Technical Theater for Nontechnical People, Second Edition

Acknowledgments vii Introduction: Why This Book ix General Notes xiii 1 Breaking It Down: Who Does What 1(8) Costumes 4(1) Props 4(1) Lighting 4(1) Sound 5(1) Stage Management 5(1) Scenery 6(3) 2 Touring a New Space: What to Look For 9(10) Is This the Right Space for You? 10(1) Space for Stuff 10(1) Space for People 11(1) The Rigging System 12(2) Masking 14(1) The Lighting System 14(1) The Sound System 15(1) Monitors and Headsets 16(3) 3 Scenic Design: Space, Texture, and the "Big Statement" 19(12) The Big Picture: The Statement 21(1) How to Read a Script Like a Set Designer 22(2) The Backstage Survival Guide to Reading a Floorplan 24(3) Texture and Color: Giving the Show a "Look" 27(4) 4 The Tools of Scenery: Surface, Texture, and Tricks 31(40) A Place to Stand: Platforms, Stairs, and Ramps 31(4) A Surface to Look at: Walls, Drapes, Paint, and Fabric 35(11) Real Things: Doors, Windows, and So On 46(3) Moving Stuff Around: Gripping, Rolling, and Flying 49(9) The Backstage Survival Guide to Scene-Change Choreography 58(2) Playing with the Audience: Special Effects and Illusions 60(11) 5 Lighting Design: Illumination, Mood, and Focus 71(22) Illumination: First and Foremost 72(5) Motivational Light: Time, Place, and Season 77(1) Mood and Atmosphere: Angles and Color 78(2) Creating Focus: Specials and Follow Spots 80(1) Where the Show Is (and Isn't): House Lights and Actors in the Audience 81(1) Moving the Show Forward: Cues, Timing, and Blackouts 82(2) Lighting for Dance 84(2) Lighting for Musicals 86(1) Lighting for Fashion 87(1) Video Lighting 88(2) Lighting for Rock-and-Roll 90(3) 6 The Tools of Lighting: Now You See It 93(36) The Birds and the Bees: Where Does Power Come From? 93(4) Protecting Yourself 97(4) Highways and Byways: Outlets and Plugs 101(1) Taming the Beast: Dimmers and Control Consoles 102(7) The Real Workers: Lighting Instruments 109(8) Intelligent Lighting Instruments 117(4) Fluorescent Lighting 121(1) Special Effects Lighting 122(3) Color My World: The Joy of Filters 125(3) Putting It in the Theater: Lighting Positions 128(1) 7 Costume Design: Character, Period, and Function 129(10) Character 130(3) Period 133(2) Function 135(2) The Costume Sketch 137(2) 8 The Tools of Costumes: Shopping, Draping, and Stitching 139(8) Building 140(2) Buying 142(1) Renting 143(1) Pulling 144(1) Fittings and Measurements 144(1) Fabric Augmentation 145(1) Dealing with Hair 146(1) One Final Note 146(1) 9 Sound Design: Audible Atmosphere 147(32) The Signal Chain 147(3) Microphones: The Testy Toddlers of Sound 150(8) The Backstage Survival Guide to Keeping Microphones Happy 158(2) Other Sources: Tape Decks, CDs, DAT 160(9) Mixers: Telling the Sound Where to Go 169(3) Effects Processing: Sound Sculpting 172(2) Amplification: We're Going to Pump You Up 174(2) Speakers: The Bottom Line 176(3) 10 Show Control: Why Can't We All Get Along? 179(10) Synchronous versus Asynchronous 180(1) Event-based versus Time-based 181(2) Interfaces 183(1) Dedicated Show Control Computers 184(2) MIDI Show Control 186(1) PC versus PLC 186(1) Entertainment Protocols 187(2) 11 Properties: Research, Detail, and Crafts 189(10) The Artisan 189(1) The Detailer 190(1) The Researcher 190(1) Making the Prop List: When to Buy, Borrow, or Build 191(1) Setting Up the Prop List 191(2) Furniture: Why the Stage Isn't Like Real Life 193(3) Weapons: Safety and Proper Handling 196(1) Handling Props During the Show: Prop Tables 197(2) 12 Stage Management: The Best Port in a Storm 199(24) Communication: The Central Issue 200(2) From Coffee Shop to Load-Out: Schedules 202(3) Lists and Lists and Lists of Lists 205(4) Preparing the Rehearsal Space and Running Rehearsals 209(5) The Actors' Backstage Survival Guide to Tech Rehearsal 214(3) Opening Night and the Run 217(2) The Payoff: Calling the Show 219(4) 13 Corporate Theater: How to Do a Show in a Hotel 223(14) Lighting: Trees, Trusses, and the Demon Track Light 223(6) Sound: Plug and Play, or Truck It In 229(1) Scenery: Four Feet by Whatever 230(1) Projectors and Projection Systems 231(2) Playing Twenty (or More) Questions: Things to Ask and to Know 233(4) 14 The Essentials: Things You Should Know and Things You Should Own 237(4) Things Every Theater Person Should Know 237(2) Things Every Show Person Should Own 239(1) Things Every Show Place Should Own 239(2) In Closing 241(2) Glossary 243(20) Bibliography 263(2) Index 265