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Monday, September 01, 2025
What Every Stage Crew Member Should Carry With Them At All Times
OnStage Blog: So, you’ve got your script and think you're completely ready for the show to start backstage. Well, let me save you a lot of trial and error and set you up for success on the things you absolutely 100% need if you’re working backstage.
4 comments:
Mothman
said...
As a stage hand in high school I only ever carried things like safety pins and a sewing kit because as the costumes manager, no one ever looked to me for anything else. Now working calls where you can be asked to help with anything, having a variety of tools on hand is crucial. I’ve already heard a few different lists but this one has some unique items to keep in mind. I think this list is more geared towards backstage of a show while a few others are more for during the set up of the show but all of them are useful to know and keep in mind for each different call. I find one item particularly interesting, a flashlight around the neck. I was imagining the function of that would be much better as a headlamp for seeing in the dark backstage with hands still free, but so far I've only heard people mention flashlights never headlamps so I wonder why that is?
I was interested in what this article had to say and what they believe are the most important things to have as a stage hand. Most of the items were the same, but what was interesting to me was the costume and hair kits that were recommended to have with you such as a sewing kit, bobby pins, and safety pins. I have heard and been told about the main important and needed equipment such as a tool belt, flashlight, and screwdriver. I am surprised that a wrench is not included in this list. Most of the jobs that I have worked the main thing that they have asked for is a wrench so I was very surprised that this was not one of the first things on the list. I loved what this article said at the end about the stage crew / hands are the emergency net of the production and how they should be prepared as so.
I take issue with articles like this because they present a very narrow view of the role a stagehand can play. The biggest omission I noticed is the lack of a C-wrench or adjustable wrench on the list. When I show up for a call, I carry not only the items mentioned in the article but also a drill driver, C-wrench, hammer, and tape measure.It’s important to clarify what type of stagehand we’re talking about, since a sound stagehand, for example, will have a very different toolkit than someone working in costumes. Personally, I only use a sewing kit when dealing with soft goods, and I rarely touch costumes or props but not having one at all would still be careless. I’d make the same argument for a drill driver, a stagehand should be able to handle a loose screw or address one if needed. Overall, the list in the article leaves out many essential tools that are critical to different jobs under the broad umbrella of stagehand work.
As someone who likes to always be as prepared as humanly possible this article definitely jumped out at me. In reviewing it I realized that many of these things are already things I carry with me at all times, especially when I'm working on a show. Some of the things I always carry on me, like a pocket knife and a screwdriver. However some things I keep in my bag, like sewing kits, flashlights, safety/bobby pins. Then I sometimes have them on me depending on what I'm working on. That's why I find the idea of a toolbelt interesting, it's not something I currently use, but I can see how it would be helpful. That being said I could also see it getting in my way while I am working, and to be honest I probably can compact all of my stuff to fit between my pockets, and key ring.
4 comments:
As a stage hand in high school I only ever carried things like safety pins and a sewing kit because as the costumes manager, no one ever looked to me for anything else. Now working calls where you can be asked to help with anything, having a variety of tools on hand is crucial. I’ve already heard a few different lists but this one has some unique items to keep in mind. I think this list is more geared towards backstage of a show while a few others are more for during the set up of the show but all of them are useful to know and keep in mind for each different call. I find one item particularly interesting, a flashlight around the neck. I was imagining the function of that would be much better as a headlamp for seeing in the dark backstage with hands still free, but so far I've only heard people mention flashlights never headlamps so I wonder why that is?
I was interested in what this article had to say and what they believe are the most important things to have as a stage hand.
Most of the items were the same, but what was interesting to me was the costume and hair kits that were recommended to have with you such as a sewing kit, bobby pins, and safety pins. I have heard and been told about the main important and needed equipment such as a tool belt, flashlight, and screwdriver. I am surprised that a wrench is not included in this list. Most of the jobs that I have worked the main thing that they have asked for is a wrench so I was very surprised that this was not one of the first things on the list. I loved what this article said at the end about the stage crew / hands are the emergency net of the production and how they should be prepared as so.
I take issue with articles like this because they present a very narrow view of the role a stagehand can play. The biggest omission I noticed is the lack of a C-wrench or adjustable wrench on the list. When I show up for a call, I carry not only the items mentioned in the article but also a drill driver, C-wrench, hammer, and tape measure.It’s important to clarify what type of stagehand we’re talking about, since a sound stagehand, for example, will have a very different toolkit than someone working in costumes. Personally, I only use a sewing kit when dealing with soft goods, and I rarely touch costumes or props but not having one at all would still be careless. I’d make the same argument for a drill driver, a stagehand should be able to handle a loose screw or address one if needed. Overall, the list in the article leaves out many essential tools that are critical to different jobs under the broad umbrella of stagehand work.
As someone who likes to always be as prepared as humanly possible this article definitely jumped out at me. In reviewing it I realized that many of these things are already things I carry with me at all times, especially when I'm working on a show. Some of the things I always carry on me, like a pocket knife and a screwdriver. However some things I keep in my bag, like sewing kits, flashlights, safety/bobby pins. Then I sometimes have them on me depending on what I'm working on. That's why I find the idea of a toolbelt interesting, it's not something I currently use, but I can see how it would be helpful. That being said I could also see it getting in my way while I am working, and to be honest I probably can compact all of my stuff to fit between my pockets, and key ring.
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