I have seen a trend in the teaching of technical theatre towards a more practical and less theoretical education. This has brought about a change in viewpoint by professional technicians, as well as students, in regards to an academic degree. Due to this change and the rise of student debt, the impulse has been to encourage going directly into the field and learning the craft there instead of spending four years in an academic institution. There has also been increased pressure on theatre departments to produce larger and more involved shows; both to draw in new students and to justify budgets for productions, particularly musicals. This has led to a greater rate of burnout for graduating students who have spent less time in actual classes than in working on productions. In studying and working in the academic environment I have made insights into ways in which these problems may be alleviated and academic training can remain relevant to the demands of the professional world.

Collaboration is at the foundation of modern theatre practices. All of the individuals involved in a production share their contributions with their immediate colleagues for the benefit of the production. Reoccurring or very similar technical challenges often arise in productions no matter where they are produced. Sharing the creative solutions to these problems among graduate technical theatre students will benefit the theatre industry by increasing the possibility for innovation. An information-sharing infrastructure should be developed in a way that will ease the burden for the individuals who wish to share their innovations with the broader community, while including a way to receive acknowledgment for their contributions. This paper looks to the theories of Eric Von Hippel on “innovation communities” and the ideas and motivations for “free revealing”. The theories are related to the specific characteristics and needs of the community of Master of Fine Arts graduate students in theatre technology programs. Six techniques currently used for the sharing of information will be analyzed for their benefits and limitations. Topics such as open source software development, the principles of the organization Public Library of Sciences, and the practice of creating online instructional videos are all explored for successful techniques that can be applied to technical theatre innovation sharing. In addition, the protection of authorship will be discussed including: a broad history of copyright law in America, the cultural property theories of Lawrence Lessig, and the Creative Commons. I plan to compile all of the necessary information to lay the foundation for the development of a new approach to sharing information in theatre technology. Open Theatre Source will be the name for the proposed infrastructure. It will provide an online meeting place among the potential innovators in MFA programs. The infrastructure will employ new sharing techniques and will use innovative technologies to the community. The primary objective of Open Theatre Source will be to facilitate a dialogue among individuals who are studying within the many different programs. The dialogue will transcend institutional boundaries, which will benefit and improve the entire community of academic institutions. Open Theatre Source will create a valuable case study for future research in open sharing infrastructures for theatre technology. Through its successes or failures, the information gathered could then be applied to other areas of the theatre community, including the professional industry. / text

After working over twenty years in theatre and the entertainment industries, I began teaching high school level stagecraft and looked for a textbook geared towards those students just stepping into the world of technical theatre. What I found was that there is no one single source textbook for high school level students. The textbooks were either too elementary or had too much information that was written for college level students. I begin my teaching career using a textbook I thought would serve the purpose, but found my students were frustrated with the text as much as I was. I began incorporating material from other sources to cover the various components of the class; construction, rigging, lighting and sound, to name a few. After a couple of years having my students telling me that I should just write a stagecraft book, I thought maybe I could. After talking and sending out a survey to other technical directors, or the alike, in high school theatre, I found I was not alone in the way I had to cover the content of the course. Therefore, I decided to take my students challenge and write a textbook for them. I hope this will be a good resource for both students and teachers like me.

Synaisthe is an intermedia dance performance that premiered in March 2011 at the University Co-op Presents the Cohen New Works Festival, at the University of Texas at Austin. The context of Synaisthe is two-fold. In one aspect, the work lives in the world of theatrical design, emerging technologies, storytelling practices, and performance theory. In its subject matter, Synaisthe is in conversation with cognitive science, neurology, human perception, and the exploration of individual experience. This event, driven by a technology centered devising process, included; dance, a live band, an infra-red motion tracking floor projection system, manipulation of media through midi-instrument control, a walkman converted into a wearable sonic-fabric costume reading device, and an audience inclusive dance party. The creation of Synaisthe came about as a result of three major aims. A design and technology centered devising process, immersive interaction, and exploration of non-traditional collaborative structures. I endeavor to create a performance as means of researching the influence of media on performance practice. / text

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Scenic construction requires a strong understanding of a range of principles related to construction including: materials strength properties, mechanical components, electrical motor systems, fluid power systems, and finishing techniques. A manager of scenic construction, or a Technical Director (TD), is required to take artistic designs and ideas and create magical elements on stage that are safe for performers, installers, operators, and audiences. In order to create these onstage spectacles, a great deal of planning, engineering, and careful fabrication must take place. There are several ways for a Technical Director to gain the knowledge required to effectively work at any level of entertainment production. This mixed-methods research study asks: what are the ethical standards that guide how a TD’s work is completed? The thesis begins with a review of the job of the Technical Director in Live Entertainment and data from a survey conducted of professionals in scenic technology. Results from the survey were analyzed to provide both quantitative data, in the form of statistics, and qualitative response data. Additional discussion addresses a sample of the resources for structural design support available currently to the field, as well as challenges that some professionals confront in their typical practice. The thesis concludes a review of literature around engineering ethics and liability in engineering practice and recommendations for the incorporation of new ethical standards in live entertainment scenic production. / text