There are codes, recommendations, guidelines, and school district policies that your Theatre Manager should follow, so she should also have a pre-programmed preventative maintenance schedule. If a serious incident or injury happens in your theatre, and she can prove that she has been diligent with theatre maintenance (as well as safety – see the Safety chapter), there’s less of a chance of the blame falling on her shoulders. And most importantly, there’s less of a chance of someone getting hurt if your theatre is kept in the best condition possible.
Some inspections and tests I recommend your Theatre Manager have done periodically include (but are not limited to):
Flame test the drapes – every 2 years.
All drapes have a tab on the side. Cut off a piece of this material from a random drape and send it in to be tested.
Fire Curtain – test annually.
The fire curtain separates the audience from the stage in case of a fire in either area of the theatre. Not all theatres have fire curtains and a high school theatre is least likely to have one because they are very expensive to install and maintain (for this reason, many high schools have ¾ fly towers which do not require a fire curtain). But if you do have a fire curtain, there are NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) code requirements based on square footage. Fire curtains usually reserved for larger prosceniums and are not always found in a high school theatre, however your main – or “grand” - curtain will at least be fire treated and can at least serve as a barrier for a period of time if it is closed at the time of a fire. Both fire curtains and main/grand curtains can at least stop smoke and some heat, and prevent property damage and people injury, such as smoke inhalation.
Smoke vents – test after the first year, then every 2 years.
There are (there should be) large trap doors in the roof of your theatre, above the stage and above the audience, which function as smoke vents in the case of a fire. You want to be sure that they are opening easily.
General fire inspection – annually.
This would include making sure exits aren’t blocked, recharging fire extinguishers, etc. Some of this your school is required to do in general and your school custodial staff may take care of some items on your checklist, so be sure to coordinate with them.
Counterweight System
This should be inspected every two to three years by a professional rigging company.
Disclaimer: I am not a safety specialist. This is just a general recommendation. Your theatre’s requirements may differ. Always consult a bona fide theatre inspector. (Some are listed on the Resources page of the website: https://www.presett.org/theatreresources.html )
