Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Training Brand Spankin' New People

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bbpchick
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Joined: 7/17/07
Location: United States
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Topic: Training Brand Spankin' New People
Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:44pm

A little background first:

Our theater is one of 3 in our county and in the neighboring county we have 2 professional theaters. That means 5 theaters in a reletively small area. However, we have no limits on experience, while other theaters require it. So if the closest anyone has been to being onstage has been sitting in the audience, we are happy to take them and teach them. We have been looking at how to improve and to make coming into the theater more welcoming and to give new people a better idea of what to expect. We have been tossing around a few ideas, and one of them is to hold a workshop the first day of rehearsal to go over basic ettiquette (ie don't talk when the director is talking, no talking in the wings, don't say that one Shakespearian play, take feedback as trying to help you along, not as an attack....etc) Stage Direction, tips and tricks of learning lines and of course getting to know your fellow actors. How does your community theater welcome new actors. And if you have someone who doesn't seem to be getting it...how do you help them. Do you have anything in place to help newbies out. I'm looking for lots of ideas here so that we can approach this in several different ways. Anything you can suggest will help.

Thank you.

Kendra

Kendra
www.murphysblackbartplayers.com
You are NEVER too old to dress up!

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spikesgirl
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Joined: 3/30/08
Location: United States
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Posts: 129

Posted: 4/01/08 at 11:29am

We are a volunteer driven theater, much like yours. We have a volunteer group that handles the training and what not, but htey usually stop at FoH and don't include backstage training. Waht I try to do as the stage manager and meet with the new volunteers and pair them up with a 'study buddy' for their first show. That person provides training, encouragement, usually sets small tasks until the volunteer is a little more comfortable. We tend to start newbies out as dressers and deck crew before throwing them into the mix as prop runners or set shifters. Because we have an older crowd, we move a little slower, but that doesn't keep folks from participating.

I'm talking about starting a series of training classes for the various discplines (props, costumes, lighting, sound, set construction, design, and stage managing), but haven't quite gotten around to proposing it to the Board yet. I'll keep you posted as to how that works.

Charlie

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 4/02/08 at 10:51am

It's something that we have never done, but it's a great idea.

I would suppose we do loose new chums from time to time, by not having something like this in place.

Now we have a new home & can focus on the teatre group as a whole, rather than just the production that is being done at the time.

Best of luck Charlie with your stagecraft workshops, let us know how you go with them.

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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spikesgirl
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Posts: 129

Posted: 4/03/08 at 11:10am

When and if I can get them off the ground, I will be sure to report back here. I think now that we've made SM a paid position, there will be a few more takers - it's funny how that works...

Charlie

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whitebat
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Posted: 4/05/08 at 11:20pm

I can tell you how I got trained to run lights. First show: very brief lecture by Middle School drama teacher "Never touch this button", "Here's where the switches are", "Don't try to put more than one color in spotlight at once", "Turn everything off when you leave". Then I tried to figure out all cues for the light board, and ended up practically chained to the spot, which we insanely overused in "Christmas Carol". Second show: Our director is still trying to design the lighting (with no knowledge thereof). I taught myself to run the light board from the "Help" menu on the light board computer and trial & error. I am running the board, and I have a young assistant running the spot (much less usage than our last show). And the director told me they don't really trust my assistant, so I couldn't trade spots with her at intermission as I would've liked.

Our HS has the current lighting tech train an apprentice. Man, I should've gotten on the tech crew in HS instead of acting (also no real training).

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Gaafa
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Location: Australia
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Posted: 4/06/08 at 12:20am

Well i have never been into 'Spankin'! Now developing & the use of 'thwakers' is one of my only claims to fame Along with starting the 'Stagecraft Guild' many years ago.

But that was very short lived as I was directing two musicals back to back & ended up in intensive care! {At the next stroke?]

Although i have just started up the 'technical Advisory Pool' [TAP] here for our aunty ITA [Independent theatre association] in this State.

Prompted by our State Government finally Enacting the 1992 Health Act, concerning public buildings.

This of course impacts heavily on comeatre venues & performing arts groups. Mainly with Portable appliance Testing [PAT (note the reflective acronym?)]

The pool is primarily Licenced electrical Techies, who assist all member theatre groups to comply with the Act. By training to a competent level in house group teaches in carrying out valid testing procedures &/or in gaining 'Limited or 'restricted' Electrical Licences themselves. Although it is not incumbent to have a valid Licence to perform testing, only when Tagging is required on the appliance & a Licence Number is affixed. Which is a twice yearly event along with testing the Emergency, Exit Lighting & Log Book [In most cases this is the responsibility of the venue owner].

Further help with other technical theatre, thru running workshops on Stagecraft aspects.

If the Group are members of Aunty ITA this is free, which saves the Group the cost of employing a licensed tester, which can be upto $20/appliance usually on industrial Sites & $40 Commercially.

