# More Covidiots/ranting.



## What Rigger?

So, what, it was "Beef & Boards" dinner theater that dropped their Equity status last month to do "Beehive", while wearing face shields, right? Out Indianapolis way. Now it looks like they got shut down again. 

Then I saw this today: 







WCDHD reports 23 new cases of COVID-19, Playhouse says 24 in cast of 'Mamma Mia!' positive

“The most important message that we have for our community right now is to practice social distancing and wear face coverings. We will post new case information as soon as



nptelegraph.com





Let's not forget Sturgis is happening _right now, with 9 or 10 days of concerts in a row. _

I rolled my eyes so hard, I detached a retina. I need a drink. And I might just rant, right about...now:
More idiot hobbyists, so sure that they can do what MLB, NBA, UFC, NCAA, et al... have not been able to do: Pull off a production and keep COVID at bay. Meanwhile, the overwhelmingly vast majority of the industry (and by that I mean the pros, the schools at all levels, the rental shops, the community organizations, all engaged with reality) sit at home freaking the #### out. And our return is delayed even longer. 

I'm not even gonna give a qualified/reluctant "Look, I get it" with a heavy sigh about people gotta pay bills and playing live is the only way for someone like Quiet Riot. Because I'm past that. (Frankie Banali is undergoing pancreatic cancer treatment, so why Quiet Riot is at Sturgis is beyond me.) If you're so greedy, or stupid, or arrogant to be out doing gigs as if there wasn't a pandemic killing Americans at the rate of 1 every 80 seconds, I have no sympathy for you. #### every last one of them for endangering themselves and others. 
A community organization has infected 16 of 32 people in the company (by my count on their Insta cast/crew/orchestra list)...and for what? "Mamma Mia"? In North Platte, Nebraska??? _Are these people for real?_

Here endeth the rant. (And for @dvsDave or @gafftaper or any other admins who want to pull this down, feel free. I'm not at all sure I didn't cross some line in posting this. But I'm over watching people scramble and suffer.)


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## RonHebbard

What Rigger? said:


> So, what, it was "Beef & Boards" dinner theater that dropped their Equity status last month to do "Beehive", while wearing face shields, right? Out Indianapolis way. Now it looks like they got shut down again.
> 
> Then I saw this today:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WCDHD reports 23 new cases of COVID-19, Playhouse says 24 in cast of 'Mamma Mia!' positive
> 
> “The most important message that we have for our community right now is to practice social distancing and wear face coverings. We will post new case information as soon as
> 
> 
> 
> nptelegraph.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's not forget Sturgis is happening _right now, with 9 or 10 days of concerts in a row. _
> 
> I rolled my eyes so hard, I detached a retina. I need a drink. And I might just rant, right about...now:
> More idiot hobbyists, so sure that they can do what MLB, NBA, UFC, NCAA, et al... have not been able to do: Pull off a production and keep COVID at bay. Meanwhile, the overwhelmingly vast majority of the industry (and by that I mean the pros, the schools at all levels, the rental shops, the community organizations, all engaged with reality) sit at home freaking the #### out. And our return is delayed even longer.
> 
> I'm not even gonna give a qualified/reluctant "Look, I get it" with a heavy sigh about people gotta pay bills and playing live is the only way for someone like Quiet Riot. Because I'm past that. (Frankie Banali is undergoing pancreatic cancer treatment, so why Quiet Riot is at Sturgis is beyond me.) If you're so greedy, or stupid, or arrogant to be out doing gigs as if there wasn't a pandemic killing Americans at the rate of 1 every 80 seconds, I have no sympathy for you. #### every last one of them for endangering themselves and others.
> A community organization has infected 16 of 32 people in the company (by my count on their Insta cast/crew/orchestra list)...and for what? "Mamma Mia"? In North Platte, Nebraska??? _Are these people for real?_
> 
> Here endeth the rant. (And for @dvsDave or @gafftaper or any other admins who want to pull this down, feel free. I'm not at all sure I didn't cross some line in posting this. But I'm over watching people scramble and suffer.)


 *@What Rigger?* From up here North of little Donnie's walls YOU have my FULL PERMISSION to keep right on RANTING!!! Go Kamala GO!!
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


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## gafftapegreenia

Don’t even get me started on the accelerated destruction of the USPS...


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## FMEng

Vote promptly after receiving your ballot!


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## Ben Stiegler

And use county ballot drop boxes if available.


