What's a Stagehand?

The Industry

Live entertainment encompasses many aspects of the events here at the JSC. They include concerts, sporting events, seminars, trade shows, family entertainment and many other production events. Working at the Schottenstein Center may involve you working unsocial hours on a variety of event formats. Be prepared for your days to include setting up the largest concerts then helping to convert the arena to be ready for a sporting event. It is our sincere desire that you enjoy the diverse programming the JSC offers, while knowing that you are an integral part of making it happen for the Columbus community.

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The JSC Stagehand

During your tenure with The Ohio State University and JSC, you will be in direct contact with members and personnel of touring shows. These shows represent some of our biggest clients and as such they are to be treated with the utmost courtesy and respect. We take great pride in our facility and the quality of service we provide, and hope each team member will share those values and ideals that make the JSC an industry leader. We have great faith in the standard of service you will be providing and the manner in which you will provide it. It is important to understand that you are seen as a representative of the JSC at all times you are in the venue, and you may be approached by a client or a member of the paying public. Please ensure that any information that you give is accurate and delivered professionally. If you are unsure of an answer, please direct any questions to your supervisor. Be aware that in this industry, your actions are equivalent to a resume for this venue and yourselves.

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A Stagehand’s Role

As a stagehand you will have a variety of roles here at the Schottenstein Center. In the production department we provide a labor force for visiting touring productions, as well as having the opportunity to assist the conversion teams to ready the arena for a variety of events. The labor force for a touring event is broken down into the following departments, Rigging, Lighting, Audio, Carpentry, Video, Wardrobe, Pushers and Truck Loaders. Over the next few events your supervisor will be looking to place you in different departments to help you develop a better understanding of the scope of work you will encounter as a stagehand. You will work alongside tenured stagehands and will have a great opportunity to learn the craft necessary to be successful and valuable in those departments.

The most important thing you should concern yourself with at first is to follow directions. Over time you will develop a better understanding of the equipment and begin to work more independently. It is important that you ask questions about anything you are unsure of, and to seek out a new duty once you have completed the current assignment. Your initiative is one of the most important tools during the build of an event. Complete tasks quickly and accurately paying close attention to matters of personal safety, and the safe working environment of those around you. Please report any unsafe conditions immediately. NO PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS WORTH AN INJURY.

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Training

Several classes and training opportunities will be made available during the year at the JSC. These courses are designed to expand your knowledge of the equipment that a stagehand uses on a daily basis.

These courses include:

• Basic Stagehands Training and Orientation
• Lighting Equipment and Controls
• Sound Reinforcement
• Video Projection and Meeting Room Audio/Visual Practices
• Spotlight Operation
• Entertainment Rigging for Ground and Up Riggers

Other training internships are also available through the JSC. These other opportunities could be of great value to anyone wishing to pursue full time opportunities in the industry, not only here at the JSC, but at any other major multi-use facility in the world. These classes include;

• Electrical
• Engineering
• Plumbing
• Conversion
• Housekeeping
• Hazmat
• The Art of Making & Painting Ice

All of the above classes are designed to be educational and informative programs built around learning to manage a facility in the entertainment and sporting industry. They will serve as a starting point for you to pursue full time position opportunities at JSC or other arenas, while allowing you valuable insight into what it takes to maintain and operate an arena.

If you are interested in any of the above classes, or wish to discover more about training opportunities here at the JSC, schedule an appointment with your supervisor away from a show day, where he/she will be happy to talk to you about any classes that suit your request.

The JSC is happy to help you attain advancement and achieve your career goals, as well as provide an honest and accurate reference to any prospective employers. You will need to provide in writing permission for us as a State facility to talk about your work ability and record should you wish for us to provide a reference.

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When You Get to Work

The following information is intended as a rough guideline to your typical show day. All the information is contingent on show specific needs and could change at any time. Always make sure you have received instruction in the following areas before reporting to work to avoid delays and inconvenience to yourself.

Parking:

• Unless otherwise notified, parking for load-ins is limited to Gray lots 1 and 2. These are the lots immediately above the loading dock area, and the most convenient for you. Parking for load-outs is located in the 4-H lots behind the 4-H building across the street from the Gray lots. There may be the odd occasion that a more remote lot is the only one available, and we will take every effort to have this information available to you prior to the day of show. We will always endeavor to keep you in the most convenient lots.
• Your employee badge doubles as your access pass to the Gray lots. Always remember to have your badge with you when reporting for a shift.
• You should also receive a parking pass from your supervisor to place in the window of your car. To avoid a ticket or getting toed this should always be present when parked at the JSC.

