# If you could change one thing about your theatre...



## lieperjp (Dec 27, 2008)

What would it be?

For me, it would be more backstage area (both vertical space and depth) for scenery and a fly system.


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## beachcombah15 (Dec 27, 2008)

I would do the exact same, more depth and height for more fly space than just our electrics and teasers...


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## cprted (Dec 27, 2008)

I'd like a 1st FoH LX that was useful for something. It's 2' down and 5' above the pros.


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## Cheever (Dec 27, 2008)

Oh God. Where do I start?
I guess it would be the ability to control the houselights from the light desk.
More storage space would be nice too.


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## thommyboy (Dec 27, 2008)

Two words...More power. I have no 220v and in a 900 seat house I have 89 working dimmers.


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## Van (Dec 27, 2008)

First I would want a real shop. Preferably off site. Then we can move on to Loading doors......


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## rochem (Dec 27, 2008)

So hard to choose just one. But if I had to, I'd say to cut our apron down to normal size. A number of years ago, a past director built a 10' extension onto the apron cutting out into the pit space, so now it's nearly impossible to provide back or side light downstage, and the angle from the FOH pipe is extremely high and difficult to hit. Take it back down to a normal 4' off the proscenium and I will be reasonably content.


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## slimrocktwo (Dec 27, 2008)

I would have setup the sound system in stereo, instead of current mono setup.


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## seanandkate (Dec 27, 2008)

I'd add another 10' of height to my studio space. Getting an nice even wash with a 10' throw (insert slow whistful headshake here) . . .


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## Clifford (Dec 28, 2008)

...it would still be a pile.

I'm not sure whether I'd want a fly system or new dimmers or a shop or a new sound system or better FOH lighting positions or more working fixtures or screw drivers or a hammer or working cordless drills or a locking booth window or the 9 mics we've had stolen or more circuits or a real cyc or real house seats or house lights or a proscenium arch that wasn't reflective laminated wood.


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## willbb123 (Dec 28, 2008)

I'd want a more storage space. To get our 2 stacks of chairs off the stage we have to get our spansets out and lift them out with a chain lift. We have two half cats that we store everything on, they are about 6 to 8 feet off the deck


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## theatretechguy (Dec 28, 2008)

I want a fly system (and of course, more backstage space). We have a bunch of new equipment (choral risers, platform risers and chairs) and it takes up most of the backstage area, even when it's perfectly organized... (Don't get me started how the music department never puts their stuff away properly!)


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## lieperjp (Dec 28, 2008)

Cheever said:


> Oh God. Where do I start?
> I guess it would be the ability to control the houselights from the light desk.
> More storage space would be nice too.



Oh! Me too! I'd take that after more backstage space. I'd even settle for the house lights not to be CFLs and on zoned dimmers!!!


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## TheDonkey (Dec 28, 2008)

I want a real, cased in booth(Cut in 2, with an open end for sound)

Second, lowerable electrics would be nice, especially the FOH bars, they're suicide to get to(literally)


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## What Rigger? (Dec 28, 2008)

It's hot here in the summer, cold n' rainy right now. I want: A ROOF!


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## rochem (Dec 28, 2008)

TheDonkey said:


> Second, lowerable electrics would be nice, especially the FOH bars, they're suicide to get to(literally)



Entirely agree. Actually, I think I'll change my answer to this. Our FOH pipe is literally a death trap - it's around 20 feet off the ground, and you can just barely reach the pipe from the top. To get to it, you need to set up a rickety ladder on the backs of seats and climb up. Makes concentrating on a good focus almost impossible.


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## TheDonkey (Dec 28, 2008)

rochem said:


> Entirely agree. Actually, I think I'll change my answer to this. Our FOH pipe is literally a death trap - it's around 20 feet off the ground, and you can just barely reach the pipe from the top. To get to it, you need to set up a rickety ladder on the backs of seats and climb up. Makes concentrating on a good focus almost impossible.



Our ladder is like 50 years old, and when raised like 5 degrees off vertical, it's only got a 2 inch tail on the actual FOH bar...


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## midgetgreen11 (Dec 29, 2008)

thommyboy said:


> Two words...More power. I have no 220v and in a 900 seat house I have 89 working dimmers.




Wow there soldier, I have 48 working dimmers in an 850 seat house.


