# Not my theater, thankfully, but I saw this and had to share.



## marshmolly123 (Jan 7, 2010)

A truly horrifying clip of a high school performance of Peter Pan. After the first disaster, you don't expect the second one. I have no idea what these people were thinking.


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_kx3byv8ow[/media]


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## GrayeKnight (Jan 7, 2010)

I don't have any words for that video... So many things went down that never should have happened. Without addressing the fact that an actor flew into a set piece and the audience cheers and the actor dances.

At that point, its time to take a break and recuperate, or stop the show for the night. Especially in a high school setting, I know i would be immediately talking to my director. There are more opportunities for mishaps after peoples nerves have been shaken around a bit. (I'm sure I'm just preaching to the choir here, but still.)


And wow, just wow. Haha.


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## Les (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh my... High School Theatre at its best right there. Since no one was hurt I can say this with a clear conscience, but man that was funny. This is why I prefer to Design Lights and be in the audience during the show or comfortably seated behind the light board.


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## gcpsoundlight (Jan 7, 2010)

That video just left me speechless! I've been in the staging crew for shows were things have fallen over, but not on stage, and not nearly that bigger piece (the worst we had was a ramp 2m Lx750mmWx500h). Les, I agree with you, behind the board is the best!


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## zuixro (Jan 7, 2010)

Yeah I couldn't believe that person with the baby just let it keep crying like that...

And the spots weren't that great either...


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## GrayeKnight (Jan 7, 2010)

Hahah. First thing i noticed, and i actually missed the set piece falling over the first time i watched it because i was still trying to figure out just how it was possible to move the spot as much as they were.


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## Les (Jan 7, 2010)

Another question:

Who decided that the proper response to something like this was to go to black? I mean come on. You're not fooling anybody. Everyone saw it fall over. They'd might as well see you stand it back up again. At least they closed the drape, but it happened much too late, IMO.

Also, I too thought the spots were bad -- and extremely pointless. I absolutely loathe overused followspots.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Jan 7, 2010)

This is why we would never attempt to fly someone at our theater 

How do you forget to take a fly line off you and put it on someone else? o_0

And set falling could of been avoided by better front supports. But the sets did look great. 
I like their curtain 

The funniest thing by far that has ever happened in one of our shows was last year in Bed Side Manor. It's about a hospital, and an old lady pretty much, is sleeping our passed out, then randomly comes out and screams something sometimes. Well, one of the time she does, she goes back up on a little platform and jumps on her bed and is supposed to be crying because she didn't get something, but as she jumped on the bed the mattress fell off the bed and she tumbles to the floor, was very low and it was Hilarius, it knocked over her IV drip holder thing, a heart rate machines and almost the other bed. Two nurses came out and fixed everything while helping the 'old lady'. It was great


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## shiben (Jan 8, 2010)

Actually, by the time the guy got dragged all over the place i was laughing, then I stopped because of the fly issue, then i started again. The spotlights were SO BAD!. Especially since they didnt really move much, an ERS would have been a better choice. Also, the set piece falling and the awkward response made me laugh very hard as well.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 8, 2010)

we've had one misshap while i've been at my high school and it involved a cart wheel falling off (luckily no one was on it or supposed to be and it came at the most oportune time, Fiddler ending sequence when the family leaves) actors played it off really well, but i know that if something in our theater that big fell, immediate black out, then house lights up as the Director walks on stage and says the show is having technical difficulties as well as stating that they can get their money back in the foyer. Shows at my high school will stop if something like that happens.


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## shiben (Jan 8, 2010)

DuckJordan said:


> we've had one misshap while i've been at my high school and it involved a cart wheel falling off (luckily no one was on it or supposed to be and it came at the most oportune time, Fiddler ending sequence when the family leaves) actors played it off really well, but i know that if something in our theater that big fell, immediate black out, then house lights up as the Director walks on stage and says the show is having technical difficulties as well as stating that they can get their money back in the foyer. Shows at my high school will stop if something like that happens.



Really? I know people who would pay extra for things like that to go wrong.

Edit: Just realized you were referring to the set piece, not the cart. FML.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 8, 2010)

lol i was gonna say a house falling over? really? maybe we should do more of that lol, also i should try to write with more clarification.


