Emergency Response

If the fire is small enough to put out with a fire extinguisher, do that first.

In Rehearsal 

• In the rehearsal room, tell everybody to evacuate and to gather at the parking lot behind the building

• Evacuate as quickly as possible out the nearest exit

• Pull a fire alarm if it isn't going off

• Call 911

• Gather in the parking lot behind the building and take attendance

• When the Fire Department shows up, give them all the information you have, including whether somebody is still inside

During a Performance

• On the god mic, tell everybody to evacuate

• "Hold Please.  There is a fire. Everybody please quickly and calmly evacuate to the nearest exit. Audience members please gather on the steps in the front of the building. Company members please gather in the rear parking lot. There is a fire. Please quickly and calmly make your way to the nearest exit. 

• Evacuate as quickly as possible

• Pull a fire alarm if it isn't going off

• Call 911

• Gather in the parking lot behind the building and take attendance 

  • The House Manager is responsible for the audience, you take care of the cast and crew

• When the Fire Department shows up, give them all the information you have, including if somebody is still inside

• Talk with the Fire Department and House Manager about being able to resume the show. 

If you are on Tornado Watch

• If you are just on Tornado "watch" stay prepared and make emergency contingency plans.

If there is a tornado warning for Lorain County

• Bring Cast and Crew members to the downstairs Wurtzel Dressing Rooms.

• If there is an audience present, check in with house manager to make sure they're doing their job.

In Rehearsal

• If campus is closed or on warning due to extreme weather and snow, talk with the director about canceling your rehearsal. 

• If you are truly snowed in at the theater, call Campus Safety

On a Performance Day

• If campus is closed or on warning due to extreme weather and snow, call Eric about canceling your show.

• If you finish your show and cannot get out, call Campus Safety

In Rehearsal

• If the power is only out for a few seconds, you may continue rehearsal.

• If the power is out and doesn't come back on:

  • Stop rehearsal

  • Make sure everyone is safe. Ask everyone to remain calm and in place. 

  • Consult with the director about ending rehearsal 

During a Performance

• Stop the show by yelling out of the booth. Seriously. Your headsets and god mic will be useless.  

• Make sure everyone is safe and ask the audience to remain seated. 

• The ASM(s) should get the cast off stage. 

• If the power comes back on quickly, you can resume the show. 

• If the power is out for an extended period of time, talk with the House Manager about letting the audience out of their seats. 

• If the power doesn't come back on, follow the show cancellation procedure

• Put a bucket underneath the leak

• Clean up any water that you can

• Take a picture of the leak and send it to Joe Natt

• If a pipe has burst, a major leak is gushing water (more than a bucket can handle), or other flooding occurs, call Joe Natt and/or Eric Steggall

• If there is a severe flood, and you need to leave the space, do not worry about the equipment. This is unlikely.

• Stop Rehearsal

• Assess the situation and decide if you need to call 911 (and do so). 

• Situation by situation, decide with the director whether rehearsal should continue or resume tomorrow.

• Before you leave, take prevention measures if relevant (glow tape, railings, etc.) and notify the production team in the rehearsal report.

• Fill out an accident report 

• As a stage manager, you should get keys or swipe access to the building at the start of the rehearsal process. 

• If for some reason you are locked out of the building or a space, try to find a staff member who can let you in.

• If you can't find anyone physically, try calling anyone who might be in the space. 

• For a crew call, call David Bugher. 

• If an actor is late to call, call them and ask them when they will be here.

• If they do not respond or say they aren't coming, leave a message asking when they will be here/remind them of their commitment to the show

  • (if they say they're coming, ask for an ETA and disregard the rest of the instructions)

• If you cannot get in contact them by 30 minutes after their call or by the time house opens, call the director and make a plan for how the show can proceed. This could be an ASM, Ensemble member, Assistant Director, or other crew member.

• Discuss with the cast and crew what needs to happen for the show to run smoothly and reassign duties as needed

• Hold curtain if necessary, and be in communication with the House Manager.

(This is for a situation where someone is injured in the building but the show hasn't started yet)

• Call 911 if needed. 

• Communicate with the person to assess whether they will be able to do the show that night.

• If not, call the director and make a plan for how the show can proceed. 

• Fill out an accident report.

• If they are onstage and can get off, let them get off or have a crew member help them off. This can happen ASAP, in a transition-whenever makes sense for the nature of the emergency.

• If they are on stage and cannot get off but need to, get on the god mic and say "hold please".

• Ask the audience to remain calm, and use your judgement to decide whether you should have them exit to the lobby or stay in their seats.

• On headset, get David and your ASMs out to help. Calmly and quickly assess the situation and make a judgement call, calling 911 if need be. 

• Fill out an accident report after the show. 

• This is when you see or hear that an audience member has had a medical emergency that they do not seem to be dealing with by themselves (fallen and not getting up, visibly suffering in some other way).

• If you can have ushers/house managers bring them to the lobby without interrupting the show, do that.

• If you cannot, call a hold (on the god mic) and then call 911.

If you need to cancel a show for whatever reason:

• Call the director and Eric Steggall, before canceling. You must get their approval before moving to cancel a show. 

• Once a show has been canceled, call Dale Alexander about contacting the audience.

• Send an email to the production team letting them know the show has been canceled.

• If the show was supposed to be later that day, send an email to the cast letting them know the show has been canceled. 

• Follow City and Campus Advisories to stay in the building, if in place.

• Call Campus Safety before sending people home to ask if it is okay or if they need to be escorted.