Ahoy there!  Let’s talk SAFETY!
 
As promised, following is a series of real life court cases involving safety incidents in theatres on cruise ships.  (Two more coming after this one – one every other week.)
 
It’s always been my mantra – NOTHING happens without safety! Just like in theatres on land, safety in cruise ship theatres is paramount – only even more so, because a theatre on a ship is moving!  I’ve sat in a cruise ship theatre before – with my seat rocking up and down - watching an acrobatics show, wondering how they were able to balance on two feet, let alone on top of balls and platforms.
 
And just like theatres on land, accidents do happen, as do lawsuits. Enter stage right – Expert Witnesses.  Expert Witnesses are called to provide information in court cases.  Expert Witnesses didn’t ‘witness’ the event happen, but they are experts in their field - in this case, theatre safety. I was once contacted about being an Expert Witness for a woman who fell into a pit.  I didn’t see it happen, but it was caught on video.  After reviewing the video I felt I had to decline, because it was not clear that she wasn’t at fault(!).  But I’ve never had to be an Expert Witness for a cruise ship theatre, but I know someone who has – three times.  And she’s kindly offered to share the three cases with you in this blog.
 
Please let me introduce Monona Rossol of Arts, Crafts & Theatre Safety (ACTS), a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing health and safety services to the arts.  She is also the Health and Safety Director for Local 829 of the United Scenic Artists, IATSE. Monona is a chemist, artist and industrial hygienist, with a background in theatre, art, music, chemistry and math, who has lectured and consulted in the US, Canada, Australia, England, Mexico and Portugal - and the seas in between.

Our first case study involves a performer who fell 9 feet into a pit of a theatre in a cruise ship.  But let me have her tell you about it in her own words…

Ahoy there!  As of my last post I said I was going to be bringing you information from Utopia of the Seas.  Well… I didn’t go.  And here’s why…
 
First, after having been told by one events manager on board that I would be able to interview theatre crew I was then told by another (more senior?) events manager on board that Royal Caribbean does not allow ‘unaccredited media’ to interview employees.  I explained that, number one, I blog about my interviews and therefore be providing cruise lines with prospective employees.  And, number two, I also book Discovery Cruises for prospective employees – people like yourselves who are interested in researching more about what it’s like to live and work in theatres on cruise ships – and therefore provide the cruise line with customers.  But they would not budge.
 
So, unfortunately, I must announce that I will not be working with Royal Caribbean for the purposes of Discovery Cruises.  Norwegian on the other hand welcomes us with open arms!
 
But wait, there’s more…