More Than A Carpenter Theater professionals lend their insights on what every budding TD should know about training and responsibilities. By Ron Ranson Issue: June/July 2001 Students gear up for a scenic painting class under Ranson’s direction. The scene shop located in the Mandell Weiss Center on the University of California-San Diego campus, is a facility that is shared with the Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse. The technical director, or TD, is a vital link in the successful operation of North American theaters. It is a unique position found in very few locations outside the USA and Canada. The strength of the visual look of our theaters now depends on well-trained, energetic and creative individuals who have a mastery of management and engineering skills. Yet the availability of TDs seems to be in short supply. How did we get to this strange stage? The position of the technical director has evolved rapidly over the last few decades. It wasn’t long ago that the scenic designer had to assume the responsibilities of supervising the construction, engineering, painting, load-in of sets and props, and perhaps even run the technical rehearsals of his/her show. However, as theater productions have become increasingly sophisticated, the role of coordinating the many artistic departments, including working within tight budgets (and perhaps unrealistic deadlines), has greatly expanded. A common complaint is that the responsibilities of the technical director are now beyond what most people can handle effectively. This leads to rapid burnout. Another element that has limited the availability of TDs, is the large increase in training programs for scenic designers. Whether intentional or not, this has contributed to a drop in the number of potential TDs by valuing the work of the designer over that of the TD. The current theater market is flooded with scenic designers vying for a limited number of design jobs while advertised positions for TDs remain plentiful. To help evaluate the situation, I asked theater colleagues from the USA, Canada, South Korea and Singapore for their thoughts on the role of the TD and the essential training. First question: What does a TD do to support a production? Welding component of the practicum scenery class at the University of California, San Diego Pam Nichol, technical director of the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, helps clarify the role by saying that the definition of a TD is “a slippery concept and one that changes in every theater.” As a TD, she feels her job is to make sure “everyone else in the production—designers, carpenters, painters, stage crew, property artisans, stage managers—has the information, tools, people and time to do their jobs. I’m not the one doing the building or painting, but I make sure that the people who are can just get on with it. I’m here to make people’s lives safe, easier and better.” This broad job description is difficult to break down into tasks. The list seems endless! But the managers I polled agree on the following basic elements: The TD must: • Make sure everyone is working in a safe environment. • Maintain quality control on all things built for the show. • Problem solve scenic design elements into workable, economical and budgeted solutions. • Check the designer’s eleva- tions for accuracy. • Double check the designer’s elevations for accuracy. • Develop any technical shop drawings for the construction/prop crews. Training Essentials The following is a checklist for topics that should be included in TD training for the 21st Century: • Managerial skills • A heavy safety and health component • Business and accounting skills • Stress Management • Mathematics and Physics • Basic Engineering • Carpentry • Drafting - pencil and CAD • Stage Management • Lighting • Sound • Design • Prop construction • Painting • Literature • Directing • Acting The TD is a “commander of the battlefield,” writes international scenic designer Tae-sup Lee from South Korea. “We don’t have a system of technical direction in Korea yet, so, as the scenic designer, I have to do the engineering and coordination myself or train someone to do it for me.” When Lee interviews a TD, he lays out a tough list of standards and attributes for his future “commander.” His requirements are “a good basic knowledge of mathematics and physics, chemical and mechanical engineering, excellent craftsmanship and a thorough understanding of all aspects of theater production.” In the recent past, we promoted shop carpenters to assume this important leadership position, often without the proper supplemental training to keep them out of trouble. Worst yet, many artistic and departmental administrators rose up through the ranks without experiencing the sophisticated design and directorial demands now being shouldered by technical directors. These administrators seem to live in a different artistic zone and don’t understand the pressures on contemporary technical directors. “One of the main reasons it is hard to find experienced TDs,” says Peter Urbanek of the University of Toronto, “is that after being worked to death by regional theaters, they go and build houses for a living. If these theater administrators want to hold onto their experienced people they must learn to treat them better.” In the meantime, what skills and attributes make for a successful TD? “My most successful TD students are hard working, creative, eager to learn, have pleasant personalities, great people skills and are perfectionists,” reports Dan Guyette, professor of theatre and technology at the University of Northern Colorado. He sees in his best students the ability to manage stress and anger. The author prepares for his scenic painting class at the University of California, San Diego. “I’ve worked with some terrific TDs who have a great sense of curiosity. They are interested in why and how things work,” says Ron Smith, Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He finds that the ability to manage and direct others, without standing over their shoulders, is an important management skill that is often not taught in our training programs. Smith recommends that TDs “have a sense of humor, a strong confident image of themselves and great coping skills.” Contrary to stereotype, the TD role has moved from a high level carpenter to a delicate management-style person. Pam Nicol notes that, “Too many TDs out there know too much about stuff and not enough about people.” She recommends that TDs be taught how to talk to the different artists, craftspeople, stagehands, suppliers and administrators, each with a different point of view. She strongly recommends that communication skills be included in any training program. Lack of adequate training is a common lament. “Most of us train on the job,” says Chai-Ling Ng of The Necessary Stage in Singapore. “There are no proper production training schools in Singapore or nearby. Our technical people do well with the production operations, but they may not have managerial skills. I have to push them into managing.” The Esplanade, one of the larger theater operations in Singapore, is working to come up with a set of national standards for TD training. For the technical director, safety is a foremost issue. In most theater situations there is a convergence of people from many different training/theater backgrounds. It is usually up to the TD to set the safety standards for the entire operation.” When I was a TD on tour I considered the ultimate high point to be that no one got hurt. I was very proud of that,” states Rob Hamilton, a theater consultant from Vancouver, BC. Ultimately it is the student’s responsibility to research potential training programs. Most advisors conclude that it is essential for TDs to work in internships (or similar programs), at a variety of venues in addition to formal study. Don Gilmore, of Don Gilmore Productions in New York, emphasizes that the student TD “must be attached to a professional theater training program with an operating professional theater. This will give the students a clear idea of what will be expected of them and lay out specific goals to which they can/should aspire.” A good place to start looking is in the Directory of Theatre Training Programs published by Theatre Directories; e-mail: theatre@sover.net; website: www.theatredirectories.com. Other resources worth checking out include Campus Tours; website: www.campustours.com and Collegiate Choice; website: www.collegiatechoice.com sd Ron Ranson is on the design faculty at the University of California, San Diego. He is owner of Theatre Arts Video Library, producers of educational video programs for theatre training.