Embedded Files
Mentoring the next generation of technicians in the performing arts.
Project Overview
The Princeton Production Workforce Training (PPWT) Program, headed by the Princeton Lewis Center for the Arts, aims to provide individuals from underrepresented communities with the skills needed to obtain entry level technician jobs in the live performance industry. For four weeks in the month of June, a cohort of students around high school and/or college age are trained in lighting and sound work, and are given opportunities to build good habits and skills in work readiness. The cohort is paid for their time, in an effort to remove barriers into entering this industry. By the end of the program, the cohort has enough knowledge to be hired in local theaters and venues across the Princeton and Trenton areas, filling hiring gaps and supporting the arts in the local community.
As an intern assisting the instructional staff, my work involved ensuring the smooth operation of the program's events and acting as a support instructor for sound workshops. Using the experience I have gathered from over 20+ productions, I contributed to the design of the curriculum, suggesting improvements, taking notes, compiling feedback, and developing useful supplemental learning resources.
Important skills and experiences include:
Prior experience in A1 (live sound engineer) and A2 (live sound technician) roles
Strong knowledge of live sound fundamentals
Mentorship and teaching skills
Organized notetaking and documentation skills
Curriculum and activity design
The speaker and stage plot created for the second practice exercise of Week 3. Four instruments (bass, keys, guitar, and bongos) were set up with appropriate equipment and monitors, along with a number of wireless microphones and wired speakers.
Accomplishment 1: Creation of Practice Exercises
Accomplishment 1: Creation of Practice Exercises
In Week 3 of the program, the cohort completed multiple practice exercises in which they were asked to set up a band's equipment based on given paperwork.
Collaborating with sound supervisor and instructor Kay Richardson, I developed stage and speaker plots, along with the corresponding input and output channel sheets.
This required me to have a strong knowledge of the exact equipment needed and the guidelines to follow for crafting a band setup. Additionally, I had to be very knowledgable of the details of putting it together, in order to quickly spot any mistakes made by the cohort.
An example stage and speaker plot drawn by me is shown on the left.
Accomplishment 2: Developing a Vocabulary List
Accomplishment 2: Developing a Vocabulary List
The cohort was given access to a Google Drive folder in which learning resources were placed, including any presentations used during workshops as well as supplemental material.
While I included resources from YouTube and other online sources for the cohort the view, I also worked on finding documents, such as input/output sheets and cue lists, from past productions I had worked on as examples.
Most significantly, I compiled a comprehensive list of vocabulary terms used in our sound workshops, which they could go back and reference at any time. This document is attached on the right.
Important Vocab List.pdfComprehensive PPWT Sound Vocabulary List - sources and online resources cited at end.
Draft of next year's Week 2 schedule, implementing a 4-day workshop idea with optional wardrobe class and office hours on Friday. Original formatting of template provided by Tess James.
Accomplishment 3: Schedule and Implementation Suggestions
Accomplishment 3: Schedule and Implementation Suggestions
Taking notes from staff meetings, conversations with Tess James, and my own experiences with the workshops, I proposed four different drafts for next year's workshop schedule.
In addition to this, I developed two documents - one detailing the pros and cons of each of the schedule drafts, and one listing a number of suggested changes that could be made to next year's iteration of the program.
An example week from one of the schedule drafts is shown on the left, making use of a 4-day workshop idea with optional wardrobe and exploration time on Fridays.
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