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## MNicolai

What Rigger? said:


> Here endeth the rant. (And for @dvsDave or @gafftaper or any other admins who want to pull this down, feel free. I'm not at all sure I didn't cross some line in posting this. But I'm over watching people scramble and suffer.)



All art and design and business is inherently political. I don't see how you can be a human being at this point in time and not have a strong, vested opinion that is both personal and professional on the state of things.

However bad it is now, schools are just reopening in the next 1-2 weeks and it will be much worse in 6-8 weeks. It's time to hunker down. We're in this for the long haul. Business as usual will not return for at least a full year from now, and everyone who insists against wearing masks and taking basic precautions makes the pain much worse.

Here's my earlier comment from the Discord channel:


> Congress has gone home. The post office is being sold for parts. Evictions have begun. We've lost more than 1000 people/day for the last 18 days straight. In the average year the US has 2,800,000 deaths. We are on track to have 280,000 deaths by the end of this year. 10% of our deaths this year would have been preventable if not for politics, incredible arrogance, and negligence. If we flashed the names on TV of every person who died of COVID in the United States, one at a time for 3 sec each, it would take 6 days to show every name. When you wake up, eat dinner, tell your kids to do their schoolwork, or go to bed, those names would still be scrolling. I try not to be hyperbolic but it certainly feels like if you were doing a group project in a high school civics class about what leads to coups and civil wars, these circumstances would be somewhere in that presentation if Kevin would just put down his bong for 5 minutes and help finish his slides on the Powerpoint.


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## jtweigandt

We left the set for Secret Garden standing when we cancelled in March about a week from performing. I've been in the building for a few maintenance things and it's just eerie. Now I'm starting to get very angry, because Summer season is gone, Winter show is cancelled, and people are being so friggin stupid. And 100 bucks says no Secret Garden in March 2021 either..


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## Catherder

We may not even have a program at all after this. Remote school until at least November, who knows what kinds of access restrictions on the building for non-school personnel after that. On-going restrictions against large indoor gatherings. No shows for the ‘20-‘21 school year. Add in the drain of kids as parents move to on-line charter schools (at least a few of my friends are talking about that) leaving fewer participants and families. Finally throw in reduced funding as public school budgets are destroyed and people can’t donate because they’re barely hanging on. I honestly don’t see how we bounce back from this.


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## gafftaper

Preach it Brother @What Rigger? ! 

But it's gonna be okay because Dodgeball Thunderdome is coming in a few days.


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## TimMc

gafftaper said:


> Preach it Brother @What Rigger? !
> 
> But it's gonna be okay because Dodgeball Thunderdome is coming in a few days.



I'm not sure I can contain my excre... excitement.


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## Crisp image

jtweigandt said:


> We left the set for Secret Garden standing when we cancelled in March about a week from performing.


I left a set under construction. Here we are on stage 3 restrictions and mask wearing is mandatory when out of the house. Masks can be a face covering of some sort. I see people wearing masks not covering their nose which is like having the old fella hanging out of your jocks and also people wearing just face shields which will not be effective alone. Where face shields are effective is stopping droplets getting into your eyes. At work (non theatre) I have to wear both mask (to cover this ugly mug) and a shield. Yes it is a bit uncomfortable but if that is what I have to do to help stop the spread then that is what I will do. 
There are too many stupid selfish people out there making this harder than it should be. Simple Stay home and only go out if you need to get food or other essentials or go to work if you can't work from home. and if you go to the supermarket go alone and don't take the whole family.
My rant over for now.


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## Lextech

My students are starting to arrive. Everyone, even part timers, gets tested, university is paying. Students upon arrival and it looks like weekly in my lobby. Theatre faculty has offices above the lobby on a balcony and from what I am hearing won’t be in on Mondays. All shows will either be streamed or taped for streaming. Everything socially distant with face covering where applicable, obviously my brass and woodwind players will be wearing theirs on the bells of their instruments. Haven’t heard what the flutists are doing. Ongoing questions about lots of procedures including what spacing for what activity. I am truly worried that if the kids leave, I’m going to be furloughed. Normally I have back up work to cover my butt, but right now my IA card and skill set won’t help pay the mortgage. My wife works at the neighboring university, they are mandating face covers but their dorms are way crowded and I don’t see them making it through their semester. My university is trying really hard so we might be okay. The real worry is not on campus, it’s off campus at night and alcohol. Those kids here for the summer were partying like normal, but the community is small and remote so they were relatively safe. Now everyone is coming back from far away. We have a very large Texas population, second only to Virginia, and that’s a major hotspot. I’m ranting, so I’ll stop. I just wonder if that we had a national response in March and April that was strictly enforced would we still have these problems now?


