The Gravity of Technology in Community Theatre

What would you say is technology's biggest effect on modern Community and Little theaters, and what advice would you give on this matter?

Technology has made massive changes to the landscape of theatre and put a great weight on small local houses. The look and feel of Broadway often serves as the template, and even coming close requires a lot of technology. So, in pursuing the designs of the highest stage, with the invested upgrades in tech, the biggest impact becomes the need for skilled technicians.

That may seem obvious, but before the big tech change that became possible nearly a decade ago because of lower equipment costs, you could have a volunteer run audio or set up lighting, someone who worked with theatre in High School or throughout the community for years. But once you bring in LED lighting fixtures, a digital soundboard, or even an LED wall, just the programming itself is a job on its own, not to mention all the mounting, daisy chains, and load calculations. The plain truth is, if you bring in the new state-of-the-art equipment, you now have to employ someone to make it go; someone to make it do the things you have envisioned. And you can’t hire just one person, you are looking at two to three. Our modern audience expects that, and all the theatre Directors and Producers are highly aware of that fact. To make the plunge to invest in new technology is a must, and that understanding, that action, alters the structure and economic demand on the community theatre. My advice would be two fold: Hire designers to consult, and look for duo-skilled technicians.

Hiring a designer to tell you what you need first can make an impactful difference. Often, by the time I get to the theatre or church, an enormous amount of money has already been spent on things that are not needed or cannot fit with the fundamental technology. LED lights that aren’t bright enough. Moving lights that won’t make it through a year. Near professional light luminaires, but not enough DMX to patch them or a DJ board that just won’t be able to operate large personality fixtures. Finding a designer to tell you what is needed before you purchase, list it, and make plans to build that system is far more efficient. Start with what drives it, the lighting console, the digital board. Build the infrastructure from that capacity. It will be worth it to build forward and steadily, rather than needing to break everything down three years later because the wrong things were purchased with grant money that is likely not to come again.

Now, when we begin to think about upgrading theatre tech, putting funding into more things, and believing that by purchasing new, everything instantly becomes better, is often the perspective, but I would disagree. The best use of money should go to the development of systems that are consistent and use time and resources efficiently. That system starts with trained technicians. Most of the technicians I know in the local theatre range have multiple skills. They know lighting and sound, sound and set construction. If they are not proficient in the needed second skill, a little time, research, and practice often is all that is needed to build on their experience and understanding. Find them and compensate them properly for problem solving, which is ninety percent of the job. There is nothing better in a theatre than someone who shows up consistently, creating solutions for problems you didn’t know existed, and puts out the fires for the ones you knew. Someone who is looking at the beginning and ending of a series of events and using that information to clear a path to a great production.

Technology is like a heavy baby, too cute to leave alone, but you’d better get ready for the lift. It is the necessary transition that has to be made. The best you can do is find the right fit for your demands and considerate handlers to meet them. Smart technical designers and technician experts keep you focused on what you love, no matter the burden.