Return-Path: X-Processed-By: Virex 7 on prxy.net X-Real-To: stagecraftlist [at] theatrical.net Received: by prxy.net (CommuniGate Pro PIPE 4.2.10) with PIPE id 21858183; Sat, 16 Apr 2005 03:01:52 -0700 X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 4.2.10 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: Message-ID: From: "Stagecraft" Sender: "Stagecraft" To: "Stagecraft" Precedence: list Subject: Stagecraft Digest #365 Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 03:01:19 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Disposition: inline X-Spam-Status: No, score=-5.6 required=5.0 tests=ALL_TRUSTED,AWL,BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=3.0.2 X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.0.2 (2004-11-16) on prxy.net X-TFF-CGPSA-Version: 1.4f2 X-prxy-Spam-Filter: Scanned For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- Stagecraft Digest, Issue #365 1. Re: baaack & related question by "Paul Guncheon" 2. Re: Dirty Laundry (was: How are you doing?) by "Paul Guncheon" 3. Job Posting by "David Bowman" 4. Re: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) by Brian Munroe 5. Unkle Bill's complaint control (was Re: Rigging Certification vs. Being Qualifi by Michael Powers 6. looking for furniture by "jknipple" 7. Googling Stagcraft (was RE: How are you doing? (fwd)) by "Paul Sanow" 8. Re: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) by "jsmith at theatrewireless.com" 9. Now Available 11.5.0 (40462) Service Pack for Windows by "Kevin Linzey" 10. Re: A sad end to a long legacy... Bill McManus by "Sam Fisher" 11. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Sam Handler 12. Re: cpu lighting control by "John Hauer" 13. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Scott Boyle" 14. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Jon Ares" 15. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by IAEG [at] aol.com 16. Taller backdrops by Bruce Purdy 17. Re: Taller backdrops by IAEG [at] aol.com 18. Re: Taller backdrops by IAEG [at] aol.com 19. Re: Delrin by Mick Alderson 20. Re: baaack & related question by "Paul Schreiner" 21. USITT special expires by Jerry Durand 22. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Paul Schreiner" 23. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Paul Schreiner" 24. Re: Delrin by "Paul Schreiner" 25. Re: Taller backdrops by Bruce Purdy 26. Re: theatre company reference by "Michael Finney" 27. Re: chroma-key/blue screen WAS: He's baaack by Sunil Rajan 28. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 29. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Greg Bierly 30. Re: Wireless Intercom by "Michael Finney" 31. Re: cpu lighting control by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 32. Re: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) by "Don Taco" 33. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 34. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Mat Goebel 35. Re: Taller backdrops by "Charles J Korecki" 36. Re: cpu lighting control by "Steven Haworth" 37. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Don Taco" 38. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Weston Wilkerson" 39. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Paul Schreiner" 40. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Pat Kight 41. Re: cpu lighting control by Greg Persinger 42. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by "Michael Finney" 43. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Stephen Litterst 44. Re: Thanks for the feedback by Al Fitch 45. Re: Thanks for the feedback by Stephen Litterst 46. Re: Thanks for the feedback by Boyd Ostroff 47. Pan Command Color Faders by "Chris Warner" 48. Re: Thanks for the feedback by gregg hillmar 49. Re: Thanks for the feedback by Boyd Ostroff 50. Re: Pan Command Color Faders by Greg Persinger 51. Re: Thanks for the feedback by FrankWood95 [at] aol.com 52. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Chris Davis 53. Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage by Brian Munroe 54. Re: Taller backdrops by Bruce Purdy 55. Re: Wireless intercom by Sunil Rajan 56. Re: How are you doing? (fwd) by Noah Price 57. Poser by "Stephen E. Rees" 58. Re: Wireless intercom by "Michael S. Eddy" 59. Re: Wireless Intercom by "Michael S. Eddy" 60. Re: Poser by Bill Sapsis 61. Re: Thanks for the feedback by Bill Sapsis *** Please update the subject line of your reply to use the subject *** line of the message you are replying to! Please only reply to *** one message subject in each reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 01:48:00 -1000 From: "Paul Guncheon" Subject: RE: baaack & related question Message-id: <002b01c541b0$fa2eae60$0202a8c0 [at] yourxhtr8hvc4p> References: Paul Schreiner wrote: > << When you find a place whose government is both fiscally=20 > and socially responsible and progressive in its thinking, let=20 > me know. >> >=20 > Sweden perhaps ? ? Oooh, wi not trei a holiday in Sweden this year?>> Migod man... are you out of your mind? I heard they have snow there and the people hit themselves with bushes. Laters, Paul "I can't hear you," said Tom deftly. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 02:18:30 -1000 From: "Paul Guncheon" Subject: Re: Dirty Laundry (was: How are you doing?) Message-id: <005101c541b5$3d0a5320$0202a8c0 [at] yourxhtr8hvc4p> References: I am rather pissed about receiving an e-mail from this Jay Brause of this Alaska place. First of all, I don't care. Secondly, I think they would be well advised to be quiet rather than validate what has been said of them... or worse. Thirdly, I don't care. Fourthly, I think if they are going to respond, do it in the same fashion as the initial post...i.e., don't send something to me personally. Nextly: If you are going to write to me, and you title the email "How are you doing?", the email pretty much better be about how I am doing. Nextly 2: explaining how bad you are at business and describing some really bad choices is supposed to support your position exactly how? Being a bigger martyr doesn't exactly impress me. Lastly 1: "Jeff, your pay was ALWAYS higher than what Gene and I were paid per hour " really sounds like "we still made more money than you". Lastly 2: The fact that the employee left with 2 weeks notice is telling. That is quite common and proper in business. He didn't leave you in a lurch... it wasn't actually a surprise now was it? When I found out that my theatre was paying the 9-5 bookkeeper substantially more than me, I took my first vacation in 5 years then never came back. Technical people and designers "make" the product you sell. Without them, "you" don't have a job. Treat them well. Laters, Paul "I like listening to records at night," said Tom disconsolately. ------------------------------ Message-Id: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:02:49 -0400 From: "David Bowman" Subject: Job Posting Good Morning Gang, Posting this for a friend (I know nothing about the job or the company) dave B. *-------------------------------- WANTED: SUMMER CARPENTER ASHLAWN OPERA FESTIVAL IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA NEEDS ONE CARPENTER FOR THE SUMMER OF 2005. OUTDOOR OPERA FESTIVAL -=20 JOB STARTS JUNE 4TH - ENDS AUGUST 20TH. $2000 PLUS HOUSING PROVIDED. PLEASE SEND COVER LETTER AND RESUME ASAP TO: JESSIE SULLIVAN, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR EMAIL: CLASH5 [at] AOL.COM=20 David M. Bowman Syracuse Stage / SU Drama Master Electrician / Adj. Professor dmbowman [at] syr.edu Dolor Temporarius... Gloria Aeterna.... Cicatrices Virgines Placent! ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:17:32 -0400 From: Brian Munroe Reply-To: Brian Munroe Subject: Re: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) In-Reply-To: References: On 4/15/05, Pat Kight wrote: > Sorry, I wasn't clear - I was referring to *recent* posts (which I believ= e > includes the complaint referenced in this message); I thought I recalled > Noah saying the archives had been down for some time, and when I go to > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ I can't retrieve anything more recent th= an > April 2004. Googling my name turned up posts from to this list from just a few weeks ag= o. Brian Munroe bpmunroe [at] gmail.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <425FC008.5000903 [at] theater.umass.edu> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:22:16 -0400 From: Michael Powers Subject: Unkle Bill's complaint control (was Re: Rigging Certification vs. Being Qualified) Bill Sapsis writes: <> And all these years I thought it was the Sapsis Mafia! ;-) Michael Michael Powers, Technical Director UMass Amherst 112 FAC West Amherst, Ma. 01003 413-545-6821 Voice 413-577-0025 Fax mfpowers [at] theater.umass.edu mptecdir [at] aol.com ------------------------------ Subject: looking for furniture Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:42:29 -0400 Message-ID: From: "jknipple" =A0 I am searching for Art Deco furniture for an upcoming production of = Lend Me A Tenor (1934 Cleveland hotel room).=A0 Our theatre is located = between Baltimore, MD and Washtington, DC so any theatres or stores = in=A0state or a neighboring one=A0would be=A0a great help.