Illustrated Theatre Production Guide

Front Cover
Taylor & Francis, 2010 - Performing Arts - 412 pages

This new and fully updated edition of the Illustrated Theatre Production Guide takes a step-by-step approach to the most common and popular theatre production practices, covering important issues related to the construction of wooden, fabric, plastic, and metal scenery used on the stage. This book examines theatres and their equipment, tools and materials, and scenery construction, as well as the principles of electricity and implementation of a lighting design. New additions include:


* Hundreds of unique hand-drawings that illustrate lessons, giving detailed, dimensional instruction
* New chapters on stage management and electrical theory as it relates specifically to stage lighting
* Completely revamped chapters on metal frame construction and the practice of entertainment lighting covering DMX signals, dimmer mechanics, power distribution, digital lighting
* Eco-friendly tips on how to reuse and recycle props and set material
* Multiple do-it-yourself projects and practice problems
*Companion website with a solutions manual and how-to videos that give an exclusive visual on crucial backstage tasks such as properly tying knots, building a chandelier, and constructing an outdoor stage

Illustrated Theatre Production Guide, Second Edition offers techniques and best-practice methods from an experienced industry expert, creating a foundation on which to build a successful and resourceful career behind the scenes in theatre production.



 

Contents

CHAPTER 1 THEATRE TYPES
1
CHAPTER 2 PROPERTIES OF THE PROSCENIUM THEATRE
9
CHAPTER 3 RIGGING
17
CHAPTER 4 ROPES AND KNOT TYING
41
CHAPTER 5 SOFT GOODS
49
CHAPTER 6 ELECTRICITY
63
CHAPTER 7 POWER DISTRIBUTION
79
CHAPTER 8 DIMMERS AND LIGHTING CONTROL
91
CHAPTER 14 HARDWARE FABRICS ADHESIVES AND OTHER THEATRICAL SUPPLIES
195
CHAPTER 15 WOOD LUMBER AND OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS
225
CHAPTER 16 HAND TOOLS
236
CHAPTER 17 SAWS AND WOODWORKING
255
CHAPTER 18 CONSTRUCTING FLATS
280
CHAPTER 19 BUILDING STAIR UNITS
311
CHAPTER 20 DECKING METHODS
323
CHAPTER 21 METAL FRAME CONSTRUCTION
339

CHAPTER 9 PHOTOMETRICS AND HANGING THE LIGHTS
105
CHAPTER 10 OPERATING A FOLLOWSPOT
138
CHAPTER 11 SOUND
147
CHAPTER 12 COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR THEATRE
161
CHAPTER 13 STAGE MANAGEMENT
185
CHAPTER 22 FULLSCALE PATTERNS
365
CHAPTER 23 WORKING WITH FOAM
371
Index
387
Copyright

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About the author (2010)

John Holloway is a Full Professor in the Theatre Department of the University of Kentucky where he has taught for 27 years. Professor Holloway is an ongoing freelancer involved in designing, engineering, and constructing stage scenery for television and theatre. He worked as stage mechanic and Technical Director for over 30 years, and has built scenery for over 200 plays, television shows, commercials, operas, and trade shows. Professor Holloway is a longstanding member of the professional stagehand's union, IATSE and served as the president of Local 346 for many years. He toured with the national touring companies of Grand Hotel (Tony Award winner, 1989), The Will Rogers Follies, and Camelot.

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