The job of an entertainment rigger is to safely suspend objects (scenery, lights, sound equipment, platforms, and even performers) at very specific locations above the ground. The type, size and location of the structural members from which these objects must be suspended vary greatly from venue to venue. Additionally, the size, weight, and location of each object varies from object to object. To ensure that each object is safely suspended at the proper location, math is essential. Sometimes this math is very simple, and sometimes it can be complex. One reason catastrophic failures occur is because the load placed on a structural member or a piece of hardware exceeds the breaking strength of the structural member or piece of hardware. While a structural engineer must determine the strength of the structural members, and the manufacturers determine the strength of the hardware, the rigger is responsible for knowing the forces that will be exerted on each rigging point and piece of hardware. Because the forces placed on each rigging point and piece of hardware are determined not only by the weight of the object (its static load) but also HOW the rigging is done, entertainment riggers must be able to calculate these loads/forces. There are plenty of entertainment riggers who do not know how to do much math - but these are the people doing exactly what they are told to do, and not the ones figuring out what to do and doing the telling. If you want to be a top-notch rigger, you have to know math.

Rigging Math Made Simple

Arts & Photography

Hall, Delbert L.

Performing Arts

Spring Knoll Press

This book, a short and easy read with common sense coaching and easy to follow exercises, takes beginning acting students through techniques and improvisations that will help them overcome perhaps their greatest fear: making “The Big Choice.”  Using sound examples from classical as well as contemporary plays, Herb Parker makes it easier for the theatrical neophyte by making the case that a play is “about human beings caught in an outrageous situation, caused by love.”   “Actor, director, teacher Herb Parker has given us a splendid new book about acting. He analyzes this ancient art in clear, precise, engaging prose while dispensing acute, methodical and perceptive advice. Brilliant actor that he is, Herb understands the craft, the exceptional director gently leads the actor toward a fully realized performance and the thoughtful, caring teacher explains it all to the reader (student). This is the book of acting you need and one you will cherish.” --Eric Peterson, Producing Artistic Director,                                        Oldcastle Theatre Company   Herb Parker is Associate Professor in the Division of Theatre and Dance in the Department of Communications with East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee.  An actor for more than 30 years, he has worked extensively in regional theatre, stock, on national tour and Off Broadway. He holds an MFA from Ohio University’s Professional Actor Training Program, and he is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Bark Like a Dog!: Outrageous Ideas for Actors

Parker, Herb

This book breaks down complex entertainment rigging (theatre and arena) calculations and makes them easy to understand. It also provides hints for remembering many rigging formulas. It is a great resource for anyone studying for either ETCP rigging exam. The second edition has a greatly expanded section on arena rigging, as well as more material and appendices for theatrical rigging. Also, this edition has links to free downloads of Excel workbooks for arena rigging. Beginning riggers will find this an excellent textbook and experience riggers will find it as a great reference book.

Rigging Math Made Simple, Second Edition

Humor & Entertainment

The Rigging Math Made Simple Workbook is a companion to Rigging Math Made Simple, Second Edition, and contains rigging math problems to help riggers hone their math skills. The chapters in this book parallel the lessons in Rigging Math Made Simple, Second Edition, and the answers to all problems are found at the end of each chapter.

The Rigging Math Made Simple Workbook

Sickels, Brian

This book breaks down complex entertainment rigging (theatre and arena) calculations and makes them easy to understand. It also provides hints for remembering many rigging formulas. It is a great resource for anyone studying for either ETCP rigging exam, and includes an explanation of the equations found on the ETCP Certified Rigger - Formula Table. The third edition has a greatly expanded section on arena rigging, as well as more material and appendices for theatrical rigging. Also, this edition has links to even more free downloads of Excel workbooks for arena rigging. Beginning riggers will find this an excellent textbook and experience riggers will find it as a great reference book.

Rigging Math Made Simple, Third Edition

Whether you are a student technician or a union rigger, The Arena Riggers' Handbook is a "must have" book for your library. Written by experienced and certified riggers, this book clearly describes all aspects of arena rigging, including: hardware, rigging techniques, electricity, rigging math, safety and more. It even includes an arena rigging quiz to help you access your preparedness for taking an arena rigging certification exam.

The Arena Riggers' Handbook

In Blue Winged Olive, Tucker Chenoweth helps out a woman on the Appalachian Trail, and makes enemies of the two local men who are harassing her. The incident draws Tucker into a feud with the rednecks, who turn out to be arsonists and meth dealers, and initiates an intimate relationship with Samantha White, the woman from the Trail. Tucker and Sam are both avid fly fishers, who spend as much time as they can spare on the Watauga and Holston Rivers in northeast Tennessee, but their time together is repeatedly interrupted by the local toughs, whose connections to an area constable and two “respectable” businessmen threaten Sam’s life and force Tucker to fall back on skills he learned in Laos during the Vietnam war.

Blue Winged Olive

Johnson, Don

Literature & Fiction

With nearly 400 pages of text and over 550 illustrations, The Theatre Riggers’ Handbook is the most comprehensive book on theatre rigging available. Written by experienced riggers Hall and Sickels, authors of The Arena Riggers’ Handbook, this book clearly describes all aspects of theatre rigging, including hardware, rigging math and techniques, installations, fire curtains, concert shells, hemp and manual counterweight rigging, automated systems, aerial rigging, rigging safety and inspections, and more. Whether you are a beginning rigger or a seasoned professional, The Theatre Riggers’ Handbook is a “must have” for your professional library.

The Theatre Riggers' Handbook

This is the fourth edition of Dr. Hall's book on rigging math. It breaks down complex entertainment rigging (theatre and arena) calculations and makes them easy to understand. It also provides hints for remembering many rigging formulas. It is a great resource for anyone studying for either ETCP rigging exam, and includes an explanation of the equations found on the ETCP Certified Rigger - Formula Table. The third edition has a greatly expanded section on arena rigging, as well as more material and appendices for theatrical rigging. Also, this edition has links to even more free downloads of Excel workbooks for arena rigging. Beginning riggers will find this an excellent textbook and experience riggers will find it as a great reference book.

Rigging Math Made Simple 4th Edition

Sickles, Brian

Computers have revolutionized almost everything we do, including theatrical design. The “old school” methods of designing and drafting with pencils and paper are disappearing. Even paper models of sets are less frequently seen as 3D modeling software has become both more powerful and easier to use, as well as more affordable. The purpose of this book is to teach scenic designers, particularly beginning designers, how to use SketchUp to help them visualize a scenic design for the stage. This book assumes two things about the reader: 1) the reader has no experience with any of the software that will be covered in this book, and 2) the user has a basic understanding of theatre and theatrical terms (like Upstage, Downstage, Stage Left, Stage Right). If you are a scenic designer, this book can help you visualize your designs and communicate them to the director and other members of the production team.

SketchUp for Scenic Design

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