Hi Cheryl,
It looks like you have this handled(!)…but here's my – belated - two cents about one universal issue I've observed and experienced in high school theatres.
I've found with most of the high school theatres that I go into – regardless of the sophistication of their lighting system and their level of understanding of it - that they rarely utilize rep plots.
These days so many high school theatres are run like road houses, and host such a wide variety of events. This causes conflicts between its users. The band teacher complains that the drama teacher is always leaving the lighting system set up 'wrong' and they can't see their music, and the drama teacher complains that the band teacher is always leaving the lighting system set up 'wrong' for their productions, and they have to re-hang&focus everything all over again. The choir teacher stays out of the fray because he doesn't know how to operate the lighting system at all relies on the others to set it up and run it for him. The outside events that rent the theatre are frustrated by the amount of time it takes them to figure out how the lighting system is set up, while they are paying for the rental at an hourly rate.
There is neither rhyme nor reason to the light plot, as each group who uses the theatre just hangs random instruments to fill in any dark spots as they occur, or specials as they need them. And guess who gets to oversee it all - typically the (already busy!) drama teacher (except for those too-few lucky high school theatres which have a technical staff), just on the basis that they use the theatre facility for their classes the most and so the administration thinks they should also act as Theatre Manager (but that's for another topic…).
Having a rep plot, as I'm certain you know(!), is versatile for almost all performances. A rep plot can be easily adapted to provide lighting for any event, and allows for show-specific flexibility within a reasonable time frame. And when I say "event", I mean everything from class meetings, speakers, film presentations, variety shows, band and choir concerts to plays, dance recitals, plays and musicals, and outside rentals of all sorts.
So if there's anything that I think that could be taken off the plate of theatre educators, it would be the actual management of the lighting system. Of course, this would require that there were strict rules for every user of the theatre, that the lighting needs to be 'returned to rep' after their event.
Ok, I'll get off my soap box, but I'm a big fan of rep plots in high school theatres that are run like road houses. So much so, that I actually published a book called "The High School Theatre Lighting Rep Plot", which walks the reader through a step-by-step process for hanging a rep plot. You can see it here: https://www.presett.org/hstheatrebooks.html. For you to go through the process in the amount of detail in my book would obviously be too much for the content of a lighting masterclass, but teaching the basic concepts of a rep plot and its benefits would not only help fulfill the needs of busy high school theatre educators, but is also an important thing for students to learn about lighting systems.
Kudos to you for your lighting masterclass for high school theatre educators! Much needed!
------------------------------
Lyz Rand, EBMS
NEW! CruiseTechies blog - learn all about career opportunities for your vocational students in theatres aboard cruise ships
https://www.cruisetechies.com/cruisetechies-blog8 FREE Action Steps: Level Up Support and Funding for your school theatre
https://www.presett.org/8actionsteps.htmlwww.CruiseTechies.comCruiseTechies@gmail.comLand based:
www.PRESETT.orgConifer, CO
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2025 13:37
From: Cheryl Williams
Subject: Stage Lighting Masterclass
Greetings Educators,
I am revamping a lighting masterclass and would love your input as the educators. Having taught stage lighting on the university level and as a professional lighting designer I understand what could go into a masterclass.
However, I'm wanting this masterclass to fulfill the needs of the educators and students in your schools. What would you like to learn? What is important for your students to learn? How can understanding stage lighting take some things off your plate, as the educator, when you are going into a production?
These are just a few questions, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My motto is "how can I help?"
Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Cheryl J. Williams
------------------------------
Cheryl J. Williams
Professor of Theatre
CJWilliamsConsultant.com
cheryljwilliams1@gmail.com
------------------------------