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## macsound

I 

Lextech said:


> My students are starting to arrive. Everyone, even part timers, gets tested, university is paying. Students upon arrival and it looks like weekly in my lobby. Theatre faculty has offices above the lobby on a balcony and from what I am hearing won’t be in on Mondays. All shows will either be streamed or taped for streaming. Everything socially distant with face covering where applicable, obviously my brass and woodwind players will be wearing theirs on the bells of their instruments. Haven’t heard what the flutists are doing. Ongoing questions about lots of procedures including what spacing for what activity. I am truly worried that if the kids leave, I’m going to be furloughed. Normally I have back up work to cover my butt, but right now my IA card and skill set won’t help pay the mortgage. My wife works at the neighboring university, they are mandating face covers but their dorms are way crowded and I don’t see them making it through their semester. My university is trying really hard so we might be okay. The real worry is not on campus, it’s off campus at night and alcohol. Those kids here for the summer were partying like normal, but the community is small and remote so they were relatively safe. Now everyone is coming back from far away. We have a very large Texas population, second only to Virginia, and that’s a major hotspot. I’m ranting, so I’ll stop. I just wonder if that we had a national response in March and April that was strictly enforced would we still have these problems now?


You're right about the on campus vs off campus.
If you could confirm there were no cases on campus, in all of the dorms, you'd be ok. (As far as I understand.) Kind of like the basketball thing going on at DisneyWorld. Get all the players and staff to stay inside their hotel building 100% for 2 weeks, test them, and if all is good, you're good to interact.
It's going out and having a beer (even socially distanced, outside) with a bunch of other people. 
So theoretically, colleges could open if kids could stand to not leave campus every weekend to see their parents and their friends and their parents friends...


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## MNicolai

macsound said:


> So theoretically, colleges could open if kids could stand to not leave campus every weekend to see their parents and their friends and their parents friends...



And if they all agree not to get jobs flipping burgers, waiting tables, baking pizzas, tending bar, or tending jewelry counters.


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## JohnD

MNicolai said:


> And if they all agree not to get jobs flipping burgers, waiting tables, baking pizzas, tending bar, or tending jewelry counters.


And agree to become a friend of Bill W. A few too many brews and all bets are off.


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## FMEng

I live a few blocks from a college campus, and there are two, student rental houses across the street. Early in the spring I saw signs of reduced movement and occasionally I saw someone wearing a mask. This summer, it's business as usual with no signs of precautions.

I predict that the colleges opening will have outbreaks and, ultimately, will wind up closing. The idea that you can control the virus among that large a group of students, faculty, and staff is just unrealistic.


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## TimMc

FMEng said:


> I live a few blocks from a college campus, and there are two, student rental houses across the street. Early in the spring I saw signs of reduced movement and occasionally I saw someone wearing a mask. This summer, it's business as usual with no signs of precautions.
> 
> I predict that the colleges opening will have outbreaks and, ultimately, will wind up closing. The idea that you can control the virus among that large a group of students, faculty, and staff is just unrealistic.


Yes, and coupled with alcohol consumption, all but guarantees what is happening at UNC Chapel Hill right now. Even without alcohol, in high schools and middle schools in some places are having to regroup and retreat due to predicted (and ignored) increases in infection transmission.

One step forward, two steps back.


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## What Rigger?

Annnnd there it is....








Notre Dame suspends in-person classes after COVID-19 cases surge following off-campus parties

Monday's testing data indicates a 19.1% positivity rate, nearly four times the rate that the World Health Organization recommends for states to reopen.



www.cbsnews.com


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## Ben Stiegler

Lextech said:


> My students are starting to arrive. Everyone, even part timers, gets tested, university is paying. Students upon arrival and it looks like weekly in my lobby. Theatre faculty has offices above the lobby on a balcony and from what I am hearing won’t be in on Mondays. All shows will either be streamed or taped for streaming. Everything socially distant with face covering where applicable, obviously my brass and woodwind players will be wearing theirs on the bells of their instruments. Haven’t heard what the flutists are doing. Ongoing questions about lots of procedures including what spacing for what activity. I am truly worried that if the kids leave, I’m going to be furloughed. Normally I have back up work to cover my butt, but right now my IA card and skill set won’t help pay the mortgage. My wife works at the neighboring university, they are mandating face covers but their dorms are way crowded and I don’t see them making it through their semester. My university is trying really hard so we might be okay. The real worry is not on campus, it’s off campus at night and alcohol. Those kids here for the summer were partying like normal, but the community is small and remote so they were relatively safe. Now everyone is coming back from far away. We have a very large Texas population, second only to Virginia, and that’s a major hotspot. I’m ranting, so I’ll stop. I just wonder if that we had a national response in March and April that was strictly enforced would we still have these problems now?


