I started my Theatre career as a stagehand for my local Beloit Janesville Symphonic Orchestra(BJSO) 3 years ago. At the end of the school year the BJSO plays a the local High School Theater for the area 5th Graders. I asked the student Sound Op if the Theater was looking for help, lol. The reply was something like: "Our current Tech Director builds our set and kinda helps sound. What do you know in the realm of Sound N' lights?" Now I realize just how big of a hole I found my self in, cause my response was something like: "well, I put on a Christmas light show that runs up the power bill $200.00. and I can fluently operate a PV12 after resetting it up." Now I'm the "Tech Director of A/V and Technology" overseeing, teaching, maintaining our Lighting, sound, video, and fly systems. Oh and still working on repairing the the mountain of cabling I took out of service my first year as a volunteer. During my 2nd year I was asked to be a 'Field Marshall' for the local Film Festival. That had lead into some interesting places, and many jobs updating systems in local business for the film festival.
What inspired you to get into technical theatre?
- Thread starterdvsDave
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patlienemann
Member
I started in music in high school and gradually moved over after being in the Pit for a few musicals. The creative side of me has always loved the creation of things and how every little detail works, especially in the arts. When my high school asked for people to join stagecraft class I figured what the heck. Turned out to be the best experience of my life because it introduced me to the whole technical side of theatre... a world I had never imagined was more than two people sitting at a light board. The things that people can create through a world of imagination in the mind is just amazing.
My first view of theater was during middle school, watching my older sister act in productions. When I got into high school I was in several shows my freshman year but was not quite fitting in. I started working tech on various middle school and rental group productions. Throughout my last 3 years of high school I switched to doing only technical theater, mostly stage managing. It also helped that my mom was my school's set designer and prop manager and both of my grandfather's worked technical theater at some point in their lives, so I guess I was doomed to work tech theater... Personally I am very happy that I made the switch from acting (which I enjoyed but was not very not good at) to Technical Theater which is much more my type of work.
I always like sharing this story.
I'll make it short. I was acting/singing in middle/high school. When I was 15 or 16 I got kicked out of the HS performance of Mame or something due missing a before school rehearsal for whatever reason. The director made "an example of me". So I asked the "TD" if I could do sound or something. I haven't left the board for the stage since. That was 11 years ago and prior to collage for Sound Design.
Funny how that works.
I'll make it short. I was acting/singing in middle/high school. When I was 15 or 16 I got kicked out of the HS performance of Mame or something due missing a before school rehearsal for whatever reason. The director made "an example of me". So I asked the "TD" if I could do sound or something. I haven't left the board for the stage since. That was 11 years ago and prior to collage for Sound Design.
Funny how that works.
bobcatarts
Member
When I was growing up, my family worked in radio and TV broadcast; I started learning to operate all kinds of recording and AV equipment as soon as I could read and understand the numbers on them. My sister, eight years my senior, was already doing theatre after school before studying and pursuing broadcast, and I followed her footsteps through junior and high school. You could say it's a family tradition, I just wound up pursuing it professionally.
I've worked on just about every production that came my way throughout school and started getting paid for production my freshmen year of high school, and have been training and chasing it ever since.
Theatre design gives me the biggest challenges and opportunities. Somewhere between art and science, I am forced to constantly learn everything about everything (from organic chemistry to electrical and mechanical engineering to physics, astronomy, anatomy, acoustics... even the culinary arts) and then apply that learning to creatively solve problems. It also lets me be infinitely creative, giving me a safe and contained environment to "play god" by constructing -and then destroying- entire worlds and all the lives within.
No other vocation does all this - and I've tried a few- and quickly grown to dislike doing anything else. I'm utterly unemployable outside an Arts context. It's how I survive, how I keep (functionally) sane, and how I leave the world a better place one story and lesson at a time. Just wish it paid better, but I didn't go in to it for the money.
You could say, rather, the Arts chose me, and design/tech is where I can serve her the best. So I do; everything but costumes and makeup.
I've worked on just about every production that came my way throughout school and started getting paid for production my freshmen year of high school, and have been training and chasing it ever since.
