ABSTRACT

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

part |17 pages

Lighting

part |16 pages

Lighting Effects

chapter |1 pages

Simple Smoke

chapter |1 pages

A Fog Machine Silencer

chapter |2 pages

A Fog Manifold

chapter |2 pages

Groundrow Fog Disperser

chapter |2 pages

Pyro Stand

chapter |2 pages

A Fiber-optic Star Drop

chapter |2 pages

A Television Lighting Effect

chapter |1 pages

Dancing Light

part |29 pages

Props

chapter |1 pages

Snowballs for the Stage

chapter |1 pages

Artificial Canapes

chapter |2 pages

Stage Blood

chapter |2 pages

Remote-Control Live Fire

chapter |1 pages

Gelatin Molds

chapter |2 pages

Growing Flowers Onstage

chapter |2 pages

A Butane Torch for Use Onstage

chapter |2 pages

A Safe Lamp-Oil Torch

chapter |1 pages

Liquefied Auto Body Putty

chapter |2 pages

A Very Useful Snow Machine

part |13 pages

Rigging Hardware

part |22 pages

Rigging Techniques

chapter |2 pages

Flying Drops in Limited Space

chapter |2 pages

A Simultaneous Travel-Fly Rig

chapter |1 pages

Travel-Fly Rig Modified

chapter |1 pages

A Quiet Wire-Rope Curtain Track

chapter |1 pages

Automatic Drop Tripping

chapter |3 pages

Rotating Flats While Flying

chapter |1 pages

Offset Flying

chapter |2 pages

A Parallel-Guide Rig

part |14 pages

Safety

part |19 pages

Scenery

part |20 pages

Scenery Decks

chapter |2 pages

Modular Platform Legging

chapter |2 pages

Open-Corner Platforms

chapter |2 pages

Lap-Joint Decks

chapter |3 pages

A Platform System

chapter |2 pages

A Non-Skid Groundcloth

chapter |2 pages

The “Perfect” Soft Floor

part |13 pages

Scenery Electronics

part |18 pages

Scenery Hardware

chapter |2 pages

Underhung Hinge

chapter |2 pages

Nylon Rollers

chapter |1 pages

Nylon Rollers Modified

chapter |2 pages

Zero-Throw Casters

chapter |2 pages

A Simple Flush-Mount Hinge

chapter |1 pages

An Elevator Door Hinge

chapter |3 pages

Toggle-Clamp Locks

chapter |2 pages

A Quick-Locking Jack

part |13 pages

Scenery Mechanics

chapter |3 pages

Basic Hydraulics

chapter |2 pages

Low-Pressure Air Casters

chapter |2 pages

Shop-Built Pneumatic Cylinders

chapter |3 pages

Pneumatic Door Stabilizer

chapter |1 pages

A Simple Lift Jack

part |16 pages

Scenery Tools