It may seem a little overly confident to say that we are prepared for anything, but in our line of business, we have to be. Setting the stage for other people is not always easy, especially in outdoor areas. This is because the lighting in an outdoor area is never consistent. It is unpredictable and there are so many variables to every part of setting it up. If we weren’t prepared for anything, we would most likely never manage to pull off a great stage setup and that would be devastating for our little business ventures. The thing is; we do not have the option to prepare just for Mother Nature. We have to take a lot of different things into consideration.

Preparing for Nature

Nature’s unpredictability means that you have to be ready for anything. Rains sneak in when you do not want them to and there is a constant need to change the lighting on the stage to keep up with the steady flow of daylight to darkness. You can have a perfect lighting setup for one day at 3 pm, but the very next day at the same time, it could be all wrong. This keeps us busy, but there are also insects to deal with, props to prop up, and numerous other things that could go wrong. We have made it our goal to have all of these different aspects under control, as best as we can, but it is not an easy feat. We admit that we struggle at times. We get caught off guard more often than we want to, but there is one aspect of nature that never gets the best of us and for that, we are truly thankful.

We Beat Nature

Mother Nature has a sense of humor and often it seems that the people who want us to set up a stage do as well. Even when indoors and setting up everything, we are often doing so in an arena that doesn’t have power on at all times. In outdoor areas, we often have to go without things that most people take for granted. This includes a consistent power supply, fresh water, and the luxuries of a bathroom since often portable toilets will not be brought in until the day of the event.

Luckily, we have found the solution to deal with this type of nature’s call and it comes in the form of bringing our own portable toilets. The Luggable Loo, like the one on this site,  is a popular choice among all parts of our setup team because it is the easiest to deal with.

Let’s Set the Stage

Our job is not an easy one. We often have a lot of different things working against us, but for us; the thrill of pulling off a great stage is well worth it. Our job is to take a simple structure and make it great for the person on the stage and the people who are there to watch. If we can do it, we feel that we have beat Nature at her own game and it is the thrill that encourages us to get started on the next stage setup.

In our line of business, the show must go on regardless of what is happening around us. It does not matter whether we are working long hours during the coldest part of the year or the hottest. Rain or shine, we have to get the stage step up and ready for the show. Indoor shows and outdoor ones take a lot of pre-planning to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch and we put a lot of effort when it comes to preparing for outdoor venues.

Our Efforts to Provide Successful Outdoor Shows

Depending on the show that we are setting up, we have to set a stage that appeals to the people in the show and in the audience. This often means hours can be spent choosing the right lighting options, doing sound checks, and setting up other aspects of the stage. It is a lot more complicated to set up things outdoors. When using an indoor venue, everything is partially set up. Outdoor venues means starting from scratch with everything in most cases. Outdoors also means that you have to deal with the whims of Mother Nature and all of her insect friends. This can slow us down even more, so we do put effort into bug control before we even begin to get to work.

We Set the Stage

Whether we are setting up an outdoor speech or an outdoor concert, a kid’s talent show, or a ceremonial type event, we take immense pride in ensuring that everything is set up to be the best that it can be. We spend time setting up every aspect of the show. If a cloud covers the natural sunlight, we have lighting that can compensate for it. If during the show the sky will go from daylight to dark, we know how to ensure that the stage looks amazing. Chairs are set up around the stage in a way that ensures everyone can see the stage the way they should and guests are more comfortable because we do what we can to practice no see ums prevention before the event.

Protecting Our Event Viewers

At first, we looked at mosquito fogger reviews for ourselves. We were tired of getting attacked by bugs in the outdoor venues. The mosquitoes and no see ums were slowing us down and making it harder for us to get things set up before the crowds came in. Little did we know that it would soon become something that people felt made our team one of a kind in staging and setup. We soon realized that people who were coming to watch our events were more comfortable as well. We had a few people start telling us that they enjoyed attending a show with our stage crew because they had fewer insect bites at the end of the evening. It has snowballed to the point that other people have asked us to set up a stage for them and eliminate the pests that would normally plague them. It is a win-win situation for everyone and the show is made more enjoyable for everyone.

It is our job to make sure that a concert goes off without a hitch and that none of the band’s music sheets end up on the floor, and for that matter, none of the band, either. Beyond that, we also help set the props for plays and a variety of other performances. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it. Luckily, our gear makes the task much easier to handle.