=A0 We are = looking for a loveseat (6'x3', low curved back), coffee table (3'x1' = 6"), 2 side chairs (no arms, pref. silver color with upholstered seat), = and 2 night stands (1' 3" square x2' tall). =A0 Any and all information would be helpful, since I have hit a wall in = my shopping/pulling at other theatres.=A0 Thanks! =A0 Dre Suchoski, Properties Artisan Olney Theatre Center =A0 ------------------------------ Subject: Googling Stagcraft (was RE: How are you doing? (fwd)) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:44:07 -0400 Message-ID: From: "Paul Sanow" I'm sure Noah can tell us more, but the following will get you to the = digests since #1 of the latest incarnation of the list (May 1, 2004): http://stagecraft.theprices.net/digest/ This is not like the old archives, but a list of the digests. Also = listed as the "Digest Archive". Once it's out there it isn't long before Google and the other search = engines pick up names / threads / etc... Worked for me too. Note that the email addresses in the digests have been modified to avoid = spambots. It certainly doesn't prevent Google from picking up your name = in the text of your post or your address header. I suppose we could all = change our handles, but there is value in knowing each other when we = post, IMHO. Paul > Michael S. Eddy wrote: snip > > Google. It's my understanding the archives haven't been=20 > updated for some > > time. > >=20 > > Or was the complaint posted to the stagecraft newsgroup as=20 > well as to the=20 > > mailing list? > >=20 >=20 *********************************************************** Paul Sanow psanow [at] vls.com Technical Sales www.vincentlighting.com Vincent Lighting Systems 1420 Jamike Ln. #2 Erlanger, KY 41018 (859) 525-2000 x211 FAX (859) 525-2050 *********************************************************** ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "jsmith at theatrewireless.com" Subject: RE: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:30:40 -0400 Organization: Home of the RC4 Wireless Dimmer System In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <20050415143042.VGII21470.tomts22-srv.bellnexxia.net [at] p3m866> Many recent posts are search-engine accessible here: http://stagecraft.theprices.net/digest/ Jim Www.theatrewireless.com > Not speaking to the substance of this dispute, having no dog > in that fight, but I'm curious how anyone could discover a > stagecraft list post via Google. It's my understanding the > archives haven't been updated for some time. ------------------------------ From: "Kevin Linzey" Subject: Now Available 11.5.0 (40462) Service Pack for Windows Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:39:12 -0400 Message-ID: <005b01c541c8$e3fe5dd0$1101a8c0 [at] KLinzeypc> I know a lot of you use Vectorworks so I wanted to pass on the information. Kevin Nemetschek North America has identified and resolved an important stability problem which affects all Windows users running any VectorWorks 11.5 product. Under certain operating conditions this problem can result in random crashes on Windows machines. We are releasing this service pack to fix the problem. This single download will update all English-language VectorWorks 11.5.0 products (ARCHITECT, LANDMARK, SPOTLIGHT, MECHANICAL, VectorWorks, and RenderWorks) to version 11.5.0(40462). If you are currently using a version of VectorWorks prior to 11.5.0, you must first install 11.5.0 before using this updater. You will find the new release on our downloads page: http://www.nemetschek.net/downloads/vectorworks/index.html#servicepack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Molly Sasso Quality Assurance Specialist Nemetschek North America ------------------------------ From: "Sam Fisher" Subject: RE: A sad end to a long legacy... Bill McManus Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:42:33 -0400 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Most of the "good" items seemed to be picked through before the auction, and things were placed in odd lots. I did get my hands on some IPS dimmer strips and maybe some packs. If anyone might be interested in any contact me off list. I'm getting them into a high school in Maryland but I'm not sure how many they can actually power yet so I may have some extra. Sam Fisher VP - Fisher Theatrical, LLC. 410-455-9641 office 410-455-9643 fax 410-961-0921 cell All information contained in this email, including any attachments, is to be treated as Confidential. -----Original Message----- From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft [at] theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Greg Bierly Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2005 11:56 PM To: Stagecraft Subject: Re: A sad end to a long legacy... Bill McManus For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see --------------------------------------------------- > The auction will be held 4/13 and 4/14. Including *VEHICLES, > THEATRICAL LIGHT FIXTURES, SPECIAL EFFECTS, LIGHTING & EFFECTS, > **SOUND EQUIP., STAGING, FLOORING, CABLES, ADAPTERS, COLOR MEDIA* * > PATTERNS, TAPES, MAKE-UP, LAMPS,* So did anyone on list attend the actions either day? I was just wondering if there were bargains to be had? I was really hoping to make it and bid on some of the retail items like the imagepro's in the box. Greg Bierly Technical Director Hempfield HS ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20050415145431.72744.qmail [at] web51406.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 07:54:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Sam Handler Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In-Reply-To: 6667 I saw a show the other day where one of the actors yells out "Down with pants!", just before dropping his. --- Pamela Abra wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > > --------------------------------------------------- > > I'd love to hear some of your stories about the > funniest things that you > have seen at the theatre. > Live, or backstage or perhaps the storyline of the > script. > Thanks > > Pamela > > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------ Message-id: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:14:56 -0700 Subject: re: cpu lighting control From: "John Hauer" References: In-Reply-To: OK I thought about this a bit more...What do I want my control software to do? I want software to drive my existing DMX world What if my software ...... 1- ran on most PC's 2 - easy to learn (keyboard and mouse driven.) 3- didn't have lists of channels, but rather a graphic view of the scene/show - real time from a live camera(s) 4 - you right click on an area on the stage and it pops a menu of the different types of light that hit that area. (or can be moved to do that) 5- select any combination of those choices and set the relatationships between the lights - different choices of relationships for different types of looks that are color coded on the screen 6- no lag times. I want the dimmer cycle up time to be the only limit for changes, but then of course I can select fade times 7 you can name looks and call them a up at any point in the course of the show., but then they are also recordable into a timeline multiple times with jumping around. 8 I have not thought of a different way to represent cue's, but I'm open. I really don't know how you could improve on, "Cue 31 go." 9 how about an output device the inserts the current cue number in to the video monitors for green room and other locations? 10 multiple users from different locations (from the house, the designer could circle an area on the scene (in different colors) and ask the board opt to "fix the look in this area." In other words, the designer can add notes to the file - remotely -as the show is being run - even if the software needs to move on to the next cue. 11 self-saving backups with every change? I guess I want something like a very interactive real time flight+fight simulator with the weapons being the lights. I want running a show to be like playing a video game. Is that too much to ask? John ------------------------------ Reply-To: From: "Scott Boyle" Subject: RE: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:15:09 -0500 Organization: Carroll College Message-ID: <000001c541cd$ea112360$73db688c [at] cc.edu> In-Reply-To: Opening night seems to lend itself to funny (unintentional) performances. Couple of years ago at the St. Louis Rep's production of "Into the Woods" was a case in point. They had "Jack" repelling from the clouds above their thrust stage. When the stagehand tossed the rope over, it somehow got knotted at the end. So when Jack started his decent (while singing his song about giants), he got stuck dangling about 30 inches off the deck. He went through the verse and tried to free himself during the bit before the second verse. When he found he couldn't, you heard "Oh well" and then he went through the second verse swinging on his rope and playing it up to the audience. The ASM finally ran out and got him down. One of the funniest things I'd seen in a while. Scott M. Boyle Technical Director Department of Theatre Arts Carroll College 262-524-7308 ------------------------------ Message-ID: <002f01c541d0$194b1080$0600000a [at] BRUTUS> From: "Jon Ares" Cc: smboyle [at] cc.edu References: Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:30:48 -0700 > performances. Couple of years ago at the St. Louis Rep's production of > "Into the Woods" was a case in point. Into the Woods seems to have a lot of funny opportunities, as I've heard over the years. 