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## GrayeKnight (Jan 8, 2010)

shiben said:


> Actually, by the time the guy got dragged all over the place i was laughing, then I stopped because of the fly issue, then i started again. The spotlights were SO BAD!. Especially since they didnt really move much, an ERS would have been a better choice. Also, the set piece falling and the awkward response made me laugh very hard as well.



Don't you love awkward techie response?

Especially since they weren't in blacks... I don't allow jeans or sweatshirts for that reason.


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## dcollins (Jan 8, 2010)

WHY would you go black? That is the least helpful thing you can possibly do. Except maybe to jerk the spots back and forth as much as possible.


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## zuixro (Jan 8, 2010)

Maybe the spots were laughing? Still though.


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## masterelectrician2112 (Jan 8, 2010)

I did Peter Pan at an outdoor community theatre, and on opening night, the windows into the room wouldn't open on one side (not my side, mind you). The SM didn't it, the person opening the other side of the window didn't see it, and nobody but Pan saw it and the fly cue was given. So Pan flies straight into the closed window. We all hear over the sound system a long stream of words that I will not repeat, we reset, try it again, and it goes as planned that time. The actress left a dent in our window. She happened to be the wife of the director, so the director is pissed! He comes backstage and starts yelling at us, and the rest of the show goes off without a hitch. The reason it slipped under so many people's radar was the design of the stage and the fact that the area that Pan flies in from is engulfed in fog for that sequence. The entire rest of all the shows went off without a hitch unless you count a couple being rained out...That's outdoor theater for ya.


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## edmedmoped (Jan 8, 2010)

zuixro said:


> Yeah I couldn't believe that person with the baby just let it keep crying like that...
> 
> And the spots weren't that great either...


I swear I could hear one of the irises being pulled down as well.


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## Tmeche (Jan 8, 2010)

Wow . . . The set was cute . . . until it came crashing down. My question is why would you not anchor such an obviously top heavy piece to the deck, or atleast sandbag it to an extreme. This does beg the question how do you cover something like that I mean really, drop the main take an intermission, reset and try again, and as far as the fly line is concerned where is the asm or deckhand that is supposed to check the hand off, no offence to preformers but I would never trust one with there own saftey they have too much in there heads already trying to maintain a character. I have to say that it was one of the better youtube videos I've seen in a long time.


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## DuckJordan (Jan 8, 2010)

although i do have another question, why was this being recorded?


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## willbb123 (Jan 8, 2010)

DuckJordan said:


> although i do have another question, why was this being recorded?



Its a highschool production, probably one of the parents recorded it.


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## Edrick (Jan 15, 2010)

Looks to me like it was a HS kid that recorded it and the girl (who flew) is the one who uploaded it. What's with the audience even before the set piece fell they were loud as hell. Love the curtain guy seemed a bit confused. Pretty sure the spot operator was a bit out of it.


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## epimetheus (Jan 15, 2010)

This made it on Letterman last night. I forget the specifics of the joke though.


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## edmedmoped (Jan 15, 2010)

It's only on the second time when I realised quite how bad the followspotting is...


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## Van (Jan 15, 2010)

Folks, While I will agree that there's humor here, This video is exactly what we here at CB are trying put an end to. The folks in this should be glad nobody died. 
Instead of pointing out the hilarity of bad followspot operation, let's try concentrating on; WTH happened, How it could have been avoided, Who should be responsible for these issues. I realize the Wil E Coyote factor, nobody seemed to be seriously hurt, but you don't see me strapping rocket skates to my feet do you ?

Alright I'm done yellin'


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## museav (Jan 15, 2010)

Sometimes it is a very fine line between being on Funniest Home Videos and being the lead disaster story on the news. And that difference is often simply chance. This could have quite easily been a very different outcome. So while it is okay to enjoy the humor, it is also important to learn from it as the next time it may be you and the outcome may not be as humorous.


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## gafftaper (Jan 16, 2010)

museav said:


> Sometimes it is a very fine line between being on Funniest Home Videos and being the lead disaster story on the news.



What if someone was in front of that wall when it came crashing down? 

What if that girl who comes flying on ran into something solid? 

The video *IS* funny, but only because no one got hurt. When you are done laughing, consider it a lesson about what happens when you don't secure set pieces correctly and when flying is not done by Pros.


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## TheLightmaster (Jan 30, 2010)

Les said:


> Another question:
> Also, I too thought the spots were bad -- and extremely pointless. I absolutely loathe overused followspots.


