Hi Kellsie
A few notes about flying people:
1) There are more companies out there than Foy. The two other mainstream companies who specialize in flying effects are ZFX and Vertigo (full disclosure -I am the owner of Vertigo)
2) Please PLEASE don;t try to fly performers if you don;t know what you're doing.
3) Stop trying to guess how much it will cost. Most are shocked at how much it DOESN'T cost, and estimates are free. Also, READ your estimate/quote - some companies only include rental and training in the quote and shipping, travel, and accommodations are billed separately while some companies include everything. While one company may seem cheaper at first, it may be more expensive in the end.
4) If it looks like the quote is too much, TELL THEM, and they may be able to do things differently that can lower the cost. For instance, Peter Pan is usually done with three pendulums and a track, but if it's too pricey, we can shift to four pendulums.
5) Flying shows tend to draw more audience and/or the audience is willing to pay a little more. Many of my clients extend their run an extra week or increase their ticket costs for a flying show and will make far more money for their program than the flying cost. We have several schools who have started flying one show every year because it makes so much money for their program, and contrary to what you might expect, many of these schools are one who's drama programs are NOT well funded - they use the flying show to build their status and bank accounts.
6) If you ARE integrating performing flying into your production, consider the flying design as an equal part of the design process. Flying will influence the scenic design, lighting design, costume design, and others. Sometimes we get brought in at the last minute, like a fog machine, and our ability to support the story can be quite limited by design areas that are already fleshed out and mostly completed.
7) Tell the story. In the end, we are here to tell a story. If having a performer in the air is a critical part of our story, embrace it and lean into it.
The main message here is this: If you are doing a show that needs performers to fly, get several quotes and look at it realistically. Bring your flying director into the process as early as possible so that all areas of design can benefit from their expertise. Once you decide to fly a show, let everyone know!
Anyone who wants to know more can reach out to me directly.