A true Technician will get everything right!

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Learn Your Trade and Get Work Experience

Perhaps you have just graduated high school and are entering college. Perhaps you are changing your career to pursue your first love of being a backstage technician. Either way, you may be wondering how to build a resume and get experience if no one will hire you without it.

The answer is simple. If you are in school, work in the theatre department. Delve into any and all aspects you can. That work experience counts, since everyone has to start somewhere. Also, take the time to ask your teachers and professors about their lives in the theatre, what they enjoy about it and how they have built up their resumes.

If you aren’t in school or your school doesn’t offer theatre education, seek out local theatres in your area. Many need volunteers or have internships, apprentice/mentorship programs or production assistants. All of these are geared toward those with little to no experience. Show your interest through an application phone call or written inquiry. Then, get in there and start working. Those entry-level positions and internships could lead to a very lucrative career with that theatre if they like you and your work. Who knows, a paid position may open up and you might be able to put yourself in the running for it.

Also, remember many theatres bring in artists and designers from across the country you can work directly with. It’s possible you may start to develop a successful working relationship with one or more of them. In turn, this newfound connection may allow you to be put in the mix for when a job opens up at another theatre company they are affiliated with. You just never know! If nothing else, you build up your resume, network and overall skill set to apply for bigger jobs.

Get Those Resumes Out

Is your skill set up to the professional level? Do you have the hands-on experience and theatre credits to book regular backstage work?

Your next step is to format a clean, concise and clear resume listing all your experience. Get someone to help you if you don’t know how, or find sample resumes online with your similar skill sets and copy their formatting. Once your resume is complete and you have a professional cover letter stating your interests, it’s time to start applying for paid jobs.

Watch notices daily on Backstage and Playbill. These two sites are the go-to spots for backstage theatre job postings throughout the country. Be bold and brave and see which theatres bite once you send out your resume.

Connect With Your Local Unions

Have the skill set and resume and are working in your local performing arts scene? The next step in the career ladder of a backstage artist eventually moving toward Broadway is to consider joining your applicable IATSE union.

Wardrobe, sound, stagehands, hair, makeup, etc., all have union locals in cities nationwide. Joining is a great stepping stone to a lifetime in the theatre as a backstage professional. Not only is being a union member a must for working on Broadway, but it can be your opening to higher-paying work, as well as protection against workplace mistreatment/injury and great long-term benefits such as health insurance and money for retirement.

The Broadway touring shows that travel from city to city all use union stagehands who are based in the local city in which the show is playing. Many professional regional houses also use stagehands. Visit or call your local union for more information about requirements, how to join and how to apply for positions.

The Bright Lights of Broadway

You’ve built up your experience and resume to the level of a solid working paid professional and you’ve perhaps joined your city’s local union. You’ve moved to the Big Apple and are now dying to get to work in one of those beautiful theatres along 42nd Street. What do you do?

First, visit your New York City union office to join or see whether you can transfer your membership from your previous city to the New York one. Once you are a member (and in some cases, registered), you can start to look for work on the Great White Way.

Broadway job openings aren’t really announced, so you have to be smart and have some strategy when getting your resume out there. First, ask the union how to best apply for jobs in your field, since your membership may get you access to contact lists and job openings.

Second, do resume/cover letter drop-offs at the stage door of theatres addressed to the specific supervisor you want to hire you. This information can be found at the union or on the back of the Playbill you get when you see a show.

Third, ask someone in your field on Broadway to refer you. This referral may come from someone you worked with in the past or someone you’ve met while on the job hunt or even in your social life.

Fourth, keep working! The New York market offers plenty of opportunities both Off-Broadway and beyond. Keep working and meeting people. You might be surprised how many of those gigs or connections can help take you to Broadway as well.

No matter what, don’t give up. Your Broadway gig might not happen right away, but if you are professional, proactive, passionate and pervasive, it’s bound to happen one day.

How did you get your first job working backstage? Leave a comment below…

The post Here’s How To Work Backstage On Broadway appeared first on Theatre Nerds.

1. Running a Track

Whether you work backstage in costumes, props, sound or one of the many other departments, your specific movement and job during the show is defined as a track. For instance, you might be on the Stage Right (SR) Deck Track if you move sets on the right side of the stage. You may be on the Female Ensemble Dresser Track if you dress women in the ensemble. The word “track” is added so that those working around you know the movement you make in the show and/or where to locate you if there is a problem.