I definately agree!!


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## chrispo86 (Jan 31, 2010)

So I watched this video on here when it was first posted and I just shook my head in disgrace at this school for allowing it to happen. Then I saw it in this past Friday's newspaper discussing how this video has become a "smash hit" on YouTube. Turns out it was a high school that's in my county about 30 miles from me (just to clarify, I have no connection to this school district). I figured I'd attach the article. I'm still pretty speechless...


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## theatre4jc (Feb 1, 2010)

Wow that article....Student and Adult volunteers flying people?!?!?!?! Oh my! I was only stupid enough to fly someone one time and that was in college under extremely close professional supervision and was only allowed as a learning experience. After the show I decided, never again will I be responsible for flying someone. And we had no issues. I was just freaked out by it. 

But seeing this was volunteers that only pulled the wrong line leads me to assume it was just pulleys in the ceiling as I doubt there was a fly system. That the school allowed that is scary all get out. Why do people think anything that involves the words volunteers and flying would be a good, safe idea??


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## chrispo86 (Feb 1, 2010)

Ugh... now it's being highlighted on ABCnews.com:

HS Play Sends Kids Literally Flying - ABC News

I'm really afraid that all the publicity is going to turn into "Hey, look what they did! They had a good idea but poor execution. I bet we could do it better..."

I pray that people aren't that stupid though...


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## GrayeKnight (Feb 1, 2010)

"Members of the production said mistakes happen and are probably trying to laugh it off. Kids probably had a good time though."

I can't believe that's what the reporter said. Crazy.


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## shiben (Feb 2, 2010)

Think about it though. you know what can happen, but your average person does not. they see the entire thing as a fun adventure. same with cars, someone with the NTSB sees even a high speed road as a super huge safety risk, but most of us dont see going 20 over as even an issue, and travel on them every day, usually going well over the speed limit. Its still wrong and still dangerous, but its definitely not something we think about daily, and even something we do without even thinking. I feel like flying in theatre can be similar. the flying sequence in Wicked got me into technical theatre, and im sure a lot of other people see that and go, well, that looks fairly easy to replicate, and would be sweet for our next HS production. Also, as a younger person, I tend to feel like close calls are "fun" rather than "holy s*** must avoid that at all costs". Its the same feeling i get while doing a 150' free rappel at high speed, or riding a roller coster. The problem comes when we fail to control risk (in this case, controlling risk is hiring FOY or another reputable rigger to do this type of thing), but for a kid, its exciting.


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## chris325 (Feb 2, 2010)

theatre4jc said:


> But seeing this was volunteers that only pulled the wrong line leads me to assume it was just pulleys in the ceiling as I doubt there was a fly system.



Hmm... does the nativity play from Simon Birch ring any bells?


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## masterelectrician2112 (Feb 2, 2010)

theatre4jc said:


> Why do people think anything that involves the words volunteers and flying would be a good, safe idea??


 
Honestly, I don't think that the volunteers are the problem. The problem is that they decided that they couldn't afford or didn't need pros and attempted this by themselves. The effect can be executed by volunteers with proper training and equipment from Foy, ZFX, or another company. When my outdoor community theater did Peter Pan, we hired ZFX to set up the equipment and train volunteers in the use of it. Also, the failure of the set is the result of a lack of someone who knows how to build a set, not the volunteers. Some of those students/volunteers probably had never built a set in their lives. Volunteers are what keeps high school and community theatre running. I believe that this catastrophe was not caused by volunteers, but it should serve as a warning to everyone who thinks that they can replicate that sequence.


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## Tex (Feb 14, 2010)

masterelectrician2112 said:


> . Also, the failure of the set is the result of a lack of someone who knows how to build a set, not the volunteers.


I have to disagree. The failure of the set is the result of someone not paying attention to basic, everyday physics. That set is top heavy and simply needed a few screws into the floor or a couple hundred pounds of stage weights. It's not rocket science, or even scene design for that matter...


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## What Rigger? (Feb 15, 2010)

masterelectrician2112 said:


> Honestly, I don't think that the volunteers are the problem. The problem is that they decided that they couldn't afford or didn't need pros and attempted this by themselves. The effect can be executed by volunteers with proper training and equipment from Foy, ZFX, or another company. When my outdoor community theater did Peter Pan, we hired ZFX to set up the equipment and train volunteers in the use of it. Also, the failure of the set is the result of a lack of someone who knows how to build a set, not the volunteers. Some of those students/volunteers probably had never built a set in their lives. Volunteers are what keeps high school and community theatre running. I believe that this catastrophe was not caused by volunteers, but it should serve as a warning to everyone who thinks that they can replicate that sequence.