I think my first choice of thing to change my auditorium would be to err- make it into a.... _theatre?_


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## 1kfresnel (Dec 29, 2008)

theatretechguy said:


> We have a bunch of new equipment (choral risers, platform risers and chairs) and it takes up most of the backstage area, even when it's perfectly organized... (Don't get me started how the music department never puts their stuff away properly!)



I hear ya! With the staffing changes and growing size of our music department, it has become unbearable. They have an entire "instrument storage" wing added on just a couple years ago, so why is my stage littered with a baby grand piano, cellos, etc.?

It's not so much the new stuff, but the old junk we don't have the authority to remove (broken instrument cases, etc). I've petitioned the administration of the building several times. I think I might resort to hiding this junk in the trap room for a few months, and making it disappear when its been missing without question. It's stuff that's been untouched for the better part of a decade.

Back in 2002 the fire marshall made us clear out the trap room...with about 30 years of goods in it. Interesting find -- a cast iron copy machine that predated the mimeograph, it might have been a hectograph. Either way, it's almost as if the stage was built over it because it took a grand effort to remove.

So in summary... I would like to see more storage space, with an area to establish a shop (its unfortunate we're not permitted to use the wood shop down the hall).


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## zuixro (Dec 30, 2008)

We have three spaces on campus here, two proscenium spaces and one blackbox (we call it the matchbox, it's so small). One of the pros spaces has a 25 foot apron, the other 16 foot. I'd move the proscenium way downstage on both of those. As for the matchbox? Higher ceiling. Right now it's barely at 10 feet.


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## tech2000 (Dec 30, 2008)

I would like to have working worklights for the stage so our music directors don't always turn on our lights on the light board for class use. The classes use the stage three periods every day.
(Storage for the chairs/stands is always welcome!)


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## wfor (Dec 30, 2008)

Flys or at least lowerable electrics would solve pretty much all problems here. And then maybe all of our legs, borders, and travs wouldn't be screwed into nothing but drywall. Or perhaps an FOH rail...

Yea- FOH Catwalk.


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## Eboy87 (Dec 30, 2008)

Let's see, from where I usually work at my old high school: an upgraded sound system. To break it down:

1. FOH position in the house
2. Proper DSP driving it. Something I can control remotely.
3. Both of my subwoofers actually working
4. Changing the Hubbel connectors that are our speaker connections to NL4.
5. Mic inputs on stage that actually make sense location-wise
6. A handset and blazer for sound's ClearCom
7. An M7-32

That's my pet project, since the company that did our install folded.


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## rwhealey (Dec 31, 2008)

Eboy87 said:


> Let's see, from where I usually work at my old high
> 4. Changing the Hubbel connectors that are our speaker connections to NL4.



I feel your pain. I thought we were the only place left on the planet with those monsters!

My NL4s are in a purchase order being sent in after Christmas break.

So close...


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## Eboy87 (Dec 31, 2008)

So you guys had those freakin' horse ***** too? I've got one stuck in the speaker patch panel, and I need one extra patch for the design for a show I'm gonna do in there. I'm really wishing we had NL4. You wouldn't happen to have a part # for those Hubbels, do you?


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## terminalvelocity16 (Jan 3, 2009)

I want more stage wing space, with side doors that I can actually fit sets through, and a full run on the fly system.


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## WestlakeTech (Jan 4, 2009)

Black Box: either the catwalk or make the shop bigger.

FAF/PAC: probably bigger wings, but I wouldn't argue w/a few more line sets either.


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## mbenonis (Jan 4, 2009)

I think the number one thing I'd like in our space is more sound cabling from FOH to the stage and to the booth. FOH was moved to the house a number of years back and the cabling is just terrible.


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## DaveySimps (Jan 4, 2009)

More wing space would be great. A close second is more storage on site.

~Dave


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## Grog12 (Jan 5, 2009)

I'd like it not to be attached to a charter school and a cult full of dentists for one.


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## Eboy87 (Jan 5, 2009)

Grog12 said:


> I'd like it not to be attached to a charter school and a cult full of dentists for one.



Ouch. That's just cruel and unusual.


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## theatretechguy (Jan 5, 2009)

1kfresnel said:


> I hear ya! With the staffing changes and growing size of our music department, it has become unbearable. They have an entire "instrument storage" wing added on just a couple years ago, so why is my stage littered with a baby grand piano, cellos, etc.?



They do have their own music building, and usually "take over" much of the choir room as well. However, on just offstage I have the following instruments, all year-round: Grand Piano, 2 xylophones, 4 timpani, a large gong, 2 bass drums, various snare drums on stands and other percussion. 

