Technical Design Solutions for Theatre

The Technical Brief is a collection of single-focus articles on technical production solutions, published three times a year by the prestigious Yale School of Drama. The primary objective of the publication is to share creative solutions to technical problems so that fellow theatre technicians can avoid having to reinvent the wheel with each new challenge. The range of topics includes scenery, props, painting, electrics, sound, and costumes. The articles each describe an approach, device, or technique that has been tested on stage or in a shop by students and professionals. Some articles included: Growing Flowers on Stage; Break-Away Glass; Photo-Murals for the Stage; Quiet Wire-Rope Curtain Track; Free Standing Curved Stairs; A Measured Approach to Kerfing; A Low-Voltage Remote Controller for Special Effects; Toggle-Clamp Locks; Comparing Four Plastics as Scenery Glides; Low Pressure Air Casters; A Simple Lift Jack; Using a Piano to Create a Reverberation Effect; Horn-Hat Mics for Sound Reinforcement

Ben Sammler is currently the Chairman of the Department of Technical Design and Production for Yale School of Drama. He is the Production Supervisor for Yale Repertory Theatre and has over seen over 150 productions. Ben Sammler is also an experienced lighting designer and technical director with over 15 years of teaching experience, as well as the co-author of Structural Design for the Stage, 1999 (Focal Press), winner of the Golden Pen Award presented by USITT in 2000. Don Harvey has been a professor at Yale School of Drama since 1985. He is currenlty an adjunct Professor.

Lighting; Lighting Effects; Painting; Props; Rigging Hardware; Rigging Techniques; Safety; Scenery; Scenery Decks; Scenery Electronics; Scenery Hardware; Scenery Materials; Scenery Mechanics; Scenery Tools; Sound