STAGEHAND'S NEEDS-TO-KNOW

• General Behavior
• Finances
• Clothing
• Tools
• Safety
• Job Descriptions
• Spotlights
• Headsets
• Truck Loading

General Behavior

B) You will be fined $20 if you are late to a job.

If you are more than 30 minutes late, you may be replaced on the call and might be fined. You will also be moved to the bottom of the call list for the next show.

If you don't show up at all, you will be fined $100.

• SPECIAL NOTE FOR "PREMIUM JOBS": If you are not ready to work at call time while being assigned to a job which will receive premium pay (truck loader, rigger, house electrician, ground rigger), you will be replaced in the premium position by the next qualified person on the call. You will then become a general hand on the call.

C) Be sure to check in with the job steward as soon as you arrive. The steward is not a babysitter and will not go looking for you. Also, be sure to check out/sign out with the steward at the end of the day. Your time card may not be turned in if you skip out early.

D) In case of emergency that will prevent you from working or will make you late for work, you must contact one of the following or be subject to the fines as listed above in Section B:

• 1) First, try to call the job steward, if you know ahead of time who it will be.
• 2) Next,try the business agent, if unable to contact the steward or if you don't know who the steward is).
• 3) If all else fails, call the venue office and ask them to deliver a message to the stagehands.

E) Please maintain a professional demeanor at all times on the job. DON'T AIR DIRTY LAUNDRY IN PUBLIC!!!!! This cannot be stressed strongly enough. Even if you think you are talking just among yourselves, managers and roadies can easily overhear your comments. Save the gossip and complaints for times when the management and road crew are not around.

F) Be very careful concerning the comments you make about the show. Save all discussions of artistic merit until the load-out has been completed and we have left the building. Some roadies will agree with your opinion of the show, but many get highly offended if they hear derogatory comments. Let's be professional and save the comments for later.

F) The job steward will try to assign you to a department in which you are best qualified, but this is not always possible. Do the best job you can in whatever department you are assigned. Stay there until released by the steward or your department head. If you seriously feel you cannot perform an assigned task, ask the steward for re-assignment. Pride has no place in safety.

G) If problems arise, never fight with the roadies. Locate the steward and allow him/her to resolve the situation.

H) Ask questions. Remember that more experienced stagehands are willing to help and answer questions. They may give you instructions if it seems necessary. Try to accept the advice in the spirit it was offered. They are not trying to show off or make you feel stupid ...they are simply trying to preserve your safety and help you learn.

I) "Up riggers" are 85 feet over your head. LEAVE THEIR ROPES ALONE!! If a rope coil on the deck needs to be moved, ask the ground rigger to do it. Never stand on a rigger's rope, run a crate over it, pull it or tie it off for any reason.

J) Dress in an appropriate manner.

• 1) If you are on the deck crew for a show, wear all black clothing so that you are less visible during scene changes.
• 2) If you will be seen by the audience, more formal attire may be requested by the stage manager. If you are asked to dress up, please comply with the request.

K) Don't assume breakfast, lunch or dinner is provided unless notified by the Steward.

L) Never leave your work are without notifying your supervisor.

FINANCES

• 1) If a job lasts more than one day the five percent may be collected on the final day, rather than each day separately.
• 2) Whenever you pay money to the Local, you will receive a receipt. If the percentage is deducted by the employer, it should be listed on your pay stub. Keep these for your records. If you itemize your taxes, these may be deducted as union dues.

B) Never count on free meals when working for the Local. Frequently, we will be fed meals at some venues, but the promoter is not required to feed us if a one hour meal break is allowed. Make sure you bring money whenever you work, so that you can feed yourself if necessary. Similarly, don't assume that any food or beverage brought in by catering is for you. Never eat or drink unless given permission by the steward or road crew.

C) Contrary to rumor, there is NO cash compensation if you do not receive a free T-shirt after a rock concert.

CLOTHING

The following is our strongly recommended apparel, based on the needs of the job and safety precautions.

A) SHOES--Heavy-duty work boots would be ideal for everyone, but if this is not feasible for you, please find something durable and protective. Avoid canvas tennis shoes, moccasins, clogs or sandals. NO high heels--including cowboy boots! You need something with traction.

B) CLOTHES--

• 1) You are being hired to do heavy, dirty work--NO FASHION PLATES ALLOWED!! Wear something protective, yet loose enough to allow you to move freely. Don't wear valuable clothing as you will often get very dirty, and may even tear your clothing.
• 2) Layering clothing is important during the winter. It may be -20~ while unloading trucks and 700 after the doors are closed! In hot weather, shorts and brief tops are worn at your own risk. Remember that there are lots of rough edges and sharp corners just waiting for you.
• 3) If you are working on the stage during a performance, wear ALL dark clothing, preferably black. Wear dark brown or dark blue as a last resort. If you will be seen by the audience, wear respectable attire.
• 4) You are strongly advised to wear ear plugs at rock concerts. They are available at any pharmacy.

