Cue3Go!

Issue 5, 2023

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Are you in need of

increased support and funding for your school theatre? 

Are you charged with managing all of the events in your theatre,

while also having to teach your classes?

Then you deserve this:

The next Theatre Management Training course will be starting on May 31st!

This course is only taught 3 times a year (Summer, Fall, Winter/Spring).

Join a cohort of your fellow theatre teachers across the country, and learn the strategies you can take to level-up support and funding for your school theatre.

Techie Tip of the Week

SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Part 5 of an 8-part series on ACTION STEPS you can take to level-up support and funding for your school theatre.

YOUR CHALLENGE

No doubt you have safety rules in your school theatre, but do students and users follow them consistently?  How about your admin or other school staff when they use the theatre?

I call personal Safety “Micro Safety”.  It’s the policies and procedures that apply to each individual.

It is imperative that school theatres have operational policies and procedures in place that safeguard personal safety, protect property, and mitigate liability.  It’s also imperative that students and outside users are supervised by highly qualified personnel – AKA: CTE teacher, TM, TD, Theatre Technicians.  It is the job of the Theatre Manager to ensure that safety rules are in place and that they are adhered to.  One way to do this is to post signs.  Another way is to provide training.  Yet another is to maintain records. In all cases documentation must be created, maintained and enforced. Enforcing it is the hard part!  It is going to be up to you to educate your administration not only on the seriousness of the hazards in a theatre, but also how equipment needs to be maintained and preserved, and just how much supervision is needed to keep the students safe.

YOUR ACTION

Create a comprehensive Safety Poster for your theatre facility.  Post your poster ALL OVER the theatre. 

Design an annual safety training for your students and all who use the theatre.

Create a Theatre Safety Manual, and remember to document all safety incidents.

(For what information to include on your Safety Poster, check out the Safety chapter of High School Theatre Operations., and for Safety Manual ‘blanks’, check out the High School Theatre Safety Manual.  For more detailed guidance on safety policies and protocol, check out the Theatre Management Training online course or tutorials.)

This editorial is the express opinion of Beth Rand, and is not intended for substitution for professional advice regarding your specific situation or circumstances.

Dear Techie,

Our school wants to start renting out our theatre for events and performances.  They want me (I’m the theatre teacher) to be in charge of overseeing the rentals. My job will be checking the equipment in and out and setup and managing monies. We've never done this before at our theatre so ANY advice would be welcome.

One-Person-Show, Arizona

Dear One-Person-Show,

What the admin making these decisions doesn’t understand (through lack of experience in the theatre) is that one person cannot – or should not! – be taking on the roles of both teacher and Theatre Manager.  At least, not without tearing their hair out.  Both are full time jobs.

Also, events should never use the theatre unsupervised, with equipment checked out to them. Use this word with your admin:  liability!

I really encourage you to talk to your admin about the need to create a separate Theatre Manager position, and also to hire technicians (professionals and/or paid(!) student techs), because this is not a job one person can do (without going crazy). A hospital manager doesn’t perform the surgeries!

Finding training and advice about this growing field can be difficult. One subject that is not often taught in university theatre teacher training programs is School Theatre Management.  However, with so many high schools renting out their theatres these days, I predict that High School Theatre Management is going to become an essential specialty. 

Your question is timely, as we’re about to start the next online Theatre Management Training course, so I recommend you check it out above.

All the best!

Submit your Dear Techie questions to [email protected].  

​

An actor walks into a bar.

"Hey, can you put some glow tape on this?"

Submit your Bad Theatre Joke or Funnies to [email protected].

And finally, always remember...

It is PRESETT's mission to provide information to assist in endeavors for safe and functional operations of school theatres. However, PRESETT is not a safety consultant or professional, and any information provided or advocated is not intended to supplement, not supersede, industry safety training. Always consult a theatre safety specialist about your specific situation or circumstances.