November has been a big month for the Theatre Department.  First off – we are about to open our last shows of the semester, Shaw’s MAJOR BARBARA (Directed by Rebecca Holderness) and BLUE LANTERN (directed by guest Fulbright scholar Tanya Weinstein).  We are very grateful to our friends in the Visual Art & Design Department for allowing us to invade the PSOA Gallery to produce Major Barb.  We’ve built a stage, installed sound, video and lighting systems, had seating risers and carpet installed and turned the surround support galleries into run rooms for props and wardrobe.  It’s been really refreshing to work in yet another space, but we’re looking forward to returning to the Mainstage.  Here’s a shot from my vantage point during the technical rehearsal I am currently engaged in.

That moment is getting closer every day.  The remodeling itself slowed a bit early on in the month, but the behind the scenes work continued furiously.  We made decisions on everything from audience seating color schemes to acoustical sheeting to line-set schedules to quantities of dimmer modules.  There were many days when I went to work with a list of things to accomplish that got completely back-burnered in order to coordinate and consult on the minutia of the refit.  It’s exhausting, but also pretty fun.

Then…one day, the crew from Clearwing arrived with many large boxes full of the heavy hardware required to rebuild the rigging system.  All new counterweight arbors, headblocks, loft sheaves and lots and lots of wire rope cable.  All of it featuring a satin black powder coat.

I have never seen rigging hardware so clean!  Usually much of this stuff is 50′ up in the air and rarely seen.  When you do see it, it’s covered in the dust that collects over the years in these not-oft-traveled spaces.  We all took turns giving the new sheaves a spin and remarking on how quiet they are.

At this point they have installed over half of the hardware.  Soon they will start stringing cable and hanging the battens!

The first bits of the lighting system have also arrived.  Two big boxes holding the dimmer racks are waiting to be uncrated and lifted to the platform where they reside.  Folks tell me we there is a groovy sound dampening system worked out to reduce the noise the cooling fans on these racks make.  Should be interesting.

The control booths for the Mainstage have also been completed.  We’ve started moving the gear back in and will soon get to the rebuilding and reconfiguration of the sound system.  It’s going to be a big job, but hooking up sound gear is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve already had a couple of students ask to help!  Onward.