I suppose I was rather lucky being born into the Game & having some great mentors over the years.

Ye I fondly remember building my first theatre lighting rig & using home made 'alt Water Dimmers' back in the 50's. It worked well until the great Black Out of around '57, then I was pressed to dismantle my set of dimmers & disconnect from the mains power, or else! But I'm still not sure it was all thru my endeavours? But that's all another story.

I attempted earlier this year to run a workshop for my mob, which was a total fizz off!

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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spikesgirl
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Joined: 3/30/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 129

Posted: 4/06/08 at 9:25am

Bbpchick - one more bit of advice for you with your training - make sure you inject humor into your training. Catch phrases help too, like 'up is down, down is up, left is right and right is left'. SR and SL seem to confuse more folks than it's really worth.

Also, and probably for your more advanced class, give them each a piece of black tie line and a piece of white cord (like clotheline) and show them how to tie a square knot and a bowliine if they are really advanced. Those two knots will solve most tying problems in a backstage area.

Having taught tech theater for 13 years, the best advice I can offer you is be patient and be prepared to repeat yourself...a lot. Oh, and don't overload them at first. Just give them bare bones basics and work up from there. I've seen more folks flee from backtage simply because they were overwhelmed by it all. If they are running a spot, give them the basics, answer all their questions and keep the theories of electricity to a minimum. Running flies, the same principle applies - always work with the KISS principle until your volunteers want more.

Good Luck!

Charlie

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Gaafa
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Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
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Posts: 1181

Posted: 4/06/08 at 9:53am

Here is a couple of things that I put in 'Club Tech [fo'c'sle] that may help, getting into knots & Spectral Manifestation Of EMF [S.M.O.K.E.] if you get into OHMS Law?

Animated Knots:-

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Theory of Electricity;-

http://www.peizhang.com/forfun/forfun_writings_smoke.htm

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

spikesgirl
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Joined: 3/30/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 129

Posted: 4/08/08 at 9:21am

Not to worry - at least at our theater we never add a show after the run is over, just during!

Sleep easy!

Charlie

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bbpchick
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Joined: 7/17/07
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 86

Posted: 4/08/08 at 3:56pm

Thank you guys for your advice! Please keep the ideas coming. I do definately want to make this fun as well as educational, because that is the one complaint we have had from new people is that they felt that they were just thrown in to the situation and it was kinda sink or swim. So everything you guys are saying is great.

Thank you!

Kendra
www.murphysblackbartplayers.com
You are NEVER too old to dress up!

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Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Theater Administration :Running Your Theater

Topic: Training Brand Spankin' New People( Topic Closed)
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bbpchick Star Joined: 7/17/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Topic: Training Brand Spankin' New People Posted: 3/31/08 at 5:44pm
	A little background first: Our theater is one of 3 in our county and in the neighboring county we have 2 professional theaters. That means 5 theaters in a reletively small area. However, we have no limits on experience, while other theaters require it. So if the closest anyone has been to being onstage has been sitting in the audience, we are happy to take them and teach them. We have been looking at how to improve and to make coming into the theater more welcoming and to give new people a better idea of what to expect. We have been tossing around a few ideas, and one of them is to hold a workshop the first day of rehearsal to go over basic ettiquette (ie don't talk when the director is talking, no talking in the wings, don't say that one Shakespearian play, take feedback as trying to help you along, not as an attack....etc) Stage Direction, tips and tricks of learning lines and of course getting to know your fellow actors. How does your community theater welcome new actors. And if you have someone who doesn't seem to be getting it...how do you help them. Do you have anything in place to help newbies out. I'm looking for lots of ideas here so that we can approach this in several different ways. Anything you can suggest will help. Thank you. Kendra
	Kendra www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up!

	IP Logged

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 4/01/08 at 11:29am
	We are a volunteer driven theater, much like yours. We have a volunteer group that handles the training and what not, but htey usually stop at FoH and don't include backstage training. Waht I try to do as the stage manager and meet with the new volunteers and pair them up with a 'study buddy' for their first show. That person provides training, encouragement, usually sets small tasks until the volunteer is a little more comfortable. We tend to start newbies out as dressers and deck crew before throwing them into the mix as prop runners or set shifters. Because we have an older crowd, we move a little slower, but that doesn't keep folks from participating. I'm talking about starting a series of training classes for the various discplines (props, costumes, lighting, sound, set construction, design, and stage managing), but haven't quite gotten around to proposing it to the Board yet. I'll keep you posted as to how that works. Charlie
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 4/02/08 at 10:51am
	It's something that we have never done, but it's a great idea. I would suppose we do loose new chums from time to time, by not having something like this in place. Now we have a new home & can focus on the teatre group as a whole, rather than just the production that is being done at the time. Best of luck Charlie with your stagecraft workshops, let us know how you go with them.
	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

