Set Changes

[tngillette]

we just have rehearse until we get it right

 

[Clifford]

We reherse once or twice and cross or fingers.

Well, sort of. We'll have our rehersals and dress rehersals to figure out what we need to be doing. During the show the SM communicates with the ASMs (one for each side of the stage) to ask when the stage is set. If there are any questions about anything the ASMs ask the SM for the right changes. Basically each person learns and knows what they do. The ASMs just have to know what the stage is supposed to look like for the next scene so that they can see whether anything is missing or not. Works for us.

 

[photoatdv]

This probably won't help you out a whole lot if you are trying to be organized. The run crew at my school always wings it.

For our play my soph year our first and only tech reh was held less than 2 hours before curtain without actors (and the paint was wet). We didn't really have an SM and the lights op decided to ignore calls from the run crew. I (acting ASM/ headset slave) had no clue what was going on exceft for the bits and pieces I got from junior run crew at intermission. I tell lights guy to hold b/c one of the junior crew tells me to hold-- he ignores me and starts!!! Run crew head ends up breaking his hand when part of a platform collapses while he is trying to place weights for support during second act.

Musical my soph year: LD is a stagecraft student with NO practical lighting experience. Sound Engineer-- friend of a teacher who has no clue what he's doing. Stagecraft teacher/ LD offer to make projection powerpoint. I am handed a partial powerpoint on a laptop, a dvd, and a dvd player the afternoon of show. Uh, yeah, I hope they don't mind 'no input' popping up while I switch stuff... The set fell apart during the final night and was duct/gaff taped. The run crew did not have jobs assigned- everone kinda ran onstage and tried to do something helpful. I ended up being: ASM, flyman, video person, and on occasion run crew. Oh and we accidentally closed the curtain for intermission 2 scenes early one night...

Junior year musical: By opening the 10 person tech crew dwindeled to 2 people! By closing 1! They managed to rip a set of legs, almost push the set into the pit, slam into our mics, put set pieces on the wrong side of the stage, and break various objects. Plus the flyman 'accidentally' pulled down a fire curtain during a tech reh!!! (I was running sound-- I was not part of the circus going on onstage and backstage)

 

[tech2000]

How do you pull in the curtain 2 scenes early? After seeing the show many times wouldn't it be kind of engraved in the fly person's head about when to bring it in?

Sounds like the crew needs to get some training! Although it would be very surprising for the music director in the pit if your set fell in!

 

[TechieTom]

i have found, that drawings conuse...um....less thatn qualified stage hands and a list makes sence, to them atleast.