Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Does this forum include high school theater?

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DMahalko
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Topic: Does this forum include high school theater?
Posted: 11/25/09 at 7:27pm

I am looking for some place to discuss the equipment and technology of low-budget high school theater/drama productions run on a shoestring. I assume this forum covers that sort of thing but I have no idea, so I suppose I should ask before I start posting here.

I am the "Information Technology/MIS" "manager/network administrator/tech support person" for a tiny 400-student rural school district in northwest Wisconsin. I have "multiple hats" and one of those hats is trying to help out the high school theater program.

I have a number of theater projects and equipment I have been involved with that I would like to discuss somewhere on the 'net, with pictures and so forth, but I'm not interested in setting up a school-operated blog or forum of my own. Would it be okay for me to discuss these things on this forum?

- Dale Mahalko

It's a Gymnatorium. We have no dedicated auditorium space, and likely never will.

Stage risers, all temporary:

Sound and lighting, also all temporary. Set it up, tear it down for each practice:

DMX stage lighting is temporary. It is only up 2 months out of the year:

I desperately want a catwalk near the ceiling along the back wall of the gym, but the school principal doesn't like the idea. So this is as high as the spot can go. Sigh.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 11/25/09 at 8:00pm

G'day Dale!

While this site is great!

I think possibly ControlBooth.com would be more in line with your localised HS bio box technical posts & questions.

They are also on Twiter I believe, which might give you more instant answers to your more urgent posts.

There is quite a few school members besides the general commeatre ones here.

From your post pics, I see you use a Gymeatre or Theatorium venue. Which in it's self can create dramas?

But I'm sure the members here can also help, as I'm sure a few are in similar situations.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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DMahalko
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Posted: 11/25/09 at 8:33pm

Oh yes, a gymnatorium "sets the stage" for a constant battle of who gets to use it. The phys-ed teacher wants the space, and so does the drama teacher.

They don't share the same space very well because a wayward flying basketball can damage sets or break sound/lighting equipment.

Thanks for the link to Control Booth. I am going to check them out.

- Dale Mahalko

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Spectrum
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Joined: 4/16/04
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Posted: 11/25/09 at 10:04pm

To answer your initial question from MY perspective, I would certainly help with any suggestions/solutions I could offer, whether you come from a high school, middle school, college, or community theatre. They all feed into each other, and they all utilize the same crafts and experiences. Theatre is theatre (at least at the amateur level).

By the way, your equipment and venue are WAY ahead of my first high school theatre experience. We used rheostats, controlling floodlights housed in 5 pound coffee cans, lighting a portable stage in the school cafeteria. The school now has a state of the art, 1247 seat performance hall, so "from humble beginnings..."

http://www.ioweb.com/marshalltown/mcca_auditorium.htm

Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

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Gaafa
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Posted: 11/25/09 at 11:12pm

In line with spectrums post, I did not mean to cast any aspertions, on members or this forum. What I should have posted this forum has a great track record of assisting in all types of theatre, as suggested by spectrum.

I doubt any posted question has not been more than adaquately responded to with a whealth of emerical knowledge & welcome assistance. As I believe 'this is what we are about'.

However I have found the Control Booth site to be bogged down with wiz kid techies, bless thier cotton what nots! But it can still be usefull from time to time, if you can wade thru all the rubbish. Also the site seems to be constantly angling for donations, which can be rather off putting.

I appolgise as there was no intention to offend any members &/or contributors.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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KEB54
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Joined: 7/24/08
Location: United States
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Posts: 227

Posted: 12/02/09 at 12:34pm

Post away!!

I recently saw a fantastic production of Carnival at a HS. The director was discussing her desire to have a better facility. This one has no wings and no fly space. My response was all you need is acting space and an audience.

It seems your equipment is workable. Keep your mission in mind. It's probably something like, "giving the kids he opportunity to do theatre in front of family and friends, learn a little, and have fun."

I think I'd concentrate on building a relationship with the PE teacher and coaches. From their perspective you're using their gym. It can be done, especially if you get some of their kids in the show (do you watch Glee?).

My wife is a HS director. She recently did Grease and had a couple basketball players in it. She worked around practice and got the local paper to do a story about the basketball players in the show. The coached loved it! The show set attendance records.

Those players may never be in another play, but I know they have an appreciation and will now be play goers, probably for life. The coach, too.

KEB

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KEB54
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Posted: 12/02/09 at 12:55pm

Just a few more thoughts gleaned from my wife's experiences, although it deals with HS theatre in general rather than the lights and sound area.

Get the janitors on your side! Aside from the principal, they are probably number 1.

Choir director and band director, whether you do musicals or not. They are going to have similar issues and they are probably sharing that space as well and perhaps the equipment, too.

Industrial arts may be able to help with sets, etc.

Individual kids or teachers or clubs may want to help in a variety of areas.

A diiner theatre night is good and may be an opportunity for community involvement. Spaghetti is simple and well received.

In short, get a lot of people involved, a lot of diverse interest, so they all have a vested interest. It will make things easier all the way around.