2 anecdotes from a production I directed many years ago: I had birds flutter down (like the Bway version) over Cinderella's head at the beginning of Acts I and II - except on closing night, in Act II before the birds flew in, one kamikazied to the floor right in front of Cindy. Consummate professional she was, even as the audience was laughing, she picks it up and coddles it, etc. The others fly in, and she pretends the injured one in her hands is whispering to her, and the others in the air are confirming the story. Different night: Milky White - a fiberglass cow - is supposed to fall over dead. They "tie" her tether to a tree (hanging over the back of the set for a stagehand to 'yank' - making her fall over) - but instead, the sound of Milky mooing starts, the stagehand yanks the cord, and Milky does a pirouette and lands on her nose and front legs, derriere to the audience. The line: "Milky White... is dead!" Another round of laughs from the audience. -- Jon Ares Program Director, West Linn HS Theatre Arts www.hevanet.com/acreative www.wlhstheatre.org ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <1ac.36571471.2f913bd4 [at] aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 11:46:28 EDT Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage 1996, , Roundabout, , , the old Times Square venue SCAPIN, , , adapted , directed and staring Bill Irwin, , with then unkown Kristen Chenoweth never laughed that hard before or since in the theatre, , , and nothing went "wrong" in the show, , just great comedy performed by great comic actors. Hard to believe Bill is doing VIRGINIA WOLF , well I guess not really , , he's a gifted performer . very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:06:14 -0400 Subject: Taller backdrops From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: > I have frequently used Schell Scenic from Columbus, OH. Charles Stewart and > Grosch Scenic are other companies I've used in the past. > I can't find a Website for Grosch, but I have a dance school client that routinely rents from Charles Stewart. The problem is that their backdrops are always 18' tall and we have a 30' proscenium! I recommend a 25' high drop, but even with masking as far in as I can (without exposing the baton above the borders) 22' is really the shortest that should be used here. Schell's Website also says that most of their backdrops are 20' tall (but some 16' drops are available - no thank you). Does anyone know where we can rent taller backdrops? Right now I'm specifically looking for "Industrial London" for Sweeney Todd. Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: <65.436d6f92.2f9148d7 [at] aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:41:59 EDT Subject: Re: Taller backdrops In a message dated 4/15/05 12:07:39 PM, bpurdy [at] rochester.rr.com writes: << I can't find a Website for Grosch, >> no biggie, , , you're spelling it wrong, , try www.grosh.com Carrie Johns is the rental manager at 323 662 1134 very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ From: IAEG [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:43:34 EDT Subject: Re: Taller backdrops In a message dated 4/15/05 12:07:39 PM, bpurdy [at] rochester.rr.com writes: << Right now I'm specifically looking for "Industrial London" for Sweeney Todd. >> try Pittsburg Civic Light Opera, , , The Opera America directory says they have a Sweeney set very best, Keith Arsenault IAEG - International Arts & Entertainment Group Tampa, Florida ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:10:03 -0500 From: Mick Alderson Subject: Re: Delrin Message-id: > > In a message dated 14/04/05 06:19:55 GMT Daylight Time, > bpmunroe [at] gmail.com > writes: > >>> In the UK, it is usual for the batten to be grounded other than >>> through > the >>> luminaires hung from it. Certainly one must never rely on the >>> suspension >> wires. >> >> Exactly how is that done, Frank? > > It varies. Perhaps the most normal method, if it is internally wired, > is to > pick up the incoming ground from the pigtail in itc connection box. > Failing > that, a separate earth wire run to a really solid earth. It's not > something I > often I have to do, myself, since all our luminares are rigged from > bridges, > securely attached to the steel structure of the building. Flown > battens are very > seldom used. Actually this is how WE do it, too, _where those conditions apply_. If there is a permanent circuit box (on a catwalk or a dedicated electric batten), ground is bonded to the box. And, as has been pointed out, building steel is purposely grounded (I stand corrected on that) but the electrical system itself relies on separate ground paths. > > Relying on the luminaire to connect its earth to the batten is not > something > I really like. Cable to casing; casing to yoke; yoke to clamp; clamp to > batten; there are too many places for bad connection to occur. > Remember that we are > talking about instantaneous fault currents of thousands of amps, until > the > protection device comes out. Our UK test procedures check the earth > continuity at > 25A, and we use 230V mains. In the US, I should expect a test at 50A. > > > Frank Wood That still begs the question of how ELSE one would ground a bare batten or bar that is actually flown on a rigging system (counterweight or motorized winch), and used as a temporary electric only occasionally. They ARE the standard approach onstage in a traditional proscenium theatre, especially in road houses where there are few dedicated electric battens, and most electrics are wired with portable cord sets or multi-cables and/or fan-outs. The suspension chains wrapped around a painted pipe are hardly "bonding" connections, Too many "bad" connections between links. I agree that the steel suspension cables shouldn't be regarded as intentional ground paths. The cables are often supported by nylatron sheaves and the arbors ride in the t-tracks on fiber or plastic shoes. Any path to ground has GOT to be incidental and unlikely to be of sufficiently low resistance. Short of dropping and bonding a dedicated (and flexible!) copper grounding conductor to every batten on the chance that it may become an electric someday, how else COULD one bond such a batten to the ELECTRICAL system ground other than through the luminare and its cable? Oh, I suppose one of the cord sets in a fanout could be a dedicated grounding wire with a clamp attached directly to the batten, but I've never seen such a thing in use. But then, I've never worked outside the US Midwest, so maybe it does happen somewhere. Mick Alderson TD, Fredric March Theatre University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alderson [at] uwosh.edu ------------------------------ Subject: RE: baaack & related question Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:11:52 -0400 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C7CD [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > Oooh, wi not trei a holiday in Sweden this year?>> >=20 > Migod man... are you out of your mind? >=20 > I heard they have snow there and the people hit themselves=20 > with bushes. Okay...and the downside is...? ------------------------------ Message-Id: <6.2.1.2.0.20050415101311.035c83a0 [at] localhost> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:15:24 -0700 From: Jerry Durand Subject: USITT special expires Just a reminder, our USITT Stage Expo special prices expire tonight. The prices are ONLY valid for orders placed at the special URL we set up (look at the brightly colored sticker on one of our flyers). ---------- Jerry Durand Durand Interstellar, Inc. 219 Oak Wood Way Los Gatos, California 95032-2523 USA tel: +1 408 356-3886 fax: +1 408 356-4659 web: www.interstellar.com ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:17:25 -0400 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C7CE [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > I'd love to hear some of your stories about the funniest=20 > things that you=20 > have seen at the theatre. > Live, or backstage or perhaps the storyline of the script.=20 Picture it...undergrad, my first performance of the first play I was ever in (yes, I started as an actie...not a very good one, mind you) was an on-school-time matinee of Othello. As is often the case, work on the set was completed only hours before the opening. In this case, the floor painting had been finished at about 6am, with curtain at 10am. I was (among other things) playing one of the senators, positioned down right on a long narrow thrust stage. A low railing framed that corner, broken by a small ramp leading down to the seating area. The guy playing the messenger ran in to deliver the lines about "The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes...". As he arrived, I watched one of those slow-motion train wrecks. His foot, instead of planting on the slick stage, flew up into the air. I swear he hovered midair for a two-count before landing flat on his ass, one armed draped over the rail. Without blinking, he delivered his lines from the floor where he lay, jumped up, and dashed off. The only reason I didn't completely lose it was the fact I was not wearing contacts and couldn't see the reactions from everyone else on stage...though I think we all pretty much turned as red as our costumes from trying to hold in the guffaws. ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:21:19 -0400 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C7CF [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" Just as I was getting ready to hit "send" on my last post, I remember chatting about this here a couple of years ago. Someone posted a link telling a story about some premiere of a play involving druids or somesuch on a rake that, instead of being treated with you garden-variety soft drink to make it tacky, was mopped with the diet (read: non-sticky) version of the stuff. Usual mayhem ensued, with the additional remark that the show that night got its first (and only) standing ovation. Does anyone still have the story? ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Delrin Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:25:41 -0400 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C7D0 [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > > Relying on the luminaire to connect its earth to the batten is not > > something > > I really like. Cable to casing; casing to yoke; yoke to=20 > clamp; clamp to > > batten; there are too many places for bad connection to occur.=20 >=20 > That still begs the question of how ELSE one would ground a=20 > bare batten=20 > or bar that is actually flown on a rigging system (counterweight or=20 > motorized winch), and used as a temporary electric only occasionally.=20 I've sorta been following this, but I may have missed something. It seems to me that there's a translation gap here, and that Frank is actually talking about what we'd consider standard practice... I think (correct me if I'm wrong) Frank meant that relying on the BODY of the luminaire to complete the earth/ground connection is not ideal, and that all such grounding should always be done through the cable. The confusion, I expect, came from the implication earlier in this thread about having the rigging system available and set up as a sort of secondary ground...which would in fact require current traveling not through the cable but through the instrument's body, and that this is what Frank is pontificating against. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:30:54 -0400 Subject: Re: Taller backdrops From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Keith Arsenault wrote: >> I can't find a Website for Grosch, >no biggie, , , you're spelling it wrong, , >try >www.grosh.com That would explain it! Thanks! And: > >> Right now I'm >> specifically looking for "Industrial London" for Sweeney Todd. > > try Pittsburg Civic Light Opera, , , The Opera America directory says they > have a Sweeney set Thanks again! They appear to have a beautiful set, but alas, I see no mention of - nor indication in the photos - of an Industrial London backdrop, and that's what the director is looking for. I'll certainly pass the info along though. Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ Subject: Re: theatre company reference Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 10:43:32 -0700 Message-ID: From: "Michael Finney" On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 Bill Sapsis wrote: <> Peter and Bill have done a great job (in my opinion) of representing the goals and processes for the ETCP certification program. I'd like to say publicly that I've been tremendously impressed with the commitment of everybody involved, and have been honored to be associated with them. (Full disclosure - I'm a member of the council as a representative for the TEA). And, after having participated in the development of the program over the last couple of years I've got a whole new appreciation for *anybody* who undertakes the development of a certification related testing program, much less all of the associated policies that have to go along with that testing process. If anything, I think Bill may have understated the time commitment he's made...=20 Michael Finney Thinkwell Design & Production mfinney [at] thinkwelldesign.com www.thinkwelldesign.com ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <219003FD-ADD7-11D9-A5F3-000A95BD64AC [at] earthlink.net> From: Sunil Rajan Subject: Re: chroma-key/blue screen WAS: He's baaack Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:52:27 -0400 On Apr 15, 2005, at 6:00 AM, Stagecraft wrote: >> Though I can't find the link right now, Rosebrand is introducing a new >> chroma-key fabric that is, essentially, millions of tiny glass >> reflectors >> (I assume of the micro-cube style) that reflects light back ONLY >> along the >> axis it came from (think SOLAS tape and such, like I decorate my bike >> and >> helmet with). With it, they sell a light ring of green or blue LEDs >> to go >> around a camera's lens, so that to the camera, the subject being >> photographed is against a chromakey backdrop, but to everybody else >> off to >> the sides, the fabric is a dull grey. I also see an advantage in that >> there would be no chroma-keyed bounce light falling onto the subject >> to >> mess with the computer's head. > >> Put this fabric down as your floor or walls and -- presto -- light the >> actor with "no spill"...or at least the spill gets reflected directly >> back >> at the light source, creating, I presume, a halo of >> oppositely-situated >> backlight. > >> I can't WAIT to play with this stuff. This is close, but not exactly what it is used for or does! I just completed a series of corporate interviews that needed to be blue screened. The rear screen was the aforementioned fabric, and the blue LED ring went around the camera lens. The way it works is that that the key light (that lights the talent) needs to be at least 2 fstops ABOVE what the blue LED is, so that the talent doesn't look blue, and the LED ring must be at least 8 feet away from the talent to "illuminate" the screen. The only way to see this effect is through the viewfinder, to the naked eye it still looks like a grey RP screen (instead of bright green or blue like the traditional approach to blue screening). Cheers, Sunil Rajan Freelance Audio Mercenary ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:54:36 EDT Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In a message dated 15/04/05 06:41:43 GMT Daylight Time, pabrah [at] telus.net writes: > I'd love to hear some of your stories about the funniest things that you > have seen at the theatre. > Live, or backstage or perhaps the storyline of the script. Two of the best I remember were during our production of "An Italian Straw Hat". It was an arena production, and used the vomitory entrances. The first was in Act I. The principal character has to chase the leading lady off the stage. He's in the uniform of a French cavalry officer, and he's brandishing his drawn sabre. On the way, he has to hurdle a chaise longue. One night, he caught his foot in it, and went base over apex up the centre vomitory. No damage, apart from a bruise or two. He returns to the stage, putting his sabre back in its scabbard. Unfortunately, in the fall this had been severely bent, so the sabre would go only half way in. He was unaware of this, and kept trying. The second was in Act IV. It is necessary to the action that the eponymous hat is thrown by our cavalryman, notionally to the leading lady, but in fact to hang on a street light, which he later cuts down with his sabre. Since straw hats are rather difficult to aim, we used light nylon fishing line to do the job. Even when it worked, it followed a strange trajectory. When it didn't, strange things happened. One night, it escaped from its attachment to the line, and sailed on into the audience. On another, it was left dangling, without visible means of support, some six inches below the street light. On a third occasion, it struck the street light with such force that it knocked it off its support prematurely. Again, no damage, but we were lucky that there was nobody underneath. A third one is only funny in retrospect, since an actor was injured, although not too seriously. This time, we were in our proscenium form, for a victorian melodrama titled "The Shagraun", and set in darkest Ireland. We always used to stage a melodrama at Christmas, and it provided a splendid excuse for all our old hams to crawl out of the woodwork, to mix a metaphor. At the final dress rehearsal, one of the villains stepped off the front of the stage, and went down four feet. He broke an ankle, and dislocated a shoulder. We sent the director on, and wardrobe had a busy day, since the director is about six inches shorter, and much more heavily built. Now, the funny bit. The actor who fell was none other than Michael Green, author of "The Art of Coarse Acting", and of several other "The Art of Coarse - - - - -". He has incorporated it in the second edition, somewhat modified. I pass over the 'Coarse Acting' shows. These were designed to this express purpose. The collapsing set, the non-stop samovar, the endlessly looping lines. Buy the scripts, and stage the shows. Frank Wood ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: From: Greg Bierly Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:56:33 -0400 > I had birds flutter down (like the Bway version) over Cinderella's > head at the beginning of Acts I and II We had a similar problem with the Act I birds last year. They went to fly out and of the mobile rigged sets (think like the type hung over a crib) fouled in an adjacent lineset and the SM hollered at the rail person to yank it, they did and a crash of 3 tethered birds at Cinderella's feet. Brought quite a laugh. Jump to this years Bye Bye Birdie opening night. Our Hugo leans into his roundhouse punch just as our Conrad leans forward and blood flies. Everyone including the conductor initially thought someone slipped a blood pack for the fun of it. The Actor "Stagehand" that is supposed to try and revive him is fortunately an EMT and sees his eyes roll back in his head. Again fortunately that is curtain for end of Act one. 45 min intermission later Conrad is back for Act 2 with gauze shoved up both nostrils. Fun stuff for High School theatre. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Wireless Intercom Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 11:23:18 -0700 Message-ID: From: "Michael Finney" Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 FrankWood95 [at] aol.com wrote <> Oh, sweet bleeding Jesus! I'm betting that young Mr. Eddy is correct about the product being the new (new-ish, anyway) HME DX200...and, assuming that he is, I have one sitting about 3 feet from me. Pretty sure it's real...and let's look at the manual...yep, 2.4GHz carrier, frequency agile, and digitally encrypted. Now let me turn it on and try to talk to my PM who's on the other side of this warehouse. Yep, all the little lights came on and I can hear Cynthia just fine. Guess it must be real.=20 We've been evaluating it against an HME Pro850 for the last couple of weeks in a number of environments. The 850 seems to have better range, but I'm testing the DX200 in a 20,000 square foot metal framed warehouse full of metal framed scenic/display units within 1500 meters of an operating commercial airport and it's working pretty darned well. And we're interfacing it with a Clearcom base station. I haven't tried it with an RTS system, but a couple of my video buddies speak well of it - and I've interfaced my Pro850 with RTS systems on a number of occasions. As far as "what for" goes: I'd suggest that a wireless headset is a pretty darned handy thing anytime you need to be on headset but can't be tethered to a few hundred feet (or more) of cable. I first started using wireless headsets (the pro version, not the "talkabout" Maxon units) sometime in the early '80's when I was still working on flyrails a lot. Not to mention those "stand in the middle of the stage to call the scene shift" occasions. I've found them handy enough that I own a Pro850 my own darned self (although I might look at the DX20if I was doing it today). I'll still use a wired unit if I'm sitting down - but I use the wireless one anytime I have to move around...or anytime we can't take the time to run a couple of hundred feet of com cable to where I have to stand to call something (Frank - don't *even* restart the "you don't need to call cues" thread). =20 Mumble, mumble, mumble...."April Fool joke" my sweet Aunt Fannie....nahhh, didn't push my buttons at all. Frank, nothing personal, but a number of us have careers that require that we be up to date on the latest technology in this field. Probably a pretty good bet that we can recognize an April Fool joke when it presents itself. =20 Michael Finney Thinkwell Design & Production mfinney [at] thinkwelldesign.com www.thinkwelldesign.com PS: Specs for HME products at: http://www.hme.com/proAudio.cfm=20 ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <148.4280000b.2f91647a [at] aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:39:54 EDT Subject: Re: cpu lighting control In a message dated 15/04/05 16:09:22 GMT Daylight Time, johnhauer [at] csus.com writes: > What if my software ...... > 1- ran on most PC's But not all. You say nothing about MACs. > 2 - easy to learn (keyboard and mouse driven.) Maybe, and maybe not. > 3- didn't have lists of channels, but rather a graphic view of the > scene/show - real time from a live camera(s) I don't know about you, but I get a view of the show by looking out of the control room window. > 4 - you right click on an area on the stage and it pops a menu of the > different types of light that hit that area. (or can be moved to do that) If I have designed the lighting, either I know what is pointing where, or I have paperwork which will tell me. I assume here, that we are talking about the technical rehearsal. By the time the show is running, it's different. You call up the looks in order. Unles something has gone wrong, which does happen. > 5- select any combination of those choices and set the relatationships > between the lights - different choices of relationships for different > types of looks that are color coded on the screen > 6- no lag times. I want the dimmer cycle up time to be the only limit for > changes, but then of course I can select fade times. What lag times? Apart from getting my hand to the fader, or calling a channel on the wheel, I know of none. > 7 you can name looks and call them a up at any point in the course of the > show., but then they are also recordable into a timeline multiple times > with jumping around. > 8 I have not thought of a different way to represent cue's, but I'm open. > I really don't know how you could improve on, "Cue 31 go." If you have read this list for some time, you will know that I do not approve of this a a way of working. Let that go. You and the director have defined a 'go time' for Cue 31. A line cue, an action cue, whatever. Why filter it through the SM? > 9 how about an output device the inserts the current cue number in to the > video monitors for green room and other locations? To what purpose? > 10 multiple users from different locations (from the house, the designer > could circle an area on the scene (in different colors) and ask the board > opt to "fix the look in this area." In other words, the designer can add > notes to the file - remotely -as the show is being run - even if the > software needs to move on to the next cue. Well, as an LD, I reckon that is my job. To detect defiencies in the design, and to correct them. We have a leisurely rehearsal schedule. Five days between the tech and the final dress. I spend most of them walking round and round the theatre, looking for problems. When the rehearsal is over, I fix them. > 11 self-saving backups with every change? I see no use for this. One will serve. > Is that too much to ask? Well, yes. Much of it is useless, more of it less easy to use, all of it less reliable. Purpose designed an built hardware is, generally, reliable. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-ID: <01b401c541eb$7af05d20$e28aaa43 [at] DonTaco> From: "Don Taco" References: Subject: Re: FW: How are you doing? (fwd) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 11:46:47 -0700 ----- Original Message ----- > Sorry, I wasn't clear - I was referring to *recent* posts (which I believe > includes the complaint referenced in this message); I thought I recalled > Noah saying the archives had been down for some time, and when I go to > http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ I can't retrieve anything more recent > than > April 2004. Googling my name turned up posts from to this list from just a few weeks ago. Brian Munroe bpmunroe [at] gmail.com Googling my name turned up thousands of restaraunts. ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <59.25983f25.2f916822 [at] aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:55:30 EDT Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In a message dated 15/04/05 18:22:08 GMT Daylight Time, pschreiner [at] rmwc.edu writes: > Just as I was getting ready to hit "send" on my last post, I remember > chatting about this here a couple of years ago. Someone posted a link > telling a story about some premiere of a play involving druids or > somesuch on a rake that, instead of being treated with you > garden-variety soft drink to make it tacky, was mopped with the diet > (read: non-sticky) version of the stuff. Usual mayhem ensued, with the > additional remark that the show that night got its first (and only) > standing ovation. > > Does anyone still have the story? Yes, I do. It's written by Bernard Levin, and it refers to a performance at the Wexford Opera Festival. If this doesn't provide enoug clues for a search, I shall try to provide more. But, I have it in words on paper.It's hard to get these down to the list. