Guidelines for Theatre Safety

INTRODUCTION

Everything that is done in the field of Production and Managerial Arts begins and ends with Safety as a first and last line of concern.

In the world of live entertainment, everyone should be concerned with the following:
Can I see it?
Can I hear it?
Is it all done safely?

This lesson is on basic working practices in the entertainment industry, focusing on possible causes for potential accidents in the theatre. This is accomplished by increasing awareness of what causes accidents in the entertainment field.

The students will learn some simple and common-sense practices to work safely and avoid hazards in the theatre.

OBJECTIVE

The students will learn and apply practices to working safely and avoiding hazards in the theatre by:

• following classroom and emergency procedures.
• practicing safety in the workplace.
• identifying potential causes for accidents in the workplace.
• properly replacing, repairing, or securing potential cause for an accident.

UTAH CORE STANDARDS

L1.T.P.2
L1.T.P.6
L1.T.P.9

INTENDED AUDIENCE

9th - 12th Grade Technical Theatre Students

TIME

Two class periods

MATERIALS

• Tech Theatre Safety Pretest handout worksheet

  • This pretest could be set up as a fun Kahoot Activity.

• Theatre Safety Notes worksheet. To be turned in a graded at the conclusion of the lesson.

• Theatre Safety Presentation

• Computer(s)

• Projector and projection area

• Old school poster boards and art supplies or access to electronic graphic computer programs I.e Google, Canva, Adobe Spark, etc. to design a poster for the activity section below.

OUTLINE

1.  HOOKWatch a video clip from the Tony Award-winning production of The Play That Goes Wrong.

2. TRANSITIONAt the conclusion of the video transition to access student prior knowledge of Technical Theatre Safety Pretest. Administer the pretest on paper or online. 
   After students complete the pre-assessment review and discuss responses.

3. INSTRUCTIONTeach the concepts from the Theatre Safety Presentation to students as they take notes on the Theatre Safety Notes information on their worksheet.

   General Outline of concepts:

   1. General Safety Regulations
   2. Clothing and Personal Protection Equipment
   3. Fire Protection
   4. Safety Codes
   5. Tools and Machinery
   6. Rigging
   7. Lighting
   8. Paint

   At the conclusion of the presentation, review worksheet and collect or correct the worksheet for assessment.

   Exit Slip: COPY the question and answer in three or more sentences. “Why is Safety important in a technical theatre classroom. Give an example of what not to do.”

4. PROJECTIn groups of 3-4,  the students will create a valid list of potential safety hazards causes for the school’s stage space.
   Then students will create an original Theatre Safety Poster or Advertisement based on the list created by the group. 
   The group creates an old school poster board with art supplies or access to electronic graphic computer programs I.e Google, Canva, Adobe Spark, etc.

   • Create Images or pictures of examples of what to do/what not to do. 

   • Creative your posters so people will want to look at them. 

   • As a group prepares to present your assigned section to the class with your poster when finished.

   Students will present and display poster information in the next class period.

5. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTAssign students to read online the article Guidelines for Theatre Safety by The Texas Education Agency for homework.

ASSESSMENT

Administer a post-test based on information from the Lesson. Theatre Safety Post Test Summative Assessment

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Factile has a fun Jeopardy-style Tech Theatre Safety Review to play with students online.