School/College Theatre as a teaching space?

[MarkPAman]

By the way, it's wrong (and somewhat patronising) to assume that just because people work in education, they automatically want to work in a 'major' venue. Many already have, some have responsibilities which make the 9-5 more desirable, some even, get this, enjoy it and find it rewarding!!!!

 

Very well said!

[the kid]

Plus 1 that man!

 

But back on topic, I have thursday mornings with students and fridays all day for building and rigging. This is the 1st year we have worked like this (usually it is 2 and a half work weeks pre show to build paint and rig, non stop in the theatre).

 

This year with all the changes that is just not possible, so I designed the set to be almost closable and it is all flatage. HOWEVER as the space is being used for rehearsals it has been really useful to have the set in some form or another to work around rather than a marked out space.

 

I have booked in 2 and a half solid days for painting the floor and rigging the air, but this week it is side bars and then my solid days.

 

We may be lucky that we have the space to move around and other spaces but sometimes teachers just need to be reminded that if they want a show they need to be flexible.

 

You mention mess. I had my H&S wonder today and the issue came up of mess and tutors making mess and not keeping ontop of students, and it is not just us, all over the college tutors are pushed for time and lesson plans and NEVER timetable in tidy time. If you can get tutors to put in tidy time you are half way there I think. (when I have done bits I spend 5 mins getting out kit and pop quizing students on tools and 30 mins at the end getting the place tidy and putting tools back in the right place. if they know where things go I don't need to spend half the day finding bits for tutors who don't know where things are.

[Gareth A]

That seems to be one very common thing here - the Teachers have no willingness to keep on top of the students to keep it tidy. If it was THEIR classroom - I bet it would be, but I am guessing they see it as not their space, so they shouldn't.

 

Problem with theatre in general, its down to a lack of understanding sometimes from people that they think a show can be built in 5 minutes etc. !

 

However on a side not - once on a show, a brand-new qualified dancer nicely unwrapped from her box worked on a tour I was on. . . 1st venue perfect. . moved to the second venue - her comment "wow - they have exactly the same set as we had last week. How did they make it look so similar"

 

And I jest not. !

 

I think half the time, especially in education, that its the teachers who need some training. !

[GR1]

I'd like to comment on Gareth A's side note - this is not unique. I toured for about 15 years mostly with large musicals and pretty much on every tour something similar would happen. On a tour of 'Kiss Me Kate' using the RSC set with 7 artics we opened in a new venue on a Wednesday evening and I remember being asked by one of the chorus girls 'Did you have a nice weekend?' Reply,'What do you mean?' Reply ' I went home and saw my boyfriend.' My comment - 'How do you think all this [pointing at set, etc] got here'. Looked at girls eyes and there was no cerebral activity - she was not at home. In my experience this is almost universal in British dancers [Americans seem much more switched on] and it is not usually until one of the touring crew starts dating one of the dancers that what we do percolates round the dressing room. Dance schools and some theatre colleges only seem to teach dance - I don't know why there is no overview of how the whole production works included in the curriculum.

[Ian der Laan]

Because not enough technicians teach! It's the only way to influence the curriculum.

[paulears]

I'm not totally certain that the link with production is actually needed? Fair enough, maybe it's nice from the general knowledge perspective, but do many technical people actually know what happens in the dance studio before they see them on stage? We work in small compartments that eventually come together. Big music tours that run two separate systems are obvious from backstage, but do the musicians really notice it's not the same pieces? I know a drum tech who spent the first few dates of the tour wondering why the drum riser was being repainted each night at the back in a different colour? Do the actors realise some of their costumes are different?

 

We only know when it impacts on what we do. The comment about it only being known when two pair up is very valid - do we talk to all these people? Often we don't. I often wonder if the day people in tesco actually know how the stuff gets to the shop!

[kerry davies]

Not so Ian. Dancers are naturally obsessed with their own bodies and fitness, have to spend most of their time thinking of how to maintain physical standards and prolong an often limited career life.