Whoa there on the WW players ...all those extra holes. And we Fr. hornists whose right hand goes in the bell for mechanical support and micro-tuning notes ... how to mask that up? Could be the year of the synths ...


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## Lextech

Ben Stiegler said:


> Whoa there on the WW players ...all those extra holes. And we Fr. hornists whose right hand goes in the bell for mechanical support and micro-tuning notes ... how to mask that up? Could be the year of the synths ..


Well since I posted they have already received new guidelines on the choir set ups and new distances for some instruments, in particular trombones. Gonna be an interesting year.


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## Ben Stiegler

Lextech said:


> Well since I posted they have already received new guidelines on the choir set ups and new distances for some instruments, in particular trombones. Gonna be an interesting year.


can you share those recommendations?


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## MarshallPope

Our theatre is filming a couple of productions, and we have our wind players sequestered away inside individual clear vinyl shower curtain "fishtank" cubicles.


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## jtweigandt

Lextech said:


> Well since I posted they have already received new guidelines on the choir set ups and new distances for some instruments, in particular trombones. Gonna be an interesting year.


Depending on the grade level.. isn't the recommendation for trombones... just don't


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## FMEng

I meet weekly with a church music director, a school music teacher, and a university symphony director. The symphony director has delved deeply into the studies and consulted with peers. They are of the opinion that there is no way to do choirs or woodwinds safely. Singing is extremely good at spreading the virus, even with a mask. 6 feet of separation isn't enough, more like 16 feet for singing. Flutists need to be in a room by themselves.

School openings are risky enough without the additional risk of music, plays, and sports. I can't understand why a district would increase the chances of illness and closure by doing optional activities. Use better judgement, people!


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## almorton

jtweigandt said:


> Depending on the grade level.. isn't the recommendation for trombones... just don't



It is said that the mark of a gentleman is one who _can_ play the Scottish bagpipes, but doesn't.


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## Lextech

FMEng said:


> I meet weekly with a church music director, a school music teacher, and a university symphony director. The symphony director has delved deeply into the studies and consulted with peers. They are of the opinion that there is no way to do choirs or woodwinds safely. Singing is extremely good at spreading the virus, even with a mask. 6 feet of separation isn't enough, more like 16 feet for singing. Flutists need to be in a room by themselves.
> 
> School openings are risky enough without the additional risk of music, plays, and sports. I can't understand why a district would increase the chances of illness and closure by doing optional activities. Use better judgement, people!



I'm at a University and have students who are senior music majors that need ensemble or conducting credit to graduate so this is not "optional" for us. My faculty have been doing research also and come to place where they and our health and safety people are agreeable to proceed. As for safety, I am the saftey committee member in the venues and I take this very seriously for many reasons, not the least of which is a wife in the at risk category so I really don't want to bring this home. My music venue is new and has the right kind of HVAC to promote the required airflow and exchange. Even with that we have strict time limits in space, rehearsals will be capped at 30 minutes at a time. We are using the entire hall for choir rehearsals, some on stage, some in the house, straight lines, staggered and spaced. As for my other two older venues, plans are still being refined as to how theatre rehearsals and filming will occur. We are not having audiences at concerts or plays, just recording and streaming. I have concerns, as we all do about reopening and having to close again and it's affect on higher ed and our industry in general. Will we be safe, I hope so.


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## kiwitechgirl

There are a couple of studies happening in Colorado around woodwind instruments, and the Royal Opera House orchestra in London is doing some work on it as well. My understanding is that you don’t get much out the end of the instrument - the fewer twists and turns in the instrument, the greater the amount of droplets, so a French horn is going to have a lot less than a clarinet, given the amount of tubing it has. Flutes are obviously a very different story given they way they produce the sound. We’re off until mid-December at the earliest - our winter opera season got cancelled and the spring ballet season too; the ballet company is Melbourne-based so they’re not going anywhere right now! We’re hoping to open our summer season on New Year’s Eve. However, if we have to socially distance the orchestra, we can get 26 players into our pit, which isn’t practical. Looking at whether we can use a bigger studio elsewhere in the building and pipe it through, which we have actually done before. NSW is down to single digit cases daily, and has been for a week or so, which is promising if we can keep it up. 15-20,000 tests being done most days.

