Theatre Traditions and Habits

[busparking]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this, but I'll put it here and someone else can move it if they need to.

I want to educate my students on standard procedures of how to interact with a theatre space.
I don't know what to call them exactly, but I'm thinking of all the things we do that we take for granted.
For example, I was trained to never go through a closed curtain, or walk across an open stage, when the house is open.
In my searches online, all I can find are lists of superstitions and audience etiquette.

So I turn to the CB community: What are some of the habits and traditions that seem commonplace to you, but take you by surprise when other people DON'T do them? Things that you don't know if anyone ever explicitly told you but you learned somewhere and feel like everyone should "just know."

Thanks!

 

[Les Engineer]

Ha! My wife and I are both theater geeks - have been since childhood, but from very different theater traditions, geography, and training. Oddly, we understand theater and theater terms and traditions in the same way, except for one huge bone of contention, the role, realm, form, and function of the Stage Manager. Believe me, I'll do the group a favor and not list the wide variance of opinion, but if it hasn't cost us our marriage nothing will. This is the one responsibility that seems to vary everywhere I work. (Why do I feel like I'm starting something I shouldn't?)

 

[CraigV]

My theater rituals consist mainly maintaining a clean booth—to the point of obsessively dusting off the board of the little flecks left behind by the dust cover.

 

[rustystuff]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this, but I'll put it here and someone else can move it if they need to.

I want to educate my students on standard procedures of how to interact with a theatre space.
I don't know what to call them exactly, but I'm thinking of all the things we do that we take for granted.
For example, I was trained to never go through a closed curtain, or walk across an open stage, when the house is open.
In my searches online, all I can find are lists of superstitions and audience etiquette.

So I turn to the CB community: What are some of the habits and traditions that seem commonplace to you, but take you by surprise when other people DON'T do them? Things that you don't know if anyone ever explicitly told you but you learned somewhere and feel like everyone should "just know."

Thanks!

I thought about your question regarding "superstitions" and "etiquette", and came to the conclusion that what you're trying to get across to your students is called "discipline". The first two terms (to me) imply optional behaviors: something that's nice or fun to do, but if you don't, that's okay, too. I was fortunate to have an AMAZING theatre director in high school (Thank you, Cher!). An absolutely incredible instructor, mentor, visionary individual that "set the bar" extremely high, and made us accountable to each other as well as to her. She had the ability to make us believe in ourselves, and what we could do. She would give talks during rehearsals about how theate is creating "magic", and for that to happen, certain things MUST be done; as you referred to about not walking across an open stage . Doing that was simply not done - it destroyed the magic you are trying to create. I realize I'm really not giving you the specific answers you are seeking; you will have to set your own "ground rules" within your theatre space. Doing that will make your theatre YOUR theatre.
While looking online for some ways to answer your question, I found this article about 25 advantages theatre majors have when seeking jobs in other-than-theatre occupations. In it, it lists a lot of qualities "theatre people" have, and if you're able to teach some of these attributes to YOUR students, you will have the excellence you are seeking. http://lecatr.people.wm.edu/majorslearn.html

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Well, with much less analysis, first tradition I learned was to never leave a theatre both alone and in darkness - thus the ghost light tradition. In fact, it is unlucky, as many, many people have fallen off the stage in the dark.

 

[Fountain Of Euph]

Here are some:

-Knowing fly commands ("lineset flying in","linset flying out", "weight test linset"), "heads", and "runnaway!"
-Basic mic technique
-How to relamp and gel fixtures.
-how to over under coil
-the director is always right. -the director is wrong if safety is threatened.
-how to call cues ("standby", "go","hold","all stop", places)
-not to talk in a standby
-never go on the stage if the house crew is not there
-never enter the stage if the fire curtain is down
-the steward tells you when break is, noone else can
- always sweep the stage before and after shows
-know the parts of the theater and stagehouse
- stage directions
-house directions for audio
-ghost lights are always.
-safety is not third
-be early
-bring a c wrench, gloves, and a multi tool
-check in with the stage manager upon arrival.
-never wear open shoes on stage, unless part of the costume
-never eat in costume.
-IF YOU DON'T KNOW ASK
-assume that if a crewman has a headset on and the mic is in front of their mouth that that are receiving a critical life or death message, and should only be interrupted for emergencies
-if your on headset keep your mic above or below unless receaving or sending critical info.


Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.

 

[robartsd]

-assume that if a crewman has a headset on and the mic is in front of their mouth that that are receiving a critical life or death message, and should only be interrupted for emergencies
-if your on headset keep your mic above or below unless receaving or sending critical info.

I've never heard of this before and it does not seem very intuitive; however, I can see that a visual signal that you are actively communicating on headset could be very useful at times. Does this mean that when using your headset for non-critical communication, you keep the mic an inch or two above or below your mouth to show that the communication is not critical.

 

[Fountain Of Euph]

For most of the snide remarks and crass jokes i do.

Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.

 

[balderson04]

Don't know how many other places might do (or need) this, but we have developed a habit/tradition of yelling "House is clear?" before dousing the house lights on exiting the building for the day. We've had one or two people locked in over the years, so a final check helps.

 

[Fountain Of Euph]

We do that too. Also yell blackout whenever the we are going into a blackout

Sent from Taptalk for Android, this was.

 

[JChenault]

Don't sit on the set pieces ( ie chairs and sofa ).
Don't play, touch, or move a prop unless it is yours or you are the prop master
Don't speak ill of another department
Be pleasant at all times.

 

[JChenault]

When someone makes a call out ( like places, Works coming on coming in, etc ) acknowledge by saying "thank you places", "thank you works", etc

 

[josh88]

I tend say/yell "loud noise" if I know I'm about to drop something or do something that makes a noise that might startle people in an every day workday. Some of my students have taken to saying it as a kick off to strike since loud noises during that period are normal.

 

[venuetech]

Never whistle

 

[tjrobb]

I have a couple.
We had trouble knowing when our house was actually empty, since you can't see all spaces from all places. We make sure to shout out before dousing the works so no one got left in near-darkness; we did this to our sound crew more than once before the rule was instituted.
If test - firing any firearms, you MUST let people know. I always gave a seconds pause after "fire in the hole" so if anyone needed to object (ie sound) they could.
When you're the new guy, stay busy. Ask for work. It helps in experience and not appearing lazy.

 

[CraigV]

Never whistle

I only recently learned about this one, but it's okay that I was never taught because I can't whistle in the first place

 

[derekleffew]

Thinking maybe we should rename this thread "Things my mother never taught me" or perhaps "Everything I know about tech theatre I learned in kindergarten."

Never whistle

This falls squarely into the superstition category, and IMO a debunked one at that. I just don't see how whistling in a theatre could cause a batten to fall on one's head. Okay, I'll stipulate/concede that ancient flymen were originally seamen or worked in the sailing industry. Explain to me how they could use whistles for cues without the audience hearing.

Now I hate whistling with a passion, but I refuse to perpetuate an incredulous myth to forbid it.
OTOH, not saying "the Scottish play", just makes good sense.

For example, I was trained to never go through a closed curtain

Something told to me early in my career, "If you can see the audience, they can see you." No peeking through the curtain; stay out of sightlines in the wings.

I tend say/yell "loud noise" if I know I'm about to drop something or do something that makes a noise that might startle people in an every day workday.

In the film/TV industry, gaffers yell "Hot stab!" before plugging in or switching on an instrument. Veterans know to not look toward a fixture's lens. Newbies learn it right quick.
[Reminds me of a tour guide during a show telling @gafftaper, "Don't look up." Of course, gaff looked up, only to have the image of several 20K strobe lights burned into his retinas. He didn't do it again.]

 

[CraigV]

OTOH, not saying "the Scottish play", just makes good sense.

I tend not to teach this one to the newbies, but I also never say the M-word, whether I'm in a theater or not, especially around other theater people. Most who I meet defend this superstition with a passion, so out of respect to their beliefs/superstitions I avoid saying the word.

 

[NickVon]

Actors are to never been seen in there costumes except on stage. (ie. you change out of your costume and into street clothes before greeting your audience after the show.) It goes along the lines of "keep the magic in the show"

Stage crews wears all black. Not a black shirt with Giant White lettering that says "CREW" thats for changing into after the show, not during. (similiar to above)

 

[busparking]

These are great!!
Keep them coming!

Thank you!!