What has really complicated things is that they're building a new library/media center in back of the theatre. My back doors lead into a construction zone, and are therefore, off limits. It is now a good "hike" around the construction zone to the music and choir rooms. <sigh> They are already asking for more space in the theatre for storage.... :ulls hair out::


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## Spader (Jan 13, 2009)

I guess the first thing that I would change about our theatre is funding. Being funded by our city doesn't work to our advantage. All of our mics are dying, we're running out of gels and other accessories, etc.


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## Grog12 (Jan 29, 2009)

Grog12 said:


> I'd like it not to be attached to a charter school and a cult full of dentists for one.



Got half my wish today!!!! The cult of dentists is gone!

WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


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## bri4827 (Jan 30, 2009)

I wish the sound shells would magically disappear... they're 24' and whoever installed a sprung floor to wheel them around on was real bright


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## cdub260 (Jan 30, 2009)

I'm in the process of changing one thing about my theatre.

I'm upgrading our backstage worklights from 300 watt incandescent drop lights


to high bay fluorescent fixtures. I opted for 6 lamp fixtures with 4 of the lamps set up as worklights, and the other two gelled blue for running lights. With the old lights, coverage was spotty at best and never at an acceptable worklight level. Portions of the back stage, specifically the down stage wings were never lit by the old fixtures.

I have the worklight portion up and running, and the improvement to the overall light level is incredible. Now I'm working on the controls for the work lights. For the last 60 or so years, they've been controlled via a breaker panel located up stage left which in turn has been controlled by a relay with a single control switch located down stage left. Whether switching breakers or throwing the relay switch, whoever was turning the works on at the beginning of the day or off at the end had to walk through a darkened stage either before turning them on or after turning them off. With the new control set-up there will be a bank of switches where our staff first enters the stage portion of the building with a second master switch for the relay and a series of switches allowing individual control over the worklights and/or running lights in different portions of the backstage area. For instance, up stage left works, or down stage right running lights.

While the primary improvements are in intensity and control over worklights and running lights, there will also be a reduction in our energy usage. I've replaced 3, 300 watt incandescent fixtures with 5 T-8 fluorescent fixtures. That's 128 watts per fixture under worklight conditions and 64 watts per fixture as running lights. Now instead of using 900 watts, our backstage works use 640 watts while at the same time providing more light. I've never really been a great fan of fluorescent lighting, but I'm really impressed at how much of an improvement these fixtures are. Another benefit to taking on this project is that it has allowed me to get some practice in on some of my less used electrical skills, such as bending and running conduit. Adding the two additional fixtures required the addition of two new 40 ft. conduit runs. Also, I had to mount one of the fixtures below the overhead rigging of our fly system. It took a little bit of research on my part to figure out the best way of doing that safely.

All told it's been a great project which I hope to finish within the next week.


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## renegadeblack (Jan 31, 2009)

Clifford said:


> locking booth window



I don't know what type of windows you have, but we have sliding windows. We bought showcase window locks for our booth. Granted the school hasn't reimbursed us the $30 for the 3 locks, we atleast now have a securable booth (before, they locked the door to the booth and people would climb in through the windows, now we locked the windows and they leave the door unlocked!)

cdub60:

I would love to get some of those aswell! I have the same worklights as you and they constantly burn out and fluorescents would solve that problem to some degree.

As for my pipe dream desire?

A cat walk! I would pee my pants if we were to get a catwalk! Oh, and if all my dimmers worked...


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## jeffmoss26 (Jan 31, 2009)

Well let's see...a new floor for the auditorium would be great, seeing as they redid the rest of the room already but didn't have enough money for the floor.
Then...
New wiring to our high ceiling bar
New dimming system for our 24 circuits of stage lighting
New light board
A new building


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## kiwitechgirl (Jan 31, 2009)

The ability to fly. I can cope with the complete lack of wingspace, because we have a decent scenery dock on one side; I can deal with the extreme shallowness of our stage (because I'm not the designer and don't have to cope with it!). However, if we could fly, then so many of my problems would go away. I'm sick of having 17 different scenery tracks in the roof and a veritable forest of ropes to control them all. I don't mind having to rig lights off the scaff tower, a fixed grid has its advantages, but the lack of flying is a PITA. I'd also like some more dressing room space, and cleaners that don't throw away my props, thinking that they're rubbish.