There are two commercial musicals scheduled to open in the not too distant future here - Pippin in November and a Frozen in December (should have opened in June); I think they’re walking a very fine line between optimistic and unrealistic.


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## What Rigger?

Annnnnd here come the post-mortem Harley's up for sale- real cheap! Family tragedy forces sale. Make offer. 


https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/20/sturgis-attendee-bar-coronavirus/


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## What Rigger?

@Lextech, I've got some questions and some issues. Help me out? I'm going to use blue below to ask. 



I'm at a University and have students who are senior music majors that need ensemble or conducting credit to graduate so this is not "optional" for us. This already sounds like rationalization. Is the University really telling students they must show up in person during a pandemic, otherwise not graduate? What kind of ridiculous choice is that? "I got intubated, but at least I got a BA!".  My faculty have been doing research (What constitutes "research"? ) also and come to place where they and our health and safety people (how does the latests science and CDC information play into this? Is this simply the University health & safety people?) are agreeable to proceed. As for safety, I am the saftey committee member in the venues and I take this very seriously for many reasons, not the least of which is a wife in the at risk category so I really don't want to bring this home. My music venue is new and has the right kind of HVAC to promote the required airflow and exchange. Even with that we have strict time limits in space, rehearsals will be capped at 30 minutes at a time. We are using the entire hall for choir rehearsals, some on stage, some in the house, straight lines, staggered and spaced. As for my other two older venues, plans are still being refined as to how theatre rehearsals and filming will occur. (In light of Notre Dame having put their hubris on display and shutting down because of the very predictable outbreak, how does this affect your operation now?) We are not having audiences at concerts or plays, just recording and streaming. I have concerns, as we all do about reopening and having to close again and it's affect on higher ed and our industry in general. (Shouldn't the concerns be ONLY on life safety/public health? Why is re-closing and the effect on the industry a concern for your University? Will we be safe, I hope so. This statement is bone chilling. This is literally a shoulder shrug and a "hang onto your butts" response. It is rolling the dice with the safety of someone's child, not to mention your wife. If this was anyone's response to a rigging issue, nothing would go in the air. If you're the safety committee member in your venues, how does your employer justify this laissez-faire approach? I'm asking because I'm seeing this a lot in educational environments: the lip service being paid to safety and used-car salesman believability when promises of "safety first!" are made by administrators, but the actions being taken betray the real objective: get back in here and lets get going because we have to impress our superiors that we did a thing, to hell with teachers, staff and students in reality. You're waist deep in it, can you paint us a bigger, more detailed picture? Thanks in advance!


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## TimMc

I'd been trying to write a response that was balanced and not overly "WTF" in response to Lex's post.

I have several issues (12 issues to a volume!) but let's start with the health and safety of university employees. The Uni has a duty of care to provide a safe workplace. If policy is set, or practices used, that do not comport with CDC/state health guidance I think the Uni will have a hard time getting people to work, and retaliation or threats of retaliation are a direct violation of the OSH Act.

The rest are represented by @What Rigger? post.


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## Lextech

Let me preface this by saying I have been passing on my employers plan for reopening, I am doing this because there are many thoughts on the subject, some well thought out some not so much. My first concern, above all else is the safety of everyone involved. If I thought that this was a bad idea, I would not pass it on. Also this, again, is not my plan, it is something that has been worked out based on guideance from CDC, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the research coming out of the University of Colorado who seem to be the ones collecting the studies as well as Public Health Ontario and one out of Germany. Those are just the ones I have been forwarded, the Music department has done the leg work on this and has more info then they felt nessasary that I have. If people want links, message me, I will share.

No one is being forced to attend anything. A comment was made above that the arts were optional, if it were extraciricular at this level I am sure that like all sports here, they would be cancelled. They are an academic subject with distict challenges as are many other subjects like art studios, science labs and physical education classes. Any student can take classes virtually and any faculty or staff can telecommute if their job allows. So I know a bunch of professors teaching virtually this semester and know of a handful of students doing the same. I have my views on the plans and am trying to keep neutral on this forum, my views are just that, mine and the few comments I have included maybe should not have been posted. My concerns about the effects of reclosing on the industry comment were meant that on this forum and in the entertainment industry in general we are worried about the long term, with no tours out and Broadway dark many people want to go back to work. If any segment of the entertainment industry is found to be a cause of further out breaks then we will be dark for longer. The University could care less about it, I lost a summer season at my other gig, those thoughts are mine alone.