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:12:41 -0700 From: Mat Goebel Reply-To: Mat Goebel Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In-Reply-To: References: I read a story once about a wireless situation from hell. It ended having something to do with the audience sitting on metal bleachers on a wooden deck on the ground and a static charge turning the whole thing into a giant capacitor that would randomly discharge causing an EMI field that would wreak hell with the mics. Anyone have the full story anywhere? --=20 Mat Goebel Cell: 510.693.1448 ------------------------------ Message-ID: In-Reply-To: From: "Charles J Korecki" Subject: RE: Taller backdrops Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:36:51 -0400 > > > I can't find a Website for Grosch, but I have a dance school client >that >routinely rents from Charles Stewart. The problem is that their backdrops sorry. i never spell it correctly. http://www.grosh.com/index.asp but i'm not certain if they'll have anything in your height range. charles j korecki p.s. how much of a challenge are you interested in? have you considered painting your drops? it's great experience for the kids (esp the art students). we usually paint 1-2 a year. we send the old drops out to be washed and then paint over whatever didn't wash off. ------------------------------ Subject: RE: cpu lighting control Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:47:01 -0500 Message-ID: <5D5187063B6B8B46A99E8C0D36E0EB0930776D [at] danube.river.idm.com> From: "Steven Haworth" You know, I gotta agree with almost everything Frank says here... this = conceptual interface for lighting controls sounds gimmicky, and very = inefficient to use in the 'real world' environment of teching or running = a show. I think this is a case of figuring what can be done, without = really think through whether it ought to be done. I'm a Mac user, so I second the comment against PC-only. But I really = dislike the whole PC/Mac interface for something like this. For = programming or preset cueing it's passable, but for use in the theatre I = want dedicated faders and controls (buttons, encoders, etc) optimized = for what I'm doing). When I'm in a cue-setting or tech rehearsal, things are usually not = leisurely at all, and having the right paperwork to very quickly know = how to update the stage picture is crucial (magic sheets, for example). = Pointing to areas of the screen can't cover entire systems or groups of = lights, which is often how I need to address things at this stage of = things. And mouse use is ALWAYS slow compared to dedicated hardware or = even keyboard shortcuts on a keyboard. As is having to pick from menus = or drill down thru menus or drop-downs. Directors rarely mess w/any kind of electronic interface, and if they = have changes (and they always do), they'll give them to me verbally, or = as written notes after the rehearsal. They don't have the time or = desire to mess w/a specialized graphical interface to leave notes. And = as an LD, if I have notes, often they're of a type that doesn't relate = to a specific area of the stage (color is wrong, timing is off, etc). = And I don't want to have half my notes in a graphical form, and the = others written... simple written notes all in once place is usually = fine. I have my stage divided into areas, and often make notes saying = 'warm front focus off, area A', and that's enough for me. If I could change anything w/lighting control, it'd be to streamline = moving lights programming in theatre contexts, and to be able to see & = edit the timeline of cue times directly, w/o having to go into each cue. = Some form of representing the cues (and part-cues) graphically w/the = ability to edit might be really useful. - Steven (sjh [at] idm.com) --------------------------- http://www.stagelights.info ------------------------------ Message-ID: <021801c541f4$e49b0f00$e28aaa43 [at] DonTaco> From: "Don Taco" References: Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:54:08 -0700 > I'd love to hear some of your stories about the funniest > things that you > have seen at the theatre. > Live, or backstage or perhaps the storyline of the script. In 'Moon over Buffalo,' a character who thinks it's a prop is waving a gun around, when it goes off and breaks a piece of the other character's 'vanity' china. Our china piece was a greenware plate, appropriately decorated and prominently displayed over the downstage left dressing table and makeup mirror. The setup to break it was the simple poke-a-stick-through-the-hole method of launching it into the air in reaction to the gunshot. Some nights the plate would spin or twist in the air, some nights it would hit the table, some the floor, some nights it would shatter, some break, some just chip, and once it disintegrated into powder. But one night... The plate leapt from its shelf, spun twice in the air, hit the table edge, bounced, spun and twisted its way to the floor, bounced again, spun again, and came down rolling and wobbling madly, still in one piece. It made its way across stage, skirted the far downstage leg of the fainting couch, turned upstage, and rolled up to the upstage leg of the couch, the rolling getting slower and the wobbling more pronounced. It settled in, leaning against the couch leg, still quivering. (Needless to say, this seemed to take forever. I've heard the actor involved tell this story, and he swears it lasted even longer than forever.) All eyes were glued to the plate, the actor's included. No one even laughed. The plate got a huge burst of applause. When the actor decided that perhaps the plate was finished thoroughly upstaging him, he yelled his next line, which was, 'Dammit!,' supposedly in reaction to his china being broken. That's when the laugh came. He also made a point of changing his blocking, and returning the plate to the table, just in case it had any further ideas. Q. How did you get that plate to do that? A. That's why we have 8 weeks of rehearsals. ------------------------------ Message-ID: In-Reply-To: From: "Weston Wilkerson" Subject: RE: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:53:31 -0400 So, one story, but in production not the build. I was finishing my undergrad at Texas A&M. The TD and I were install styrofoam (the kind backed by that silver foil stuff) below the masonite for sound deading purposes. Well, when you start dragging those across each other and stacking them againist a wall, you make a giant statically charged capacitor. Then the unnamed TD went to grab a sheet and "Zap". Then as the unnamed TD was crawling on his back cutting some foam to fit and edge, I "accidentally" rubbed a sheet of the foam back and forth on the other previously laid foam. Then, as the cutting action made the foam bounce, he was schocked by a visible bolt of lightning from the foil...directly on his nipple. So, now that that secret is out I shall see if Steve reads this list. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Weston Wilkerson University of Tennessee Theater Lighting Design e: Weston_Wilkerson [at] hotmail.com <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ------------------------------ Subject: RE: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:55:18 -0400 Message-ID: <6E497ADB607656479C24E6D7BF6B505A0196C7D1 [at] exchange.rmwc.edu> From: "Paul Schreiner" > Q. How did you get that plate to do that? > A. That's why we have 8 weeks of rehearsals.=20 Sad when one can get a plate to hit its marks better than much of the talent I've seen... ------------------------------ Message-ID: <4260214A.7050809 [at] peak.org> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 13:17:14 -0700 From: Pat Kight Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage References: In-Reply-To: Don Taco wrote: > Q. How did you get that plate to do that? > A. That's why we have 8 weeks of rehearsals. OK, if Don gets to tell that one, I get to tell the tale of a now-legendary local community college production of NOISES OFF, a show that has almost as many opportunities for inadvertent disaster as it does for the carefully choreographed ones built into the play. Things had been going fairly until the top of the third act - meaning that the onstage action had grown increasingly insane in the intended "whatever can go wrong, will" way. The curtain began to rise on Act III as Dottie, the ditzy maid, came on carrying her sardines and newspaper, to answer the phone. But at about four feet off the ground, the curtain stuck and would rise no farther. The actress kept talking as the crew jiggled the ropes and brought the curtain back down in hopes of freeing it. Up it goes again ... still stuck ... down it comes again. Repeat. The audience, figuring this is part of the show, is cracking up. Dottie soldiers on, bending to deliver her lines and adlibbing madly as the curtain rises and falls, rises and falls. Swearing can be heard from stage left. Finally, somebody on the crew remembers that this particular curtain is rigged to open in horizontally as well as vertically. So after one last attempt to unstick the thing, down it comes again - and then opens from the center outward, smooth as can be. The audience about died. Everything came to a standstill while they howled and stomped and whistled and laughed themselves sick. It was the longest laugh I've ever heard. I was the actress playing Dottie. For weeks afterward I heard about "that terrific gag with the curtain." I'm pretty sure it's all anybody remembers about the show. -- Pat Kight kightp [at] peak.org ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:18:58 -0500 Subject: Re: cpu lighting control From: Greg