Theatre design gives me the biggest challenges and opportunities. Somewhere between art and science, I am forced to constantly learn everything about everything (from organic chemistry to electrical and mechanical engineering to physics, astronomy, anatomy, acoustics... even the culinary arts) and then apply that learning to creatively solve problems. It also lets me be infinitely creative, giving me a safe and contained environment to "play god" by constructing -and then destroying- entire worlds and all the lives within.
No other vocation does all this - and I've tried a few- and quickly grown to dislike doing anything else. I'm utterly unemployable outside an Arts context. It's how I survive, how I keep (functionally) sane, and how I leave the world a better place one story and lesson at a time. Just wish it paid better, but I didn't go in to it for the money.
You could say, rather, the Arts chose me, and design/tech is where I can serve her the best. So I do; everything but costumes and makeup.
chieftfac
Active Member
The wild backstage parties, the sex, drugs, and rock & roll, but mostly for the hallucinogenic effect of smelling burning electrical wires and overheated amps.
Am I going to get in trouble for this post???
"Stay in school kids!!!!" and remember ".. Children, Dugs are bad, m'..k..."
Edit... I am so going to h*^l for this....
Am I going to get in trouble for this post???
"Stay in school kids!!!!" and remember ".. Children, Dugs are bad, m'..k..."
Edit... I am so going to h*^l for this....
Last edited:
My very first tech moment was when I auditioned for the local Scout cover band; I was 12 and my voice was breaking and I didn't know any rock songs anyway, but they took pity on me and suggested I do lighting. I seem to remember the band spent most of the next few months plunged into abject darkness, and are still thankful that I eventually took up sax.
At school, I joined Tech Crew because one of the older students who I thought was amazing suggested I did. I still remember my first night on desk - school concert, which I left early to get to rehearsals for another much bigger community show. And I guess that was it... I remember looking at all the older students who stage managed and did lighting design and thinking they were infinitely cool. Five years later, I've just handed on the reins as Crew Manager and Stage Manager to a girl who I taught to use a followspot at 12. In the interim, I've read books, seen over 100 shows, trained kids, been trained, learnt lots, found out I don't know much, done things better, done things worse... you get the idea.
I don't know when I decided I wanted to do this professionally, but it was probably the moment when I stood on the stage of the State Theatre (Melbourne, Australia) and looked out over the 3,000 seats there and into the cavernous flyspace and a tech next to me said "It's like heaven, isn't it?". I love the adrenalin thrill of making shows happen: To me, performing is lovely, but it's something else to create the show from nothing and help it grow and emerge. I'm just hoping I still feel that way in a few years/decades...
Since then, I've just gotten more and more obsessed. My mother is horrified at my boundless enthusiasm. Ah well... She'll live.
PS: I'm hoping one day I'll look on this thread and see "Some senior call Jonas at my high school said I should join and I didn't really have any friends or fit in so I did and it turns out it's great" - it's been the story of so many of the students I've trained over the past few years, and they've all been brilliant. Can't say how much I've loved watching them all fall in love with technical theatre as well as grow into amazing people.
At school, I joined Tech Crew because one of the older students who I thought was amazing suggested I did. I still remember my first night on desk - school concert, which I left early to get to rehearsals for another much bigger community show. And I guess that was it... I remember looking at all the older students who stage managed and did lighting design and thinking they were infinitely cool. Five years later, I've just handed on the reins as Crew Manager and Stage Manager to a girl who I taught to use a followspot at 12. In the interim, I've read books, seen over 100 shows, trained kids, been trained, learnt lots, found out I don't know much, done things better, done things worse... you get the idea.
I don't know when I decided I wanted to do this professionally, but it was probably the moment when I stood on the stage of the State Theatre (Melbourne, Australia) and looked out over the 3,000 seats there and into the cavernous flyspace and a tech next to me said "It's like heaven, isn't it?". I love the adrenalin thrill of making shows happen: To me, performing is lovely, but it's something else to create the show from nothing and help it grow and emerge. I'm just hoping I still feel that way in a few years/decades...
Since then, I've just gotten more and more obsessed. My mother is horrified at my boundless enthusiasm. Ah well... She'll live.
