Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2024 - 9

to empowering your employees and creating
buy-in to the lean manufacturing
system. Lean can only be achieved when
the workforce participates, which can
be a challenge with students. Strategies
for achieving employee or student buy-in
can be simple. Hold quick morning meetings
to discuss workflow. Institute an
open-door policy for employees to make
suggestions on how to simplify their
workflow and eliminate waste. And, give
them time to implement changes.
Kaizen and the Postmortems
It is challenging for a theatre company or
" producing organization " to stop working
in the middle of the production calendar
and change the way they operate.
Many producing organizations around
the country operate with a tight production
schedule that doesn't allow for time
to play with shop structure or workflow
improvements during the season. Once
a company is in production mode, there
is too much momentum to allow the production
team to adjust their shop's workflow
or organization system.
One of the most effective ways for a
company to review its work post-production
and create strategies to improve the
process is by consistently holding postmortem
meetings. Postmortems can be
incredibly effective in creating Kaizen,
particularly if the eight types of waste are
considered. These conversations allow
everyone to turn a critical eye to their department
and analyze their own wasteful
practices. These meetings also can give
the management team a chance to voice
their concerns with the process. It's important
for shop managers to implement
this strategy with their teams. Some of
the improvements might be " two-second
improvements " that can save time and
money, while others might have to be
put on a list of projects to address when
there's enough time available to focus on
infrastructure.
Postmortem meetings also have an
unfortunate habit of becoming gripe
sessions where departments complain
about one another or try to hash out lingering
disagreements from the recently
completed production. Practicing lean
manufacturing means only worrying
about what is under your control. It does
not matter how much waste the scenic
department sees in the lighting shop; it is
not appropriate to point that out. Instead,
ISSUE 1, 2024 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 9
focus on your own work where waste
can always be found and eliminated.
Remember, each of us have several lifetimes
of waste that we carry with us; focus
on that. Only help your colleagues if
they ask for help, and even then, it's best
to be gentle and let them do most of the
analysis. Workflow and work habits can
be very personal, and unsolicited advice
is almost always unwelcome. Set the example
by being honest about your shortcomings
and waste with your colleagues;
share the strategies that you plan to implement
to eliminate waste and improve
efficiency. Make it part of your company's
culture.
A quick case study from Orange High
School in Orange, Ohio: A group of teenagers
participated in the school's technical
theatre crew, but because the school
lacked a drama program, the only training
the students received was during
productions by a local community theatre
organization. In a meeting after every performance,
the students discussed how
the show ran, and about each of their
tracks, and ways they could improve the
following night. The students bought in
entirely to the system. After a couple of
productions, the students began creating
policies addressing phone use backstage
by creating the " phone box. " They implemented
their own shift rehearsal schedule
and started having pre-show meetings
to discuss the upcoming production. They
were given a mandate to look at their
work and find ways to improve, and they
started to write their own rules.
If these burgeoning young artists
could do it with minimal support and assistance,
then it can be done anywhere.
It just takes time and a little honest selfevaluation.
David Yirak, former artistic
director of Texas, A Musical Drama once
said, " If you had a perfect show, then it's
time to retire. " It's a great message to
keep with you: There is always room for
improvement, and nothing is perfect, especially
in live entertainment. That's part
of the fun.
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