Tech Theatre

 

 

 

Welcome to the Theatre Arts web page.

• Syllabus
• Units of Study
• Techie Links

 

 

 

 

Technical Theater is a one-semester course that may be repeated for credit. Tech Theater is a course which will explore the most important part of theater, the behind the scenes work. It will give you insight into the dynamics of live theater from backstage. It is not an acting class. It is designed to give you practical, usable skills that would allow you to work in the theater. It is a course that is structured to help you find your niche in the theatrical community and will focus on how to keep live theater a growing vibrant art.

 

Class Objectives/Goals

This course will enhance the students’ ability to do the following:

• To speak and listen effectively
• To demonstrate artistic knowledge and techniques
• To demonstrate teamwork and leadership skills
• To demonstrate respect for individual differences

 

Units of Study

• First Quarter:
  • Stage Terminology
  • Behind the Scenes
    • Theatre Safety
    • Tech Crews
      
      
• Second Quarter:

• Scenery, Costume and Prop Construction
• Production Crew Assignments

 

 

Top of page

 

 

 

Tech Links:

• Audio
• Costumes
• Image Editing Software
• Lighting
• Magazines
• Miscellaneous
• Organizations

 

Audio:

• Company Resources:

  • Audio Technica - www.audio-technica.com
  • Crown - www.crownaudio.com
  • Mackie - www.mackie.com
  • Shure - www.shure.com - www.shure.com/booklets/default.asp
    
    
• SFX:
  • Find Sounds - www.findsounds.com
  • Sound Dogs - www.sounddogs.com
  • Soundrangers - www.soundrangers.com
  • Sound Ideas - www.sound-ideas.com/sfx2.html
  • FreeSound Project - www.freesound.iua.upf.edu/searchText.php
  • 
    
    
• Theory and Practice:
  • Kai’s Sound Handbook - http://harada-sound.com/sound/handbook/in
  • Mic Pool - http://homepages.enterprise.net/micpool/methodologyprint.html
  • Gain Structure: www.mmproductions.co.uk/gain1.html
  • Sound Glossary: www.soundbytes-nw.com/html/dictionary_of_audio_terms.html 
    
    
• Calculators:
  • Various Sound Calculators: http://www.mcsquared.com/index.htm
  • Decibel Measurement: www.measure.demon.co.uk/Acoustics_Software/db_demo.htm

 

• Software:
  • Audacity 123 (free editing software) http://audacity.sourceforge.net

 

Costumes:

• The Costumer’s Manifesto: www.costumes.org
• USITT Costume Survey and Resources: www.usitt.org/costume/survey
• The Costume Page ( http://members.aol.com/nebula5/costume.html )
  Extensive, categorized list of costuming resources online.
• The History of Costume by Braun and Scheider ( http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/history.html )
  Online version, with color illustrations of "The History of Costume," by Braun & Schneider, published in 1861-1880.
• Milieux: The Costume Site ( http://milieux.com/costume/costume1.html )
  Another list of online costuming resources.

 

 

Imaging and Editing Software:

• Image Editors:
  • http://www.gimp.org
  • www.povray.org
  • http://www.stmuc.com/moray  (for use with POVray)
  • http://www.freeserifsoftware.com/Software/PhotoPlus/download.asp

 

• Rendering Programs:
  • http://www.artofillusion.org/

 

• Animation:
  • http://www.alias.com/eng/products-services/maya/maya_ple/index.shtml - This is the Maya 6.0 software used for "Lord of the Rings". This is a nearly free student edition.

 

• Video Editing:
  • http://www.freewarefiles.com/programs.php?categoryid=6&subcategoryid=74&ProgramID=453
  • http://www.avid.com/freedv/index.asp

 

Lighting:

• Theory:
  • Stage Lighting 101: http://www.vincentlighting.com/index.php?page=101
  • Stage Lighting Design: http://www.mts.net/~william5/sld/sld-toc.htm
  • An Approach to Stage Lighting: http://www.northern.edu/wild/LiteDes/ldapp.htm#Wa

 

• Software:
  • Various Programs including Virtual Light Lab and PDA Software: http://www.westsidesystems.com/index.html
  • Stage Research: http://www.crescit.com
  • Paul Pelletier’s Lighting Calculator: http://www.paul-pelletier.com

 

• Lighting Design Software:
  • LD Assistant: http://www.ldassistant.com/
  • Soft Plot: http://rosco.com/us/software/softplot.asp
  • Vector Works: www.nemetschek.net/spotlight/
  • WYSIWYG: http://www.castltg.com/cast/software/home.jsp

 

• Automated Lighting:
  • Moving Lights: http://moving-lights.com/main.htm
  • Article Compendium: http://www.alia.com.au/main.htm

 

