Author Topic: SPIKING: Shows in Rep Sharing Same Stage Floor  (Read 21774 times)

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NJ.JerrySmith

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SPIKING: Shows in Rep Sharing Same Stage Floor
« on: May 21, 2021, 04:58 pm »
Looking at 4 shows sharing the same stage floor in rep this summer with minimal time between performances of different shows (i.e. matinee to evening show). Currently pondering spiking furniture, props, etc. My first thought is just to assign specific colors to specific shows. Was wondering if the hive mind had any other options?

Thanks!

Mac Calder

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Re: SPIKING: Shows in Rep Sharing Same Stage Floor
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2021, 02:50 am »
Depends on how many scene changes there are - and how critical placement is. If you can get away with not spiking - don't. Some shows it doesn't matter if everything is precisely placed. Colours are good - but you don't want your floor to look like a jackson pollock painting. If you have moving head lights in the rig, lighting can give you spikes if you are setting pre-show or behind a cloth/scenic piece.

jNehlich

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Re: SPIKING: Shows in Rep Sharing Same Stage Floor
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2021, 10:55 am »
I worked for a company that did this every summer. What worked best for us was:

    -Having the deck painted a motif that works for all productions (usually it was wide "floor boards" and sometimes a toned down Jackson potluck style lol--always some shade of brown, cause that's what worked for our shows).

    -Each show had it's own spike color, using as minimal spikes as possible.

    -Each colored spike was covered with clear Marley tape (if there isn't dancing or busy foot work in the show than clear packaging tape would work in a pinch, temporarily).

    -During changeovers, one person went through and covered the previous shows spikes with brown gaff tape and wrote the show number on it. And then tore the brown gaff off that next shows spikes (obviously, make a spike chart to double check).

-All immovable scenic elements were "spiked" with a sharpie or paint pen. Didn't need to cover any of these by show because they weren't noticeable from offstage in our venue.

This routine works for our team for many summers with 3-5 shows in the same space in rep.
-JN

 

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