I'll second what masterelectrician just said. Having spent the last eight years rigging, flying, choreographing and advising on flying effects- this is the sort of thing that we in the flying business fear the most. 99% of all operators on these type of systems ARE volunteers! What you've got here is, in my opinion, a rare event. People (operators) who DON'T pay attention to what line flies which performer can set this sort of thing off. That's why lines are labelled, if your flying director has done his job. Before you pull that rope attached to that cable, make sure you've got the right one. As in ALL aspects of rigging and flying- a moments lapse in concentration is all it takes.
I take what I do for a living as serious as a heart attack, but...and there's always a 'but'...if I leave after 3 to 5 days of training and rehearsal, and the volunteer or the professional stagehand on that line doesn't take it seriously, and lets themselves get distracted- you get what you see here. 


Many of us in the industry have been hip to this video for a few months now, and have been discussing it ad naseum. I even have a pretty good idea which company provided the flying gear for this debacle. But no, I'm not gonna name names without proof. I don't need to go to court.

This sort of thing, from what my experience tells me, and what the video shows, can all be traced back to the crew operating the flying gear and NOT absolutely KNOWING what was supposed to happen when. THIS is what I'm talking about when I harsh on people for cavalier attitudes about rigging and flying around here. "A few feet up can't hurt you" to paraphrase anothe CB poster. This video proves that line of thinking to be flawed, severely. This girl COULD HAVE DIED as a result of this unknown, unrehearsed, unprepared and unplanned flight(s). Think I'm kidding? I'm gonna have to dig up the newspaper articles AND X-rays I have of the Peter Pan from Nor Cal who had a flight go wrong and compound fractured her arm in two places when she slammed, uncontrolled, into the mast of the pirate ship set.

The smart and correct response is to be disgusted, because luckily these folks all went home under their own power- but it could have just as easily been in a body bag.


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## masterelectrician2112 (Feb 17, 2010)

Tex, I got into technical theatre about a year and a half ago. I wouldn't have known that a year and a half ago. We as technicians speak about the matter as if it's obvious to everyone and it's 'not rocket science'. You are right. It isn't rocket science to us, but to some inexperienced high schoolers, it could be. You also have to remember that a lot of high schoolers don't exactly think about these kinds of things. Most of them probably see the experience of building the set as a fun time to play with power tools. This is certainly not true for all high school volunteers, but you get my point.

Thanks Whatrigger?. Thank you for giving the experienced insight of a rigger.


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## renegadeblack (Feb 19, 2010)

masterelectrician2112 said:


> Tex, I got into technical theatre about a year and a half ago. I wouldn't have known that a year and a half ago. We as technicians speak about the matter as if it's obvious to everyone and it's 'not rocket science'. You are right. It isn't rocket science to us, but to some inexperienced high schoolers, it could be. You also have to remember that a lot of high schoolers don't exactly think about these kinds of things. Most of them probably see the experience of building the set as a fun time to play with power tools. This is certainly not true for all high school volunteers, but you get my point.
> 
> Thanks Whatrigger?. Thank you for giving the experienced insight of a rigger.



My two experiences with flight:

1) I'm in the auditorium while a fellow student walks in asking how weight the FOH bar can hold, knowing exactly what he was thinking, I said, "You aren't flying." This made its way all the way up to the superintendent said no. I was truly alarmed with the number of people he went through who said yes, including the director who hired Foy for a musical of ours. The rationale for why this was safe was because he had a gym teacher from the middle school who is an avid climber planing to help him setup a rig. 

2) I was volunteering with a local theatre company where we were doing Willy Wonka. Foy came in and setup the rig and trained us for 8 hours on how exactly to operate the system. Absolutely no problem having volunteers operating the system, as long as they're properly trained.


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## flash1322 (Feb 19, 2010)

So many think went wrong i think the worst thing that has ever happened at my high school is one of the actors didnt come in and the other actor was rambleing about stuff for 5 min.


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## MSLD (Feb 20, 2010)

its all fun in games until someone dies.


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