Persinger Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Steven Haworth wrote: > If I could change anything w/lighting control, it'd be to streamline moving > lights programming in theatre contexts, and to be able to see & edit the > timeline of cue times directly, w/o having to go into each cue. Some form of > representing the cues (and part-cues) graphically w/the ability to edit might > be really useful. Steven, Check out: http://www.jandsvista.com/ I have yet to put my hands on this console but it is getting rave reviews by those that have and it sounds like what you want. Greg Persinger Vivid Illumination Greg [at] Vividillumination.com ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:07:38 -0700 Message-ID: From: "Michael Finney" "Pamela Abra" wrote: <> Can you tell that I somehow ended up with a slow day? This is what happens when you structure your whole week for a day of meetings that then get canceled! One of my favourites is from a Harry Blackstone Christmas Show in Chicago. As part of the show we had a very heavily themed/costumed "Persian" section in which we did an elephant vanish. No, I won't tell you how we did it - suffice it to say that it involved a number of carefully timed and choreographed flying and traveling masking panels, several scrims, and an elephant that could be led off stage via a very specific path on cue. This particular elephant (named "Dolly", as I recall) had been great for about 10 days...but she'd apparently become, shall we say, somewhat less than regular over the 2 day break. So on this particular day, at this particular matinee, when the panels had completed their dance and Harry had gestured grandly to demonstrate that the elephant had, in fact, vanished, he and the crowd were treated to a huge, literally steaming pile of elephant scat dead center stage. As the crowd tittered, Harry looked over his shoulder at them and, in his grand sonorous voice, said "at least now you know we use *real* elephants!". The dance captain, dressed in a pair of harem pants (and nothing else) standing next to me in the wings (I called the show as stage manager from stage left) sighed, looked at me, and said "what? And leave show business?" as he grabbed a rolling trashcan and shovel...and headed out to gracefully remove the evidence of the elephant. =20 Harry had to vamp for about 5 minutes (something he was *brilliant* at) as we were all pretty much laughing too hard to proceed in a timely manner....=20 Somehow most of my funniest moments come from magic shows....hmmm... Michael Finney Thinkwell Design & Production mfinney [at] thinkwelldesign.com www.thinkwelldesign.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:18:22 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage Message-id: <42602F9E.F465A0E7 [at] ithaca.edu> Organization: IC-Dept. of Theatre Arts References: First Dress rehearsal for "Playing the Palace." The PR person had been contacted by a Seeing-Eye dog school about bringing the dogs to a rehearsal as part of their training. We all thought this we late in the training -- actually it was one of their first trips outside of the school. The dogs were restless throughout the first act, but not too bad. Act II -- the protagonists enter a darkened hotel room to eavesdrop on a conversation. Three good size gentlemen sneak across a darkened stage. The dogs go wild. The handlers are doing everything they can to keep the dogs from making it to the stage to attack the "intruders." The LD (grad student) and I (sound designer) just about fall off our chairs at the tech table. The actors are trying to keep moving through the scene but they are visibly nervous and jumpy at this point. We finally got the dogs calmed down and out of the theatre. Next night there was champagne in the dressing rooms and tequila at the tech table with a nice apology from the PR folks. Steve Litterst -- Stephen C. Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College Dept. of Theatre Arts 607/274-3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20050415214419.70086.qmail [at] web51409.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 14:44:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Al Fitch Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback In-Reply-To: ....Today's shocker - the local "independent" summer shakespeare festival is planning on using scenery from a production (Winter's Tale) that we open next week. Mind you, no one from the festival has consulted with me or the designer (a student) and none of the scenery is department stock. I think this will be a fun battle! :-P -alex- Would this not be an excellent opportunity for the student designer to learn how to negotiate payment for design services from the independent company who plan on using his set pieces (I realize that they will probably be using them in a different configuration and different paint job) Who paid for the scenery? Al Fitch PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? Anyone? Be Kind, Smile and Have Fun. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:56:46 -0400 From: Stephen Litterst Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback Message-id: <4260389E.AE0B103C [at] ithaca.edu> Organization: IC-Dept. of Theatre Arts References: Al Fitch wrote: > --------------------------------------------------- > PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? > Anyone? I don't remember the context but there are two options... 1.) a fake. Someone posing as something they're not. "That Bill Sapsis thinks he's such a hot electrician but he's really a poser." 2.) a really hard question or puzzle. "That force-vector question on the certification exam was a real poser." Steve Litterst -- Stephen C. Litterst Technical Supervisor Ithaca College Dept. of Theatre Arts 607/274-3947 slitterst [at] ithaca.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:55:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Boyd Ostroff Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: On Fri, 15 Apr 2005, Al Fitch wrote: > PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? > Anyone? I don't know what the context was, but I can think of three definitions: 1. A person who pretends to be something they aren't (a "BS artist") 2. A difficult question to answer, or difficult situation to resolve. 3. A software package from Curious Labs. | Boyd Ostroff | Director of Design and Technology | Opera Company of Philadelphia | http://tech.operaphilly.com | ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ------------------------------ Message-ID: <071301c5420a$1b0473f0$6401a8c0 [at] chris> From: "Chris Warner" Subject: Pan Command Color Faders Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 15:26:01 -0700 Does anyone have a link to a the manual, or a home page for these devices? Appears that in my area, color scrollers are no longer available for rental... These seem to be next thing in line, but I cannot find any information about them. Thanks in advance Chris Warner -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.12 - Release Date: 4/15/2005 ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <3fb852d5dca4ff31f4e267f201a9650a [at] hillmardesign.com> From: gregg hillmar Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:59:52 -0400 On Apr 15, 2005, at 5:56 PM, Stephen Litterst wrote: > Al Fitch wrote: >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? >> Anyone? > > I don't remember the context but there are two options... > > 1.) a fake. Someone posing as something they're not. > "That Bill Sapsis thinks he's such a hot electrician but he's really > a poser." > > 2.) a really hard question or puzzle. > "That force-vector question on the certification exam was a real > poser." > > Steve Litterst the third option might be a 3d human model from the computer program "Poser." Again, I don't remember the context... g. _____________________ gregg hillmar scenic & lighting design portfolio & life as we know it: http://www.hillmardesign.com "Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no one's watching." Satchel Paige ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:23:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Boyd Ostroff Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: On Fri, 15 Apr 2005, gregg hillmar wrote: > the third option might be a 3d human model from the computer program > "Poser." Is there an echo in here? ;-) | Boyd Ostroff | Director of Design and Technology | Opera Company of Philadelphia | http://tech.operaphilly.com | ostroff [at] operaphilly.