[SML] Stairs from audience to stage (Bill Conner)

[Bill Conner]

Understand and agree.  It's a connection rarely necessary for a national
tour, usually necessary for an awards ceremony, with lots in between.  I
like the portable aspect, and then it's up to the users to not
discriminate.  (I don't particularly like stairs  inset or cut into the
stage as it's too common for someone to walk along the stage edge, eyes to
audience or stage, and fall.)

On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 11:40 AM Mick Alderson via Stagecraft <
stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> In Appleton, national tours almost always want the stairs plug in.
> However, they also almost invariably put their proscenium sound towers in
> the path from stairs to stage anyway. If the pit is down for an orchestra
> pit or for floor level seating, there is no direct access from the house to
> stage for anybody. Access to the stage from both sides would involve
> passing through offstage light locks to get to backstage and then out from
> the wings to onstage. A wheelchair can only do this on House Right. That
> said, the wings of a large touring show are generally full of gear, racks,
> cables, etc. There IS no easy path through for "civilians'', in a wheel
> chair or not. I suppose that is ADA compliant in that NOBODY can get
> there from here. Even the local stagehands like Kristi and I have to go
> around.
>
> As Kristi said, for events most likely to need direct audience access,
> e.g. community events like graduations, presentations, orchestra concerts,
> or small touring shows involving audience participation (kiddy shows), then
> as Kristi said the Appleton PAC is set up reasonably well for
> audience-to-stage access from Stage Left. For major touring shows or any
> event using floor level speaker stacks there basically is no direct access.
>
> Mick Alderson
> IATSE 470
> USITT Midwest Section
>
> Bill Connor wrote:
>
>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> "For schools, I like having permanant access all the way SL/SR and one of
>> them being ADA friendly, too. '
>>
>> A crossover, or what am I missing?
>>
>> In Appleton bo most national tours want the stair open or filled?
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 14, 2024, 11:18?PM Kristi R-C <misswisc at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>> > The PAC in Appleton has a fabulous solution - our SR stairs have a
>> > ?filler? that sits over them to create an edge that is flush to the DS
>> edge
>> > and stage floor so that when we want direct access  from the audience to
>> > the stage we have it, and when we need more security (e.g. POTUS visit)
>> we
>> > can put the filer in and make those stairs ?disappear.? Takes two people
>> > about a minute to put it in or take it out.
>> >
>> > Wheeled things can?t get to the main floor without a circuitous route
>> > anyway - so if we know someone who uses a mobiity device will need to
>> come
>> > on stage, we seat them in the box seats which are at stage level on HR.
>> > That access requires going through two sets of doors if the pit is down,
>> > else you can roll from the audience right onto the stage on that side if
>> > the pit is up.
>> >
>> > As with most things ADA related, talking with the people involved and
>> > doing some advanced planning will make it easier for all.
>> >
>> > For schools, I like having permanant access all the way SL/SR and one of
>> > them being ADA friendly, too.
>> >
>> > Kristi R-C
>> >
>> >
>>
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-- 
Bill Conner Fellow of the ASTC
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