Technical Details

For all our musicals we have to move the sound board out of the light booth and put it in the balcony so the operators can hear the show. There is a misconception that the sound board goes in a booth. But that applies to TV and radio stations, not theaters. Our crew has to be able to hear what the audience hears in order to get the ideal mix of amplified sound and natural acoustic sound.

Here, my Stagecraft class moves the heavy mixer up the stairs to the balcony. Some day when we replace it with a digital mixer, they can sit anywhere in the theatre using just one CAT-5 cable!


Here, A.J. attached 36 different connectors to the back of the mixer from our 50 foot long "cable snake" that runs down to the booth.


We have 4 followspots for this show. Two 1600 watt Super Troupers in the balcony and two 410 watt club spots on the apron of the stage. I chose two experienced seniors to operate the followspots on the 16 foot high towers beside the proscenium arch. From this vantage point, the mini-spots can shoot right down on particular actors with ease.


Here, Niklas jumps off the top of the tower! (Click to enlarge).


But don't worry! He has a belaying harness, (like on a rock wall), that slowly lowers him down to the ground.


Here is a photo taken from the catwalk, 4 stories over the audience. From here you can see our 20 piece orchestra, my two Lucite trap lights in the painted arc, and the Plexi-glass decks on all the platforms up-stage. Lights shoot up through these decks. (Click photo to enlarge).