Christmas programs and safety

Just read a tweet from a fellow tech director about taking a fall and is dealing with some severe pain today.

It reminded me that during this time of production, time of chaotic and rushed rehearsal schedules, modified stage and building set-ups, or the use of ladders, lifts and other equipment.   It’s important to remind each other to be careful.  Check to see if the breaker is off.   Take some time.

Often our Christmas programs involve light cues that are dim and may even blackout during transitions.   We have additionial volunteers who may be new and unfamiliar with the stage and room arrangements. There may be more crowded green room areas and oddly cabled stages.  There may be guest artists who are not familiar with where things are such as steps etc. – that our regular teams take for granted.  Regular band members and singers may be in different stage positions with additional gear and other obstacles they normally don’t encounter.

Since we are most likely to be intimately aware of conditions and modifications, we have a responsiblity to gently instruct, guide, and remind our platform artists and guests about how to safely manuever around our environments. We need to serve in this capacity.

We have a responsiblity to gently instruct, guide, and remind our platform artists and guests about how to safely manuever around our environments.

And while we’re at it we need be careful and alert ourselves also.  Being a technical director means we often have our eyes, ears, and attention on many things during the course of fabrication, rehearsals, production, and striking.  There’s always multiple balls in the air during a program.

Being a technical director means we often have our eyes, ears, and attention on many things…

Praying for a safe, enjoyable, and fruitful Christmas production season for all my technical friends.

Oh yeh, and allow yourself some basic boundaries:

• don’t forget to eat,
• swing by the house and say hi to your family
• and SLEEP (or find a place to squeeze in a nap once in a while if necessary.)

It’ll do your spiritual and physical health good!  You’ll be a better team player and a better leader at work and at home.

Blessings.