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 4/03/08 at 11:10am
	When and if I can get them off the ground, I will be sure to report back here. I think now that we've made SM a paid position, there will be a few more takers - it's funny how that works... Charlie
	IP Logged

whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Posted: 4/05/08 at 11:20pm
	I can tell you how I got trained to run lights. First show: very brief lecture by Middle School drama teacher "Never touch this button", "Here's where the switches are", "Don't try to put more than one color in spotlight at once", "Turn everything off when you leave". Then I tried to figure out all cues for the light board, and ended up practically chained to the spot, which we insanely overused in "Christmas Carol". Second show: Our director is still trying to design the lighting (with no knowledge thereof). I taught myself to run the light board from the "Help" menu on the light board computer and trial & error. I am running the board, and I have a young assistant running the spot (much less usage than our last show). And the director told me they don't really trust my assistant, so I couldn't trade spots with her at intermission as I would've liked. Our HS has the current lighting tech train an apprentice. Man, I should've gotten on the tech crew in HS instead of acting (also no real training).
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 4/06/08 at 12:20am
	Well i have never been into 'Spankin'! Now developing & the use of 'thwakers' is one of my only claims to fame Along with starting the 'Stagecraft Guild' many years ago. But that was very short lived as I was directing two musicals back to back & ended up in intensive care! {At the next stroke?] Although i have just started up the 'technical Advisory Pool' [TAP] here for our aunty ITA [Independent theatre association] in this State. Prompted by our State Government finally Enacting the 1992 Health Act, concerning public buildings. This of course impacts heavily on comeatre venues & performing arts groups. Mainly with Portable appliance Testing [PAT (note the reflective acronym?)] The pool is primarily Licenced electrical Techies, who assist all member theatre groups to comply with the Act. By training to a competent level in house group teaches in carrying out valid testing procedures &/or in gaining 'Limited or 'restricted' Electrical Licences themselves. Although it is not incumbent to have a valid Licence to perform testing, only when Tagging is required on the appliance & a Licence Number is affixed. Which is a twice yearly event along with testing the Emergency, Exit Lighting & Log Book [In most cases this is the responsibility of the venue owner]. Further help with other technical theatre, thru running workshops on Stagecraft aspects. If the Group are members of Aunty ITA this is free, which saves the Group the cost of employing a licensed tester, which can be upto $20/appliance usually on industrial Sites & $40 Commercially. I suppose I was rather lucky being born into the Game & having some great mentors over the years. Ye I fondly remember building my first theatre lighting rig & using home made 'alt Water Dimmers' back in the 50's. It worked well until the great Black Out of around '57, then I was pressed to dismantle my set of dimmers & disconnect from the mains power, or else! But I'm still not sure it was all thru my endeavours? But that's all another story. I attempted earlier this year to run a workshop for my mob, which was a total fizz off!
	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

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 4/06/08 at 9:25am
	Bbpchick - one more bit of advice for you with your training - make sure you inject humor into your training. Catch phrases help too, like 'up is down, down is up, left is right and right is left'. SR and SL seem to confuse more folks than it's really worth. Also, and probably for your more advanced class, give them each a piece of black tie line and a piece of white cord (like clotheline) and show them how to tie a square knot and a bowliine if they are really advanced. Those two knots will solve most tying problems in a backstage area. Having taught tech theater for 13 years, the best advice I can offer you is be patient and be prepared to repeat yourself...a lot. Oh, and don't overload them at first. Just give them bare bones basics and work up from there. I've seen more folks flee from backtage simply because they were overwhelmed by it all. If they are running a spot, give them the basics, answer all their questions and keep the theories of electricity to a minimum. Running flies, the same principle applies - always work with the KISS principle until your volunteers want more. Good Luck! Charlie
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 4/06/08 at 9:53am
	Here is a couple of things that I put in 'Club Tech [fo'c'sle] that may help, getting into knots & Spectral Manifestation Of EMF [S.M.O.K.E.] if you get into OHMS Law? Animated Knots:- http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com Theory of Electricity;- http://www.peizhang.com/forfun/forfun_writings_smoke.htm
	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

spikesgirl Celebrity Joined: 3/30/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 129	Posted: 4/08/08 at 9:21am
	Not to worry - at least at our theater we never add a show after the run is over, just during! Sleep easy! Charlie
	IP Logged

bbpchick Star Joined: 7/17/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Posted: 4/08/08 at 3:56pm
	Thank you guys for your advice! Please keep the ideas coming. I do definately want to make this fun as well as educational, because that is the one complaint we have had from new people is that they felt that they were just thrown in to the situation and it was kinda sink or swim. So everything you guys are saying is great. Thank you!
	Kendra www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up!
	IP Logged