing, this will happen exactly as described, without consulting anyone. If I have reason to believe it's unsafe, however, then I will force my TD to consult with a qualified professional. But in our theatre, certain things are usually just not talked about. So I need to be certain that there's a problem with this before going ahead and getting the TD pissed off at me.
I hope you understand what I'm trying to say here. Basically, is there a serious risk of bodily harm or structural damage to the theatre by doing this, or does it generally work, regardless of whether it's officially recommended or not? I don't want to see anyone get hurt, but if I am wrong then I lose all of the respect and privledges I have gained from working with my TD.
Alright, here goes. So in a few months my school will be doing Titanic: The Musical. For those of you who haven't seen it, at the end of Act I a crows nest comes in with a person in it who is singing. The TD (great with construction and such but relatively inexperienced with theatre) has already designed this set piece. It will be a large basket attached to a batten. But since we have no fly space, the basket will be basically hung on the back of the SL proscenium, and then released behind a curtain to hang CS. Then the piece will be returned during intermission. The piece will fly in while the basket is empty, and then a person will climb into it using a ladder, then after he gets out, the piece will be flown back out.
My question: is this safe? I have casually brought this up with my TD, but he seems to think that as long as we're not moving the lineset when it's out of balance, it will be fine. And he may be right, but that's why I'm asking. If you add 200+ pounds onto a lineset while it is locked, can anything bad happen? I thought that the locks were only designed to hold a small amount of inbalance, but I seriously wonder if 200 pounds too heavy on the batten would cause a problem in the rigging. I am inclined to think it might be ok, since something similar is used in Wicked with the bridge that flies in and then two of the leads walk on. Although, they probably use automation for this lineset. Or is there some other way of doing it? We are a high school and our rigging is pretty old and does not get regular inspections, as far as I know.
I realize this is a touchy subject. So here's my question. Is there a serious risk of something in the rigging failing because of this? As of right now, if I do nothing, this will happen exactly as described, without consulting anyone. If I have reason to believe it's unsafe, however, then I will force my TD to consult with a qualified professional. But in our theatre, certain things are usually just not talked about. So I need to be certain that there's a problem with this before going ahead and getting the TD pissed off at me.
I hope you understand what I'm trying to say here. Basically, is there a serious risk of bodily harm or structural damage to the theatre by doing this, or does it generally work, regardless of whether it's officially recommended or not? I don't want to see anyone get hurt, but if I am wrong then I lose all of the respect and privledges I have gained from working with my TD.