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## renegadeblack (Jan 31, 2009)

kiwitechgirl said:


> The ability to fly. I can cope with the complete lack of wingspace, because we have a decent scenery dock on one side; I can deal with the extreme shallowness of our stage (because I'm not the designer and don't have to cope with it!). However, if we could fly, then so many of my problems would go away. I'm sick of having 17 different scenery tracks in the roof and a veritable forest of ropes to control them all. I don't mind having to rig lights off the scaff tower, a fixed grid has its advantages, but the lack of flying is a PITA. I'd also like some more dressing room space, and cleaners that don't throw away my props, thinking that they're rubbish.



No joke, read that and thought fly as in whoosh and up you go.


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## cdub260 (Feb 1, 2009)

renegadeblack said:


> cdub260:
> 
> I would love to get some of those as well! I have the same worklights as you and they constantly burn out and fluorescents would solve that problem to some degree.



Actually, I was surprised that I was given the go-ahead to do this project. Those high bay fluorescents aren't exactly cheap, but to get the same coverage I'm getting with 5 high bays would have taken 14 standard fluorescent fixtures, and the install would have been far more labor intensive. I would probably have needed two to three times the amount of time to do the install if I had chosen that route.


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## renegadeblack (Feb 1, 2009)

cdub260 said:


> Actually, I was surprised that I was given the go-ahead to do this project. Those high bay fluorescents aren't exactly cheap, but to get the same coverage I'm getting with 5 high bays would have taken 14 standard fluorescent fixtures, and the install would have been far more labor intensive. I would probably have needed two to three times the amount of time to do the install if I had chosen that route.



I suspect that I could convince the school to get some of those installed. As I mentioned before, they're replacing all of the house lights with LEDs for sake of energy efficiency as well as the fact that the lamps don't have to be replaced nearly as often. They also recently installed some high bay flourescents in our gym so they probably know the benefits of them. So I'm hopeful that it won't even come out of our budget! 

The other thing that I'm wondering is if you mount them directly on the ceiling or if they get hung down a ways.


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## cdub260 (Feb 2, 2009)

renegadeblack said:


> The other thing that I'm wondering is if you mount them directly on the ceiling or if they get hung down a ways.



The fixtures I'm installing can be mounted direct to the ceiling or suspended. Either way works just fine.


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## cisgrig (Feb 2, 2009)

I would like 6 mic feeds for aerials and to move our sound board from a closed in booth into the auditorium so the sound man can actually hear without hanging out a window. Hey, after reading what some of ya’ll are working against, I’m happy.


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## coldfire (Feb 3, 2009)

After reading all this, Im actually satisfied with the recent, and upcoming improvements in our auditorium. We're getting a new sound system, and, from my understanding, an extended stage. All in all, though... catwalks would be VERY nice... I wouldnt mind some acoustic treatment. A booth expansion would be great, too. A scene shop would be WONDERFUL, especially if it allowed more storage for all of our CRAP wood...

CF


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## cdub260 (Feb 3, 2009)

coldfire said:


> ...catwalks would be VERY nice...



Ooh, catwalks.

I wish we had one.

Of course, more fly space would be nice too.


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## SteveB (Feb 4, 2009)

More lighting Cat5 taps. 

I had read that you need to install a lot and then install more, but money ran out and sometimes I wish I had them all over the place.

SB


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## rchu3149 (Feb 4, 2009)

My HS main stage - Even though it was only built 7 years ago, a lot of the circuits don't work... I'd overhaul the electrics system (including new fixtures and board)

My HS "Little Theatre" - It'd old as all get out. I'd probably add a fly. Right now its dead-hung.

My main theatre at work - (It's a thirty year old +900 seat theatre) I would....hmm...... Demolish and rebuild from the ground up....


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## renegadeblack (Feb 4, 2009)

rchu3149 said:


> My HS main stage - Even though it was only built 7 years ago, a lot of the circuits don't work... I'd overhaul the electrics system (including new fixtures and board)
> 
> My HS "Little Theatre" - It'd old as all get out. I'd probably add a fly. Right now its dead-hung.
> 
> My main theatre at work - (It's a thirty year old +900 seat theatre) I would....hmm...... Demolish and rebuild from the ground up....



I mean, what makes the circuits break ?!?!?! I have like 6 circuits in a row that are dead and I think an entire batten may be dead on stage


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## futurecm21 (Feb 20, 2009)

*If I could add anything...*

well of all the theaters I work at/with (there are 4 or more if you can't multiple stages in one building) Only one of them has a counterweight system.

