Union Call

Yesterday, I worked a call at the Flynn theater as an electrics overhire with the local 919, the stagehands' union for the Burlington-Dartmouth area. The National Tour of Mamma Mia! was in town for two performances, and I worked the load-in early in the morning and load-out late last night. It was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed working with the tour people and the locals, despite the frigid temperatures. I also met a lot of students from UVM and Castleton, which was cool. 

The tour arrived with several tractor trailer trucks of equipment and scenery. We unloaded cases of lighting and sound cables, computers and control boards, work boxes, hanging motors with chains, and most memorable, truss towers and full electrics, already hung with white moving lights that blended in with the white truss and blue-and-white drapes, scenery, and floor. Although I didn't get to see the show, it was amazing to see the quick transformation of a blank, black stage into the dreamy world of Mamma Mia. There were probably 30 local IATSE members/overhires there, and at least 20 more people with the tour-- the stage was crawling with people from start to finish! It was a shock at the end of the night when everything was loaded out, how the stage was the same old familiar place. I wish I took some pictures of the process!

I find it pretty funny, but not surprising, that I didn't touch a lighting instrument all day! I worked on unloading and loading the trucks, unfolding and setting up the electrics trusses, filling foggers and moving ladders and coiling massive cables, repacking cases, unplugging and sorting more cables, draining fog machines... all good stuff. I want to go on tour now someday. Big thank-you to Krissy Freeman for recommending me for overhire!