# Theater Safety Part of the Theater Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/index.md) *3. Behind the Curtain* > **3.** Discuss with your counselor the safety precautions that should be practiced when working in a theater to protect the cast and crew. Then do THREE of the following: A theater is an exciting place, but it is also a workspace full of potential hazards. Heavy scenery, electrical equipment, elevated platforms, power tools, and dark backstage areas all require careful attention to safety. Before you dive into any of the hands-on options in Requirement 3, you need to understand how to keep yourself and everyone around you safe. > **Safety First!** > > Theater safety is everyone's responsibility. Whether you are an actor, a technician, or a stagehand, you should know where the emergency exits are, where the first-aid kit is located, and who is in charge of safety at your theater. Never take shortcuts with safety procedures, even during a hectic tech rehearsal. ### Common Theater Hazards **Falls and Trips** Backstage areas are often dark, cluttered with props, and crisscrossed with cables. Stages may have trapdoors, elevated platforms, or stairs without railings. Falling is the most common theater injury. - Always use a work light when moving backstage - Never run on stage or backstage - Keep walkways and emergency exits clear of props and equipment - Use glow tape on step edges and obstacles in dark areas **Electrical Hazards** Theaters use a huge amount of electrical equipment — lighting instruments, sound systems, power tools, and fog machines all draw significant power. - Never handle electrical connections with wet hands - Report frayed cables, sparking connections, or burning smells immediately - Only qualified people should work on electrical panels and circuits - Keep water and liquids away from all electrical equipment **Falling Objects** Scenery pieces, lighting instruments, and tools are often suspended above the stage. The fly system (used to raise and lower scenery) involves heavy counterweights. - Never stand directly under scenery being raised or lowered - Always call out "heads!" before lowering anything from above - Secure all tools and hardware when working at height - Wear a hard hat when working below active rigging **Tool and Construction Safety** Building scenery involves power saws, drills, paint, and other shop tools. - Wear safety glasses when cutting, drilling, or painting overhead - Use hearing protection around loud power tools - Keep your workspace clean and organized - Never use a tool you have not been trained on — ask for instruction first **Theater Safety Basics** — Know these before you start any theater work - [ ] Location of all emergency exits and fire extinguishers. - [ ] Location of the first-aid kit. - [ ] Who is the designated safety supervisor for this production. - [ ] How to call for help in an emergency. - [ ] Where the main electrical shutoff is located. - [ ] The meaning of common backstage calls ("Heads!", "Clear!", "Hold!"). ![A well-organized backstage area with glow tape on step edges, clearly marked exits, a first-aid kit mounted on the wall, and neatly coiled cables](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/theater/guide/backstage-safety?v=699f9bf1) ### Choose Your THREE Options For this requirement, you will choose **three** of the following ten options. Each option represents a different role in a theater production. Take a moment to read through all of them before deciding which three interest you most. Click through to each page to learn what is involved and how to prepare. > **Tip** > > Try to pick a mix of roles if you can — maybe one performance role (acting, directing, or musical direction) and one or two technical roles (lighting, sound, set design, costumes, makeup, scenery, or stage management). This will give you a well-rounded understanding of how a production comes together. **Performance Roles:** - **[Req 3a — Acting](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3a/)** — Perform a major role in a full-length play or parts in three one-act plays - **[Req 3b — Directing](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3b/)** — Direct, cast, rehearse, and stage a play of at least 10 minutes - **[Req 3j — Musical Direction](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3j/)** — Serve as musical director for a musical theater production **Design Roles:** - **[Req 3c — Set Design](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3c/)** — Design and build a model of a set - **[Req 3d — Costume Design](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3d/)** — Design costumes for five characters in a historical production - **[Req 3e — Hair & Makeup](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3e/)** — Create a character look using hair and makeup techniques **Technical Roles:** - **[Req 3f — Scenery Building](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3f/)** — Help build and paint scenery for a production - **[Req 3g — Lighting Design](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3g/)** — Design or help operate lighting for a production - **[Req 3h — Sound Design](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3h/)** — Help install and operate sound for a production - **[Req 3i — Stage Management](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3i/)** — Serve as stage manager and maintain a calling script > **Be Prepared! Not Sure Which to Pick?** > > Think about what excites you most. Do you like being in front of people? Try acting or directing. Do you like building things with your hands? Scenery building or set design might be your fit. Are you detail-oriented and organized? Stage management could be perfect. Love technology? Lighting and sound design put you in control of the audience's experience. There is no wrong answer — every role is essential to making a show happen. ### Explore More Resources [OSHA — Theater Safety](https://www.osha.gov/performing-arts): The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's guidelines for performing arts workplaces. ![A team of teenage crew members working together backstage, one holding a clipboard, another adjusting a light, all wearing black crew shirts](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/theater/guide/theater-crew-teamwork?v=015a6ec4) --- - Previous: [Writing a One-Act Play](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req2/index.md) - Next: [Acting](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/theater/guide/req3a/index.md)