theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

, a carpenter is a stagehand who builds sets and stage elements. They usually are hired by the production manager, crew chief or

technical director A technical director (TD) is usually a senior technical person within e.g. a software company, engineering firm, film studio, theatre company or television studio. They are responsible for overseeing and coordinating all of the technical aspect ...

. In some less common cases, they may be hired by the director, or producer. They are usually paid by the hour. Carpenters receive drafting from the technical director who uses the designers' renderings, models, and/or drafting of the set to create the technical drawings for the production. Working mainly with

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

s and

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

s, they use techniques that include

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinetry, furniture making, wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked b ...

and

welding Welding is a fabrication (metal), fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, primarily by using high temperature to melting, melt the parts together and allow them to cool, causing Fusion welding, fusion. Co ...

. They build set pieces, including some standard elements— flats, platforms and columns—as well as pieces of the stage. For example, a carpenter may be responsible for building stairs and ramps on and off of the performance area and for leveling the stage floor itself. Only carpenters trained as riggers are trusted to do

rigging Rigging comprises the system of ropes, cables and chains, which support and control a sailing ship or sail boat's masts and sails. ''Standing rigging'' is the fixed rigging that supports masts including shrouds and stays. ''Running rigg ...

(see fly crew). Often union houses and some larger theatres make distinctions between carpenters and riggers, but most smaller theatres do not, due to staffing limitations. Professional carpenters do not work on anything with an electrical component (see

electrician An electrician is a tradesman, tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the ...

). They also do not paint the set, as this is the job of a scenic artist. Often, stage carpentry for a large production is organized with one "master carpenter" or "shop foreman" and many subordinate carpenters.

References

Stage crew Theatrical occupations Woodworking Carpentry {{Woodworking-stub

See also

References