In one of the smaller theaters their is a booth big enough for both the light board and the sound system but for some reason the sound board operator is forced to sit in the back of the house, in full view and earshot of the entire audience and cast instead of being in the booth where I was raised to believe they should be. I realize that's really just a pet peeve of mine but given the chance I would change it.


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## avkid (Feb 21, 2009)

*Re: If I could add anything...*


futurecm21 said:


> In one of the smaller theaters their is a booth big enough for both the light board and the sound system but for some reason the sound board operator is forced to sit in the back of the house, in full view and earshot of the entire audience and cast instead of being in the booth where I was raised to believe they should be. I realize that's really just a pet peeve of mine but given the chance I would change it.


We're you raised by a promoter or an accountant?


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## rwhealey (Feb 22, 2009)

*Re: If I could add anything...*


futurecm21 said:


> In one of the smaller theaters their is a booth big enough for both the light board and the sound system but for some reason the sound board operator is forced to sit in the back of the house, in full view and earshot of the entire audience and cast instead of being in the booth where I was raised to believe they should be. I realize that's really just a pet peeve of mine but given the chance I would change it.



Are you, by any chance, not a sound tech?


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## Eboy87 (Feb 22, 2009)

*Re: If I could add anything...*


futurecm21 said:


> well of all the theaters I work at/with (there are 4 or more if you can't multiple stages in one building) Only one of them has a counterweight system.
> 
> In one of the smaller theaters their is a booth big enough for both the light board and the sound system but for some reason the sound board operator is forced to sit in the back of the house, in full view and earshot of the entire audience and cast instead of being in the booth where I was raised to believe they should be. I realize that's really just a pet peeve of mine but given the chance I would change it.



I can think of quite a few rebuttals to that statement sir. Keep this in mind; lights only needs to see what the audience sees. Sound needs to _hear_ what the audience hears.


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## museav (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: If I could add anything...*


futurecm21 said:


> In one of the smaller theaters their is a booth big enough for both the light board and the sound system but for some reason the sound board operator is forced to sit in the back of the house, in full view and earshot of the entire audience and cast instead of being in the booth where I was raised to believe they should be. I realize that's really just a pet peeve of mine but given the chance I would change it.


Just out of curiosity, I understand the issue with the audience hearing the sound tech but doesn't it make sense that the sound tech hears what the audience hears? Shove them back in a booth and they end up mixing for themselves rather than for the audience.

Perfect example, running sound for a band at a venue where they had 'renovated' the sound system including moving the mix position from the middle of the house to back under the balcony (this is a concert space, no fixed seating on the main floor only open floor). Partway through the performance I notice someone walking up from the stage and lookign right at me. He starts with a scowl on his face, but as he gets closer the look changes, including stopping a couple of times with a puzzled look. He finally gets back to me and says "I was coming here to complain about the sound but it sounds really good back here." Having mixed in that same venue before I had simply not considered how the new mix position was affected by the balcony and being so much further from the stage, and thus less affected by the stage levels, essentially mixing in a position that represented what very few of the audience, and probably no one who really cared, actually heard. That lesson stuck with me ever since. A great mix is only a great mix if it is what the audience hears.


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## futurecm21 (Feb 26, 2009)

ha ha ha ha 

I am missing something on the whole accountant joke, _but _ no I am deffinately not a sound technician.

And I realize this is why sound and lighting are preferably at separate locations in theatres. 

I have just noticed that sitting right in front of the board operator can be sometimes very distracting. And since this theatre is small enough that microphones are never used, just sound effects, I feel like I could run sound for a show comfortably if I have set levels, and a monitor that tells me its working.

I'm not gonna disagree with anyone, cause sound is deffinately not my area of expertise, but I know its done allot that once rehearsals and tech runs are over sound control can be run from a booth or enclosed location, so again I guess I don't really know


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## avkid (Feb 26, 2009)

futurecm21 said:


> I am missing something on the whole accountant joke,


 Producers and accountants like to sell every seat possible to make more money.


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## Elusid (Mar 4, 2009)

I would love to replace all of our FOH lights with Source 4's. Right now they're a bunch of 20+ year old Altman 6x12 / 6X16's and they focus like crap.


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## MikeyHP (Mar 4, 2009)

I would want a bigger house. My school serves over 2500 students, yet our PAC can only host 310!!! I would be nice to fit the SENIOR (Im a Senior) class in there instead of having to cram us in the JV Gym for meetings


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