PS: I'm hoping one day I'll look on this thread and see "Some senior call Jonas at my high school said I should join and I didn't really have any friends or fit in so I did and it turns out it's great" - it's been the story of so many of the students I've trained over the past few years, and they've all been brilliant. Can't say how much I've loved watching them all fall in love with technical theatre as well as grow into amazing people.
kenact
Active Member
Always been a techie. When I directed my first play, it was either hire a sound, set & lighting person out of my $0 budget, or learn how to do it all myself. As a singer all my life and a guitarist since 1967, sound was no mystery and having accumulated enough power tools to take down a small house, carpentry didn't scare me either. My biggest learning curve was lighting, and finding the stones to climb 40 feet in the air on a ladder to handle something too hot to touch with your bare hands.
My first foray into lighting was on an E-Lite 2x24 board in a 166 seat theater. Now I want to "replace" the E-Lite with a laptop to run all my sound & light cues and not have to worry about stuck faders and noisy pots.
My first foray into lighting was on an E-Lite 2x24 board in a 166 seat theater. Now I want to "replace" the E-Lite with a laptop to run all my sound & light cues and not have to worry about stuck faders and noisy pots.
Got interested in technical theater when I started college. Had a choice between regular PE classes, or dance, so I got involved in dance. My dance instructors found out that I knew how to sew and build things, and it was all over. I spent most of my spare time the first two years of college sewing ballet costumes. From there, I transferred to another college where I could major in costume design and technical theater. My oldest child cut her teeth on thread spools in the costume shop, where I was doing my senior internship as assistant costume shop supervisor.
Then I went back to college in the mid '80s and got a teaching degree, so I could afford to live, while creating costumes and doing custom sewing on the side. I'm now at a high school with an awesome auditorium, which just needs some TLC. My background may not be in lighting and sound, but I do have some students with lighting and sound experience, who are willing to teach their teacher about the electronics.
This leap back into technical theater was unexpected, but I find it an exciting change from teaching in the classroom.
Then I went back to college in the mid '80s and got a teaching degree, so I could afford to live, while creating costumes and doing custom sewing on the side. I'm now at a high school with an awesome auditorium, which just needs some TLC. My background may not be in lighting and sound, but I do have some students with lighting and sound experience, who are willing to teach their teacher about the electronics.
This leap back into technical theater was unexpected, but I find it an exciting change from teaching in the classroom.
leastlikely
Member
tl;dr: I was super involved in theatre in high school and mildly involved in college, but it was a really long process to figure out what I wanted to be doing. The single event that truly got me into what I do now was this random Fringe show I did for a friend-of-a-friend.
The whole story:
In high school my friend and I tried out for a play. From then on I was hooked and worked on every play in my high school career except one, in addition to taking several classes (no tech classes, but acting and IB theatre) and being the president of the Thespian troupe my senior year. Mostly I acted, but I did some costume crew, and some props design and run crew, and then I did AD and ASM, which I liked more than anything I had done before. My school theatre department had an "exec board" with a TD, ME, PM, and theatre manager. Rumor was that I was going to get the theatre manager position... but then it went to a student who was a year younger than me (which, looking back, makes sense - this is the person who keeps the schedule for all rentals for the theatre space... give it to someone and let them keep it for a while [wait a second... why was that a responsibility that was given to a student?!]) and I was pretty upset because I was sure that if I had more tech experience I would have gotten the position. I acted in the first two shows in 12th grade but for the final show that year I decided to SM it - I've never told anybody this but the actual reason I chose not to audition for it was that she wanted British dialects (I think there were something like 7 different dialects in that play, it was ridiculous) but I knew I wasn't going to be able to pull it off and didn't want to make a fool of myself so I decided to try stage management instead.
Went to college, auditioned for something, realized I sucked. But at the same time I was also doing some scenic painting and some light hangs to help out a professor (and to get extra credit). She mentioned to me that one of the student-directed shows needed a stagehand, so I did it. Had a couple more crew gigs throughout college, but I was only a theatre minor so I didn't have the practicum obligations that majors did, and naturally the spots went to majors first.
