Tradition!
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propmonkey
Well-Known Member
all seniors spray paint their names above those house in tuxedo heaven. ive started laying center stage when the house is clear and all the actors are changing and meeting friends in th hall. its peaceful and relaxing and it gives me a chance to think about whatever i did wrong that night. also after the show the actors go down to the dressing rooms and chant, [girls] - "i wanna dip my boobs in it!" [boys] - I wanna dip my balls in it!" and that repeates back and forth for a bit. not sure where that came from though
We only have one real tradition at my school, well one that's perfectly legal and safe (using hemp-rope fly rails without gloves isn't a good idea) we sign Bohemian Rahposdy as a tech-crew at cast parties
But besides purpaseful misnaming of certain Theatrical aspects theres no realy other traditions
But besides purpaseful misnaming of certain Theatrical aspects theres no realy other traditions
My college dept. doesn't have much in the way of traditions, my college was only founded back in the 1960's so we still really young. One thing that alot of people do is to get a signed poster of the show we're working on (it's something that a few people did before me and i'm continuing it, its a way to get autograohs in case any of us ever get famous, actors and techs alike 
). Another thing that techs are known for at my school is that we only associate/party with other techs. The way we look at is thus: we earn the most money, work the longest hours doing the hardest jobs, and so when we want to truly let loose we only invite the people we feel deserve to party as hardy as we do, which generally means the rest of our dept. with some actors and a few of our "outside of the theatre" friends. This causes some strange reactions around my campus; one is a thought amongst many underclassmen that techs don't party, because we go about it so stealthfully, and another widely held misconception is that techs must deal drugs, because we have so much money all the time and we never seem to ever be at work. I long to go up to the people that believe the second one and shake them and say "we work at night fool! go to a play, you think those lights hung themselves, or maybe the set constructed itself. I'm no drug dealer, I just hide myself away in a dark theater for weeks on end!"
). Another thing that techs are known for at my school is that we only associate/party with other techs. The way we look at is thus: we earn the most money, work the longest hours doing the hardest jobs, and so when we want to truly let loose we only invite the people we feel deserve to party as hardy as we do, which generally means the rest of our dept. with some actors and a few of our "outside of the theatre" friends. This causes some strange reactions around my campus; one is a thought amongst many underclassmen that techs don't party, because we go about it so stealthfully, and another widely held misconception is that techs must deal drugs, because we have so much money all the time and we never seem to ever be at work. I long to go up to the people that believe the second one and shake them and say "we work at night fool! go to a play, you think those lights hung themselves, or maybe the set constructed itself. I'm no drug dealer, I just hide myself away in a dark theater for weeks on end!"The only traditions I can think of are these:
A few years ago, someone started a tape ball of all the glow/spike/gaff tape that was used in the spring musical. Every year we add to it. By now it's about the size of a baseball...during rehearsals we throw it at eachother as a form of tag.
When I started getting really involved in tech, my SM would call me to the lightbooth by repetedly saying "Paging...Claire...Smith" over the sound system (I won't use my real last name here, but you get the idea). You can imagine this can get really irritating. So whenever my SM or TD wants to piss me off and get me to come to them, they both will say that. Eventually, they decided that this would make a good soundcheck. So now instead of saying "check one two" or whatever, they say "Paging...Claire...Smith" instead.
After most shows everyone involved usually goes to Red Robin or the local diner or wherever to congregate. In past years, crew cast and pit all went to separate places. Recently, however, we've all ended up at the same diner/restaurant. And every year, the actors always get themselves kicked out while the secluded "techie table" laughs at them.
A few years ago, someone started a tape ball of all the glow/spike/gaff tape that was used in the spring musical. Every year we add to it. By now it's about the size of a baseball...during rehearsals we throw it at eachother as a form of tag.
When I started getting really involved in tech, my SM would call me to the lightbooth by repetedly saying "Paging...Claire...Smith" over the sound system (I won't use my real last name here, but you get the idea). You can imagine this can get really irritating. So whenever my SM or TD wants to piss me off and get me to come to them, they both will say that. Eventually, they decided that this would make a good soundcheck. So now instead of saying "check one two" or whatever, they say "Paging...Claire...Smith" instead.
After most shows everyone involved usually goes to Red Robin or the local diner or wherever to congregate. In past years, crew cast and pit all went to separate places. Recently, however, we've all ended up at the same diner/restaurant. And every year, the actors always get themselves kicked out while the secluded "techie table" laughs at them.
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Schniapereli
Active Member
We have what is called a "techie dance break" where after all the audience leaves, and we close house, we up music, turn on cool lights on stage, cover the stage with smoke, and dance. Each person is required to put on a dress, some other accesories, and get their picture taken. The seniors said they were going to post them in the hall, but they have not done that yet.
On closing night, we also included all of the actors. There weren't dresses or pictures, but a lot of dancing... (some of the actors had pretty freightening dances...just plain weird moves...like a mix of breakdancing, and southern polka...)
On closing night, we also included all of the actors. There weren't dresses or pictures, but a lot of dancing... (some of the actors had pretty freightening dances...just plain weird moves...like a mix of breakdancing, and southern polka...)