• Color:
  • GAM: www.gamonline.com
  • Michael Harvey (color theory): http://www.d.umn.edu/~mharvey/th1501color.html
  • Color Temperature: http://www.limelightproductions.com/lampfinder/all_lamps.html
  • Color Theory/CYM Applet: http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/applist/CYMColor/c.htm
  • Lee Filters: http://www.leefiltersusa.com/
  • Rosco: www.rosco.com

 

Magazines:

• Entertainment Design: www.entertainmentdesignmag.com/
• Front of House: www.fohonline.com
• Lighting Dimensions: www.lightingdimensions.com/
• Lighting and Sound America: www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/
• Projection Lights and Staging News: www.plsn.com
• Stage Directions: www.stage-directions.com/
• Theatre Design & Technology: www.usitt.org/tdt.index/

 

Miscellaneous:

• Theatre on A Shoestring http://upstagereview.org/
• School Shows (UK site) http://www.schoolshows.demon.co.uk/resources/technical/gloss1.htm
• WPI Handbook: http://www.gweep.net/~prefect/pubs/iqp/
• http://www.theatrecrafts.com/glossary/glossary.shtml
• http://technicaltheater.com/
• www.hstech.org
• Artslynx  http://www.artslynx.org/
• DMX 512 Explanation http://www.dmx512-online.com/
• Theatre Paperwork Forms http://www.calarts.edu/~dk/forms.html

 

• Listservs and Online Communities:
  • Controbooth www.controlbooth.com
  • High School Tech www.hstech.org
  • Stagecraft http://www.stagecraft.theprices.net/
  • Google Groups - rec.arts.theatre.stagecraft

 

• Rigging:
  • Inter-America Stage www.interamericastage.com/index.html
  • J.R. Clancy www.jrclancy.com
  • Sapsis Rigging www.sapsis-rigging.com
  • Tiffin Studios www.tiffinscenic.com

 

• Rigging Safety:
  • Flying Safely (Includes a list of rigging inspection companies)
  • www.edta.org/pdf_archive/rigging_safety1882005153142.pdf
  • J.R. Clancy’s Safety Related Site www.rigging-safety.com
  • Wisdom by Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging www.sapsis-rigging.com/UB.ArticleIndex.html

 

• Scenic Elements:
  • Cardboard King http://www.geocities.com/cbking43/index.html
  • Tobins Lake http://www.tobinslake.com/
  • Tulnoy Lumber http://www.tulnoylumber.com/cbsindex.html
  • Holo Walls Scenic Surfaces http://www.holowalls.com/holowalls.htm

 

• Drawing:
  

Technical Drawing for the Theatre http://www2.arts.ubc.ca/TheatreDesign/crslib/index4.htm

USITT Graphic Standards http://www.usitt.org/pubs.avail/Graphic.Standards.1992.pdf 

 

• Drop Rental:
  • Cobalt Studios http://www.cobaltstudios.net
    
  • Grosh Scenic Rentals http://www.grosh.com/
  • Kenmark http://kenmark-inc.com/custom_main.html
  • Weber Prianti Scenic Studios http://www.wpscenic.com/
  • Schell Scenic Studio http://www.schellscenic.com/
  • Charles Stewart http://charleshstewart.com/
  • Tobins Lake http://www.tobinslake.com/

 

• Supplies:
  • Tools for Stagecraft www.toolsforstagecraft.com/
  • Your Theatre www.yourtheatre.org/ytlinks.htm#PLF

 

• Theatre Safety:
  • General Theatre Safety http://willmar.ridgewater.mnscu.edu/theatre/142/train/general/
  • General Theatre Safety www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/HUA/TT/Safety/

 

• Stage Management:

Stage Manager’s Handbook http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/2203/SMhandbook.html

Stage Manager’s Network http://www.smnetwork.org/

Stage Managers Association  www.stagemanagers.org
Training:


 

• Video
  • Theatre Arts Video Library http://www.theatreartsvideo.com/

 

Index of Organizations:

Americans for the Arts  www.artsusa.org
ATHE: Association for Theatre in Higher Education  www.athe.org
Audio Engineering Society  www.aes.org
CITT: Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology  www.citt.org
The Costume Society of America  www.costumesocietyamerica.com
ESTA: Entertainment Services & Technology Association  www.esta.org
IAAM: International Association of Assembly Managers  www.iaam.org
IATSE: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees  www.iatse-intl.org
New Zealand Association for Theatre Craft, Design, and Technology  www.nzatt.org.nz
OISTAT: International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects, and Technicians  www.oistat.org
PLASA: Professional Lighting and Sound Association  www.plasa.org/association
Production Manager's Forum  www.productionmanagers.org
SETC: Southeastern Theatre Conference  www.setc.org
Stage Managers Association  www.stagemanagers.org
TCAnet: Texas Cultural & Arts Network  www.arts.state.tx.us
Themed Entertainment Association  www.themeit.com
United Scenic Artists  www.usa829.org
USITT: United States Institute for Theatre Technology www.usitt.org 

 

 

 

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