# Hello All!



## Clark (Feb 24, 2008)

Hello everyone! I randomly stumbled into this forum while doing some googling for a PowerPoint I am making as part of a stage lighting workshop I'm teaching in a week. Excited about all the possibilities of a techie web forum, I decided to join up! 

A little about myself: My name is Alex, and I am currently a 5th year student (on a 6 year "plan") at the University of Minnesota, Morris. I am majoring in: History, International Relations, Social Science, and Secondary Ed (hence 6 years) - and to everyones' continuing surprise I'm not majoring in theatre, since we don't have a technical theatre major here, I suck at acting, and I really don't want to be in college for 7 years . Once I graduate, my plan is ultimately to teach high school. 

I have been working in the University's scene shop and designing shows since I was a freshman, and a few years ago was also asked (begged, practically) to join the University's Office of Student Activities tech crew, which handles set up for all of the traveling shows / performances that come to campus. I specialize in lighting design, though I have experience with most other aspects of technical theatre; currently I am designing lights for Seussical, the musical, which will be my 12th or 13th design for the university ... something like that. Last summer I was also the technical director as well as a lighting and scenic designer for the St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre program that operates on the River Falls campus of the University of Wisconsin. 

Well I think that's about it ... or maybe too much ... 
I look forward to getting to meet all of you!

Clark


----------



## soundlight (Feb 24, 2008)

Welcome aboard! The standard speech: ask and answer questions, use the search function, and don't necropost too often on something that's already been solved and case closed unless you have a new question, because people will answer the original question (that was asked 3 years ago and answered).

Post show pix to the show pix thread! It's always fun to see what other people are doing. Looks like you've already got a good start on this one!


----------



## PadawanGeek (Feb 24, 2008)

Hey Watsup! Welcome to Controlbooth..... this place is very addicting so be careful.

So.... A few things... The search person thing guy at the topish rightish of the screen is kind and friendly. make friends with him and use the search function cause its a FUNction (haha get it? its FUN!) ok, lame pun....

Welcome...


----------



## Clark (Feb 24, 2008)

Ah, yup all the basics. 
I frequent a number of other web forums, most of them airsoft related, so I'm well versed in "don't necro-post" and "use the search god**** it!!!" rules 

soundlight said:


> Post show pix to the show pix thread! It's always fun to see what other people are doing.


Oddly enough ... I just did that ... 

Clark


----------



## gafftaper (Feb 24, 2008)

Welcome to the Booth Clark. There are lots of other college folks like yourself around here. It's great place to hang out and share knowledge, fun stories, and your tech frustrations too. Get involved you'll find it's worth it.


----------



## Van (Feb 25, 2008)

Clark said:


> ... "don't necro-post" ...
> Clark


 
I love it when people Necro-post, sometimes they bring back discussions from years ago that I missed origianly.
Hey, Welcome Aboard! Glad to have you here. All his Tech Expirience will come in handy if you get stuck in one of those high schools where once a year some poor schmuck gets stuck with doing the spring musical.


----------



## Chris15 (Feb 29, 2008)

Welcome aboard...


PadawanGeek said:


> Hey Watsup! Welcome to Controlbooth..... this place is very addicting so be careful.



Charlie, I think "Watsup" has two answers; a] the ceiling and b] your spelling and grammar


PadawanGeek said:


> So.... A few things... The search person thing guy at the topish rightish of the screen is kind and friendly. make friends with him and use the search function cause its a FUNction (haha get it? its FUN!) ok, lame pun....



On what basis do you make the summation that the search is male?


----------



## Spikesgirl (Mar 3, 2008)

Welcome aboard, Clark. I'm new too and eventually will figure out where everything is. It's not the first board I've belonged to, it's just different...


Isn't it funny how people just don't get that you don't want to be an actor? they just assume that if you're in the theater, you want to be on stage. Never could figure that out since all the cool jobs are backstage (or in the booth). 

The nice thing about theater is that you don't have to have a degree to become very good at it and make a lot of money in the process. I landed my first paying job years before getting a tech degree. To be honest, with the exception of being 'papered', the degree hasn't really helped one bit. People want to see what's on your resume, not what you took for classes.

To that end, good luck with your career in high school - man, that is where we need good techs and teachers because that's where many get their first taste of theater. I have nothing but the highest regard for anyone to take on high schoolers! You will be in a position to seriously change lives.

(the other) Charlie


----------



## gafftaper (Mar 5, 2008)

Hey Clark I never commented on the teaching part. I spent 5 years in a high school classroom, four as a drama teacher. It was a lot of fun and an insane amount of work. I've been lucky enough to move on to stay at home dad and part time college tech guy... now becoming full time college tech guy. It was some of the most rewarding years of my life. It's been 4 1/2 years since I left it and I still get together with my old tech crew students at least once a year. I miss it and I miss seeing "my kids", but at the same time I'm now off on exciting new adventure in college theater. 

Go for it my friend and if you ever need any teaching advice you know where to find me. Here's a free one to get you started... Don't do Wizard of Oz as your first high school musical.


----------



## avkid (Mar 5, 2008)

Clark said:


> "don't necro-post"


You must have missed the bulletin about that term.


----------



## Hughesie (Mar 13, 2008)

avkid said:


> You must have missed the bulletin about that term.



Careful all, he is serious

i have seen that come out before


----------



## gafftaper (Mar 13, 2008)

He opens it then throws a hissy fit. It's not a pretty sight at all.


----------



## avkid (Mar 13, 2008)

gafftaper said:


> He opens it then throws a hissy fit. It's not a pretty sight at all.


So don't provoke me.


----------

