Theatre Tales of the Techie

This is a cool episode I recorded late June 9th. In this episode, I share where a pal asked me to explain why I have worked for so many wonderful companies. I talk about why I love this industry and all the cool people. Never been fired and always looking to move the ball forward. And always keep your radar up. I also talk about how you can't fix toxic people. And how you have to let them crash and burn on thier own.

In this podcast, I share my thoughts on what I have seen in the aviation and theatre industry over the last forty-three years. Warning: This podcast is my thoughts and opinions and covers Pre-2007 insights and events.

I had a cool college guy named Ethan reach out to me. We talked about many subjects, eleven to be exact. Out of those eleven subjects, Ethan asked that I make a podcast covering three. This will be the first of the three podcasts.

This was an exciting podcast, as I was very fortunate to interview a great designer and inventor, Brian Moon of Moon-O-Vations. Brian has been in the theatre industry for many years and has helped to design top-notch lighting equipment used by many. He holds many patents in his name and is the definition of a true innovator. This was a fun interview as we discussed what got Brian to where he is today before getting to the "Five" questions. The five questions are- 1. What got you into the theatre industry? 2. What kept you in the theatre industry? 3. What's the coolest thing you've done in theatre? 4. What's the worst thing you have done in theatre? 5. What would you tell a high school or college kid who wants to maybe make theatre a career? I hope you enjoy the podcast.

A dive into getting people to see you as an asset and a key factor to their success.

In this episode, I share what a busy week looked like in Dec. of 1999. I had a cool collage student reach out to me asking if I could share more about what it was like working for a theatrical dealer.

How do you do the impossible? By working with the best of the best!

In this episode, I continue my series, Five Questions, and ask Miriam Morgan, a cool veteran of the theatre industry, five questions about her life in the theatre industry. The five questions are- 1. What got you into the theatre industry? 2. What kept you in the theatre industry? 3. What's the coolest thing you've done in theatre? 4. What's the worst thing you have done in theatre? 5. What would you tell a high school or college kid who wants to maybe make theatre a career? I hope you enjoy the podcast.

In this episode, I continue my series, Five Questions, and get to ask theatre consultant and pal Jason Prichard five questions about his life in the theatre industry. The five questions are- 1. What got you into the theatre industry? 2. What kept you in the theatre industry? 3. What's the coolest thing you've done in theatre? 4. What's the worst thing you have done in theatre? 5. What would you tell a high school or college kid who wants to maybe make theatre a career? I hope you enjoy the podcast.

In this episode, I share what it was like to do a corporate rental in a big empty room at a convention center. You start with a really big room that is 100% empty. Then you set up, do the rental, then tear down, and leave the room 100% empty.

In this episode, I interview a great pal I have known for around twenty years. I ask him five questions about the theatre industry. The five questions are- 1. What got you into the theatre industry? 2. What kept you in the theatre industry? 3. What's the coolest thing you've done in theatre? 4. What's the worst thing you have done in theatre? 5. What would you tell a high school or college kid who wants to maybe make theatre a career? Note: I am still working out how to get good audio from guests calling in or joining me via the internet. Sometimes this audio is a bit wonky.

In this episode, I share the time everyone wanted us to sell automated rigging hoists to a company that would then use them for a reveal wall in the Grammy Awards. If one thing went wrong on LIVE TV, it could be the end of a compies reputation. In life, we must consider whether our risk is worth it. Never let fame and ego steer your path.

In this episode, I share my thoughts on a cool graph that shows how we learn and how much we don't know when we start a new path.

In this episode, I interview a great pal I have known for around twenty-five years. I ask him five questions about the theatre industry. The five questions are- 1. What got you into the theatre industry? 2. What kept you in the theatre industry? 3. What's the coolest thing you've done in theatre? 4. What's the worst thing you have done in theatre? 5. What would you tell a high school or college kid who wants to maybe make theatre a career?

Listen to me share a cool conversation I had with a young man who is off to college next year. His dream is to be in tech theatre, but he worries about what he will do if he does not like it.

I share the worst experience I ever had with a lighting rental. But no matter what, the show must go on.

In this podcast, I share who my most favorite theatre manager was. This guy was the greatest boss ever.

In this episode, I share how I learned just how different we are all, and how that's okay.

One of the hardest things I ever did in the theatre industry was working out a way to have massive success working in Div.11 (Mechanical) and Div.26 (Electrical)

We all know when things are clean, it makes life better, but it also makes it safer!

A long time ago, I was asked to fix a MAJOR dimming system. It was a nightmare figuring this one out. But in the end, the lights came on.

After sharing my podcast on "The theatre inspection from Hell!" I received a few comments from pals and listeners. They asked that I share how I did rigging inspections back in the day. I also share how I favor you getting an unbiased inspection from a theatre consultant. They don't have a horse in the race regarding whether the rigging system needs to be repaired. Just the facts! With that said, there are reputable dealers, riggers, and manufacturers.

I was contacted back in the '90s about a theatre inspection, which ended up being a rigging system inspection. Want to hear about a crazy but sometimes typical rigging inspection? Listen to this podcast and find out.

In this podcast, I share a conversation with a cool college kid looking at a possible career in theatre who had never heard of a theatre consultant and why their work is so important.

In this episode, I discuss my interview to get a job at the Lilly Theatre. I would end up with over seven years of having a blast as a technician, LD, TD, audio engineer, and more. This job is what made my life in theatre rocket to success.

Grip for a day, and the rental that changed how I looked at DAV and the Homeless. Not everyone has the same Thanksgiving.

I share when an actor forgot his line and jumped to the end of an 11-minute-ish one act play two minutes into the act. We were all in it together, but we were all along for the ride.

I discuss how learning to build Heathkits as a kid gave me an opportunity to repair and fix sound systems. At nineteen, I was doing very well.

Pyros, Rope, Scenery, and the receipt for a fire on the stage. In this episode, I cover a show in the late 1980s called "Into the Woods" where at the end of the show we had a fire on the stage.

In this podcast, I share what it was like to work a typical week at a theatrical dealer in the late 1990s. I wore many hats while working at STTV &AV Services, sales manager, grip, rental dude, repair guy, and much more.

This podcast covers how I started in theatre. It covers three years when I was in high school. Lighting, Rigging, Sets, Audio, and great people.

My forty-plus years of working in the tech side of theatre. A few weeks ago I spoke with a college student who asked me if working the tech side of theatre was worth it, can you make money, and can you have fun?