The Gear We Trust In

Setting the stage for a performance may seem like an easy task. Sometimes it is very easy to handle. Other times, we have to work hard to get things ready for the curtain to rise. We often end up using paint brushes and paint to repair props that have sustained damage, but most of the time, we end up building the things we need. There are some things that can be built with cardboard and paints, other times, we need hammers, nails, screwdrivers, and other power tools.

Concerts and other types of stage settings are a little easier. Most of the time that is just tightening a screw here and there to make sure that everything is holding together, but there are times when even this can pose a challenge.

The Challenges We Face

One of the biggest challenges we must deal with is power outages. During the summer, we lose power quite often because of sudden storms that roll through virtually every day. Limbs cannot handle being weighed down by the rain and power lines are prone to go down. If this happens, our power tools are useless and since most performances are scheduled months in advance, we cannot simply say, “Oops”. For those times, we have a Yamaha portable generator on hand, because if our job does not get done, the performance will not be as good as it should be.

In rare cases, our local school band decides to have an outdoor concert or performance. If there is no power and all of our tools are not in peak working order, their show will not be the one they truly wanted to have. This is very bad for them and for us, because at all times, the show must go on.

Making a Great Performance Better

Our job is simple. We have to work to make sure that a great performance is better than anyone can hope it will be. This means that when the power started going out all the time, it did not take us long to decide to search through and read all of the diesel generator reviews we could find. We wanted something that would be dependable and reliable enough to handle the work load we would put on it in a worst case scenario.

Our new generator has saved the show in more ways than one, because when storms hit on opening night, there are things that do require power at that time as well. This includes microphones, lighting, and special effects. We trust our gear to get us through the toughest times. Shouldn’t you trust in yours when no one but you depends on them?

There are many theaters and it is a competitive world of who can put on the best show and performances. It means there are a lot of crazy tricks that are put into use to fool the eyes and make the story being told more real than ever. It is a magical combination of actors, actresses, and the ultimate stage prop.

Set the Stage

Once upon a time, theater productions were basic. They had the actors and characters that could tell a story. The props were created with lights, wood, and paint. They were on wheels for easy portability on the stage. They could be moved easily on and off when they were needed. There were also, in some cases, large pictures that would drop down from the ceiling or rise up from the floor. Everything on the stage looked real, but it was all simple in design.

Now, we live in a world of technology. It is all around us. Is it really any wonder that the stage productions on Broadway are striving to keep up with an HD world?

The Magic Begins

Several years ago, the major Broadway theater productions began using dry ice and pyrotechnics to delight those who came to their show. The louder the bangs and the brighter the stage, the more people would come and the longer a single production could remain on Broadway. People wanted more than to simply see a group of people tell a story. They wanted the entire stage to tell the story, with the people on the stage giving words to what was going on. Thanks to technology, it is easier to make a person float through the air, and no ropes are required. More and more Broadway shows are incorporating scooters and Segways into their productions because it gives more of an illusion when combined with the dry ice and strategic lighting.

Can You Imagine?

Think about the last Broadway Theater you went to. Would it have been made more impressive had the guy that was surrounded by a misty fog been on a smart balance board? How would it have felt to actually see that woman in her long flowing gown pretending to be an angel or something float across the stage? Would it have been more believable to you had the actors rode across many miles on a gas powered scooter rather than walked all the way across town? It may sound a little extreme, but these are things that many Broadway productions are using to enhance the audience’s viewing pleasure. It is ensuring that the theaters keep up with our technology based world so that more people visit these theaters and come back to watch the next show when it is available. It works by keeping people guessing about what they will see next. Everyone wants to know, what other devices will become the ultimate stage prop for future Broadway shows.

A lot of people feel that setting up the stage is an easy task. They do not realize that an excellent performance could be deemed horrible if everything on the stage doesn’t fit with the story being told. The music must be right, the props must work, and the lighting should highlight the most important aspects and leave the rest in the dark. We take all of this into consideration when trying to figure out how we create the perfect stage for that concert or performance.

How We Begin

Before you set the first show or concert date, we will talk to a stage designer, the costume designer, music directors, lighting specialists, production managers, and the props master to devise a plan of action. From there, we will fine tune it all through a variety of tests.

