Safety is everybody's concern

  I know I am opening a can or worms here, but let me state from the get-go that no insult or inference is meant to ANY of fantastic volunteers that build the sets for our various Community Theatre groups.

Very few Com-eatre groups are lucky enough to have their own resident chippie or even cabinet maker to assist and advise on the construction of sets. Most of the work is performed by volunteers and friends of the various groups and with the continual improvement in the "level" of entertainment that is being achieved by all our respective companies, the sets are constantly becoming more complex, more involved and more detailed. Even the humble three wall "box" set is finding itself sprouting architraves and functioning doors, windows and fires.

COMPROMISE....is a wonderful thing between actors and Directors, but NOT where safety is at stake. Any actor that does not feel safe when crossing a bridge or singing in a balcony has the right to question the integrity of the structure they are asked to perform on (or under). In these times of more complex, multilevel sets it is IMPERATIVE that they be built to correct specifications and that the risk factors are reduced as much as possible. Yes, these are temporary structures that are designed to be moved and removed as easily as possible - but they must be built safe. 

I know of several community theatre people  that are capable of doing that and are that are willing to work outside their own "home" theatre group to provide the best possible solutions for other companies. Ok, they are likely to charge for this service - but what cost does a company put on an actors safety?

Does this take "amateur theatre" into the realms of "professionalism"? Hopefully YES. We need to do this and drop the "she'll be right mate - it can't fall, there's nothing stopping it" way of building sets.

Anyway - enough of my rant..... and if you need the number of the builders I have mentioned ....... feel free to ask, the worst they can say is hopefully  "Sorry - we are too busy!"