When we start looking at “re-opening” our economy, there is a lot to unpack and figure out. When you look specifically at show business, it gets even more complicated. We work in an environment that requires close contact, touching, even kissing. We share tight quarters, eat, drink, and sometimes live together (anyone ever do a bus and truck tour?).

There are many front of house issues that need to be addressed, but as a stage manager, I’ve been ruminating on what adjustments we may need to make behind the curtain in order to re-open in a responsible and functional way which is no easy task!

The ten items below are food for thought. It's not a top ten list, but rather, ten ideas for how we can return to work in the theatre in the COVID era. I’m not a healthcare professional, but as a stage manager, these ten ideas are top of mind to care for our company and get the best show possible onstage every night.

Let’s dive in and see what COVID life backstage could look like:

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Temaer: theater, avpro, professional, stage manager, covid-19

Looking for inspiration? Take peek at these projection mapping applications which transform both the mundane and the magnificent, proving yet again that you can map just about anything!

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Temaer: projection, wow-factor, visitor experience, mapping, inspiration

Elisabeth Weidner, Soundgirls, highlights words of wisdom from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg and their application for a sound designer. 

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Temaer: sound, audio, professional, communication

Have you thought about becoming a professional media server operator or user? Unsure of what technical skills you need to become one? In the 10 ^th blog in this series, we focus on ways to capture content from external sources and some of the challenges with these systems.

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Temaer: network video, network device interface, mediaserver, professional, capture

For a theater or AV technician, precision in purchasing can mean the difference between a successful show or a whole lot of stress. Anna Tompkins looks at what can go wrong in the acquisition process and, more importantly, how to make sure it's right next time.

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Temaer: professional, communication, purchasing

A Dataton Academy certified trainer with a background in theater technology, Ian Johnson has seen both sides of technical support, asking the questions as well as advising others. In this blog, he shares his three key strategies for maximizing tech support time and quality. Read on!

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Temaer: professional, communication, covid19, tech support

"As a stage manager, your main job is to achieve the impossible." Author and experienced stage manager, Liam Klenk shares insights on how to maintain calmness and balance in a challenging environment. 

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Temaer: collaboration, avpro, professional, stage manager, 12 tips

‘The New Normal’ is a phrase which has been used and perhaps over-used in the last few months when describing our lives post Covid-19 lockdown. From a business and meetings point of view, how will our interaction change and what will that interaction look like?

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Temaer: professional, communication, videoconference, covid19

Have you considered becoming a professional media server operator or user? Unsure of what technical skills you need to become one? In the ninth blog in the series, we look at networked video and audio standards – a topic that seems hotter than ever these days.

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Temaer: network video, audio, network device interface, mediaserver, professional

This week, we're adding a dash of history to the blog with an excerpt from "The Early Synth Days" by Dataton founder, Björn Sandlund. Aimed at readers with a major interest in synth history (and/or the cultural climate of 1970s Sweden!), the story begins at the world's most advanced electronic music studio and ends with a startup focused on modular solutions for playback. Read on… 

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Temaer: dataton, communication, history, synth