Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Catwalk

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whitebat
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Joined: 8/05/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 137

Posted: 4/07/08 at 8:18pm

Elizabeth,

I am no longer in HS, so I don't know everything. Our HS is approx 800-850 students. Our town is approx. 9,000-12,000 people. It is fairly rural. The drama teacher directs, and has a student AD. That I know of, the lighting techs apprentice with another student lighting tech. Two drama teachers ago, the director at the time let non-tech students in the catwalk. No one is over the director, although the school principal is listed as a producer. The CT I am secretary, light tech, whatever for is performing in the middle school. As I said before, it has a very different setup than the HS. When we performed at the HS (the CT), I did enter the light booth briefly, but not the catwalk.

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Aimee
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Posted: 4/08/08 at 12:36am

I work at a High School with about 1200 kids. We just got our new auditorium complete with catwalks. The only ones I allow on the catwalks are the tech kids. Our spot ops are up on the catwalks as well so there really is no choice but for kids to be up there.

However! They must be supervised..usually by me as I am the TD.

My kids do all the focusing and hanging. I personally show them how to do things, then rely on the older more experienced ones to show the newer ones after the inital training.

Rules NO RUNNING on the cats. If they are seen running....they are banned..period, no 2nd chances. Safety is too important to let even 1 slide by..and they have all been threatened with expulsion from tech if they do. They also sign a safety form letting my know they understand all the rules, regs and consequences.

For our cats it really is hard to "fall" off. You really have to climb OVER several rails, then jump off and onto the sound clouds. then it really isn no longer falling is it?

I know every place is different, but I hope that helps.

Aimee

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whitebat
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Posted: 4/10/08 at 6:37pm

Oh, I guess technically we have "lofts" backstage rather than catwalks. They do not have a "Genie" (name brand personel lift) at the Middle School, just a very tall wooden ladder with casters on, in the shape of an isosceles triangle. For our last show I went up the ladder and repositioned S-hooks, as the curtains were sagging in places. Luckily someone was watching out for me and held the bottom of the ladder in place, which I wasn't really thinking about.

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JoeMc
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Joined: 3/13/06
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Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:26pm

This is just a thought gained while taking a bath!

I feel although we have a better understanding with health & safety issues. Yet over the last 50 years, we have progressively increased by 6 months in every decade, the age allowed to get involved in working Fly's & from catwalks.

50 years ago the age was about 12 year old, where by today standard it is around 17.

Could it be the kids are denser today Or should not be allowed to take responsibility, because of what we got upto &/or got away with. Therefore they can't experience & enjoy as we did, for their own protection?

I realise it is possibly caused by Insurance Companies & their attempt to minimise risk on their profits. But by doing so they brain wash us to molly coddle & restrict our kids, from gaining experience & be grown up.

Anyway I know I was working shows from the upper fly floor & even operating Limes 9followspots] from Pulpits over the audience, attached to the Balcony. That was in about '59, I was 12 at the time. It was acceptable & I enjoyed every minute of the experience & it was fun!

But it would not be allowed today, because of all applied perceived rules, policy & guide lines. Even though it is now a lot safer & there have not been any notable problems that I can remember, occurred to force such regulations.

Then we complain that kids won't take responsibility & be trusted to do so.

When I bought my first pair of insulated pliers, which cost me about Half a Crown at the time.

The sparky I was working with backstage, took them & threw them in the bin!

I was surprised, upset & objected strongly! Because to me the pliers cost a lot of money art the time. To this he said"If you want to live longer, it's a cheap lesson"!

As he explained all of his pliers & screw drivers were not insulated & just bare steel. Which ensures that I'm very carefully & think before I do anything!

Of course I listened to him & recovered my new pliers from the bin, but never forgot the lesson!

These day I shudder at the things some techies do, like working on exposed live electrical contacts & believing they are invincible with insulated tools.

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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Grant
Walk-On
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Joined: 5/18/08
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Posts: 0

Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:05pm

A few months ago the high school theater I work at (I am a high school student) finally realized how annoying students are and finally post signs at every entry to the catwalks, grid above the fly system etc. who is allowed in the catwalks.
We only allow those on our tech crew (and the occasional parent) who actually have a need to be in the "cats". Otherwise, any other student up there will get an immediate suspension and if they aren't a student, they will not be in the PAC much longer.

In addition to this, anyone who goes up there can't have anything in their pockets or carry anything up that could fall off the cats. This of course doesn't apply to the lighting or sound equipment that must be brought up or down. I was mainly talking about screwdrivers, backpacks, etc.

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stagechild
Walk-On
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Joined: 5/15/08
Location: Canada
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Posted: 5/22/08 at 11:27pm

OK, well in my High School Stagecraft Class, we had learned about how to hang lights and such by using the electric bars above the stage. Then they would take small groups (of about 5 students/trip) up into FOH (as you say the catwalk) just to familiarize them with the catwalk and such. It is the student's choice if they want to go on the trip up to the catwalk. If they do they must be wearing runners and have empty pockets. Students are not allowed up without the permission of the teacher and they must have a valid reason for going up. The class has grades 9-12 in it so if someone who is new to the theatre is doing something that requires going on the catwalk, normally a senior goes with them.

