UK - When Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS) required an upgrade from their ageing prompt desk they turned to Stage Electrics who have successfully been building stage management consoles for over 30 years.
"When I joined BOVTS I realised that the students were using cue lights that would break and were not easy to programme. I felt the students needed the chance to work with exactly the same systems that they would be using once they graduated. This brought me to Stage Electrics," commented Louise Matthews, production stage management supervisor, BOVTS.
Working closely with Matthews, Stage Electrics designed and developed their new table top stage management console. Ideal for use in schools, touring shows and professional theatres; this flagship portable desk concept is proven to be a popular choice across a variety of venues such as East 15 Acting School and Barnsley College.
The newly designed professional cue light master station boasts a flexible wiring solution with desirable large tactile illuminated buttons. Added to the new cue light master station is the communication master station allowing the desk to be a stand-alone system or to work as an extension of an existing system, with digital clock, stopwatch and dimmable script lighting completing the system. A flight case option protects the desk and outstations and all the cables making the whole system easy to transport.
Richard Thompson, operations manager, Stage Electrics said, "This new design was just a 3D CAD drawing at the time of my first meeting Louise, but this led to further discussion to smooth out the design concept. Her input was of real value to us and adds to our belief that the people who really matter in our design principles are the stage managers."
Once built the desk was first used to perform BOVTS Autumn term production A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum staged in The Tobacco Factory in Bristol. Appropriately it replicates the stage management console owned by Bristol Old Vic, which was also designed and built by Stage Electrics.
Louise Matthews continued, "Working with Stage Electrics to develop this desk was really beneficial and a privilege. It is great to know that a company is prepared to work alongside stage managers to develop workable equipment that fits our needs."
