Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 1985 - 16

WHO THtJlTRE ?
HOW LtJlRNED?
MAKES
IS IT

by Helmut Grosser

The following is the text of a speech that was to have been
presellled at the 1985 USITT conference. Because of a scheduling
errOl~ Mr. Grosser had to leave before he could preselll the paper.
-ed.

I have chosen this very general topic in order to point out
the broad spectrum that our theatre professions cover. Even
though mainly technicians and scenographers are attending
this convention, we all know how many other occupations
there are involved in our theatre operations. Their trainingas well as that of the technicians, the set and costume designers, to say nothing of the lighting designers-is totally
different in Germany than here in America.
The code which the German technical theatre occupations
must follow regarding safety, building, and organizational
techniques is called the "Assembly Rooms Regulation"
(Versammlungsstatten-Verordnung). This pertains both to
buildings on a monumental scale, uch a the International
Congress Center in Berlin, and to the tiniest municipal theatre.
In both cases, the same standards apply.
This also applies fully to the system of all the theatrical
professions referred to by the question: Who makes theatre?
There is one single training program for actors, whether they
perform in a small town or in Berlin. There is also a single
program for set and costume designers, whether they work
for a small playhouse or a large federal opera house. The system appears to me similar in America, but, unlike you, we
face two problems. First, there is the very fact that in the
theatre we have certain recognized (or, perhaps, accepted)
profes ions with clearly defined, officially confirmed training
or apprenticeship and diploma procedures. Yet, we have a
group of employees performing jobs that are not professions
in that sense. In addition, of course, there are professions for
which, formerly, the training occurred in another occupation.
The theatre manager, for instance, first studied as an actor or
literary director; the prop person was trained as a window
lot

Theatre Design & Technology

SITT Fall 1985

dresser; the stagehand as a carpenter, metal worker, or decorator; the lighting person as an electrician. All the knowledge
and ability acquired through those former occupations, however, makes up but one small part of that required by their
present activities in the theatre.
Second, although for most of the professions mentioned
a basic training is provided, there is no continuing training or
education. The training as a carpenter in a kitchen-cabinet
factory has so far sufficed fully for the subsequent profession
as a stage carpenter or qualified stagehand; singing or acting
training may suffice for a career as a director. The point is
not to defame the basic professions-they provide fundamental information and knowledge-but they are absolutely
insufficient in respect to the creativity, organizational requirements, and breadth of vision required by our theatre
activities and professions today.
This development-or, rather, non-development-has its
origin in history. Our theatres did not emerge out of the
artistically and technically advanced culture of Greek and
Roman theatre, they grew instead out of the delight in showmanship of individuals at markets and festivals, out of the
delight of those in power in owning human toys, out of the
Church's delight (one may pardon my use of the word "delight" in this context) in having the Bible and its stories portrayed in a manner understood by the common people rather
than recited from pulpits in Latin. For this mixture of exhibitionism, missionary consciousness, and plain good fun, no
formal training was required. Those who had the ability displayed themselves while others looked on. Later, those in
power were no longer satisfied with having their court midgets,
acrobats and traveling min trels at their feet and had performance sites erected, preferably within the palace itself, to
make it most comfortable.
Master builders were the first theatre technicians and, accustomed to working with complicated wooden timber constructions, simply made them mobile and the magic began.

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