Duties of an Electrician (theatre)
– Responsible for all non-design aspects of lighting in a theatrical production
– Install, focus, and connect lighting instruments
– Add gel, patterns, and accessories to shape and color the light
– In charge of water and water effects used on or offstage
– Power other electrical items used in the production
Positions in Theatre Lighting
– Lighting supervisor: Acts as a go-between for designers and electrics staff
– Deck electrician: Handles all aspects of running lighting on or backstage
– Load in electrician: Hangs, circuits, and focuses lights for a show
– Light board operator: Executes cues for a production
– Master electrician: Supervises all other electricians and handles planning, inventory, and safety
Responsibilities of a Lighting Supervisor
– Adapt designs of several designers to work together
– Handle limitations of venue, equipment, budget, and time
– Responsible for re-mounting designs to newer equipment or different venues
– Common position in Broadway and high-end Off-Broadway productions
– Master electrician often takes on these duties in smaller productions
Responsibilities of a Deck Electrician
– Member of the running crew for a production
– Responsible for all lighting aspects on or backstage
– Change color, focus, and readjust lights
– Connect and disconnect electrified set pieces or practical units
– Assist with motor control or effects in some venues
Responsibilities of a Light Board Operator
– Executes cues for a production
– Adjusts light levels and presses Go button on a console
– Writes cues for their lighting board
– Makes quick adjustments for equipment failure or wrong locations
– May function as both operator and designer for live events Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrician_(theater)
In theatre, an electrician is a person who works with the various aspects of lighting. Some of the positions among electricians include the lighting supervisor, master electrician, deck electrician, light board operator, moving light programmer, followspot operator, as well as simply electricians. This group is generally known as the "Electrics" Department or LX Department.
These people are responsible for receiving the light plot from the lighting designer and translating the design as it is on paper to the lighting that is seen by the audience in the final production. In small theatres, many of these roles may be filled by a single person, while in a large production such as those on Broadway or a large tour, there may be several people filling some of the roles.
