Wet Theatre
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Other Topics
Forum Discription: For everything else
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2598
Printed Date: 11/24/24 at 12:45am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Wet Theatre
Posted By: pdavis69
Subject: Wet Theatre
Date Posted: 8/23/07 at 5:37pm
Just wanted to put our a notice and ask to be kept in your thoughts. Our little Playhouse in Findlay, Ohio took a huge hit in the flooding of the Midwest this week. The water was up two feet on the outside walls and our basement, greenroom, dressingrooms, bathrooms and kitchen were all under almost 7 feet of water. Try to keep a good thought going for us. Anyone else out there have theatre disaster stories or suggestions for us?
-------------
Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
|
Replies:
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 8/23/07 at 5:53pm
|
My heart goes to you, and I will keep you in my thoughts. We've had flooding, but never like that. There was the time we were mopping and bailing backstage trying to to keep the flood waters off the stage as the show was going on. That is nothing but a humourous anticdote compared to what you are going through. I wish you all the luck you can possible get after this terrible event.
Linda
|
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 8/23/07 at 7:13pm
Blimey Patrick!
I have been in a few disaters, but nothing to the extent that your group is going thru.
I have been thru deluges on stage during a performance inside a venue
& the constant water table rising under the theatre, which we had
to put up with.
I suppose the biggest thing for you is go thru the dry out period.
I would imagine most of the electrical distribution will dry out
naturaly & equipment may have to be replaced, hoprfully under
insurance?
But my experiance with insurance company's, is they are in business of
renting out umbrellas, untill it rains. Then take them back!
Which is probly the last thing you are thinking about at this time.
Undoubtably things which only take time to replace,are things like the
wardrobe, which in most cases has to be ditched, unless it can be dried
out without water damge or growing mold.
One thing we had to do at the theatre with rising damp, was leave a low
wattage incandescent globe, burning 24 hors a day, in the wardrobe.
Which resolved the constant water problem, wuth the costumes. Also we
placed a globe in the piano as well, which worked great.
The deluge on stage, was during 'Glass Onion' & the rain go into to
the air con ducting, built up & over flowed onto the stage.
At first it was just splash on to fresnel barn doors, Seeing electric
gutarists backing up to get out the way of the water. Was a good
indication of what was about to happen, luckly the complete over flow
took place during a virtual black out, only with a Lime on for the
dialogue. Besides filling up the grand piano & the band scarpering
off stage, it was not a great problem, It was easily fix by climbing in
the fly grid & putting containers to catch the water. The funiest
thing was when the Council [who owned the venue] Engineer said
the next day 'Don't worry about it , it is not a major problem, because
it only happens when it rains?"
Anyhow my thoughts go out to your group & hope you can rally enough assistants to take the theatre - Out of the black!
-------------
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}
|
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 8/24/07 at 12:00pm
|
The little town in Iowa where our theatre is got hit with big water last week, too. The water was coming in the basement drains. We'd pump it out and it would come in just as fast as we could get rid of it. We spent two days pumping and mopping the basement, sending costumes home with volunteers to wash them. Hearing about Patrick's problems I realize we came away pretty unscathed. Hang in there, Ohio!
|
Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 8/26/07 at 11:22am
|
Wow. Our theatre usually floods most winters. We sit on the banks of a river and when the ground is frozen, then it rains...no where for the water to go. Luckily, we are only a summer theater.
I think the most we've had is 21" above our stage. We have no basement, etc to worry about. Our theatre is an enclosed pavilion with a concrete floor and we use nice plastic lawn chairs for seating. The stage sits about 3' above the lowest level of seating. And the flooring is at a theatre seating grade. Always a major mess to clean up, but nothing like what you are experiencing.
Best of luck. Hope everything comes out OK.
-------------
www.vermillionplayers.com - www.vermillionplayers.com
|
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 8/27/07 at 11:30am
|
Thanks for your good thoughts... Patrick is probably still resting... Over the weekend, we removed a few tons of old furniture, cabinets, appliances, books, counters, shelves etc etc etc from the basment of the theater, then proceded to do much the same with set pieces and props from our warehouse area.. We then steam cleaned, dry vac'ed and bleached both locals... We have five HUGE piles of debris waiting for the city to come.. but they better bring at least four good size dump trucks... Patrick and a few others spent the whole weekend accomplishing this..
Now comes the fun part.. Restoration.
Again, thanks for your good wishes....
MartyW, PDavis69, RedDiva, JayTee60, onesongglory, and
The Fort Findlay Playhouse, Findlay Ohio
-------------
Marty W
"Till next we trod the boards.."
|
Posted By: whitebat
Date Posted: 8/27/07 at 8:41pm
|
3 of the 4 elements have tried to destroy our HS theater. First, wind: part of the roof blew off. Second, fire: they set the place on fire welding the roof back on. Third, water: considerable water damage was done putting the fire out. And the high school is built on a hill, slowly sliding down so that someday earth will put an end to it all. I think they probably got new carpet out of the deal, although I heard some of the fly system never got put back up.
|
Posted By: gracie
Date Posted: 8/31/07 at 10:02pm
|
Marty, et al...
How goes things out your way? Do you have to find another venue for your production of Little Shop, or will you have enough time to clean up?
-------------
www.vermillionplayers.com - www.vermillionplayers.com
|
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 9/06/07 at 4:45pm
We will be moving our season around abit to accomodate the clean up and remodeling. It does look like we should be back to an operational status by late October/early November. Thanks to everyone who kept us in their thoughts.
-------------
Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
|
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/07/07 at 8:20am
Ditto
-------------
Marty W
"Till next we trod the boards.."
|
Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 9/07/07 at 4:27pm
Ditto? Just had to have the last word didn't you?
-------------
Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse
|
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/07/07 at 5:18pm
Who.. Me?????? Oh thanks again..
-------------
Marty W
"Till next we trod the boards.."
|
Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 9/08/07 at 8:26pm
|
Guess it's up to me to break the tie.....ditto.
By the by, Marty, you missed Juror #3 in your listing of the FFP members who are grateful for the good wishes and support of our friends on this Board.
-------------
"I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!"
|
|