2. Wigs Styled Daily

The wig team at a Broadway show keeps everyone’s hairpieces looking absolutely pristine with upkeep and restyling/resetting happening on most show days. In addition, in order to ensure wigs and other hairpieces don’t start to look messy during the actual performance, the wig team helps the actors get them on and off during quick changes and throughout the show. They also check in with performers after big dance numbers and/or portions of the show where wigs could be affected. This way, those who wear the wigs always look their best.

3. Bunkers

Most shows that require many costumes and/or changes among a large group of people create a bunker-like area in the wings, behind the stage curtain or in the basement of the theatre. These bunkers are essential to ease costume storage, since many Broadway dressing rooms are too small to hold a lot of costumes, and to help keep the actors close to the stage during quick changes. The wardrobe dressers are then assigned to many of these areas during the performance to help the actors change their clothes.

4. The ‘Coordinated’ Dance Backstage

Just like the choreography happening onstage, backstage movement is as intricately choreographed. Backstage technicians from all departments work together during tech to make sure they all move set pieces, costumes and props in a set pattern. This “dance” ensures everyone has the opportunity to do their jobs in the time allotted so no one gets hurt and the show looks seamless onstage. Then, once the backstage choreography is figured out among the technicians, it is set in stone and carried out the same way every performance.

5. Heavy Lifting Required

Broadway theatres may look opulent and large from the audience side, but backstage is not at all glamorous and offers very little room to play with.  Since wing and backstage space is usually small, much of the scenery is stored hanging from the ceiling and flown in on sides of the stage in the wings, placed on tracks and then moved onto the stage during the scene change. This work is done by the stagehands, and it certainly is not for the faint of heart. Many set pieces can be large, bulky, awkward and difficult to move.

6. Other Jobs

Because no one knows how long a show will run or when your next gig will be once a show closes, people who work both onstage and backstage multitask with other jobs or ventures to stay afloat and financially secure. Many are also teachers, coaches, exercise/dance instructors, artistic team members or backstage personnel of other productions, or they own businesses, wait tables, do temp work, do administrative jobs and much more.

7. Daywork and Work Calls

Backstage workers do “daywork” (as defined by the wardrobe department) and “work calls” (for all other backstage personnel) during the daytime hours. With eight shows a week, everything tends to get a lot of wear and tear. In order to keep a show looking like it did when it first opened, this time is needed to reset and repair costumes, props, set pieces and more.

8. They Have Fun

Fun activities such as Dollar Saturday, door holiday decoration contests, Secret Santa and more are all participated in by those who work backstage and onstage. Activities like this help break up the monotony of doing eight shows a week and doing the same track daily.

9. Automation

All moving parts that you see onstage are usually controlled by the automation department, which, in most cases, is someone in the basement or back of the house running the computer, which controls the machinery. Once this person is given the cue by the stage manager, he or she pushes a button on the computer and things onstage move. It’s not as easy as it seems. One wrong moving part at the wrong time or a computer glitch can have a domino effect. The scenery may not fly in or out or roll onstage at the right time. It can also cause possible problems for the actors who have to maneuver around the scenery as it enters and exits the stage.

10. Makeup Department

Sometimes there is a makeup department on a show. Other times, those that work in the wig department also do the makeup. And, other times, there is no makeup department at all. Pictured here is the “Lion King” cast. Their makeup is very specific, and thus, that show has a team that helps them to apply it. On other Broadway shows, the performers will do their own makeup after getting some basic instruction during tech from the creative team about how they want the performers’ faces to look. This is why it’s imperative for performers to know how to apply their own basic makeup for the stage, because you may still have to do your own, even on Broadway.

What are your tricks from backstage? Let us know in the comments below…

The post 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Working Backstage On Broadway appeared first on Theatre Nerds.

1. Tech week brings stress, a lack of sleep and, apparently, fire hazards.

https://twitter.com/jrosefior/status/780850694123323392

2. Wardrobe malfunctions are inevitable.

https://twitter.com/emilyboudrot/status/780876993696968706

3. How did thespians survive pre-Siri?

I just set a reminder on my phone telling myself to eat tomorrow. #techweek

— zombknee (@zombknee) October 26, 2016

4. Tech brings out the inner motivational speaker in some…

#TECHWEEK Starts…. Now! pic.twitter.com/VcRnIAtfGy

— Benjamin Ross (@Banjomin2247) October 26, 2016

5. …And dietary confusion in others.