When rehearsals begin, it is not just about how well the actors may know their lines. It is a rehearsal to see how everything is going to fit together. We make notes of when that light needs to come on and how much lighting you will need in that area, does the music that is playing at that moment fit the tone you are trying to portray on the stage, and how to we make the switch from one scene to the next without missing our mark. We do it because we do not want to have a glitch come opening night. Read More…

If you are interested in becoming a member of the stage production team, you have a lot to discover about what it takes to create the perfect theater experience. However, what it will take for you will depend greatly on which aspect you most want to be a part of. There are a lot of different aspects that go into creating a stage setting regardless of whether you are dealing with a theatrical performance or a concert. That is why it is most often left to people who are trained to handle specific tasks.

The Perfect Person

Much the same as a successful performance is based on finding the right person to play that particular part, you must also discover the right person to handle the behind the scenes operations. The person you have working behind the scenes should be knowledgeable and experienced in various aspects of the job. They should be able to think quickly and handle issues that may come up, because a lot of the lighting, music, and props may all fail during the show. If that happens, they need to be able to act quickly so that the audience does not notice the failure. Even a costume malfunction could destroy the credibility of the show and the cast. Read More…

When it comes to how you set the stage for a perfect performance, there are a lot of things to consider. The lighting and sound system are only the start. Mostly, the stage and whether it is perfect or not, is going to be centered on the quality of the props that are a part of it. This may sound silly considering that a good actress or actor is typically the key component to a good play, but props also matter.

Why Props Matter

Think about the type of stage that you need for your performance. If you are telling a story that is based in the 50s, you wouldn’t want iPads and other items that we associate with more recent times to be a part of it. You should have furniture, decor, and even clothing that depicts the storyline you are telling. These are all props and it can go a long way in convincing your audience that the story you are telling is somewhat believable. This is very important when you are trying to transport your audience to that time period and have them feel as though they are watching something real take place. Read More…

When considering the lighting on stage, there are a lot of options. There are flood lights, soft spot lights, profile spot lights, and then beam lights. From there, you get into having to decide if you want more lighting up front or toward the back and sides. Perhaps you may even want something in the middle. Then you may also find yourself needing a specific type of lighting to make special effects more appealing. The list can go on and on and for all of it, you must figure out first, how to choose the lighting for your stage to make it look the way you want it.

Understand Your Lighting

Flood lights are designed to put light over a larger area. They will be used if you want the entire stage to be well lit. Soft spot lights are more easily controlled lighting so that you can highlight an area of the stage, but if you want a precise light to be on a definite pin pointed area, you will want a profile spotlight in that area. If you only want lighting in the front or the rear of the stage you may want a beam light in that area. These are parallel lights that direct light like you would see when the sun is being partially covered by a cloud. Read More…

Acting is a gift. It takes a lot of talent and desire to be good whether you are on camera or on stage, however stage is a bit more difficult according to some people. The major difference is when you are on stage, you are performing live in front of an audience that will see every mistake that you may make. There are certain things that you can do though to make your skills more evident. These are the things you should focus on with each performance if you truly want to know what makes a great on stage actor. Read More…

We are in a fog.
In it, a room of today hangs expectant.
Preparations for a small wedding …
The dramatic, introductory music to “Casablanca” plays as we see …

… So sets the scene for A Wedding Story, an exuberantly funny and elegantly moving look at unconditional love:

Sally, a single woman, perceives marriage as a sacrifice akin to a prison term – she runs screaming from anything that smacks of a long-term commitment. Her parents have a loving relationship – their “theme movie” is Casablanca. But now her mom’s health is failing and her dad cannot keep up. Meanwhile, Sally meets Grace in a bathroom stall at a wedding and what started as a one night stand is quickly spiraling out of control – Sally’s once organized and temperate life has become a passion-filled whirlwind!

Earning raves in London, Stageworks’ new production marks A Wedding Story’s American premiere.

“A moving play about marriage and the nature of love… with its mix of comedy, tragedy, movie culture and popular song … Lavery is riding the crest of a wave.”            -THE GUARDIAN (London)

Bryony Lavery received Tony nomination and the TMA Award for her play, Frozen.