TRIP REPORT – NORWEGIAN JADE. RUNNING A SHOW.

​Ahoy there!  And, we’re back!  In the last blog post, we found out about what it’s like to work on a ship; work schedules, duties, time off, and more.  Now we’re going to learn about the theatrical process of a ship-board show; design, rehearsals, tech rehearsals, set load in, systems operations, maintenance, safety, and inspections.

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It all starts on land.  Sets and lighting are designed and built in production facilities on land – many US cruise lines work in Florida.  Sets are built in large warehouses, and must be modular in order to be moved into the ship’s theatre.  Lighting designers, for instance, will work long hours, sometimes overnight, to get their cues recorded, even before tech rehearsals start. Courtney, for example, spent three weeks with the cast for tech rehearsals in Tampa, before the show moved onto the ship.
 
Once it’s time to move to the ship the designers may come on the ship for a while to help get things set up and make any necessary changes, based on the new space.  The land-based set designer and builders also need to teach the ship-based crew how to build and strike the set.  Because the theatre may host several shows or events, the main show ‘s set can’t always be on stage. There can also be some overlap with the outgoing show and the incoming show.
 
After the set is installed and the light cues are finalized, the new cast will come on board and start rehearsals - every day.  It can take quite a while after a show is loaded on before the doors actually open for the passengers to see the show.  If you’ve been on a cruise ship and seen the theatre doors shut and blocked off during the day, it’s likely that they’re teching a show.
 
Both Courtney and Eril expressed that once the show starts on board, they’re on their own…. Courtney says that ‘there’s a lot of trust in the cast and all the technicians and everyone here, because once that show starts, I can't do anything to help anymore. That's a scary part!’
 
In terms of maintenance, Eril explained that they do maintenance regularly, because your equipment will be always in good running condition when you can’t just run to the theatrical store.  Monthly maintenance is rotated between all the venues on board. No one is going to do it for them when they’re at sea, and they do have inspectors come on board regularly to make sure everything is maintained properly.  He added that mostly they need to clean the lights, and the filters. They’re easy to get dusty.
 
One system it’s important to maintain and have safety rules around is the set automation system. They also have a regular checkup on the automation equipment.  The inspectors inspect the system and then certify that it’s safe to use during rehearsals and shows.
It’s then important to practice, practice, practice.  For instance, flying is automated, and the speed and lift has to be calculated, so the aerialists need to always be at the right place at the right time.
 
The automated sets and aerials are activated by the press of a button, from a technician.  There is a safety stop built in, whereby if the technician takes their hand off the button, the system stops.  It would not be safe if the technician walked away or got distracted and the system kept going if a Hold was called.  In addition, if something flying in from above hits something that’s not meant to be there – such as an actor, or a chair out of place – then there is an automatic stop built in.  As Eril says, their lives are in your hands.
 
And finally, no discussion about running a show on a cruise ship would be complete without a mention of the followspot operators.  These are typically run by non-theatre crew.  Often times the ship’s crew, from all departments, are given the opportunity to do extra jobs.  Some like to be trained to run the followspots for the shows.  Courtney says she’s very thankful for the spot operators.  She adds that they are amazing!  She says she could probably not call the spot cues and they would run the show!
 
Well, there you have it.  Some insight into the theatrical process of ship-board shows.  A lot of it is similar to theatres on land, but being out at sea adds an extra element of concern.
 
Stay tuned for next month’s blog post when we’ll learn more about the lifestyle of living and working on a ship.
 
If you are curious about jobs in theatres on cruise ships, check out the Starboard Spotlight monthly newsletter, and visit the Blog archives. 
 
If you are serious about working on a cruise ship, consider at DISCOVERY CRUISE, where you too can have the chance to visit a ship’s theatres and venues in person, and learn about the lifestyle and career choice of a ship’s theatre technician!
 
Please Like and Comment – I’d love to hear about your experiences too!