In Virginia all university reopening plans have had to be approved by the Governor's office, he happens to be an MD by the way. My employer has an MD on staff reviewing all classroom plans with the safety office and the facilities people. It has been interesting in my two building feeling the HVAC change as they try and attain the correct air pressure to get the air exchange right. Everyone got tested as they came back to campus, students will be tested weekly. Class schedules have been altered to allow enough time for classroom air to be cycled out before the next class starts. My concert hall that seats 301 has classes in it of less then 40 to space the students out. 

All this leads me to this, we are not a large school and we are in the middle of nowhere. One county over they got their first positive test result in July and we have very few cases in this county. The administration, faculty and staff want this to work and are committed to the plan. Why you ask? Well when we closed up in March they said everyone would be kept on. They paid everyone through their contracts, meaning 9 month employees who normally don't work past the end of May were paid through May. Hell they paid the part time tech employees their average working hours for two and a half months. However, many of us are aware that if the kids go home that will not happen again. If anyone has a chance to make this work it is here. Mask use in mandatory, even when singing. If I thought that the plan was not workable I would not be here.

Lastly @What Rigger? , my "will we be safe" comment is not a shoulder shrug or anything other then a desire that this works. Please don't read anything into it. Like you I would never fly an unsafe rig, I believe that this plan can work, safely, and will do what I can to make it work. Unfortunately, I am afraid that this plan and ones like it are not the weak point in any university plan. The problem will be alcohol and parties. In all of the recent reversals of major universities that I have seen, off campus parties have been linked to the outbreaks.


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## What Rigger?

Roger that!


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## TimMc

@Lextech - what has the outcome been for the theater/music departments? In the more macro sense, going back to campus has been anywhere from kind of rocky to 180° reversals. Have the performing arts done any better?


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## Lextech

We are in session with a combination of in person and online. Most of the online involves personal decisions by faculty not to risk exposure for various reasons or students and staff that have either tested positive or were exposed to someone who tested positive and are isolating. All performances are being taped or streamed. Our theater program is just about done with their fall show taping in the blackbox, now comes a ton of editing. Music has become a 4 recording a week mess, we had to add a significant amount of fixtures to light the venue. Choir is now using the entire hall in a 360° set up to maintain distancing and the instrumental ensembles are using a good portion of the space in front of the stage where we normally have portable seating. Normally top light is LED as is a large chunk of the front. Now we have the fun of adding conventionals and their color tempreatures, angles that don't match and then cameras that even when white balanced can't seem to look the same in post. In my large space the dance floor is going down this week and then we start gearing up for filming. More solos then normal and we will be shooting 2 dances outside as well as some ensemble dances that will be shot one dancer at a time and edited together in post. 

So we are halfway through our semester, we have screwy 12 week semesters, and so far are managing to stay open. They are testing dorm sewer systems daily for covid, testing at risk students twice a week in the main lobby here and are cracking down on parties and other gatherings. We are done with everything by Thanksgiving and are starting back later then normal to allow time for two weeks after the holidays for people to isolate. That's about it, life is not normal but it is happening.


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## TimMc

Thanks, it's good to hear that creative people continue to over-reach our facilities and challenge our curated technical sensibilities. 

Aside from the vicarious living aspect... learning from what you've seen and experienced the first semester would be welcomed. There are others both academic and commercial who are returning to work. Hearing about the work-arounds and other changes to the way we used to do things would be insightful. Perhaps we should start a new topic outside of the Safety forum?


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## Lextech

The biggest takeaway from the semester so far is be prepared to change, often. You can't worry about what you can't control, department chairs have had to explain to faculty that their art is not the highest priority, and teaching is now secondary. Health and safety, at least here, is number one. I am in a strange place since I work with the academic departments but report to the center. I am included in some decisions and left out of others.

As more studies have come out our choir rehearsals and filming in particular have changed. We are now in 30 minute blocks compared to hour rehearsals and 90 minute shows. Theater had the student cast come together and request to be tested before filming started, luckily the university had the infrastructure in place to be able to do that. Dance has had multiple dancers opt out, get sick or exposed or go virtual. I will know how many pieces we actually have when we are done shooting.

If we want to start a new thread I think the Safety Forum or Operations would be the place to host it.


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## What Rigger?

So, let's add on to what Lex reported. 
I completed a Covid Compliance Officer for Music Video, Film, Commercials, and Tv (I think that's the whole title) yesterday. I'm not encouraged by the immediate future. One big takeaway is: being a CCO means showing up before everyone else on the call, and going home after everyone else on the call. If you have familiarity with how TV/Film works, you know that's easily a 15 hour day minimum. 

