YEP Spotlight: Technicians 2022-2023
27 Sep 2023
Great news from our former YEP Techs (2022 - 2023), they have all gone on to employment / further education since graduating the programme.
Where they are now:
5x Casual technician interviews since finishing the course
4x Casual technician employment
1x Freelance in the arts
1x Apprenticeship in the arts
1x Further education in university
1x Venue tech job at Edinburgh Fringe
YEP Technical Manager Kieran Sing reflects on the last cohort of students:
"Eleven YEP Techs started the course and we ended the year with nine as two went into employment during the course.
In this time they learnt the basics of Lighting, Sound and Projection, primarily in the Studios at both the Everyman and the Playhouse. We had a heavier focus on Lighting with our ETC Gio Lighting desk, Qlab programming and operating for sound during shows and sessions focused on casual technician work, so they would understand what they would be expected to do as an entry level casual technician.
Theatres and Event Venues are in need of capable technicians with positive attitudes, and it’s amazing to set these aspiring young technicians off into the industry to begin their journey. Their capability will soar as they’re nurtured into the role, but their attitudes are already spot on; I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch!"
One of those students was Rob Murtagh; since finishing the course, they have worked as a technician at Africa Oye, read more about their experience below.
"When I was young, I loved any visit to the theatre. For a couple of hours, you were dropped feet first into a world that seemed just that bit more magical, more surreal, for being real and tangible – a mesmerising story built outside of a screen. As I got older, my love for theatre only grew. As I attended more shows, the technical elements of sound and lighting in these productions, really captured my imagination. I longed to be part of that creative hub, to be able to contribute towards bringing those worlds to life. However, as someone who felt rushed into picking a university course, and decided to go with a seemingly safer option of something I’d already experienced at school – as many do – the world of theatre, I thought, was closed off to me. It seemed near impossible to learn any skills surrounding theatre outside of an academic environment, and therefore a dream that would end up costing thousands of pounds more. It simply wasn’t viable.
And then, one day, I discovered applications were open for the YEP Technicians Course at the Everyman & Playhouse. The Young Everyman Playhouse programme covers numerous different facets of theatre and the Technicians Course, like the rest of the YEP programme, is completely free and open to anyone between 18-25. (It is also worth noting that other YEP courses are open for people aged 14-25. Anyone in this age bracket can also sign up for YEP membership even if they aren’t on a course, which gives them £5 tickets to main house shows and the opportunity to attend pre-show events and workshops). You don’t need any qualifications to apply to a YEP course, or a background in theatre – you just need enthusiasm and a love for the craft.
Spanning from October to August, the YEP Technicians Course covers the practical and creative aspects of being a theatre technician. We learnt about the different types of lights, what effects they could create, and how to rig them. We were shown how to use lighting desks to create lighting states, and Q-Lab (software used to control sound, video, and midi cues) to create soundscapes. Just as importantly, we were also given countless opportunities to let our imaginations loose with these tools on various scenarios given to us by the course leader and YEP Technical Manager, Kieran Sing. Our ability to bring worlds, however realistic, however absurd, to life, with light and sound was consistently encouraged; we were given plenty of space and time to experiment and to express our creative ideas. Over the past 10 months, I’ve also been taught how to set up microphones, how to professionally coil cables stretching meters long (a lot harder than it sounds!), how to build stages, how to set up speakers, how to patch lights to lighting desks, even how to wire a plug – to list a few more of the many skills provided by the course. I’ve learnt about the theatre industry, its workings, and been given more tips and practical advice for finding my feet within it than I ever anticipated.
Our work as YEP Techs wasn’t just restricted to the course’s weekly sessions. We were also offered opportunities to work on shows within the Everyman studio. Nearly every month, the Everyman studio hosts Scratch Studio sessions, where playwrights can present ten minutes of a new work to an audience and receive feedback. As YEP Techs, we were able to programme and operate lighting and sound states for each performance, providing a professional setting to the showcase. We have also been able to programme and operate the lighting and sound for the performance at the end of the Everyman and Playhouse’s Drama Week, which provides young children with the opportunity to learn and put on a play. We have also been given the chance to work on a production on the Everyman’s main stage. For example, we were able to operate the lighting and sound for the run of This is not a Crime, This is just a Play, a play the YEP Actors had written, devised, and performed themselves in collaboration with renowned theatre group Ugly Bucket. We also shadowed the designing and programming of the lighting and sound for this production, and attended the tech rehearsals; something which offered valuable insight into professional design and programming, and provided a good sense of what working on a main house show would look like.
One further invaluable aspect of the course were the sessions we attended at The Philharmonic Halls. Led by the Philharmonic Technical team, these sessions were an amazing opportunity to see what goes on surrounding the performances at the concert hall. This included going under the stage and learning how to run the multi (which allows power to run to lighting and sound desks at the back of the main hall) - one of the most interesting sessions for me! We were also taught how to rig the drapes that form the backdrop for Philharmonic performances, and how to set up the stage for the orchestra. We were given tutorials on the lighting desks and sound equipment, and the process of setting up for touring bands. We were even trusted to help a touring band unload their equipment. Members of the Philharmonic Technical team, from the technical manager to full time technicians who had progressed from being casual staff, also gave us invaluable advice regarding pursuing a career in technical work, and what would be expected from casual and full-time staff. They were incredibly welcoming, informative, and helpful. It was continually clear throughout our sessions with them that they cared about what they did and about further encouraging our interest in technical work. It was also incredibly beneficial to receive training in a venue that specialises in concerts as opposed to theatre; it broadened our technical horizons and really helped emphasise how the skills we had learnt on the YEP Technicians Course could be applied to technical work outside of theatre.
As a conclusion to the YEP Technicians Course, we were each assigned one of the plays in the YEP Directors’ Festival (the culmination of the YEP Directors Course) to act as lead and assistant technicians. We as YEP techs worked closely with the director to design lighting and sound states, programmed this as part of a tech run, and operated them for a run of three performances. This was a fantastic project to work on, and provided excellent experience for both technicians and directors alike. This showcase of talent reflected that, as with the team at The Philharmonic, the encouragement and caring nature of the YEP team has been a crucial part of the course. Their consistent encouragement, support, and sheer enthusiasm created an uplifting atmosphere that naturally fostered our skills. We were never pushed to do anything we weren’t comfortable with, but the nature of the environment we were learning in meant that we naturally gained continued confidence in our own abilities and pushed ourselves further. It is clear to see that they care about what they do, the future of the theatre industry, and the wellbeing of everyone on the course. The YEP Technicians Course was a brilliant experience, and I am incredibly grateful to have been part of this year’s cohort. It has taught me so much, helped form a new-found confidence in myself, and placed me in good stead to pursue a career I have long dreamed of."
Rob Murtagh, YEP Technicians 2022-2023