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:33:50 -0500 Subject: Re: Pan Command Color Faders From: Greg Persinger Message-ID: In-Reply-To: Chris, Here is the link to the products page. http://www.morpheuslights.com/products.html You probably need the Color Fader 2 manual. These are excellent units. They have the best color mixing of any gel based color mixing color changer out there. I hope this helps you. Greg Persinger Vivid Illumination Greg [at] Vividillumination.com ------------------------------ From: FrankWood95 [at] aol.com Message-ID: <141.43b85687.2f919c5a [at] aol.com> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:38:18 EDT Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback In a message dated 15/04/05 22:58:23 GMT Daylight Time, slitterst [at] ithaca.edu writes: > 1.) a fake. Someone posing as something they're not. > "That Bill Sapsis thinks he's such a hot electrician but he's really > a poser." That is a poseur, from the French. ' somone striking a pose'. Different etymology: different meaning. Moliere had them taped, in 'Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'. Frank Wood ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 19:43:15 -0400 From: Chris Davis Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In-reply-to: Message-id: <5.1.0.14.0.20050415193240.00a25de0 [at] mail-hub.optonline.net> References: >>performances. Couple of years ago at the St. Louis Rep's production of >>"Into the Woods" was a case in point. Ahhhh... Into The Woods. On opening night of a production I did many moons ago, grandmother's tree got stuck in it's tracks on the way offstage, and to make matters worse I had neglected to write the cue that took the practicals inside the tree out. The set designer and I practically fell out of our chairs watching the actress in the tree try to nonchalantly unscrew the bulbs. __________________________________ Chris Davis cdavis [at] queenstheatre.org Associate Lighting Supervisor Queens Theatre In The Park http://www.queenstheatre.org ------------------------------ Message-ID: Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 20:02:00 -0400 From: Brian Munroe Reply-To: Brian Munroe Subject: Re: Funniest performance you have seen at the theatre or on live stage In-Reply-To: References: On 4/15/05, Michael Finney wrote: > One of my favourites is from a Harry Blackstone Christmas Show in > Chicago.... Several years before he died, I had the pleasure of working with Blackstone and his family. They were playing the Palace in Stamford, CT the week between Christmas and New Years, including a rehearsal on Christmas Eve or Christmas day (can't remember which). He was a complete gentleman and a pleasure to work with. The floating light bulb trick still blows me away, and I know how he did it Brian Munroe bpmunroe [at] gmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 20:29:19 -0400 Subject: Re: Taller backdrops From: Bruce Purdy Message-ID: In-Reply-To: charles j korecki wrote: > http://www.grosh.com/index.asp > > but i'm not certain if they'll have anything in your height range. Thanks! They do have 22' backdrops that might fit the bill. I'd prefer 25', but 22' can be made to work - and is certainly better than the 18' I had been finding. > > > p.s. how much of a challenge are you interested in? have you considered > painting your drops? it's great experience for the kids (esp the art > students). we usually paint 1-2 a year. we send the old drops out to be > washed and then paint over whatever didn't wash off. > I'd go along with that, except there are no art students - we are not a school. I'm TD for a primarily road / rental house, and was asked for help by a Community Theatre director. He wants to rent the backdrop for a show he's bringing in this summer. Bruce -- Bruce Purdy Technical Director Smith Opera House ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: From: Sunil Rajan Subject: Re: Wireless intercom Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 20:30:19 -0400 On Apr 15, 2005, at 6:00 AM, Stagecraft wrote: > I think that you are referring to HME. They are a California based > company > that is a bit off the radar from the traditional entertainment intercom > companies. (The PRO850 Wireless Intercom System won an EDDY award from > Entertainment Design last year.) > How do you mean that HME is a "bit off the radar from the traditional entertainment intercom companies."? The very first RF icom I had on tour was HME, and they have been the "golden standard" for most RF icom that I've seen/used. I'm assuming you mean "off the radar" in the sense that the majority of their business is from fast food vendors? I remember having to wait to get replacement parts for some HME's on tour, because they had just gotten a huge Burger King account! Cheers, Sunil Rajan Freelance Audio Mercenary ------------------------------ In-Reply-To: References: Message-Id: <3c0b8ca208a5ec0b80729fee289354d6 [at] theprices.net> From: Noah Price Subject: Re: How are you doing? (fwd) Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 18:01:03 -0700 On Apr 14, 2005, at 11:19 PM, Pat Kight wrote: > I thought I recalled Noah saying the archives had been down for some > time, and when I go to http://stagecraft.theprices.net/ I can't > retrieve anything more recent than April 2004. The archive database at is only updated through stagecraft.org list messages, but the theatrical.net list digests are all available on the web site (updated roughly weekly) at As I've mentioned in another thread, I'm beta testing an improved archive which I'll preview for folks on request. Once I get through a current show and have some time again, I hope to continue to fix it up, implement some suggestions I've already received, and replace the now somewhat unreliable archives entirely. Stagecraft has been readily indexed by the search engines for nearly seven years, and continues to be so. Thanks, Noah ------------------------------ Message-ID: <42606497.7060404 [at] fredonia.edu> Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:04:23 -0400 From: "Stephen E. Rees" Reply-To: Rees [at] fredonia.edu Subject: Poser References: Al, Poser. A question. As in "I want to pose a question to you." Steve Al Fitch wrote: > For info, archives & UNSUBSCRIBE, see > --------------------------------------------------- > > > PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? > Anyone? ------------------------------ Message-ID: Reply-To: From: "Michael S. Eddy" Subject: RE: Wireless intercom Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:20:03 -0400 In-Reply-To: On Apr 15, 2005, at 6:00 AM, Michael Eddy wrote: > I think that you are referring to HME. They are a California based > company > that is a bit off the radar from the traditional entertainment intercom > companies. (The PRO850 Wireless Intercom System won an EDDY award from > Entertainment Design last year.) Sunil Rajan Wrote: How do you mean that HME is a "bit off the radar from the traditional entertainment intercom companies."? The very first RF icom I had on tour was HME, and they have been the "golden standard" for most RF icom that I've seen/used. I'm assuming you mean "off the radar" in the sense that the majority of their business is from fast food vendors? I remember having to wait to get replacement parts for some HME's on tour, because they had just gotten a huge Burger King account! Sunil, I was going to get into the fast food connection, but thought better of it, especially with Frank Wood hovering about on the issue. Entertainment seems to be a secondary market for them. We could never get info when I was at the mags full time. Even though the military and air traffic control is ClearCom's major market, they still got the info out to the entertainment market. I'm sure that pro audio types in touring and theme park are much better informed about them. Thanks, Michael Eddy Eddy Marketing & Consulting ------------------------------ Message-ID: Reply-To: From: "Michael S. Eddy" Cc: mfinney [at] thinkwelldesign.com Subject: RE: Wireless Intercom Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 21:23:43 -0400 In-Reply-To: Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 Michael Finney wrote: "Oh, sweet bleeding Jesus! I'm betting that young Mr. Eddy is correct about the product being the new (new-ish, anyway) HME DX200...and, assuming that he is, I have one sitting about 3 feet from me." Ya know, Mr. Finney, I was going to take exception to the young Mr. Eddy, but with another birthday around the corner, I will say thank you. Best, Michael Eddy Eddy Marketing & Consulting ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 02:20:38 -0400 Subject: Re: Poser From: Bill Sapsis Message-ID: In-Reply-To: on 4/15/05 9:04 PM, Stephen E. Rees at Rees [at] fredonia.edu wrote: >> PS: I never saw an answer for what a poser is? >> Anyone? Haven't read any of the threads on this one, but from where I come from a poser is someone who doesn't work but simply stands around..."posing" Bill S. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile Please support the Long Reach Long Riders on their 2nd annual benefit ride http://sapsis-rigging.com/LRLR.html ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 02:20:40 -0400 Subject: Re: Thanks for the feedback From: Bill Sapsis Message-ID: In-Reply-To: on 4/15/05 5:56 PM, Stephen Litterst at slitterst [at] ithaca.edu wrote: > 1.) a fake. Someone posing as something they're not. > "That Bill Sapsis thinks he's such a hot electrician but he's really > a poser." Geez. Now that I've read the other posts on this thread...... I'll stick with my first definition..... And Stephen. you're on my list..... <> Bill (not the electrician) S. www.sapsis-rigging.com 800.727.7471 800.292.3851 fax 267.278.4561 mobile Please support the Long Reach Long Riders on their 2nd annual benefit ride http://sapsis-rigging.com/LRLR.html ------------------------------ End of Stagecraft Digest #365 *****************************