by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
The Florida Theatre stage filled with metal bars and flying sparks this week as the rigging system got a facelift.
The last update of the theatre’s rigging system was in 1983, according to Saul Lucio, technical director for the theatre. He said the technology for rigging systems hasn’t changed much over the past 100 years, but safety updates are necessary from time to time.
“It (the technology) is still the same as when the theatre was built in 1926,” said Lucio.
The system consists of 50 bars hung from the ceiling and placed six inches apart. Lucio explained that the bars can hold about 1,000 pounds each of backdrops, lighting and other props above the stage.
Florida Theatre received $25,000 from the City’s Cultural Service Capital Program to update the rigging system and replace the main stage curtain. Lucio said the system receives routine maintenance each year, but it needed a few updates, such as replacement and extended pipes.
“During the summer months, the shows slow down,” he said. “This (rigging rehab) takes about four weeks with the stage shut down.”
A crew works on the rigging rehab for five days at a time before taking a break for a weekend movie screening or other event, according to Lucio.
Plans for the curtain replacement are in the works, as well. Lucio said the details have to match as closely as possible and get approval from the historic commission. Right now, they’re trying to match gold fringe swatches against the brick red curtain.
Lucio said they aren’t sure how much the new curtain will cost, but it should be up in about a month. The existing curtain arrived at the theatre in 1983 and Lucio said stage curtains need to be replaced every 30 years or so because of general wear and tear.
The old curtain’s fate hasn’t been decided yet. Lucio said he’s not sure if anyone’s asked for it.
“If it got treated again, it would probably fall apart,” he said, explaining that stage curtains are treated with chemicals to make them fire resistant. “I don’t know if somebody would want to take it.”
The curtain weighs about 1,000 pounds, according to Lucio. But he said the chances of sustaining any kind of drapery injury are pretty slim.
“No,” said Lucio. “It would be like a piece of fabric hitting you on the head.”
“Now that,” he added, glancing toward the metal rigging bars, “that would hurt.”