As many of you have seen on the news, there was an incident at a High School in Indiana that injured numerous students during their performance of their Musical. News accounts can be read here: www.wthr.com/story/28886818/critical-injuries-reported-in-stage-collapse-at-westfield-high-school-auditorium
and a similar incident occurred a year ago in California:
www.ocregister.com/articles/school-604829-high-rosary.html
I frequently visit high schools where scenery and structures on the Stage, Stage Apron, and the Orchestra Pit are poorly thought-out and constructed. This event should act as a reminder that theatre productions are not exempt from the laws of physics. When staging a production be mindful to consider both the static and dynamic loads that your performers may impose upon the floors, walls, and railings of your set.
All too often I see steps and stairs without well-connected railings, flimsy steps, and inadequate supports. I see platforms that have splintered support legs and stringers, and lots of scenery held together with nothing but finishing nails, staples, and sheet-rock (drywall) screws. Please think about the structural loading of your set pieces. If it's flimsy, loose, saggy, wiggly, bendy, cracked, broken, wobbly, or someone can fall from it, or it can fall on someone; then consider building it a different way. There is a reason that houses are built strong and heavy - it's so they won't fall down.
Contrary to popular belief, theatrical sets are not exempt from building codes, fire codes, and electrical codes. These minimum requirements are there to prevent injuries to the occupants of your venues. Your students and their parents expect that they are not being put at risk just to do a show. No show is worth exposing your performers to injuries.
"Break a leg" is just a figure of speech - don't let it be part of your production culture.
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Erich Friend
Theatre Consultant
Teqniqal Systems
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