California Community Theatres:
Load-In & Strike Practices
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Survey results are from Fall 2017
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Who is responsible for coordinating and managing your load-in and strike days?
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The director and crew from the current show. Along with direction from our Operations Supervisor.
President
The Director
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How are these days planned or organized?
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A meeting with the directors fo the current and future show...& the OS.
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It depends on when we are able to reserve the room
by the director, or when?
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Do actors in your productions work load-ins and strikes?
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Do other volunteers typically work load-ins and strikes?
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Yes
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We do have volunteers who help with the stage setup. Actors are required to strike the set.
the stage set builder and his crew build it and they are volunteers, usually directs the tear down with the cast and crew
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What are your challenges on these days?
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Long hot days as we always strike after our final Sunday Matinee.
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Volunteers not showing up.
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"Load in and build can last two weeks, it is mostly coordinating with the builder and set painter, set dresser, lighting director and crews"
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How do you ensure workers are both safe and know the job they are assigned?
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Careful instruction and supervision.
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For setup the President along with another board member oversee the work. For striking, an email is sent out to all of the actors giving them their assignments. A document with the strike assignments is also placed on the walls in the green room. Only those who have had experience taking down the lighting and audio as well as the flats are tasked with those assignments.
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"Our sets are simply put together, the cast and crew volunteer for skills of which they are capable and the set crew takes on all skills that are not covered. The director and set builder share safety concerns and are to observe policies and procedures."
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What are some of the tasks and duties assigned to workers on load-ins and strikes?
Deconstruction, moving materials, Cleaning stage & dressing rooms.
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Set up audio, lighting, rental stage platforms, flats, masking curtains.
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An experienced crew build sets using our flats and possess carpenter, electrical, and painting skills among others. Cast and crew mostly help with steadying standing flats and removal. Carrying "stuff" out to our trucks mostly.
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Thank you to all the theatres who participated in this survey!
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