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Valuable Lessons at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
In February of this year, Stage Technologies installed equipment and provided programming advice and operator training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, boosting both its technical coaching repertoire and its automation capability for productions. The equipment parcel comprised a Nomad control console, a touring control system and 2 BigTow Classic winches.
This season, the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Royal reopened with Romeo and Juliet, which features two moving floor tracks. Another school production of The Man of Mode, at the Circomedia St Paul's venue, utilises a BigTow winch for a flying chandelier.
A world leader in its field for over 60 years, the school provides practical industry-focused training for careers across the arts and entertainment sector. With as many production students as it has actors, its courses focus on the major management, technical and craft skills required for employment in theatre, television, radio drama and the ever-increasing range of production technologies.
Stage Technologies is keenly involved in supporting drama schools and nurturing new talent within the industry, as well as aiming to provide vocational and professional training through their own forthcoming Training Academy programmes. In addition to providing hire equipment for Bristol Old Vic Theatre School productions over the past few years, Stage Technologies has also loaned products to the school for demonstration and training purposes.
Jon Sherwood, head of theatre production, and the driving force behind stage management courses at the school, is an advocate of hands-on learning, and aims to provide as many opportunities as possible for his students to learn more about automation engineering as a career option. In his view, immersing students in the automation environment is not only exciting for them, it's vital.
"With technical theatre moving on rapidly, it's essential for students to have an opportunity to cut their teeth on the same equipment that is used at venues like Curve, Sadler's Wells and the Royal Opera House and in shows like The Sound of Music and Wicked. What has been of immense value to us in our relationship with Stage Technologies is that our students take part in work placements at their London offices and workshop and come back to us conversant with the automation systems and with practical knowledge that they can then apply in real situations."
The school will be taking part in an Education Day hosted by Stage Technologies at Curve on 12th May, giving their first year students a chance to see the latest in automation systems in situ at what is arguably the most contemporary performance centre in the country.
In picture: Trainee Nomad operator at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; BigTow winch used to fly the chandelier in 'The Man of Mode'.
9th April 2009
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