Cue3Go!

Issue 50

Techie Tip of the Week

STORAGE SPACE

Part 2 of a 3-part series on SPACE IN THE THEATRE which will be posted every other week.

One common complication that educational theatre people (teachers, theatre staff volunteers and students) have is that there is not enough storage space, build space and people space built into their multi-million-dollar high school theatre facilities. Understandably space is expensive to provide and maintain, and the theatre is not the only part of a high school, however if it is your plan to create a theatre program ample space must be provided in order to do so.  

Once the sets, props and costumes for a show are finished with, the question is where to store them. In addition, spare lights and sound equipment need storage space.  Most high schools build up a large inventory that they can use or adapt for more shows down the road.  I’ve seen set pieces and costumes come and go many a time.  Some set pieces are taken apart to their component parts, but even then the component parts – or simply the wood used to build them – have to be stored somewhere.  Period costumes can be reused the next time a play from that period is produced, but until then they have to be stored somewhere.  The costumes for “My Fair Lady” can’t be adapted for “West Side Story”, so there has to be enough storage to accommodate quite a selection of costumes.

Cost saving is always a consideration when building or remodeling a high school theatre, but economizing on storage space when you have the capital budget to build, perpetually seeps into the operations budget for the life of the school. All of the high schools I’ve worked at struggle with space for storage to the point that there is a lot of expensive waste having to deal with a problem that should have been proactively planned for at the time of the construction or remodel.  Some school’s theatre departments decide to rent storage units.  Some simply end up throwing away valuable supplies and stock.  Some end up giving away expensive costumes.  For instance, the above-mentioned  Cinderella ballgown cost $600 to make.  Wood is none to cheap either, and high school theatres must purchase quality wood when you consider that students will be standing on the platforms and stair units that are built.  

In addition, plan for high school theatre set, prop and costume storage space to be exclusively for the purpose of storing sets, props and costumes.  One school I worked at stored their band costumes in the sewing room, another stored custodial supplies in their scene shop.  This caused no end of problems for the theatre department that had storage space issues enough as it was.

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

Leveling-Up

Online courses for school theatre teachers and staff

Courses that leave you empowered with actionable strategies to level-up support and funding for your theatre operations and educating your students. ​

Check with your admin - many districts will pay for Professional Development!

_________________________________

DO YOU HAVE TO MANAGE YOUR THEATRE'S OPERATIONS AS WELL AS TEACH!?

HELP IS HERE!

please visit:

Theatre Management Training Course

Lighting and Safety Courses

Safety Webinar for Students​

Dear Techie,

I’m hoping to get some information about stage floors.  Our stage floor has some cracks that need filled, areas that require sanding, etc. I have reached out to 5 flooring companies in our area, all of whom are not interested in repainting. In their restoration process they specifically strip and stain floors. What do you recommend that I do about painting, as I’m not sure what products can be used on a stage deck.

Floored in OH

Dear Floored,

I actually talk about this exact same issue in the Financial chapter of my book, High School Theatre Operations (which you can find here at: https://www.presett.org/hstheatrebooks.html, and also we address this in the Financial section of the online theatre management course https://www.presett.org/tmtu.html.

In one district where I managed a theatre, the admin insisted on hiring a professional painter for the stage deck, who charged $5000.  I’d calculated that if I were to purchase the paint myself and pay the technicians to paint the deck, it would cost around $1000. The following year – when the stage deck needed painting, again(!) – I won out.  Such a waste of funds.

Basically what I’m saying here is that I would definitely have a flooring company repair the cracks, but as for painting afterwards, that’s something you can do yourself with your technicians (if you have them, or perhaps even students – check with the school on that one). I can’t recommend any specific products, but your local hardware store should be able to recommend the correct paint. Y you can also purchase it from a theatrical supplier, such as Rosco.  Doing it yourself will leave more of your budget for other things.

Submit your Dear Techie questions to [email protected].  

A helicopter dad wanted to see all of the school plays his child was in, so he decided to volunteer every night as an usher. As each audience member came in, he would tell them one of his dad jokes.  
He became widely known as the pun usher.

​

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

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.