What I ate today – one pizza hut breadstick, a slice of cake, old fruitsnacks, a slice of cheese. #techweek

— Kristen (@k10_leigh) October 28, 2016

6. You can play hide-and-go-seek with mic tape.

Still finding mic tape left on my neck and not knowing which rehearsal it's from. #techweek

— peet’s tweets (@_peytonmwright_) November 3, 2016

7. You’ll develop an unhealthy obsession with glow tape.

I got home and was confused as to why my stairs didn't have glow tape on them. #techweek

— sydney (@SydLaRue) November 2, 2016

8. A sort-of romantic dinner atmosphere.

I just spent the last 20 minutes eating Triscuits in the dark as my dinner. #techweek

—  Kyle (@kilemelon) October 19, 2016

9. Dramaturgs do tech right.

https://twitter.com/chloeloos/status/788543349246480384

10. Long days are fun days!

Ah… 16 hour school days are what I love most #techweek

— yezenia (@babycupid97) October 18, 2016

11. Celebrating the miracle that is a tear-free day.

ITS TECH WEEK AND I DIDN'T EVEN CRY ONCE TODAY #TECHWEEK pic.twitter.com/dHBH6J0F5c

— katrina(taylor’s version) (@lil_pickel_) October 12, 2016

12. The OCD techie’s nightmare.

https://twitter.com/MATSHIELDS/status/785130187495206913

13. There will be some improvising.

https://twitter.com/Annika_Marks/status/784443599047962624

14. Snow White don’t care — it’s tech week.

walked into parent teacher conferences with my Snow White costume on, took some cookies and walked out #techweek

— pearl (@magdalene_pearl) September 21, 2016

15. Technology does not mix with set paint.

Apparently paint covered fingerprints do not unlock my iPhone… #TechWeek #TheatreLife #CallBackNextWeek

— Tonya C (@TisforTonya) September 21, 2016

16. And this sums up everyone in the production right now.

https://twitter.com/lizmassie/status/783757969661960193

Do these tweets describe your life during tech week? What are your favorite tech week-related stories? Let us know in the comments below…

The post 16 Tweets That Perfectly Sum Up Tech Week appeared first on Theatre Nerds.

Even though it may feel like all your theatre-related hopes and dreams have been crushed for good, there are still plenty of ways you can get involved with the production even if you aren’t actually onstage. In fact, getting involved in the department and becoming a more visible presence can even boost your chances of getting a role the next round of auditions.

Tech

Even if you don’t have the slightest clue what the difference is between a phillips screwdriver and slot screwdriver and haven’t yielded a hammer since, well, never, there’s no time like the present! In addition to playing an integral role in creating the set pieces and scenery of the show, you’ll learn invaluable skills that you can carry with you for years to come. Plus, you’ll even get a little bit of time onstage — granted, you’ll be clad head-to-toe in black and be frantically shuffling around set pieces in the dark, but the thrill is still totally worth it.

Props

If the idea of spending a few months casually dangling from a wooden ladder is a bit too much for you, you may feel more comfortable pitching in with the props department. Being involved in props is great if you enjoy a challenge, as you’ll spend a lot of time on an unparallelled treasure hunt for items more random and ridiculous than you ever could have imagined. However, once you’ve collected all your items, be prepared to lose them constantly, as actors have a bad habit of playing around with props that are definitely not theirs.

Costumes

Okay, so maybe you didn’t get to unleash your inner diva under the warm glow of a spotlight. But that doesn’t mean you can’t show off your fashionista side by creating, collecting and fitting gorgeous costumes for the cast! Half the fun is spending an inordinate amount of time in the costume shed trying stuff on for funsies, and the other half is watching your creations come to life onstage as you nail down the perfect costume.

Lights

If you like the idea of being off in your own little world, lights could be the perfect way to get involved with the theatre department. Tucked away in your booth, you get a bird’s-eye view into the action below and are responsible for those moments that take the show from “meh” to “WOW.” Besides, the experience is great for any other event that needs someone who knows how to operate the lights — you’ll be in high demand.

Director’s Assistant

Sure, the title “Director’s Assistant” can make you sound a lot like Anne Hathaway’s character in “The Devil Wears Prada.” You might think you’re dooming yourself to weeks upon weeks of fetching lattes and takeout pizza, but there’s a lot more that goes into this job than just that. Directors have approximately a billion things on their mind at once, and you can play a big role in helping to alleviate some of those challenges and running errands that are vital to the production. Besides, what better way than to get some facetime with the person making next year’s casting decisions than being literally attached to their hip?

