Open Forum

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

As a retired theater teacher of 30 years, I would suggest to try working on the calendar of events for the theater.  See if you can be in charge of managing that calendar or if you and your department could manage the calendar.  Secondly, work to meet with people who will be using the space, probably as you already are in some ways, to see what their technical needs might be and in so doing, can you set up things for them and or provide student crews for their events?  This builds a lot of good will and allows you to learn the various needs for various events and then you can adapt your build and staging plans to meet the usage of others.  Meetings with other users also allow you to advocate for your program; build rapport and trust... can theater events, for example, get two weeks of dedicated stage time where there are no other events on stage?

Other than that, Jerry has made some good suggestions.  My only add here is to ask outside users if they need all of the stage space and perhaps scenery can be placed behind a midstage drape if you have one.

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Inverted Periaktoi - Dramatics Magazine

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Inverted Periaktoi - Dramatics Magazine

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.

Hey all! 

I just got a job as a TD for a local high school. The one area I have concern with is the actual workflow of how this school builds sets. 

Our shop is rather small, so it seems like it would be a good idea to build the set directly on the stage. However, like many of you, I am now in a school where the stage is a hot commodity, so we need to break down whatever we can make and store it within our small shop. This is a completely different flow of work than I'm used to.

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a program which was allowed to build scenery and leave it onstage, so I'm simply unfamiliar with this process and am looking for suggestions. How do you manage a workflow like this?

Bonus points if you have any ideas for how we can create sets that can come apart and re-assemble easily.

Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness.