Traveller curtain too short

[MillburyAuditorium]

This could kind of be in the facility section, But yeah.

Well, All the curtains and our three wired lighting bars are on a counterwheight system. We dont have real flys, but they come down to about the floor and up to the top of the towers. Anyways, I should of said all but one curtain. We have the main red curtain, a divider curtain, four of those small curtains more like drapes that block the view of the side stage, they swivel and move, and a rear curtain for a crossover or set storage.

Well, the middle divider curtain, granted we hardly use it, but for our play City of Angels we are doing we do. Problem is, it is not on a fly, the bar is just chained to the ceiling. I am not sure why they didnt put it on a fly, but it is making our crews hard a little hard. Instead of having lights on on the back half of the stage, behind the set for people to see, we have christmas rope lights for people to see. This light shines from under the curtain since the curtain is not touching the floor, a few inches above the it though. So we tried with just having two cycs lighting the back area, but these shined from above the set and under it aand you could see feet.


Yay people who built our stage :/

 

[marshmolly123]

Re: Tales of Stupid

We have the main red curtain, a divider curtain, four of those small curtains more like drapes that block the view of the side stage, they swivel and move, and a rear curtain for a crossover or set storage.

Sounds like a grand drape, mid-stage traveller, legs, and either a back black or a rear traveller, in that order.

 

[MillburyAuditorium]

Re: Tales of Stupid

marshmolly,

Yeah, Travellers ar just curtains the open sideways right? Our main curtain is a traveller then aswell.

Well, in order front to back it would be grand drape, legs on either side, midstage traveller, legs on either side and rear traveller.

 

[marshmolly123]

Re: Tales of Stupid

I shall refer you to these:

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/glossary-e/5544-curtains.html

and

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/glossary-t-z/14893-traveler.html

 

[derekleffew]

The above posts moved here from the thread Tales of Stupid.

Millbury, your dead-hung mid-stage traveler being slightly too short and allow light leakage underneath is very common, and (usually) easily addressed.

One way is to lengthen the chains suspending the track. CB's Safety Policy prevents us from discussing this, and it is not something that should be undertaken by a student, but it is relatively easily accomplished by qualified persons.

The other option you could do yourself, with permission from the appropriate authorities.

Theatre & Stage Equipment Products - Rigging Accessories - Curtain Track

Traveler curtain sections are typically supplied with S-hooks or snap-hooks at the top through the grommets in the webbing, which clip into the ring on each carrier. The reason for those little 4-6" long chains hanging from the carriers is to compensate for either a non-level track or floor. To lengthen the drape, just clip into a lower link. In some climates, drapes must be adjusted seasonally, as the height of a drape will shorten in the dry winters and lengthen in humid summers. (Same reason for a floating floor block.)

If the carriers don't have chains, and the drape is attached with tie-line, simply use longer tie-line. You'll need at least two people, one at the top of the drape and one at floor level to check proper length. Each carrier must be adjusted individually. Note that too-long drapes, puddling on the floor, looks just as bad if not worse than a too-short drape.

 

[KeepOnTruckin]

At least you have chains. One space I worked at had everything dead-hung using aircraft cable, so it could not be adjusted. The curtains were about 5 inches off the deck. It would have taken a lot of s-hooks to make it longer.

 

[MillburyAuditorium]

Derek, Thanks. I will have to get the big ladder out and see what's going on up there as far as how it is connected to the ceiling. Hope it will be easy to fix!

 

[billn]

As mentioned, there are several ways that you can take care of the under curtain gap:
1) lengthen the chains/cables supporting the track (a professional job)
2) lengthen the chains/ties between the carriers and the curtain
3) sew a skirt onto the bottom of the curtain. If you want one, you can add a chain pocket if the curtain does not already have one.

How deep is your stage, from the procenium to the back wall? I suspect you need at least one more leg on each side to adequately block the side sight lines.