Technical Theater for Nontechnical People *PDF
Here is help for actors, directors, stage managers, producers, and event planners who want to understand every aspect of technical theater—from scenery, lighting, and sound to props, costumes, and stage management. In this thoroughly revised new edition, the popular guide firmly embraces the digital age with new content about digital audio, intelligent lighting, LED lighting, video projection, and show control systems, all explained in the same approachable style that has kept this book in the pockets of industry professionals for many years. A brand-new chapter on sound design has also been added, and every chapter has been updated with more information about the basics of theater technology, including draperies, lighting instruments, microphones, costume sketches, and more. This book teaches: Who’s who on a theatrical production teamWhat is needed to know about technical theater and whyWhat to look for when choosing a space for a showHow to communicate with lighting, scenery, audio, and costume designersHow to stage manage an effective show or presentation Covering both traditional and digitally supported backstage environments, this book is an essential guide for working with every technical aspect of theater! Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers. Read more
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Why Must Read Technical Theater for Nontechnical People?
To give a little context: I work as a production manager for a small theater, with 10+ years of technical theater experience. I recently went back to school to pursue my masters and had to read this for class. I would say the effectiveness of this book depends heavily on what you are wanting to get out of it. It is a very broad overview of the technical elements of theatrical production. If you are in a position that involves leading a production staff and have absolutely no knowledge, this is probably a very helpful book. Many of the positive reviews suggest that it is beneficial for community theater directors and board members who may not have any background or training in theater. I would agree with that. The book is easy to read and well organized, with a comprehensive glossary and index as well. My primary complaint is that some of the terminology utilized is outdated. As an example, it mentions projecting video from DVDs and playing audio off of CD's. While this may still be the technique used in some smaller theaters, playing off of a computer is far more common, cost effective, and, generally, easier. Similarly, descriptions of lighting elements neglect technological developments. To be fair, we are in a time that technology advances rapidly, so keeping such a book updated is difficult. But, the language and descriptions in this book are, in some cases, bordering on irrelevance. I would also add that for anyone who will be interacting with technical crews more directly may find this book less effective. The definitions are often vague descriptions of jobs or equipment that may provide a sense of what something is used for, but not specifically HOW it would be used. I would suggest, in these cases, at a minimum supplementing this book with something more in depth like the Tal Sanders technical theater text.
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