Running crew

Running crew, run crew or stage crew, is a collective term used in the theatre to describe the members of the technical crew who supervise and operate ("run") the various technical aspects of the production during a performance. While the "technical crew" includes all persons other than performers involved with the production, such as those who build and take down the sets and place the lighting, the term "running crew" is generally limited to those who work during an actual performance. The term is typically not applied to crew or department heads, although there are exceptions. The running crew may include performers if they also function in technical capacities while offstage. A typical running crew will include any or all of the following positions, depending on the nature and size of the production, and the complexity of the technical requirements. Each position is organized by the most common title; depending on the country, type of production, and producing organization, different titles may be used for the same position. Assistant stage manager: Assists the stage manager in their duties. Generally, one assistant stage manager is in charge of running backstage operations during a show. Props: responsible for maintenance and placement of hand props before scenes as well as their subsequent retrieval after the scene. Call boy: responsible for alerting actors and actresses of their entrances in time for them to appear on stage, on cue. Light board operator: operates the [stage lighting|lighting control system]. Sometimes this is integrated with the show control system. Deck Electrician: responsible for placing, connecting, and/or operating stage lighting units, such as stage lights. Sometimes, they are necessary to have during scene changes, in the case of moving set pieces with lighting equipment inside. Typically, more than one will be backstage. Master Electrician: responsible for the maintenance and operation of dimming & power distribution systems during a performance, including "hot" or "live" patching.