Reporting to Work:

• Once you are parked, proceed to the stage door located at the loading dock
• Always remember to bring your employee badge. Your employee badge will be the indication to security that you are a stagehand and will allow you access to the loading dock area. If you lose your badge, you will be charged $10 pay for a replacement badge.
• Be sure to clock in using your employee badge upon arrival. This is the best way to ensure you are paid correctly for working your shift.
• All hands should report to duty 15 minutes prior to the official start time. This allows you to receive you assignment for the shift.
• Make sure you check in with the Stage Manager upon arrival, or as soon as possible if he/she is not in the immediate loading dock area. DO NOT LEAVE THE DOCK AREA UNTIL INSRUCTED TO DO SO AS PART OF YOUR WORK ASSIGNMENT

Load In:

• All hands are considered to be pushers until they are assigned to a department. We will endeavor to place you in the department that suits you best, while ensuring that you get adequate cross training in other departments on a show by show basis.
• Rigger should also assist in pushing until the motors and steel have begun to come off the truck.
• Typically there will be a 15 minute break within the first 2 1/2 hours of work. This will either be assigned by the Stage Manager or your department head. Do not leave your assigned department unless released by a supervisor.
• Within 5 hours of the starting time, a meal break will be called. These fall into two categories.
  • A full one hour break, off of the clock to allow you time to leave the facility to obtain your own meal.
  • A half hour lunch on the clock, where either the tour or JSC will provide food. This is the most common.
• After the meal break, the show may reduce the size of the crew to a bare minimum. All crew members to be cut will be informed by the Stage Manager.

Showcalls and Load Out:

• Showcall personnel are required to report to duty at the pre-determined time in correct attired, known as "show blacks".
• "Show Blacks" consist of a black shirt, black ankle length pants and dark shoes. Failure to wear the proper attair for a showcall may result in your replacement for that call.
• Show call personnel should report through the Stage Door Security on the Loading Dock.
• Tardiness to a show call may also result in replacement for that show.
• Load out crew members are to enter the building via the stage door located at the loading dock on the west side of the building at Arena Floor Level.
• At the determined report time, either the Stage Manager will instruct the load out crew as to their assigned duties. An assignment list will also be posted outside the Technical Director’s office in case you forget your assignment.
• It is more and more common for the load out crew to be required to wear identifying colors to their assigned duty. This may be a t-shirt or wristband. It is important to make sure these colors are worn and visible so the touring crew can easily identify their team at all times.
• Only showcall personnel are allowed in the backstage area prior to the official load out call time.
• Your pass will not allow any access to the dressing room corridor or mix positions unless specifically marked as such for the show’s purpose.

Work Attire and Clothing:

• When reporting to work you must be dress in clothing appropriate to the type of work you will be performing. This includes closed-toe shoes, ankle length pants and a clean t-shirt. Your clothing should be free of paint, stains or holes. We also highly recommend wearing steel-toed shoes while working an event.
• If you would like to eventually work a shift installing the ice or a conversion that requires you to walk directly on the ice your shoes should have a rubber sole and in the case steel-toed shoes, a synthetic version is preferred. The steel acts as a heat-sink and will cause your toes to become extremely cool very quickly.
• Cleanliness and good personal hygiene is very important to the image you portrait as a JSC employee. Always come to work looking professional and smelling fresh. Failure to do so may make it necessary for your supervisor to send you home for the remainder of your shift.

Dos and Don’ts:

Please understand that for the smooth operation of any large scale event, it is essential that rules and regulations are followed. These are in place for very specific reasons, and have been developed over many years of working in this industry.

• Do – Enjoy your work time in this field. You are in one of the most dynamic work environments imaginable.
• Do – Take the time to enjoy your achievement. If you asked a construction company to build what we build in a single day, they would still be laughing now. Whenever possible we make the passes available for you to see the show until call back time. You should watch the show from the East End floor level and experience as much of the event as possible. Please be sure to check in with your supervisor at your assigned call time and do not leave the loading dock after that time.
• Do – treat your other co-workers with the same respect you would expect in return.
• Do – Ask about all the training programs you feel are pertinent to your interests. We will be happy to assist in your personal advancement.
• Don’t – Ask for autographs or pictures. This does not present the professional image we wish to project and will not be tolerated. A single offense may be cause for your termination.
• Don’t – Watch the performance from the back or side of the stage. These are working areas and could be unsafe during the course of the performance.
• Don't – Expect free merchandise from events. We are fortunate to occasionally receive shirts or other memorabilia from events that play here, however they are not a given.
• Don’t – Present yourself in a way that would be offensive or incumbent to our patrons. This includes shirts with profanity, and loud verbal exchanges. The patrons have paid a lot of money to see performances and their experience is essential to our future standing in the market place.

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