Oh, the actors do something like that. During intermission, they all run outside for a "PLP" where they make someone's car blast music, and they all have a rave (in their costumes, no less).
thebikingtechie
Active Member
We don't really have any traditions in our new auditorium other than our "boss" who really knows nothing about tech other than what we have taught her buys us chocolate for a job well done after any bug performance. I wish we coul sign our names or something but it's a really new building that the schools trustees are really proud of (we're not see my soon to be posted list of things about it) but they would take turns skinning us alive if we ever so much as wrote on a wall. I'd like to integrate some of these before the show traditions like the pulse game into our shows. It will probably help with concentration. I had seen that game used for actors but never for the techies.
down at our actual theatre writing on the walls is a tradition after the closing night of any show. At the same time there is of course a cast party with techies involved. The one thing that annoys me about out writing on the wall is each show has its own neat little area to write in and the periodically paint over old shows to make room for new ones.
down at our actual theatre writing on the walls is a tradition after the closing night of any show. At the same time there is of course a cast party with techies involved. The one thing that annoys me about out writing on the wall is each show has its own neat little area to write in and the periodically paint over old shows to make room for new ones.
Why not integrate names into the sets every year? Like, if you had a bookcase, you'd put techie names instead of book names. As long as the audience can't read the individual words, anyway.
I'll see if I can try that with my folk this year. That way, you're not really defiling a wall, and the tech actually becomes a concrete piece of the performance.
I'll see if I can try that with my folk this year. That way, you're not really defiling a wall, and the tech actually becomes a concrete piece of the performance.
We have a few traditions already mentioned here.
15 minutes before every show, the cast, crew, and pit if there is one gather in the hallway and do "Thespis Circle" where we link arms (right over left!) and the directors give a little speech and then we pass the energy one from person to the next, then once it gets back to the director we all stomp in, scream, "THESPIS PROTECT US" and twirl out.
It's tradition for the booth now to go RUNNING (normally knocking over the occasional old person or usher on the way) from the Circle all the way back to the booth, where we do our own mini Circle.
Then for sound our mini mini tradition is to turn down the mains, turn everyone's mic on, rub and kiss the board for luck, then turn everyone off and of course turn up the mains again.
At the after party, we have a tradition that if there are any new techies, they have to go through a "techie initiation" where we all get in a circle and "chug" a bottle of cola rola, passing it from one techie to the next.
It's a great bonding thing, since it tastes SO GROSS.
there's gonna be more, i can just imagine, but this is all we have so far.
15 minutes before every show, the cast, crew, and pit if there is one gather in the hallway and do "Thespis Circle" where we link arms (right over left!) and the directors give a little speech and then we pass the energy one from person to the next, then once it gets back to the director we all stomp in, scream, "THESPIS PROTECT US" and twirl out.
It's tradition for the booth now to go RUNNING (normally knocking over the occasional old person or usher on the way) from the Circle all the way back to the booth, where we do our own mini Circle.
Then for sound our mini mini tradition is to turn down the mains, turn everyone's mic on, rub and kiss the board for luck, then turn everyone off and of course turn up the mains again.
At the after party, we have a tradition that if there are any new techies, they have to go through a "techie initiation" where we all get in a circle and "chug" a bottle of cola rola, passing it from one techie to the next.
It's a great bonding thing, since it tastes SO GROSS.
there's gonna be more, i can just imagine, but this is all we have so far.
At my high school, I was one of the first dedicated techs they had in a long while, so similar to what had been said above, any traddition that was there has since died off but Mr.F buys all the techies working coffee every night and at the end of the show we have a little party and just play games. I am trying to bring one or two back though one is everyear the LD buys a Custom GOBO with the SM's name on it for EX. this year i am buying one that will say the two nick names i call here(i am the only one who she lets call here them too) its going to be a star with GK in the middle of it. the other is i am making a techie games it will last 2 days and it is sort of an initiation one the first day they learn how to do basic stuff ie. mic a show, sound check mabey basic rigging and then next day the get put to the test and Mr. F is going to make a second challenge just for me it will be program and rig the theater for a show i have not see yet. its just a thought
We have a Tradition at my school. The Stage Manager and Tech Director collect money for gifts for the Directors and Set Builder to say Thank You for all of their hard work. Is that a common thing or just something that we only do?
If somebody does it too, are there universal gifts that you can get any director that could apply to theatre, in general?
If somebody does it too, are there universal gifts that you can get any director that could apply to theatre, in general?
TechiesDoItInTheDark
Member
Ah...traditions. We have many. The big tradition would have to be after strike actors and techiese alike gather into a circle on the stage and do the Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show. We do it twice, the first time is fun and the second time the seniors get into the middle for their last time doing it. Very fun...very cult like. As for tech traditions, we too spray paint our names (usually in the galley) after our last senior production. It's fun..I don't know if this is tradition or not but we keep the "I wouldn't sit on the chair with the stickers" and the "Don't sit on the middle section of the couch" alive! (that's for you SR!!!)
(that's for you SR!!!)
