June is National Safety Month. Keeping in line with the National Safety Council’s weekly safety topics, I’m going to talk a little bit about Hazard Recognition. After reading several articles on the topic, it really boils down to taking a few minutes to stop and take stock of your surroundings. Look around and ask the …Continue Reading

To wrap up National Historic Preservation Month, let’s talk about those wooden truss arch girders that hold up the Coliseum’s rigging structure. Bear with me, here, because there were a few hoops we had to jump through before we even got to lay hands on them! The Coliseum, built in 1924, was constructed using an …Continue Reading

This week, I’d like to take a little time to walk through the Coliseum’s rigging system. The old rigging system consisted of 17 line sets, each with 3 manila lines supporting a steel pipe batten. The rope lines were supported by 4 sets of rigging support beams that were suspended from the roof joist with …Continue Reading

“Every so often we’re blessed with the opportunity to participate in the renovation and preservation of a historically relevant jewel of a venue,” said Mark T. Black,   principal at IA Stage. “The St. Petersburg Coliseum is one of those gems.” The Mediterranean Revival-style Coliseum was designed by T.H. Eslick in 1923 and built in 1924 as …Continue Reading

Did you know that May is National Historic Preservation Month? I didn’t. But now that I do, let’s talk about it! We’re enthusiastic members of the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT), and we’re all about preservation efforts for these old gems. Why? Theatres hold a special place in the hearts of many people. They …Continue Reading

The Rigging Safety Initiatve (RSI) offers free stage rigging inspections and safety training for secondary schools across America. Schools can apply for the service twice a year, in spring and fall. The deadline for the spring cycle was April 25, but don’t let that discourage you from learning how you can participate. The RSI is …Continue Reading