Regarding where to find lighting equipment - if you're looking for funding and want to keep your costs down, check out www.usedlighting.com. It's hit and miss – depends on what they have in stock at the time (sort of the Costco of lighting equipment), but you can often find what you need for a lot cheaper ("professionally maintained" and refundable). It looks like they have a good selection at this time!
In regards to what board to purchase – just as general information for anyone in this situation - I do not recommend an ETC Ion. It's way overkill for a high school theatre. Unless you have moving lights and a professional staff member to teach and mentor your students. Or, unless, you yourself are comfortable programming light boards and have the time to teach and mentor your students. The good news is that once our digital native students learn how to use the board, they will go on to teach the next year's students, but that means guaranteeing that you will always have some lighting-geek students to carry on the training - the year(s) you don't, it will be up to you. At the risk of being controversial, if you don't have any LEDs and/or if you don't have someone who knows how to program light boards, I think an ETC Express is a great board for high school theatre. Mid-range (in terms of your comfort level) would be the ETC Element or some of the Strand Palette series. I've also heard that Leprecon makes a good level board for high school theatres too, although I haven't worked on one.
Here's some things to ask yourself before deciding on how 'state-of-the-art' you want to go.
Will the theatre be primarily used by students who come and go every few years?
Will there be vocational training for students each year?
How many students a year will want to learn to be lighting technicians?
Will the theatre program have a CTE certified tech theatre teacher?
Will the theatre be staffed by professional technicians/TD/TM?
Who will work with the students to teach them how to run the board and mentor them each year?
Will the theatre be rented to outside users?
Will outside users expected (and permitted) to be able to run their own lights or will there be staff or student crews every year?
Who will restore the equipment after each show/event in preparation for the next user?
The sophistication level of the board you get can be determined by 'designing backwards' – by first answering these questions and then looking for a board that best suits your situation. I've seen too many Drama (acting) teachers tearing their hair out over state-of-the-art boards that have been provided without any regard as to how the theatre program is run, to the point that they don't use them to their full potential, and in one case – not at all for a year and a half after installation(!). So be sure to get a light board that suits your theatre program and your own comfort level.
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Beth Rand, EBMS
Lighting Designer
School Theatre Operations Coach
NEW!
ONLINE TECH COURSES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
http://www.presett.org/techieacademy.html . A great summer project!
HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE MANAGEMENT ONLINE COURSE for Drama Teachers: Summer session June 4th (half full, 4 spaces left). Fall session Sept 10th.
http://www.presett.org/theatre-management-course.htmlREP PLOT DESIGN - Never have to re-hang and re-focus all your lights again!
http://www.presett.org/repplot.html"HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE OPERATIONS" and more tech theatre books at
http://www.presett.org/helpful-books-for-you.html.www.PRESETT.orgWestminster, CO
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-24-2018 19:23
From: Joseph Ellison
Subject: Funding Upgrades
Hello Everyone!
I am in need of some leads in how to raise funds for a new light board, our current strand I inherited is not looking to last so long and with that being said I need help in finding ways to fund a new board. Any suggestions?
Also I am on the hunt for some CD80 Dual 2.4KW Dimmer Module's. Anyone know where I might can find some? Our rack holds 80 and we currently have 20 or 21.
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Joseph Ellison
Theatre Director
Rio Rico High School
Rio Rico, AZ
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