Four years out of high school, a friend from high school contacted me. "I'm starting a summer camp theatre program. We're doing a full production. Will you be my stage manager?" So I did it, and then after that I didn't do any theatre for another three years. The same friend contacted me saying "I have a friend who's doing a Fringe show and she needs an SM and I already gave her your info." So I did that show, and at the Fringe bar I met an artistic director who invited me to work with him and I've been working professionally (in stage management) nonstop for the two years since then.
The whole story:
In high school my friend and I tried out for a play. From then on I was hooked and worked on every play in my high school career except one, in addition to taking several classes (no tech classes, but acting and IB theatre) and being the president of the Thespian troupe my senior year. Mostly I acted, but I did some costume crew, and some props design and run crew, and then I did AD and ASM, which I liked more than anything I had done before. My school theatre department had an "exec board" with a TD, ME, PM, and theatre manager. Rumor was that I was going to get the theatre manager position... but then it went to a student who was a year younger than me (which, looking back, makes sense - this is the person who keeps the schedule for all rentals for the theatre space... give it to someone and let them keep it for a while [wait a second... why was that a responsibility that was given to a student?!]) and I was pretty upset because I was sure that if I had more tech experience I would have gotten the position. I acted in the first two shows in 12th grade but for the final show that year I decided to SM it - I've never told anybody this but the actual reason I chose not to audition for it was that she wanted British dialects (I think there were something like 7 different dialects in that play, it was ridiculous) but I knew I wasn't going to be able to pull it off and didn't want to make a fool of myself so I decided to try stage management instead.
Went to college, auditioned for something, realized I sucked. But at the same time I was also doing some scenic painting and some light hangs to help out a professor (and to get extra credit). She mentioned to me that one of the student-directed shows needed a stagehand, so I did it. Had a couple more crew gigs throughout college, but I was only a theatre minor so I didn't have the practicum obligations that majors did, and naturally the spots went to majors first.
Four years out of high school, a friend from high school contacted me. "I'm starting a summer camp theatre program. We're doing a full production. Will you be my stage manager?" So I did it, and then after that I didn't do any theatre for another three years. The same friend contacted me saying "I have a friend who's doing a Fringe show and she needs an SM and I already gave her your info." So I did that show, and at the Fringe bar I met an artistic director who invited me to work with him and I've been working professionally (in stage management) nonstop for the two years since then.
I was recruited to help in the shop my sophomore year of high school: a friend who worked on costumes mentioned that they could use some help in the shop, and I tentatively committed. Halfway through striking the show (Agatha Christie's The Hollow), between accidentally drilling my thumb and crushing my foot under a 4x8 platform, I realized that I already couldn't see myself doing anything but theater in the future. Two years later, here I am.
LightingGirl
Member
Well I started off as part of construction crew at my high as a freshman because i can't act and i had some friends who did tech. Then sophomore year it was dumb luck that i got into lighting. From there i just found my niche and learned what i want to do with the rest of my life. I directed lights my whole junior year and now that i'm a senior i'm lighting more shows at my school outside of just the fall play and spring musical and i plan on working with a local theatre this summer and then, next year, off to college to study lighting design.
Vamp Til Ready
Member
In 4th grade, my friend Josh and I used to play during recess. We loved an old TV show (...or was it a segment within a comedy program?) called Not Necessarily the News. We used the chalkboard as our set by drawing the outline of lights and a podium. The premise of our version of the show was that Josh was the "esteemed" news host and I was the engineer/tech. My character was always scheming to find ways to get into the spotlight and often found ways to sabotage the program. This is what I do professionally in the world of public radio to this very day (I don't really sabotage the show--but a girl can dream).
Later on, I majored in dance in college. I took dance production classes and loved it. I am that crazy person who will get up at 6am--do load in at the theater, take ballet class, rehearse,focus the lights, perform in a 2 hour opera...then stay for strike. I worked every show I could get my hands on--well beyond any requirements for classes. I worked in every position I could possibly find. So far, the only thing I really haven't done is work a follow spot.
