Cue3Go!

Issue 9, 2023

Techie Tip of the Week

ARCHITECTS AND ADMIN - can we really blame them?

In their personal lives architects and administrators go to restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, doctor’s offices, perhaps even hospitals. They’ve cooked in their own kitchens and worked in their own offices. In their younger years they may have had a job in one of these facilities, and they’ve certainly set foot in classrooms, if only as students themselves. For the most part, they know how these types of facilities function, as enough of the “behind the scenes” operations are apparent and common knowledge. However, when they go to see a play, ballet, concert, opera or other performance, what has been going on and what is going on behind the scenes is not apparent at all. All they see is the magic of the performance (it’s why I call non-theatre people “Muggles” – they don’t know how to do the behind-the-scenes magic!). If they don’t have a practical working knowledge of theatres, when they’ve never worked behind the scenes, or haven’t worked behind the scenes since they were in high school themselves perhaps, it’s nearly impossible for them to anticipate what your theatre may need in terms of functionality. Which is why it’s up to us to educate them!

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

to find out more about the courses please visit:

Theatre Management Training Course

Theatre Management Tutorials

Lighting and Safety Courses

Safety Webinar for Students

Dear Techie,

I was wondering how much of our extracurricular funds should be going to supporting our theatre facility? Here are some things that we might be asked to pay for:  rigging/lighting inspections, lamp replacement, new lighting instruments, paint for the stage floor, curtain replacement/repair, lobby painting/furniture replacement.

This is a discussion we are currently having as we look to make some upgrades and I thought I would reach out to you all to see what should be contributed.

Out of Pocket in IN

Dear Out of Pocket,

It doesn’t sound like you have a theatre manager? It also sounds like you are not provided with a production budget, separate from your teaching budget, from your school. The trick here is to start compartmentalizing your expenses, in order to show your admin what goes where, and who should be paying for items everyone uses.

The test for budget is – is it show-specific?  As an example: if you absolutely must have R39 gels for your show (I would!) and your theatre doesn’t have any in stock, and no one usually uses that color, (except me!), then that should come out of your show budget.  If the theatre is using R02 and R60 for their area lights for every event that comes in and uses the facility, then those gels come out of the theatre budget. As do lamps and mic batteries, that sort of thing that everyone uses and there’s no way to charge for individual use. 

Or, here’s another example of compartmentalizing - have two wireless and two wired mics available for events, while the music department has a whole set of wireless mics (for jazz choir and musicals) which they bought from their budget and only they use.  Other events must bring in their own equipment if they want more than the four mics the theatre offers.

The theatre facility as a whole should have its own budget for theatre supplies, separate from the drama teacher’s budget and the music teachers’ budgets.  But, it’s not just the funds/budgets – that’s only a symptom of a neglected system. There’s the question of who maintains the rep plot, who oversees the events who use the theatre, who enforces safety policies and procedures, the list is endless. If your theatre is being run like a ‘roadhouse’ (lots of event come into the space; your own plays, concerts, dance recitals, meetings, speeches, variety shows; school events, district events, outside events), then I urge you to talk with your administration about hiring a Theatre Manager and professional technicians.  A ‘roadhouse’ high school theatre is not your extracurricular budgeting responsibility and it certainly should not be your liability.

Submit your Dear Techie questions to [email protected].  

You know you're a Techie when...

- You have an insatiable need to coil all the cable in your house correctly (and you actually call it 'cable' not 'extension cords'!).

- You find yourself waiting at the bus stop, in the summer, when it's 90° in the shade, wearing black pants, a black t-shirt, black boots, with a black bag.

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.