C) JEWELRY/HAIR
NO dangle style earrings, necklaces, bracelets. Avoid rings whenever possible.

Restrain long hair with a ponytail, braid or bandana.

TOOLS

A) REQUIRED

1) leather work gloves (not fashion gloves!)

2) 8" crescent wrench with wrist strap or tether line.

2) straight blade screwdriver

3) slip joint pliers

B) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

1) pocket flashlight ("Mini Mag" style is a very good one)

2) pocket knife

3) Phillips screwdriver

4) hammer

5) tool pouch or fanny pack...you can carry a certain amount of tools in your pockets, but it is very helpful to have a pouch or bag.

C) SPECIALTY TOOLS
These are useful on specific jobs and are recommended only if you already own them. There is no need to buy them unless specifically asked to do so by a department head on a show of lasting duration.

1) WARDROBE

a) safety pins needles

b) white thread and black thread

2) CARPENTER

a) wonder bar

b) tape measure

c) pencil

d) battery screw gun

3) ELECTRICIAN

a) side cutters

b) rag for spotlights

c) white grease pencil

d) voltage detector ("tick" tester)

SAFETY

A)

The number one rule of stagecraft is "SAFETY FIRST!" This is not the place to prove your machismo. If you have any doubts about completing a task, ask for help!! Even if you feel stupid asking for advice or assistance, ask anyway. Dumb questions are much easier to deal with than dumb mistakes! Remember that you are responsible not only for your own safety, but also the safety of everyone around you.

B)

The following infractions will mean IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL from a job:

1) coming to work intoxicated/under the influence of drugs

2) drinking alcohol or taking drugs on the job

3) unsafe work practices

4) stealing

5) insubordination

C)

Any injury must be reported immediately to the job steward. You will not be covered by workman's compensation if the injury is not reported within certain time limits.

Minor first aid is always available, but don't try to continue working if you are seriously sick or injured. This only makes things more dangerous for everyone around you.

D)

If a fellow worker or a member of the road crew asks you to do something which you feel is unsafe, report it immediately to the job steward. Don't be pressured to something you don't feel is right.

E)

Remember that when a forklift has a full load, the driver's field of vision is very limited. Get out of his way!

F)

"Heads" or "heads up" is the most important warning on the stage. If you hear this call, that means something is being lowered from the grid on a rope or baton, OR it could mean that something is FALLING from the grid at a rapid rate of speed. Be aware of what is happening around you at all times. If you hear someone yell "heads," it means look out! Do not stand under the loading rail whenever weights are being loaded or unloaded.

G)

If you will be working more than a few feet off the floor, you must observe special safety precautions. This applies to anyone working in any of the following areas: on the grid/rigging, on the load rail, on a catwalk, at the top of a ladder, focusing lights or anywhere else that there is even a chance of another person to be standing underneath you.

a) Empty your pockets of ALL items unnecessary to the job. Leave your wallet and other personal items in your car or with a trusted co-worker (yes, some of us actually CAN be trusted!)

b) Carry only those tools necessary for the job. Any tool carried with you must have a wrist strap or tether line tied to your belt.

c) If you wear eyeglasses, buy a safety strap for them, even if you think it makes you look like a geek.

d) Above all, if you drop something, yell "heads" as loud as you can so that your potential victims below have a chance to evacuate.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

1) STAGEHANDS--

provide manual labor for the set-up and tear down of a show, as required by the crew chief. Once you have been assigned to a department, stay there until the job is done or you are re-assigned by the steward, stage manager or road crew.

a) When a task is completed, return to the department head for another task. Never stand around with your hands in your pockets or chatting with others.

b) If you don't understand your task, ask for clarification. It is better to ask for help so you can do it right the first time.

c) Be polite and professional.

d) The departments are as follows:

i) Electrics--set up/operate lighting instruments, spotlights, anything needing to be powered on the set.

ii) Sound--a branch of the electrics department deals specifically with the set-up/operation of mics, speakers and all other sound equipment.

iii) Carpentry--set-up staging, trusses, scenery, backdrops. The carpenter is in charge of a fly system, if used. During the show, the carpenter is responsible for any changing of scenery.

iv) Properties--a branch of the carpenter department, this crew is responsible for set decorations and any hand-held items used by the actors during the show.

v) Wardrobe--work with costumes. Prepare them for use (hang up on racks, ironing, mending) and assist the performers to change costumes during the show.