I took two years off of college to study with a professional modern dance company. I thought I had volunteered to do gel changes during their home performance season-- imagine my surprise when they handed me a check! Now that I had connections, one gig led to another and I got a few summer tours with ballet and modern dance companies over the next few years. On a whim, I saw an online ad for a position in the engineering department at a public radio station and I applied. I didn't hear anything for 6 months but eventually was called and hired to do lighting at their performing arts studio. Strangely, I didn't see the inside of that performance space for two years because I was grabbed to work as a board operator in the master control room/radio operations. Eventually, I was moved into a management position in the engineering department and I got to do cool things like help fix transmitters. I started mixing front of house sound and occasionally cover in the recording studio. I have now been in radio for almost 10 years. On the side, I am an over hire theater tech for another venue.
Later on, I majored in dance in college. I took dance production classes and loved it. I am that crazy person who will get up at 6am--do load in at the theater, take ballet class, rehearse,focus the lights, perform in a 2 hour opera...then stay for strike. I worked every show I could get my hands on--well beyond any requirements for classes. I worked in every position I could possibly find. So far, the only thing I really haven't done is work a follow spot.
I took two years off of college to study with a professional modern dance company. I thought I had volunteered to do gel changes during their home performance season-- imagine my surprise when they handed me a check! Now that I had connections, one gig led to another and I got a few summer tours with ballet and modern dance companies over the next few years. On a whim, I saw an online ad for a position in the engineering department at a public radio station and I applied. I didn't hear anything for 6 months but eventually was called and hired to do lighting at their performing arts studio. Strangely, I didn't see the inside of that performance space for two years because I was grabbed to work as a board operator in the master control room/radio operations. Eventually, I was moved into a management position in the engineering department and I got to do cool things like help fix transmitters. I started mixing front of house sound and occasionally cover in the recording studio. I have now been in radio for almost 10 years. On the side, I am an over hire theater tech for another venue.
Parkertech
Member
I used to act, I actually wanted to be a professional actress... then after auditioning and not getting a role at a community theatre production of "Lives of the Saints" I was asked to help with the tech work. I had my hands in everything from costumes to set design and even stage management. I went from being a spoiled actress to loving the elements of a show. I learned that with good tech work a show could go from people playing make-believe in front of others, to a rich mini-world observed by the audience.
Recently I discovered my greatest love is sound. I'm actually working on creating a tornado effect that will (hopefully) sound like it is whirling around the audience for Book of Days.
Recently I discovered my greatest love is sound. I'm actually working on creating a tornado effect that will (hopefully) sound like it is whirling around the audience for Book of Days.
When I was eleven, I auditioned for my school's production of 'Oliver!'. Didn't get a part so I joined tech crew and realized I liked backstage more than onstage. I worked on every show in middle school then I went to an arts high school as a tech theatre major and now I'm almost done with my Live Show Production degree and doing an internship at a local theatre.
Light-n-Sound Tech
Member
I actually had an interest in theatre starting in high school, after my freshman class did a super small musical that was unique to our school system. Up til my 2nd year at Iowa State, I was focused on acting and directing. All it took to change my mind was a lab that was mandatory for me to graduate. Having the experience of acting and directing though helps communication between the different areas. I can't remember the number of times I've helped design and have gone into the mind set of a director to get clarity of a concept.
Nahiyan Navid Haq
Member
Ever since I was a kid, I was interested in Technical Theater. When I was in grade 7, I was supposed to be helping the backstage crew for the school show and I was just an "extra" helper. On the opening day of the show, both the lighting designer and the sound engineer called in sick. So our theater teacher really liked me as a student and I was trustworthy. So, he called me and asked me if I would like to run the lighting console for the show and I said that I would love to. Then he kind of gave me an intro to how the ETC Express console worked and gave the LD's notebook with cues and stuff written in it, so I pulled off the whole week of the show running lighting and sound at the same time. It probably didnt look very good and sound very good either but it worked and was a great experience. I have ever since been running shows and have done over 50 productions and over 250 different little shows. And, now I am the Tech Crew Representative at my school and worked at The Grand Theater as the LD during the summer. I hope to do this on the side of whatever job I do in the future.
