How many events do everyone put on a term??

[mrcog]

Right, I've just been speaking to my head of drama at school tonight after the final performance of an outdoors play and I've just been told what I will need to cram into my free time next term. This is my first term of AS-levels and I've got modules in maths and physics in January.

 

Right, so in these 8 weeks of school and 2 of half term(we're lucky) this is what I've got to fit in as Technical Director:

 

• Jesus Christ Superstar (6 performances, last week of term)
  
• The Crucible (4 performances, First week after half term I think)
  
• Battle of the Bands
  
• House Music Competition
  

 

Ok, so it's only 4 different events. But there will most probably be other things to do like disco's e.t.c. Also, the two play both need sets building, lighting rigged and planned, promoted e.t.c.

 

So I guess I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the theatre next term :( :** laughs out loud **:

 

Anyway, how many events do people do aproximatly each term??

[themadhippy]

So I guess I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the theatre next ter

bout 8 days plus the show days then :** laughs out loud **:

[mrcog]

bout 8 days plus the show days then :(

 

:** laughs out loud **: I do hope thats sarcastic!! How long should I be spending doing these?!?!

[ojc123]

Wearing teacher hat here. (Don't know if that's allowed in this forum.)

 

Take care. The jump to AS is considerable especially in maths and physics. Until you are actually doing the AS you really can't say how you'll cope. Of course you may sail through the transition but don't over commit yourself. It's better to say no before the exams rather than after them.

 

We do a formal music concert, a theatrical endeavour of some kind and an event of some description most weeks. It's busy but I try to protect the technical team from over commitment especially in Year 12.

[steve h]

Its a simple case of priorities, pretty much every school event I do I get a day either side - the only exception being the 2 shows (1 musical, 1 gala evening). And this is my job, I dont even have to run off to a lesson here and there!

 

I would love to give longer to all event but thats the nature of the beast. Unfortunatly im not in a position to create a standard rig and just modify as the equipment is used over different locations, but you get use to working inside the limitations set.

 

As for this term alone there is:

 

Garsington Opera Workshops (1 week workshop ending in performance)

Garsington Opera Transition Project (for yr6s coming up next year, ends in performance)

Battle of the Bands

Lower School Awards

Arts Fayre (with drama pieces, as well as lighting the artwork)

Music/Drama Gala Evening (the big one mentioned above)

AS Btec Performances

Yr10 Evaluation Performances

AS/A2 taster Days

 

This is the quiet term!

 

Steve

 

Edit: After reading back and thinking a bit more its struck me how there has to be a point where you say...this is my limit. The fact you talk about set building, advertising etc as your jobs strikes me as odd...in your words you are technical DIRECTOR...you direct a team...even if this means finding one yourself!

[nicemms]

We typically have one concert a term, or event which needs lighting.

 

Autumn/Winter Term is the talent show for Children in need plus the School's awards evening.

 

Spring Term is our annual production which is in March.

 

Summer Term is the summer concert showcasing the music department plus sometimes another concert(musical style or talent show style)

 

Then In Summer holidays we have a stagecoach group coming in for a week, which I'm lighting.

[mrcog]

ojc123 : I'm hopefully going to fine the transition relitively easy as I've already done Additional maths this year which is a FSMQ and equvilent to AS level maths.

 

Steve H : Yes I will have a team for most of it, however, most of the team are made up of people that I don't trust completely as many are in their first year at senior school (year 9), thoughout their first year they are not given that much responsibility until they have proved themselves. However, next year we have many experienced people staying on so it will be more manageable. :** laughs out loud **:

[iamchristuffin]

The Kissing Dance (4 performances, maybe 5 - early December)

GCSE Evening

Quartz Festival (October - www.quartzfestival.org.uk)

CIN Fudraising Event

AS Performance

Dance Show Rehearsals start

 

Mrcog, how do you get around the whole H&S issue - being only 16? And ordering things? Just curious, because we have an Actual Technical Director who does it as a full-time paid job.

 

Chris

[mrcog]

Which H&S issues?? Obviously I can't fire pyro's so our director fires them. Ladders and Scaff tower I've been allowed up since I joined in year 9. If you look on the reastictions post http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=26952 then I can do all of these things without supervision, however, with the going up scaff towers and ladders, a teacher needs to be in our drama department which is linked to our theatre.

 

Ordering things, since this is will be my first year as TD I haven't ordered that much stuff yet. However, the stuff that I have ordered, I get together what we need, present it to the head of drama who then orders it if she deems it acceptable.

 

mrcog

[rossmck]

Been a while since I was there... but I know of at least one large school that has an account with a local hire / supply company that pupils order from all the time directly.

 

Possibly O/T but is it actually illegal to allow someone under 18 to fire pyros provided they are given appropriate training and supervision - I certainly did in my school days but then again looking back I did rather a lot that now I wouldn't recommend :P

[The Gaffa]

At the college that I work for, we've put on this term:

 

1 Drama School show

2 Foundation Degree shows

6 Jazz evenings

10 Dance shows (External Hires)

3 Exhibitions

5 Conferences (3 external, 2 internal)

Summer Ball

 

And this has been with a crew of 3

 

Still to come.... before the end of July,

An Opera, A Ballet & a Week of Jazz school with 3 shows.

[ojc123]

We do a formal music concert, a theatrical endeavour of some kind and an event of some description most weeks.

should have read

We do a formal music concert and a theatrical endeavour of some kind each term and an event of some description most weeks.

We're not THAT busy!

[Simon2411]

we have between 8 and 10 shows a quarter. with lot of theatre performances, dance evenings, talent shows, discos etc. more in the last quarter

[jack s/lfx]

Hello mrcog

 

At school we normally put on a fairly large production (dance, drama/musical drama) every term and then two charity fund-raising events such as talent shows and band nights, as well as the touring companies who come into school which we're expected to support.

 

As ojc123 says the step up to AS is considerable and you do need to make sure your studies don't get on top of you. Your lucky that you know quite far ahead what is happening, and with a little advanced planning, and keeping your teachers aware of any sticky situations you might get into, you should get through it all right.

 

I understand your concerns about trusting your younger team members but it is important to have a team which you can rely on and delegate to them. Once this is done I find it is really important not to micro manage them, don't interfere with their tasks. Let them know you are available to help, but other than that leave them to it! They might make mistakes but it's not the end of the world. Let them sort their own mistakes out or offer them guidance if required, this way they will learn to be effective problem solvers and trouble shooters and a valuable asset to any team in the future.

 

So I guess I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the theatre next term

Well that will at least give you opportunity to assimilate your eyesight to the darkness of the coming winter months after that autumn term :D

 

Let us know how you got on after Christmas, and anything useful you learnt!

 

Jack

 

P.S.

Possibly O/T but is it actually illegal to allow someone under 18 to fire pyros provided they are given appropriate training and supervision - I certainly did in my school days but then again looking back I did rather a lot that now I wouldn't recommend

I was once told by a guy who was associated with sky high fx that 16 is the age. It seems a bit of a gray area though.

[mark_s]

Usually a Christmas concert (1 day only) and a summer musical (2 day run usually - 4 performances) each year. Sadly though the school is closing at the end of this year, and thus the show I'm currently lighting (Fame) will be their last production. Pictures to come soon :D

 

(I left several years ago, but as I light most of their productions I thought I may as well comment)