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Directing
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Directing

Author	Message
whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Posted: 4/07/08 at 8:18pm
	Elizabeth, I am no longer in HS, so I don't know everything. Our HS is approx 800-850 students. Our town is approx. 9,000-12,000 people. It is fairly rural. The drama teacher directs, and has a student AD. That I know of, the lighting techs apprentice with another student lighting tech. Two drama teachers ago, the director at the time let non-tech students in the catwalk. No one is over the director, although the school principal is listed as a producer. The CT I am secretary, light tech, whatever for is performing in the middle school. As I said before, it has a very different setup than the HS. When we performed at the HS (the CT), I did enter the light booth briefly, but not the catwalk.
	IP Logged

Aimee Celebrity Joined: 8/31/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 156	Posted: 4/08/08 at 12:36am
	I work at a High School with about 1200 kids. We just got our new auditorium complete with catwalks. The only ones I allow on the catwalks are the tech kids. Our spot ops are up on the catwalks as well so there really is no choice but for kids to be up there. However! They must be supervised..usually by me as I am the TD. My kids do all the focusing and hanging. I personally show them how to do things, then rely on the older more experienced ones to show the newer ones after the inital training. Rules NO RUNNING on the cats. If they are seen running....they are banned..period, no 2nd chances. Safety is too important to let even 1 slide by..and they have all been threatened with expulsion from tech if they do. They also sign a safety form letting my know they understand all the rules, regs and consequences. For our cats it really is hard to "fall" off. You really have to climb OVER several rails, then jump off and onto the sound clouds. then it really isn no longer falling is it? I know every place is different, but I hope that helps.
	Aimee
	IP Logged

whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Posted: 4/10/08 at 6:37pm
	Oh, I guess technically we have "lofts" backstage rather than catwalks. They do not have a "Genie" (name brand personel lift) at the Middle School, just a very tall wooden ladder with casters on, in the shape of an isosceles triangle. For our last show I went up the ladder and repositioned S-hooks, as the curtains were sagging in places. Luckily someone was watching out for me and held the bottom of the ladder in place, which I wasn't really thinking about.
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 4/13/08 at 12:26pm
	This is just a thought gained while taking a bath! I feel although we have a better understanding with health & safety issues. Yet over the last 50 years, we have progressively increased by 6 months in every decade, the age allowed to get involved in working Fly's & from catwalks. 50 years ago the age was about 12 year old, where by today standard it is around 17. Could it be the kids are denser today Or should not be allowed to take responsibility, because of what we got upto &/or got away with. Therefore they can't experience & enjoy as we did, for their own protection? I realise it is possibly caused by Insurance Companies & their attempt to minimise risk on their profits. But by doing so they brain wash us to molly coddle & restrict our kids, from gaining experience & be grown up. Anyway I know I was working shows from the upper fly floor & even operating Limes 9followspots] from Pulpits over the audience, attached to the Balcony. That was in about '59, I was 12 at the time. It was acceptable & I enjoyed every minute of the experience & it was fun! But it would not be allowed today, because of all applied perceived rules, policy & guide lines. Even though it is now a lot safer & there have not been any notable problems that I can remember, occurred to force such regulations. Then we complain that kids won't take responsibility & be trusted to do so. When I bought my first pair of insulated pliers, which cost me about Half a Crown at the time. The sparky I was working with backstage, took them & threw them in the bin! I was surprised, upset & objected strongly! Because to me the pliers cost a lot of money art the time. To this he said"If you want to live longer, it's a cheap lesson"! As he explained all of his pliers & screw drivers were not insulated & just bare steel. Which ensures that I'm very carefully & think before I do anything! Of course I listened to him & recovered my new pliers from the bin, but never forgot the lesson! These day I shudder at the things some techies do, like working on exposed live electrical contacts & believing they are invincible with insulated tools.
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

Grant Walk-On Joined: 5/18/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 5/18/08 at 11:05pm
	A few months ago the high school theater I work at (I am a high school student) finally realized how annoying students are and finally post signs at every entry to the catwalks, grid above the fly system etc. who is allowed in the catwalks. We only allow those on our tech crew (and the occasional parent) who actually have a need to be in the "cats". Otherwise, any other student up there will get an immediate suspension and if they aren't a student, they will not be in the PAC much longer. In addition to this, anyone who goes up there can't have anything in their pockets or carry anything up that could fall off the cats. This of course doesn't apply to the lighting or sound equipment that must be brought up or down. I was mainly talking about screwdrivers, backpacks, etc.
	IP Logged

stagechild Walk-On Joined: 5/15/08 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 5/22/08 at 11:27pm
	OK, well in my High School Stagecraft Class, we had learned about how to hang lights and such by using the electric bars above the stage. Then they would take small groups (of about 5 students/trip) up into FOH (as you say the catwalk) just to familiarize them with the catwalk and such. It is the student's choice if they want to go on the trip up to the catwalk. If they do they must be wearing runners and have empty pockets. Students are not allowed up without the permission of the teacher and they must have a valid reason for going up. The class has grades 9-12 in it so if someone who is new to the theatre is doing something that requires going on the catwalk, normally a senior goes with them.
	IP Logged

Topic: Catwalk( Topic Closed)
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