KEB

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Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Other Topics

Topic: Does this forum include high school theater?( Topic Closed)

Author	Message
DMahalko Walk-On Joined: 11/25/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Does this forum include high school theater? Posted: 11/25/09 at 7:27pm
	I am looking for some place to discuss the equipment and technology of low-budget high school theater/drama productions run on a shoestring. I assume this forum covers that sort of thing but I have no idea, so I suppose I should ask before I start posting here. I am the "Information Technology/MIS" "manager/network administrator/tech support person" for a tiny 400-student rural school district in northwest Wisconsin. I have "multiple hats" and one of those hats is trying to help out the high school theater program. I have a number of theater projects and equipment I have been involved with that I would like to discuss somewhere on the 'net, with pictures and so forth, but I'm not interested in setting up a school-operated blog or forum of my own. Would it be okay for me to discuss these things on this forum? - Dale Mahalko It's a Gymnatorium. We have no dedicated auditorium space, and likely never will. Stage risers, all temporary: Sound and lighting, also all temporary. Set it up, tear it down for each practice: DMX stage lighting is temporary. It is only up 2 months out of the year: I desperately want a catwalk near the ceiling along the back wall of the gym, but the school principal doesn't like the idea. So this is as high as the spot can go. Sigh.

	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 11/25/09 at 8:00pm
	G'day Dale! While this site is great! I think possibly ControlBooth.com would be more in line with your localised HS bio box technical posts & questions. They are also on Twiter I believe, which might give you more instant answers to your more urgent posts. There is quite a few school members besides the general commeatre ones here. From your post pics, I see you use a Gymeatre or Theatorium venue. Which in it's self can create dramas? But I'm sure the members here can also help, as I'm sure a few are in similar situations.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

DMahalko Walk-On Joined: 11/25/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 11/25/09 at 8:33pm
	Oh yes, a gymnatorium "sets the stage" for a constant battle of who gets to use it. The phys-ed teacher wants the space, and so does the drama teacher. They don't share the same space very well because a wayward flying basketball can damage sets or break sound/lighting equipment. Thanks for the link to Control Booth. I am going to check them out. - Dale Mahalko
	IP Logged

Spectrum Celebrity Joined: 4/16/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 176	Posted: 11/25/09 at 10:04pm
	To answer your initial question from MY perspective, I would certainly help with any suggestions/solutions I could offer, whether you come from a high school, middle school, college, or community theatre. They all feed into each other, and they all utilize the same crafts and experiences. Theatre is theatre (at least at the amateur level). By the way, your equipment and venue are WAY ahead of my first high school theatre experience. We used rheostats, controlling floodlights housed in 5 pound coffee cans, lighting a portable stage in the school cafeteria. The school now has a state of the art, 1247 seat performance hall, so "from humble beginnings..." http://www.ioweb.com/marshalltown/mcca_auditorium.htm
	Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 11/25/09 at 11:12pm
	In line with spectrums post, I did not mean to cast any aspertions, on members or this forum. What I should have posted this forum has a great track record of assisting in all types of theatre, as suggested by spectrum. I doubt any posted question has not been more than adaquately responded to with a whealth of emerical knowledge & welcome assistance. As I believe 'this is what we are about'. However I have found the Control Booth site to be bogged down with wiz kid techies, bless thier cotton what nots! But it can still be usefull from time to time, if you can wade thru all the rubbish. Also the site seems to be constantly angling for donations, which can be rather off putting. I appolgise as there was no intention to offend any members &/or contributors.
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 12/02/09 at 12:34pm
	Post away!! I recently saw a fantastic production of Carnival at a HS. The director was discussing her desire to have a better facility. This one has no wings and no fly space. My response was all you need is acting space and an audience. It seems your equipment is workable. Keep your mission in mind. It's probably something like, "giving the kids he opportunity to do theatre in front of family and friends, learn a little, and have fun." I think I'd concentrate on building a relationship with the PE teacher and coaches. From their perspective you're using their gym. It can be done, especially if you get some of their kids in the show (do you watch Glee?). My wife is a HS director. She recently did Grease and had a couple basketball players in it. She worked around practice and got the local paper to do a story about the basketball players in the show. The coached loved it! The show set attendance records. Those players may never be in another play, but I know they have an appreciation and will now be play goers, probably for life. The coach, too.
	KEB
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 12/02/09 at 12:55pm
	Just a few more thoughts gleaned from my wife's experiences, although it deals with HS theatre in general rather than the lights and sound area. Get the janitors on your side! Aside from the principal, they are probably number 1. Choir director and band director, whether you do musicals or not. They are going to have similar issues and they are probably sharing that space as well and perhaps the equipment, too. Industrial arts may be able to help with sets, etc. Individual kids or teachers or clubs may want to help in a variety of areas. A diiner theatre night is good and may be an opportunity for community involvement. Spaghetti is simple and well received. In short, get a lot of people involved, a lot of diverse interest, so they all have a vested interest. It will make things easier all the way around.
	KEB
	IP Logged