Tech theatre question

[gracie2]

Posted: 3/2/14 at 10:48pm

I've dabbled in all areas of community theatre (except on stage - not happening), but am an expert in none of them so I need input regarding lighting/sets.

I have been educated in the past by a long-standing member of our group that lighting effects used as PART of a set is not lighting crew responsibility unless it is set up to run THROUGH the light board. Therefore, any set-type lighting say a lamp post or whatever is the set/stage crew responsibility to turn on/off.

Most recently, I had a college theatre person (aka newbie) inform me that ANYTHING that lights up needs to be cleared with the light crew because ALL lighting is their responsibility.

Technically speaking, which is correct? I'm leaning toward the first.

Keep in mind, we're community theatre/volunteer based but we do like to do things properly and follow the correct protocol :)

Thanks for any help you can give!

[Jon]

Posted: 3/3/14 at 12:24am

There is no one right answer. In most cases, a functional onstage light such as a table lamp would be plugged into an outlet that is wired into the stage lighting system and therefore would be controlled from the light board. If the stage does not have any available outlets that are wired this way, it would have to be plugged into an ordinary outlet, and would be controlled by someone backstage.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/3/14 at 12:30am

If you are talking about a union house with a strict departmental divide then yes, the electrics crew would be responsible for plugging in anything that plugs in and lights up, while either props or carpenters (depending on the piece) are actually setting it in position on stage.

Once you remove the unions from it it depends entirely on the crew and how they want to divide things up. There are no hard and fast rules.