Technical theatre is the term given to the roles within dramatic performance which are not acting. Broadly, this is 3 on-the-night roles; operation (of light and sound effects), stage management, and stage crew, although there are also costume teams working more closely with the actors.. But the interesting thing about this is whereas there may be 20 actors, there will be multiples of that as crew or operators in a professional theatre. The really interesting thing though, is how little it is noticed: a common joke in theatre is an actor has failed miserably if unnoticed, but that is exactly what the technicians aim to achieve.  

 

So, if so unnoticed, why am I writing about tech, rather than acting? Everyone knows what an actor is, but I have always preferred tech to acting and would love to bring knowledge about it to a wider audience- my speciality in tech is as a DSM, although I love programming and operating lights as well, but that means nothing to most people. Let’s fix that. 

  

On an average night, the technicians arrive long before the actors. They setup tables of props backstage and run tests on the lighting rig and sound systems to ensure it is working properly, and the lighting designer or operator might make some last-minute adjustments to their programmed lights based on what happened during the previous show. Then, when the show starts, the jobs of the technicians become clear. Lights and sounds must be organised into what are called ‘cues’ which are fired off at appropriate times, as directed to the operators by the deputy stage manager, or DSM. Don’t be fooled by the job title, it is one of the most important and difficult roles in a theatre, not just an inferior role to the SM. The job of the DSM is to ‘call the show’ or tell the operators over the coms system when to do what. They, for the most part, run the show on the night. The stage manager, meanwhile, works backstage, organising the actors into their places. The stage crew, sometimes called Assistant Stage Managers (ASMs) are responsible for maintaining order in the wings and behind the stage. They may place props, or set pieces on stage during the show, or some shows may have an ensemble who does the same role but are also actors. This continues throughout the whole show, up until the end of the night, when the actors take their bows. Often, actors will gesture upwards at the end of the bows, which is the equivalent of a thanks to the tech.  

 
 
Tech is a thankless job. It is hard work and takes a long time but anyone who has ever lit or sounded or called a show will tell you just how much fun it is. I would not leave it for the world. So, the next time that you visit a theatre- notice how well the lights are designed, how flawlessly the sounds are played, how quickly the scenes are changed. Notice the job that is never noticed. And enjoy the art that is a really, really good show.