Front of House

If you want to get known by your director without spending months upon months hanging out backstage, working on a front-of-house crew could be the best job for you. Here, you’ll be responsible for ticket sales, prepping food that audience members can purchase at intermission and making programs for the show. Additional responsibilities include dancing in the lobby in a spot where the actors can see you from the stage so they start to crack up  — or maybe that’s just what my best friends in high school did. Maybe don’t take my advice on that one.

Orchestra

So maybe your singing voice is a little more “Miranda Sings” than Laura Benanti, but you’ve been rocking out on the trumpet in band for years. Satisfy that urge to perform by auditioning to join the orchestra for the show. You get all the fun of showbiz without the months of rehearsals and still get to show off your talent in a spot where you’ll really shine.

Sound

Another option if you don’t make it into the cast is to join the sound crew. You’ll work with any live or recorded music and sound effects and manage the actors’ microphones. It’s a trying task, as everyone will definitely notice when backstage shenanigans are picked up by a rogue mic and projected to the entire audience. You’ll also get to play around with several sources of sound effects, and nothing is more fun than scrolling through a library of sounds to find the one that’s juuuuuust right for your show.

Stage Manager

Who run the world? Stage managers. Who run the world? Stage managers. But really, from the second rehearsals start to the second the curtain falls on closing night, the stage manager is an absolutely vital asset to the show running smoothly. If you get a thrill out of organization and thrive off high stakes, you might love sitting just offstage coordinating all the moving pieces of the show through a tiny headset. If you consider yourself a people-person, this could be the job for you, as you’ll have to manage actors, techies, props masters, costumes and front-of-house staff while working closely with the director. Don’t think you’re quite ready to hold the fate of the show in your hands? Offer to be an assistant stage manager to learn the ropes.

Though it’s no secret that it can be tough to watch a show come to life without you actually performing in it, you can still play your own special role behind the scenes. And who knows? Maybe you’ll stumble upon your secret passion along the way.

Have other ways to be involved in a show? Leave a reply below…

The post Cut From The Cast List? 9 Other Ways To Get Involved With A Show appeared first on Theatre Nerds.

Upon the electrician fall all the duties of Jove in the delicate matter of making the sun to shine or the moon to cast its pale rays over a lover’s scene.. Operated by the man in the haven of the gallery gods out front, all are under the direction of the electrician who sits up in his little gallery and makes the moonlight suddenly give place to blazing sunlight on a cue.

For the theater community, there are a million “I can’t I have rehearsal” tee shirts, stage manager jokes, standing ovations, and so on and so on, but the lighting designer doesn’t often make it into the limelight themselves. Hence why I thrust this ethereal and omniscient description of the LD down the throats of my friends to pat myself on the back.

However, after the swelling of my ego started to calm, I thought more about the theory of lighting design because of that beautiful job description. Good lighting design is another tool of immersion, helping the audience to lose their footing in reality and escape into the world created behind the proscenium arch.

Good lighting design, therefore, should never be acknowledged by the audience.

Which is why, as you are all Theater Nerds, and therefore more well informed on such matters than the general audience, I want to sing to you the song of the Unsung Hero, the Lighting Designer.

Most people just accept light as a given and fail to notice the work and detail that goes into lighting a scene for the stage. Take a moment right now and look around the room and imagine how you would mimic onstage the light coming through your window. Chandeliers shining, street lamps coming on right at dusk, or the almost strobe effect of a subway whipping around underground.

Now consider how differently the chandeliers would look today versus the 17th century, or how differently the sun pours in at 11am vs. 2pm. The next time you see a show, or concert or even a movie, consider the detail of the lighting and the research and thought and creativity that went into it.

Lighting is more than how it looks, it can change how the scene feels to the person onstage.

And for the lighting designers among us, a realization I came to recently was the relationship with the actors and how integral to your design this could be. You analyze the text with the director to determine what, how, and why you are telling a story and create an environment from those conversations. But lighting is more than how it looks, it can change how the scene feels to the person onstage; the person in the light. When these two ideas work together, the performance can be shaped in a subtle way that creates a magically harmonious blend.

For more inspiration and understanding, follow local contemporary art shows. Light is becoming an increasingly prominent theme. You may even ask a lighting designer to talk you through their process during your next production. This could add new layers to your design or performance, and it would certainly warm their heart to be noticed. If nothing else, I hope you start to see the world, on the stage and off, in a new light.

Have a Light Designer question or comment? Leave a reply below…

Guest post by Caitlin Du Bois

The post Bringing Light From The Shadows: The Job Of A Lighting Designer appeared first on Theatre Nerds.