2) HOUSE ELECTRICIAN

This is a premium position at the Brown County Arena (but not other venues). May also be referred to as the master electrician. He/she performs the electrical hook-ups as required by the show, and is on the call as long as the electrics are hooked up. Other responsibilities may include spotlight and headset maintenance.

3) GROUND RIGGER

This job primarily applies to the Brown County Arena, and is a premium job. Duties include providing all necessary support for the up-riggers. He/she must know basic knots and other rigging requirements. He/she is responsible for the safety of the up-riggers. Must know the correct way to pack the rigging elements in the crates at the end of the show.

4) TRUCK LOADERS

A premium job at the Brown County Arena (but not other venues). Duties include the unloading/loading of all crates from the trucks or bus. Loaders stay with the truck for the entire load. The work area ends at the bottom of the ramp.

5) FORK LIFT DRIVER

Responsible for forklift operation as required by the road crew. Generally oversees the safe operating conditions of the loading area. Must have fork lift ready to go at call time. Know ahead of time where to find fresh fuel tanks, so tank changes can be made immediately. At the Brown County Arena, the fork drivers must be certified by the Arena's own testing program.

SPOTLIGHTS

B) If you have a problem with a spotlight and don't know how to fix it, ask one of the other spotlight operators for help or notify the job steward. Don't assume someone will notice and don't just leave it for the next operator to deal with.

C) At the end of each show, find out where to put the color frames and headsets. If they belong to the road company, you will need to bring them to the road electrician. Don't make the roadie go looking for his equipment. If the headsets/frames belong to the house, they may be left with the spotlight, but sometimes need to be locked up.. ASK!

D) If running a xenon spot, be sure to let the fan run long enough to cool down the instrument before shutting it off at the end of the night.

E) Special rules for carbon arc spots:

1) Always clean the mirror after each use, while it is still hot. This includes intermission.

2) Remove carbon stubs from the spot and place them in a metal container. Never drop it on the floor. or into a plastic bucket. Never use your carbon bucket for anything other than carbons! If you use it for trash, you are likely to start a fire the next time you drop a hot carbon onto the paper!

3) Drip cup/drip pan should be emptied before each use.

4) Get as much use out of a set of carbons as you can. They are very expensive! Don't run them so short as to damage the lamp, but don't waste them, either.

5) Make sure your spot is operating properly far enough before the performance so that corrections can be made before the start of the show. It is a good idea to check it out right away when you arrive for the half-hour call.

HEADSETS

2) Keep your mic off during the show unless you have an emergency to relay to the cue caller. We can all chatter during the break times, but during the show let the cue caller do his job.

3) Don't make critical comments about the show in front of show personnel. Some roadies take it very personally.

4) Report any problems with the headsets to the house electrician as soon as possible, so someone can be assigned to fix it. Everyone on the show call should check equipment well before the start of the show so that repairs can be made, if necessary.

5) MAKE SURE YOUR MIC IS TURNED OFF before taking the headset off your head, or before unplugging it. If the mic is moved while it is turned on, it makes a lot of aggravating noise and can be dangerous to the hearing of your fellow stagehands.

6) After the show, unplug the headset as well as all the cables from the belt pack. NEVER dangle a headset or belt pack from the cord, as this will damage the connectors.

TRUCK LOADING

2) Only you know if a crate is too big or too heavy for you. Never be afraid to ask for help or take a moment to.catch your breath.

3) Be sure there are enough stagehands at the ramp before sending a crate down. There should be at least two or more, depending upon the size/weight of the crate. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES let a crate go down the ramp unattended.

4) Lift with your legs, not your back.

5) Push crates with a flat hand, don't wrap your fingers around the load, as loads can shift unexpectedly and crush your fingers. Watch toes and heels, too. Avoid being in front of a crate. Push from behind or from the sides.

6) During the load-out, never send a crate into the truck until the load master calls for it. Also, make sure the ramp is clear before sending up a crate. The stagehands who pushed up the previous crate need time to get off the ramp before you bring up the next one. Even if the roadies yell at you to move faster, give your fellow stagehands time to get off the ramp safely.

7) Use as many people as needed to get a job done. Don't allow the road crew to intimidate you. If you feel that they are asking you to work unsafely, report it immediately to the job steward.

8) In winter weather, be aware of the condition of the loading area. Even if the roadies complain about the down time, wait for the loading area to be made safe before proceeding.

9) If in doubt--ASK! Ignorance may result in severe injury or even death! Horseplay has no place in the theatre, especially in the truck or loading dock!