What extrapolates to the live sphere, I think, is that _everything_ takes longer now. Because you have to stagger lunches, or stagger how many departments/people are in a space at once. Rule of thumb- everything takes 3 times longer now. Ventilation is king. Fans don't cut it. Air sterilizers/purifiers don't cut it. Open windows- not even. 
Masks really are the best thing we've got and they work. So much about the work methods we know are off the table in part or in total for the foreseeable future. I know I'm preaching to the choir. 

I live across the street from Cal State Long Beach. They let about 300 students back into the dorms for this semester. They allowed a total of 3000 students and instructors back, mostly for stuff that "has to" happen in person (labs and such, but there's nobody building sets in the Theatre Arts dept!). They now are in the midst of a 14 day "pause in instruction" becuase they have-surpise-25 cases of Covid in the dorms after about 8 weeks of classes. Who knew? My brother in law is one of the University's VP's and he knew it was going to happen, but the Chancellor is still hell bent to open the campuses state wide in "de-densified" configuration.


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## TimMc

I think I took the same class (linked elsewhere) you did.

I'm teaching a 1 hour "what to expect" class to my IATSE Local's stewards and head carps next weekend. I think they're going to be surprised about the consistency with which compliance is expected, and how much longer things will take. My Local provided local crew to a parking lot "drive in" concert last week so a few of my people got a little taste.


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## soundman

What Rigger? said:


> What extrapolates to the live sphere, I think, is that _everything_ takes longer now. Because you have to stagger lunches, or stagger how many departments/people are in a space at once. Rule of thumb- everything takes 3 times longer now.



So like working at any convention center in America?


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## TimMc

soundman said:


> So like working at any convention center in America?



Well... with no convention work on the horizon, we can say they're well prepared for the eventuality...

McCormick Place in Chicago... twice as long, three times the money. I do not miss it.


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## What Rigger?

soundman said:


> So like working at any convention center in America?


I didn't know you were around at the LA Auto Show in 2002 for my 20 hour day!


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## bobgaggle

Seemed like a good place to post my observation. 

After we've all gotten over Covid, everyone is still going to think they were right. Pro lockdown/interventionist people are going to look back and say it was the right thing to do because look at all the people who didn't die, and pro individual liberty people will say look at infection rates, everyone got it anyway.

My wife and I were wondering what our kids' (oldest is 5) and grand kids' history class is going to say about it in 10 or 40 years. I wonder if, in the future, there will be common consensus about what's happening now, or if everyone will still be bickering


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## jtweigandt

Well.. if it just busts loose... which I expect especially after Thanksgiving (MY family cant give me this right?) infortunately
lots of individuals and families will get to have their own "Chris Christie" moment. As for me.. my staff will remain masked, I will continue
to wear my custom total seal p95 filter unit, and we will hang on as long as we can. Local hospitals here reported this am that the ICU's are
at capacity.. so not a good time to have that heart attack or stroke you were planning on..


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## RonHebbard

bobgaggle said:


> Seemed like a good place to post my observation.
> 
> After we've all gotten over Covid, everyone is still going to think they were right. Pro lockdown/interventionist people are going to look back and say it was the right thing to do because look at all the people who didn't die, and pro individual liberty people will say look at infection rates, everyone got it anyway.
> 
> My wife and I were wondering what our kids' (oldest is 5) and grand kids' history class is going to say about it in 10 or 40 years. I wonder if, in the future, there will be common consensus about what's happening now, or if everyone will still be bickering


 *@bobgaggle* " in 10 or 40 years "
What makes you think they won't still be in lockdown?? 
Toodleoo! 
Ron Hebbard


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## almorton

RonHebbard said:


> *@bobgaggle* " in 10 or 40 years "
> What makes you think they won't still be in lockdown??
> Toodleoo!
> Ron Hebbard



It's a good question. Remember, in some parts of the world, bubonic plague still pops up occasionally. We haven't eradicated it, just suppressed it.


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## jtweigandt

almorton said:


> It's a good question. Remember, in some parts of the world, bubonic plague still pops up occasionally. We haven't eradicated it, just suppressed it.


But plague is easy now... bubonic form mostly carried by a specific flea.. Xenopsila Cheopis on rats.. both are in much smaller supply now. The pneumonic form can be gotten by direct exposure.. But if you are not patient Zero, and they know what they're dealing with.. antibiotics work just dandy against it.


