Reference no: EM132788418
Venue Operations and Services Theater Scheduling/Changeover Challenge
Your performing arts theater is in the downtown core of the state capital. You have a long-term relationship with a Broadway show series. They have scheduled a 3-week run of a Broadway play in your theater, ending with a matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. This show brings nine trucks and requires extensive alterations to the stage and stage sets built on site. The stage requirements have resulted in removal of the first three rows of seats. The production requirements for this show are extensive, and the loading dock staging area is extremely limited.
The governor has been contacted by a close friend about hosting an up-and-coming opera singer from Italy. Hosting this event may positively impact trade relations between your state and Italy. The governor wants to host grade school children for two performances on Monday (10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) prior to the public performance Monday evening. Due to political pressure, you must accommodate this request even though the changeover is a considerable challenge. The theater's stage manager estimates that the load-out for the Broadway show and restoration of the theater, including the reinstallation of the first three rows of seats, will take a minimum of 12 hours. The crew completing the changeover will be into some serious overtime if the conversion is scheduled on Sunday night and not on Monday morning as was originally planned. The production equipment for the opera is contained in one semitrailer and will be arriving early Sunday evening. Due to your public funding, the governor is asking that the hall be provided rent-free for the school performances. This can be a common occurrence in theaters, arenas, or convention centers, especially when they are publicly funded.
Assignment
The venue's production staff is responsible for assisting the client with producing the physical and technical environment required to achieve the successful and desired event objectives. The operations department is required to make the appropriate changes from the occupancy of the previous event to the new event. Typically, this activity is known as a changeover or conversion, which is the act of transformation that occurs between events and provides the necessary environment for the next use. In some situations, the changeover may require significant conversion activities, requiring considerable physical changes to the venue.
- What are the operational areas impacted by this scenario? How is each impacted?
- What factors must be considered when preparing for the weekend's events and the conversion schedule between events?
- What can be done to minimize the many logistical challenges resulting from the tight transition?
- Labor costs will probably increase due to overtime. What can be done to avoid this?
- What other additional expenses may be incurred as a result of the tight transition?