 

Having lectured performing arts students in theatre technology and practice I can assure you that very few UK students take it on board fully. You can lead a student to knowledge but you cannot make them think.

 

Funnily enough the more experimental and "physical theatre" companies who I rate as the best always seem to have better understanding and it is the second division ones with inflated egos who are a PITA. I had the privilege of working with the personal project of the then worlds leading choreographer and her company consisting of the best in their field from around the world. They all helped unload the truck! Even the muso's!

[Ian der Laan]

It's not an issue of them 'taking it on board fully' though is it. It's about them having a basic understanding or an appreciation.

[ojc123]

I think half the time, especially in education, that its the teachers who need some training. !

I think you underestimate the training needs.

[Gareth A]

explain ojc123?

 

 

I agree with Ian, Its not about having to learn the in's and outs of what technicians do, but when you don't have a basic understanding of what happens, then ignorance sets in. As a CSM and stuff, I have sit through rehearsals, the tech crew sit through rehearsals. We learn what they company do, to appreciate their needs, what they require. But actors / actresses rarely know anything about behind the scenes. - there really is a thing of - It's magic boys and girls, and expect sooty or sweep to pop out of someones ass. ! Another fun comment I've heard before from an actor - "the lights in a different place and not getting me like last week" or "why are the lights so far away. I don't feel bright enough". ! Welcome to touring theatre. Thats what people should be taught. Its not about a 45' angles in a studio theatre in a perfect million pound rehearsal studio in some university. Some theatres are 100 years old, and nothing is perfect for modern day touring, so learn to adapt. But without the basic understanding of what happens, its hard to do that.

 

 

Another Point is my GF trained for 9 years as a ballerina and dancer, but hurt her ankle sadly which ended her career, but had had the sense to learn backstage, and is now on a world tour as a DSM. So sometimes learning the other side does help.

 

Im not say all teachers need training, but I know some "Technical Arts" teachers, who have never actually stepped into a theatre as technician. Its all from books. Thats not the way.

[ojc123]

You said, "I think half the time, especially in education, that its the teachers who need some training. !"

I replied, "I think you underestimate the training needs."

 

I have been a teacher and responsible for the theatre space in our school for more years than I care to think about. I find that teachers in our school have no clue about what is required to present an event. All I was saying was that half the time was an underestimate, on nearly every occasion my problems are caused by teachers expecting miracles at short notice, not coming to talk about their requirements and then wondering why it isn't there, leaving a mess after using the space and using the space without booking it and getting in the way of preparations for another event. The only training they need is in considering others.

[kerry davies]

Exactly! Not only teachers but even pro people can be a Don Henley quote.

 

"We're nation of noses pressed up against the glass,

They've seen it on the TV and they want it real fast."

Gimme What You Got.

 

It is getting worse as attention spans drop and instantaneous reaction increases because of the web, twitter, forums like this. (I know it is fora but few now experience Latin.)

 

Knowledge is so much easier to Google but that knowledge is less well retained and shallower than when it was difficult to attain. Why I am a supporter of real apprenticeships taking years to complete.

[Gareth A]

You said, "I think half the time, especially in education, that its the teachers who need some training. !"

I replied, "I think you underestimate the training needs."

 

Sorry - I wasn't sure which way you were heading with your comment. Yes - it was the way I though. Sorry for misunderstanding!

 

 

Maybe theres some after curricular activities that can be held :) The teacher teaching the teachers. !

[Adam L F]

During my time at college, practical’s for other courses were scheduled into our theatre space (which happened to be a rather large black box), and sometimes even scheduled into our production office and workshop! Although there were timetabled lessons in there, we were still permitted to be using the room while another class was in there.

 

The issues arose when we had a get in or a get out when some other lecturer had booked the room, although it was worked out with the head of department that if we said jump, the lecturer would then ask how high, and be moved to the smaller workshop which was at the back of the venue.

 

My college course was very intense, in my first year for example we were doing a full scale production every three or so weeks, so the space was in constant use.