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## almorton

Yes, we understand plague now, so we can quickly control and suppress it. Covid-19 we don't fully understand, yet, and it may be something we get to the bottom of quickly, or it may be a complex long term problem.


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## FMEng

bobgaggle said:


> Seemed like a good place to post my observation.
> 
> After we've all gotten over Covid, everyone is still going to think they were right. Pro lockdown/interventionist people are going to look back and say it was the right thing to do because look at all the people who didn't die, and pro individual liberty people will say look at infection rates, everyone got it anyway.
> 
> My wife and I were wondering what our kids' (oldest is 5) and grand kids' history class is going to say about it in 10 or 40 years. I wonder if, in the future, there will be common consensus about what's happening now, or if everyone will still be bickering


You are right that people will believe what they want. But facts are that states that have been more successful with proactive steps to prevent the spread have had much better statistics than those states that have not. I have followed my county and state data pretty closely, and the action and reaction to every adjustment made by the governor is clear as day. I saw a news article yesterday that said Washington state was in the top five for best outcomes so far. The "no maskers" simply refuse to look at the data and understand what it means.


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## Crisp image

Australia had just 1 new case over night (24hrs). - Still locked down to a point. Some areas more so than others.


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## gary smith

Yes it seems just one state in Australia agrees with Donald!


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## bobgaggle

RonHebbard said:


> *@bobgaggle* " in 10 or 40 years "
> What makes you think they won't still be in lockdown??
> Toodleoo!
> Ron Hebbard



If we're locked down in 10 years, that's more than enough evidence that lock downs don't stop the virus. 


Crisp image said:


> Australia had just 1 new case over night (24hrs). - Still locked down to a point. Some areas more so than others.



1 new case, why are y'all still locked down? what's the end game?


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## TimMc

bobgaggle said:


> If we're locked down in 10 years, that's more than enough evidence that lock downs don't stop the virus.
> 
> 1 new case, why are y'all still locked down? what's the end game?



Compliance with orders would go a long, long way to significantly reducing transmission and infection rates. If we're still doing this a year from now it's because willfully stupid people refuse to understand and accept *biology*.

In Australia, Sydney is resuming most activities (other than mass gatherings) because the transmission and infections rates went down and stayed there. In Melbourne, the opposite occurred and they are greatly restricting public activities.

Bob, it may not fit your political or social views, but, to paraphrase Chef from Southpark "Who'll think of the biology?" This virus doesn't care about red state/blue state, it doesn't care if people are black, white, or purple with green polka dots.... everyone is an equal opportunity host. And in rural areas the disease is overwhelming the small community hospitals. This will not end well, but I expect the Rural Deniers to continue their denial.

I can name 6 people I either know personally or have worked with professionally that have died as a result of this pandemic. Just because someone else is not so directly impacted does not negate the reality.


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## gary smith

Bob the end game here is that we value lives more than money.
Australia has strictly followed our health professionals.
Melbourne is back in lockdown because for a while they followed Donald


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## gary smith

Congratulations to the Kiwis for being able to open their larger theatres.
Hopefully we will not be far behind them.


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## Crisp image

We are now about a week of single numbers with some restrictions lifting (albeit a small amount and city people are not happy) In July France had about the same number of new cases as Melbourne (somewhere in the 5-600 range) and this week France has 15000 new cases and Melbourne is really low. People are mostly doing the right thing so the numbers are down. As a side note we have not had the cold and flu season we normally have because of the social distancing and hand hygiene that has been taken place.


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## almorton

While here in the UK we have crowds gathering in the streets to dance and hug each other before bars and pubs close, and naysayers telling "the sheeple" to stop wearing face nappies (diapers) and stop being dictated to by the man. These are the same people who think 5G causes viral infections and is a form of mind control put in place by Bill Gates and George Soros, that LED streetlights are anti-public "weapons" and hang on every word of the likes of David Icke. I despair.


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## gary smith

I remember from my days as a drinker that pubs are a great source of disinformation. Thankfully now I have Fox news.


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## bobgaggle

almorton said:


> While here in the UK we have crowds gathering in the streets to dance and hug each other before bars and pubs close, and naysayers telling "the sheeple" to stop wearing face nappies (diapers) and stop being dictated to by the man. These are the same people who think 5G causes viral infections and is a form of mind control put in place by Bill Gates and George Soros, that LED streetlights are anti-public "weapons" and hang on every word of the likes of David Icke. I despair.



BIRDS ARENT REAL!!!


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